Player wants GURPS version of D&D Weapon Focus feat?

[zoncxs]

After reading what Weapon Focus is...Its just a +1 to skill.

So I would Take what you wrote but make the U.B. 2 points so it comes to 15pts total. That sounds good enough for me if I were to use it in my games.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by thom

Hmmm...good points all. I just realized I didn't mention in my original post that I'm not allowing any damage bonus with this advantage (hence my original build). Knowing that, do you still think 20 points is fair for the concept of: +1 to hit and halved Rapid Strikes and Multiple Parries with one type of weapon (i.e. any 1H longsword)?

What exactly do you mean by "any 1H longsword"? Is it "any weapon of this particular make" (say, a Thrusting Broadsword, which is the GURPS equivalent to what TOG calls a "Longsword"), "any one-handed sword that isn't a shortsword," or something else?

If it's the first, I was actually mistaken with my pricing above, thinking it was [25] for a single make of weapon (that's the price for two weapons typically used together), when it's actually [20]. If it's the latter, that's probably a Small Class, for [30], and would basically cover any edged weapon used with the Broadsword skill.

As for pricing, I think -20% for "No Damage Bonus" is arguably fair, for [16]. For the +1 to skill, if you're going with most Broadsword-class weapons, that's just buying Broadsword up a level, which will typically cost [4] (unless the character has skill below DX+1 without this boost). If you're going with a specific make of sword, I think [2] per +1 is probably fair, which makes the trait cost [18]. If you want to boost that back up to [20], so it's a nice multiple of 5, feel free (if you're planning on an Unusual Background surcharge anyway, might was well just set the whole thing, including UB, to [20]).

[maximara]

Originally Posted by thom

Sooo...one of my players wants the GURPS version of the D&D Weapon Focus feat. Basically, +1 "to hit" and halved Rapid Strike and Multiple Parries penalties for one weapon only (that's how the D&D version works).

Based on previous posts, I'm figuring the following cost:
* 1 character point for weapon bond with the specific weapon
* 6 character points for the ability to halve the Rapid Strike penalty
* 6 character points for the ability to halve the Mutiple Parries penalty, and
* 1 character point for an unusual background to allow the special feats listed under the Trained by a Master advantage with this one weapon,

...for a total of 14 character points. Am I missing anything? It does seem kinda pricey, but since TBAM is 30 points, and Weapon Master (one weapon) is 20 points it seems in the ballpark.

thom

I double checked the d20srd and Weapon Focus is "You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon."

Now there is Weapon Specialization (+2 to damage) and Greater Weapon Focus: +1 that stacks on Weapon Focus but there isn't anything really there that isn't achieved through a higher skill [4] and a higher quality weapon.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by thom

Hmmm...good points all. I just realized I didn't mention in my original post that I'm not allowing any damage bonus with this advantage (hence my original build). Knowing that, do you still think 20 points is fair for the concept of: +1 to hit and halved Rapid Strikes and Multiple Parries with one type of weapon (i.e. any 1H broadsword)?

thom

[EDITED for clarity]

Just for the record, what about access to Cinematic Skills?

Early in 4e i made a character who was _extremely_ good with two-handed swords but had no training in the mystic stuff. That ended up as Weapon Master (Two-handed Sword) (+20pts) and Mundane Background (-10 pts).

So i'd say that without the Cinematic Skills you're already down to 10 pts. Then without the damage bonus you're lower than that. Soembody will want to pump up the value of the Rapid Strikes but I'm not sure you're going to compensate for the -3 (12pts) to every attack.

You would add on the 4pts for +1 Skill with the specified weapon butt hat realy is just more Skill (and is more than +1 to hit only but that's how Gurps works).

All of this might be dubious for a starting character. What's your point value?

[Lovewyrm]

The combat system in GURPS is pretty different (due to the d6 bell curve) and +1 to hit can be quite significant.

Check out this article, for example:
https://www.gamesdiner.com/2017/03/g...hances-on-3d6/

So I'd go with the thematic build, too.
GURPS kind of already has specialization in weapon types built in.
Even one and two handed skills are separate, so your player would just buy the skill up higher.

Also, maybe this video by Enraged Eggplant can be some inspiration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YShRS2M6DPw

[Kallatari]

Christopher R. Rice has deconstructed Weapon Master and Trained By A Master, giving a system you can use to build your own equivalent one. Rebuilding Weapon Master doesn't come out to exactly the same costs when using it, but the logic behind how it's done is valid and thus the costs make sense (in my opinion).

You can find it on his Ravens N Pennies site here: https://www.ravensnpennies.com/gurps...er-advantages/

[maximara]

Originally Posted by Lovewyrm

The combat system in GURPS is pretty different (due to the d6 bell curve) and +1 to hit can be quite significant.

The Success Roll page of the GURPSwiki compares a 3d6 to a 1d20 and if the adjusted skill is in the 6 to 12 range a +1 to skill is akin to a +2 to skill in GURPS and that is before you factor in the greater chances of a critical success.

Using any of the Cinematic Extended Critical Success options can make that +1 even more powerful.

[thom]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

After reading what Weapon Focus is...Its just a +1 to skill. So I would Take what you wrote but make the U.B. 2 points so it comes to 15pts total. That sounds good enough for me if I were to use it in my games.

Yeah, this is where I was coming from at the start. I've got printouts of Kromm's & PK's comments some years ago about breaking down the point cost of TBAM and WM (which is where the 6 points for each benefit comes from); and adding the perk costs for Weapon Bond and UB to get the benefits of the cinematic skills got the rest. I never thought about downsizing Weapon Master to one type of sword-but I'd probably end up around 15 points if I'd gone that way instead. Thanks for all the comments & insights everyone; it really helps!

thom

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by thom

Yeah, this is where I was coming from at the start. I've got printouts of Kromm's & PK's comments some years ago about breaking down the point cost of TBAM and WM (which is where the 6 points for each benefit comes from); and adding the perk costs for Weapon Bond and UB to get the benefits of the cinematic skills got the rest. I never thought about downsizing Weapon Master to one type of sword-but I'd probably end up around 15 points if I'd gone that way instead. Thanks for all the comments & insights everyone; it really helps!

I would not use Weapon Bond for this. It's not about "good with one type of sword"; it's about "good with this one specific sword." Lose that sword, or have it stolen, or have it broken, and you don't get the +1 with any other sword. (Nor should you; as Anthony points out, a +1 with one skill is worth 4 points, not 1 point. It's the risk factor that justifies the discount.)

If you lose that sword, of course you can try to find another. But you can't just take one off a foe's body, or walk into an armoury and buy one; you need to invest some narrative time into your searching for another sword that suits you just as ideally.

I usually think of this as "a benefit that's associated with that sword." But you could think of it as a perk: "my build and balance and hand size and musculature make me exactly the perfect user for this one sword."

[thom]

OK, after taking all the feedback to my player, I'm back with a new idea. What would y'all think the pricing should be for the following benefits:

1] the ability to halve the Rapid Strike penalty for one weapon skill (i.e. Broadsword)
2] the ability to halve the Multiple Parries penalty for that one weapon skill
3] access to all the cinematic abilities listed under the Weapon Master advantage for that one weapon skill.

I'm still of the opinion that 15 character points would cover all this, but I'd like to know what the experts think...

thom