10-18-2016, 01:04 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Northeast Kansas
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Weapon Master Gradient
I'm running a game for a new player (my wife) and we're advancing quickly up to a plateau where things will slow down.
I'd like to break Weapon Master into component parts. This is for two reasons: 1) Since my wife's nearest previous experience to RPGs is improv exercises for High School theater, I'm trying to introduce new rules, and new maneuver options slowly. Introducing all the rule changes weapon master would give her at once might be problematic. This probably isn't really a significant issue, but she's gotten used to dodge being a better choice after she's parried successfully and we haven't even discussed rapid strike as an option. 2) Developing Weapon Master in play seems like it should involve gaining things slowly, rather than all at once. So the reduced penalty to parry comes first, then the rapid strike, then the damage, then everything else. If you were going to break Weapon Master into a leveled advantage, how would you do it points-wise? |
10-18-2016, 01:37 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Austin, TX
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
How about
Weapon Master (Parry bonus only, -75%) [5] Weapon Master (Parry and rapid strike bonus only, -50%) [10] Weapon Master (Most benefits, -25%)] [15] Weapon Master (Single Weapon) [20] I wouldn't sweat the points too closely and I would require that after someone takes the first level of the advantage, they have to spend all additional earned points on it until they have the full 20 point version. This isn't an endorsement of those values for a general purpose game, but only a solution to address the particular issues you're having in your game.
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10-18-2016, 01:48 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
PK was kind enough to answer a question similar to this for me a few years ago. I never DID get to run that Wuxia game, but man I'd still like to....
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=72321 Hope it Helps, Nymdok |
10-18-2016, 04:55 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
Just a reminder, Weapon Master gives bonus damage (+4 with ST 13 swing) and more attacks (through reduced rapid strike penalties). It does not give better DR to deal with a similarly enhanced opponent. It does give better odds of parrying multiple attacks, but how do you deal with the first one?
A couple of ways. The obvious is to go for Defensive Attacks, because you can soak the damage penalty from your bonus damage. The second is optional and hidden at the back of the book under Chambara rules: Get +3 on retreat with any weapon, just like Karate and fencing, and get Acrobatic defense bonus just like with Dodge, and get multiple retreats (and multiple Acrobatic defenses) per turn, at accumulating penalties. |
10-19-2016, 12:38 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
In my game, I split Weapon Master into the following 1/4 levels costing 5 points each, to encourage PCs to take Weapon Master for a particular weapon gradually. Since my players were not experienced in 4e, I did not allow them to take Weapon Master at character creation.
1/4 Halve multiple parry penalty 2/4 Add +1 damage per die 3/4 Halve rapid strike penalty 4/4 Add another +1 damage per die, and get access to a small number of cinematic skills. |
10-19-2016, 08:19 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
Quote:
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Fred Brackin |
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10-19-2016, 08:39 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Northeast Kansas
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
P.K. in the link above points out that cinematic skills are a 0 point feature for Weapon Master, as the cost doesn't change if there are no cinematic skills allowed.
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10-19-2016, 11:36 AM | #8 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
Quote:
It's not really worth it to split Cinematic Skill access as its own level, so I made it part of the last 1/4 of the WM. It should encourage fighter PCs to eventually pay the full 20 points for the WM. I think it also make sense flavor wise that you need to fully "master" your weapon before expand into cinematic skills. Last edited by finn; 10-19-2016 at 11:36 AM. Reason: typo |
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10-19-2016, 01:57 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
Quote:
With both Ads the greater limit is in which Skills are associated with what style. "Somewhat limited" isn't as potentially misleading as "only a few" but I wouldn't want the idea to spread that WM could only give you 2 or 3 Cinematic Skills. Weapon Masters can be very powerful and flexible in such Skills.
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Fred Brackin |
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10-19-2016, 08:50 PM | #10 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Re: Weapon Master Gradient
Quote:
Last edited by finn; 10-19-2016 at 09:53 PM. Reason: typo |
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