04-05-2008, 05:05 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Combat observations
1.) It appears that the Bladed Hand weapon from Martial Arts gains the Karate/Brawling damage bonus. Hmmm. It's tempting to think that this would be cumulative with the damage bonus from Weapon Master, but there's a precedent (Throwing Art) for supposing that Weapon Master is not cumulative with skill-based bonuses. I guess I'd have to rule that it's not cumulative. Sigh.
2.) I just reviewed B402 on height differences. With a vertical difference of six feet, the higher combatant gains +3 to all his active defenses and the lower one suffers -3 to all of his. In addition, "The upper fighter may only strike at the lower fighter's head... (There is) no special bonus or penalty to attack." Since the 2/3/4 foot versions explicitly note that there is a "+1 to hit the head (skull, face, or eyes) or neck" of the lower fighter, it's tempting to think that attacks automatically target the lower fighter's head, which makes logical sense but is... wow. DF Gargoyles just became my favorite race for Knights if they weren't already. Free skull/face attacks??? At -3 to the target's defense? And +3 to your own? Edit: on second thought, I think this must be saying that attacks on head locations are at the regular -5/-7/-9 penalties. If you want the +1 bonus to hit the head you have to come down to the 2-4 foot level (and lose an extra +1 to defense) or use a longer weapon. I guess maybe the logic is that if you're too high he knows you can't reach anything but his head and moves it around more? I may overrule this one w/ house-rules and say you get a +2 bonus but can only target head locations. -Max Last edited by sjmdw45; 04-05-2008 at 05:14 AM. |
04-05-2008, 09:31 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Combat observations
I agree with your second thought. The head attacks aren't free of penalty. You're just required to target the head, like it or not, because you can't reach anywhere else.
It's similar to the way cover and hit location fold together. It shouldn't matter, mechanically, if you're at -5 to hit the head because you're choosing to aim at it, or you're at -5 to hit the head because the rest of the body is behind an impenetrable brick wall, and the head is your only available target. (The difference is only important when you miss.) |
04-05-2008, 02:14 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Re: Combat observations
MA says that a standing foe gets +1 to target the head of a sitting or kneeling foe, but not one lying down. I'd say that clinches it. The +1 bonus is only for the 2-4 foot range. If you want both a +3 defensive bonus and a bonus to hit his head you're going to have to either use a Reach-2 weapon or a Telegraphic Attack.
-Max |
04-05-2008, 04:27 PM | #4 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Combat observations
FWIW, relative height and posture modifiers are cumulative with hit location modifiers; they don't replace them. Generally, modifiers are always cumulative unless specifically described as "replacing" some other modifiers.
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
04-05-2008, 05:14 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Re: Combat observations
Quote:
-Max |
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