Defensive Attack and Unready weapons

Rasna · 02-14-2022, 04:12 PM

According to GURPS Martial Arts, p. 100:

DEFENSIVE ATTACK
This represents a cautious “probing” attack made from a full guard position, such as a jab with a thrusting weapon (including a fist or foot) or a quick, light tap with a swung one. The fighter must use a ready melee attack. He gets -2 damage or -1 damage per die, whichever is worse, but enjoys improved active defenses – see below. If he attempts to grab or grapple, his target gets +1 to defend.
- Movement: Step. Movement can come before or after the attack.
- Active Defense: Any. Before the attacker rolls, he must select a defensive benefit. If he attacks with a balanced weapon (including a hand or a shield), he may choose either +1 to Parry with one of his weapons or +1 to Block. He can assign the bonus to the weapon he’s striking with. If he attacks with an unbalanced weapon (one with “U” in its Parry statistic), he may claim +1 to Parry or Block with a different weapon, or opt to parry with the same weapon, at no bonus, despite using it to attack. If he kicks, he gets no Block or Parry bonus but +2 on rolls to avoid a Leg Grapple (p. 76) and on DX rolls to avoid falling.

Pretty much all Unready weapons are also Unbalanced weapons, so the question is: do they follow the same rules of not-Unready Unbalanced weapons? And if the answer in "no", what rules are applied in that case?

If the answer is "no", I can just think to two alternatives:
1) Unready weapons cannot be used with Defensive Attack - but I think that all attack options should be viable for all melee weapons;
2) Unready weapons with Defensive Attack become unbalanced but not unready after the attack.

02-14-2022, 04:12 PM	#1
Rasna Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Pisa, Tuscany, Italy	Defensive Attack and Unready weapons According to *GURPS Martial Arts, p. 100: DEFENSIVE ATTACK* This represents a cautious “probing” attack made from a full guard position, such as a jab with a thrusting weapon (including a fist or foot) or a quick, light tap with a swung one. The fighter must use a ready melee attack. He gets -2 damage or -1 damage per die, whichever is worse, but enjoys improved active defenses – see below. If he attempts to grab or grapple, his target gets +1 to defend. - Movement: Step. Movement can come before or after the attack. - Active Defense: Any. Before the attacker rolls, he must select a defensive benefit. If he attacks with a balanced weapon (including a hand or a shield), he may choose either +1 to Parry with one of his weapons or +1 to Block. He can assign the bonus to the weapon he’s striking with. If he attacks with an unbalanced weapon (one with “U” in its Parry statistic), he may claim +1 to Parry or Block with a different weapon, or opt to parry with the same weapon, at no bonus, despite using it to attack. If he kicks, he gets no Block or Parry bonus but +2 on rolls to avoid a Leg Grapple (p. 76) and on DX rolls to avoid falling. Pretty much all Unready weapons are also Unbalanced weapons, so the question is: do they follow the same rules of not-Unready Unbalanced weapons? And if the answer in "no", what rules are applied in that case? If the answer is "no", I can just think to two alternatives: 1) Unready weapons cannot be used with Defensive Attack - but I think that all attack options should be viable for all melee weapons; 2) Unready weapons with Defensive Attack become unbalanced but not unready after the attack.