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Old 07-21-2006, 02:09 AM   #1
vicky_molokh
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Default Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Greetings, all!

I'm having a slight trouble with the 4e Main-Gauche skill. It states that it gives +1 to parry compared to the Knife skill, but must be used in the off-hand, while Knife should be used with the primary weapon.

So the question arises, do I need both Knife and Main-Gauche to weild a pair of knives*? If yes, why do I have a higher Parry with my off-hand than with my primary hand? If not, why does it say that I need the Knife skill?
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*==I'm deliberately avoiding Ambidexterity, OHWT and DWA, as I'm only putting one or two points into the skill/combo.
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Old 07-21-2006, 02:31 AM   #2
Avel
 
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

When we put main-gauche into play in our game, we took it to mean

Main-Gauche skill is only "the skill of parrying with an off-hand dagger",

therefore to attack with a knife you need Knife skill, and you get + to parry because that's all it does, the skill is dedicated to defending not a normal weapon used for either attack or defence.

But we could very easily be wrong :)
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Old 07-21-2006, 02:47 AM   #3
Peter V. Dell'Orto
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Avel
But we could very easily be wrong :)
Yep, you are wrong.

Main-Gauche is basically "knife plus" - it's a better version of knife. If you have it, you don't also need Knife. It does everything Knife does plus a bit more; however it is more difficult and is a Fencing weapon (which has its own ups and downs) so if you don't need the "extras" you are better off with Knife. The line about using a Knife as a primary weapon is confusing, but I am 100% certain you can use a knife as a weapon - to attack, to defend, and in either hand - using Main-Gauche - thanks to discussions with Sean concerning GURPS Martial Arts.
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Old 07-21-2006, 04:41 AM   #4
Steelie
 
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Avel's misguided (and I'm his GM although much less experienced in GUPRS than he). One of our players spent points on Main Gauche _and_ knife until I pointed out that surely they were the same skill, but one gave you a bit more and was consequently harder to learn.

I'm glad that I was apparently less wrong than normal this time :o)
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Old 07-21-2006, 05:05 AM   #5
Avel
 
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

OK good! I was right though, that when we first had main-gauche we had both skills being bought :) I'm not the character in question so I didn't notice that Steelie wisely refunded his knife already :p
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Old 07-21-2006, 06:36 AM   #6
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

I've always played with both skills - to me it seems that Main-Gauche *only* includes training for the off-hand (which is why we call the skill "Left Knife" in our games).
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Old 07-21-2006, 07:10 AM   #7
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Toadkiller_Dog
Yep, you are wrong.

Main-Gauche is basically "knife plus" - it's a better version of knife. If you have it, you don't also need Knife. It does everything Knife does plus a bit more; however it is more difficult and is a Fencing weapon (which has its own ups and downs) so if you don't need the "extras" you are better off with Knife. The line about using a Knife as a primary weapon is confusing, but I am 100% certain you can use a knife as a weapon - to attack, to defend, and in either hand - using Main-Gauche - thanks to discussions with Sean concerning GURPS Martial Arts.
It was in G3, but there are reasons to use that enterpretation with G4 basic. It is not listed with normal melee skills for one and does not really say you can attack with it, so it is not unreasonable to treat it as a sort of shield skill for useing with a knife.

So the wording in basic is unclear
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Old 07-21-2006, 07:16 AM   #8
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Quote:
Originally Posted by blacksmith

So the wording in basic is unclear
Agreed, however I would take a clarification from the author of the 4e version of Martial Arts pretty seriously as being correct.
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Old 07-21-2006, 07:19 AM   #9
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Quote:
Originally Posted by zogo
Agreed, however I would take a clarification from the author of the 4e version of Martial Arts pretty seriously as being correct.
So would I. It is something that should be clarified in that book(hell it should have been clearer to begin with, changeing the sentance about knife being for attack to everything knife normaly includes is in this skill as well would not have changed word count and been clear)
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Old 07-21-2006, 07:44 AM   #10
roguebfl
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Default Re: Clarifications on the Main-Gauche Skill?

Quote:
Originally Posted by blacksmith
It is not listed with normal melee skills for one
Actually it is, under the subsection fencing weapons B208, it actual the first fencing weapon described.
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