How to create a Spear Fencer?

[Maz]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I was planning on using a pair of Shortspears.. so one-handed

Well, the penalty to Parries are "per weapon". So if you just alternate between parrying with one or the other, you gain the same benefit.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Maz

Well, the penalty to Parries are "per weapon". So if you just alternate between parrying with one or the other, you gain the same benefit.

Not really... alternating between two weapons that get Fencing Parries is far better than between two weapons that do not..

Regular Parries at Parry 16*:
16, 16, 14, 14, 12, 12 - 6 Parries before Dodge is preferable, if Dodge is 10 (ignoring Retreat and Acrobatic Dodge).

Fencing Parries at Parry 16*:
16, 16, 15, 15, 14, 14, 13, 13, 12, 12, 11, 11 - 12 Parries before Dodge is preferable, if Dodge is 10 (ignoring Retreat and Acrobatic Dodge).


* presuming Ambidexterity/Off-Hand Training and Weapon Master/Trained By Master.

I place the Parry at 16, Dodge at 10, Weapon Master, and Off-Hand Training, as this is what the character shall have.

[Gedrin]

Most armed styles have an unarmed component. IMC, I've allowed practitioners of a formal style to purchase Weapon Adaptation to utilize their weapons and unarmed styles together. Obviously, the strikes aren't combined, but, if the PC meets the other requirements for the Karate/Judo retreat bonus (encumbrance ect) and they have the perk, they can use their skills in that way. It's a function of having both skills, say Judo and Spear, and the specific training to utilize them together.

[Kalzazz]

I'm fine with it as a perk

[Refplace]

What about adding a Rapid Retraction perk?
Combine with other gripp mastery perks you can instantly change length to suit.

[otghand]

Early days of film, but yes - that is what I was taught by my fencing coach. He was making a point about what we do being a sport and the reason for right of way rules. Real fencers were healthily afraid of getting hurt.

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Someone took a video of a real duel?

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Hellboy

Why does a spear need to be bendy to fence with it? Of the three fencing weapons isn't it just the foil which is bendy? Epee and Sabre seem rigid enough.

This thread made me think of Lancer from Fate/stay night :)

No sword designed for earnest combat was "bendy". Rapiers, smallswords, and sabres were all ridged. The flexibility of modern sport fencing tools is a safety feature, no more.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

It's the speed of small movement parries and thrusts I've seen in the SCA fencing matches I've watched (and been demolished in).

And yes, I understand this is probably Rapier Sport rather than the combat skill.

I have nothing against the SCA, I used to be a member and all of my memories are fond. It's a wonderful organization that brought a lot of joy into my life and SCA fighters are, by and large, gifted and talented athletes. But SCA fencing is ahistorical for three reasons: 1: They use epees, which are significantly lighter and more flexible than historical rapiers, 2: They don't allow percussive cuts, which were a major part of historical rapier fighting, and 3: They base their practice on modern fencing+speculation rather than the manuals left by the fencing masters of the rennaissance.

It's therefore a pretty poor measure of how people actually fought.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Gedrin

Most armed styles have an unarmed component. IMC, I've allowed practitioners of a formal style to purchase Weapon Adaptation to utilize their weapons and unarmed styles together. Obviously, the strikes aren't combined, but, if the PC meets the other requirements for the Karate/Judo retreat bonus (encumbrance ect) and they have the perk, they can use their skills in that way. It's a function of having both skills, say Judo and Spear, and the specific training to utilize them together.

Interesting. Not sure if the GM will go for this interpretation, but it's another angle to pursue.

The character is Swashbuckler buying into Martial Artist, so it will have Karate and Judo.

Originally Posted by aesir23

It's therefore a pretty poor measure of how people actually fought.

So are wuxia movies... which is what I'm aiming for... ;)

[Maz]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Not really... alternating between two weapons that get Fencing Parries is far better than between two weapons that do not..

No of course, as fencing is just better.

But I was responding to your comment that you couldn't benefit from the rule for the better parry of a two-handed weapon because you were going to use two one-handed weapons.

[Polydamas]

I agree that its best to ignore modern sport fencing when trying to understand the four Fencing skills in GURPS. They do have connections, but those connections are historical, back in the 1980s before better sources and experts were available.

Originally Posted by aesir23

I have nothing against the SCA, I used to be a member and all of my memories are fond. It's a wonderful organization that brought a lot of joy into my life and SCA fighters are, by and large, gifted and talented athletes. But SCA fencing is ahistorical for three reasons: 1: They use epees, which are significantly lighter and more flexible than historical rapists, 2: They don't allow percussive cuts, which were a major part of historical rapier fighting, and 3: They base their practice on modern fencing+speculation rather than the manuals left by the fencing masters of the rennaissance.

Like a lot of things in the SCA, 1. and 3. vary by district. There are subcultures where "rapier" means "steel blunts designed to imitate sharp swords of the 16th or 17th century" ie. "heavy rapier" (and a reasonable number of people at least use the manuals as sources of inspiration) and subcultures where "light rapier" ie. sport epée or schlager blades is the norm and people do whatever seems to win bouts or please the audience.