Combat on 6" beams

[Vlad]

If anything similar to this topic has been discussed before feel free to point away.

Our group tends to run a lot of high powered DF campaigns and as such we often need to introduce environmental challenges to make things interesting. Very soon, I will be having the PC's cross 10-15 yd long, 6" beams while under attack. Falling will be bad but probably not deadly (stench and spikes).

I came up with a homebrew mechanic for movement that is DX-N where N is the number of yards the PC wants to move on the beam up to their full move. I'm not quite sure how to penalize combat, both attacks and defenses though. I thought I would ask the forum for thoughts. Having to keep your center of gravity over the beam seems like the central restriction. I've got one PC who is invested in acrobatics and has perfect balance so this particular area is his time to shine.

This also happens to be a no-mana zone if that matters. Any thoughts would be welcomed!

[GodBeastX]

Bad Footing rules maybe? -2+ Attack, -1+ Defense? Possible slow to movement? Perfect Balance to help with rolls?

[Edges]

Bad Footing penalties sound good to me too. And a crit fail on an attack or defense means you fall in addition to normal results.

Also, I would give a +4 or so to cross the beam out of combat if it comes up. Six inches isn't all that narrow.

I wouldn't give someone with Perfect Balance any penalty. And I wouldn't make them roll to fall off unless they suffered knock back or knockdown.

[mlangsdorf]

It sounds like you've already got the basics of it: all attacks and defenses are penalized for bad footing, and if you move, you have an additional penalty on all DX rolls. Add a note that Acrobatic Dodges count as a hex of movement, and that anyone performing either an Acrobatic Dodge or a Retreat needs to make a DX roll (including movement penalty) or fall off the beam. Perfect Balance negates the DX penalty for movement but doesn't remove the DX roll for falling off the beam.

You're encouraging a very static fight, which may or may not be a good thing, except for one guy who should be taking advantage of his relative maneuverability and having fun.

[Nymdok]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

Bad Footing rules maybe? -2+ Attack, -1+ Defense? Possible slow to movement? Perfect Balance to help with rolls?

Sounds exactly like that to me. At least for starters anyway.

Note that paving stones like you might find in your yard are normally 10-12" and considered comfortable walking width, olympic balance beam is only about 4 inches wide, and Id ballpark most tightropes at being about 1" to 2" thick so 6" is mildly difficult leading to a wag of -2/-1.


Nymdok

[GodBeastX]

If I recall, Acrobatics can also substitute the DX roll for balance purposes. I may be wrong, but I tend to allow it (Skills > Attributes IMHO).

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Edges

I wouldn't give someone with Perfect Balance any penalty. And I wouldn't make them roll to fall off unless they suffered knock back or knockdown.

Agreed.

Another idea. Everyone (who doesn't have Perfect Balance) makes an Acrobstics (or DX-6 default) roll before each round. Their margin of failure = penalty to all DX based activity for that round. If they choose a Change Posture maneuver, they're allowed another roll against their Acrobstics (or default) as an attempt to steady themselves; it won't let them Attack that round, but would affect defenses.

[Kromm]

See also Old Elven Tree Tricks (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 16: Wilderness Adventures, pp. 39-40).

[Vlad]

Thanks for all the replies. I must have missed DF16's publication - I'll be picking that up for sure.

The +4 for out of combat definitely makes sense, I'm just wondering now if Need to make these beams even narrower to get things down to -4 or even more. I just got hung up on how you might even dodge when you could only shift your body a few inches in either direction - any serious attempt to evade an attack would seemingly come at an additional risk to your balance.

ahh the problems of letting characters get to 400CP.

[Varyon]

A 6" beam isn't dissimilar to a stable log (the log is often wider, but is curved), which DF16 notes requires an Acrobatics roll at +2 to be able to cross at full normal Move. I'd probably give a further +1 for up to half Move, +2 for up to 1/4th Move.

DF16 also notes that, in such a situation, a character's combat skills cannot exceed their DX-based movement/stabilization skill - in this case, Acrobatics. I'd probably apply the above bonuses to the cap, however.