01-20-2022, 10:22 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2018
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what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
I was looking at B557 and result 5 ("you hit a solid object") on the Unarmed Critical Miss Table. It also applies to results 6 and 16 on that table.
Instead of a broad "wall, floor, etc" the "exception" says "you fall on his weapon" if the foe you missed was holding a readied Impaling weapon. There might be situations where that's not desirable for the spear-holder though, like "I don't want to kill this crazed peasant trying to punch me, he's drunk and I'm trying to protect him" or "I at least don't want him stuck on my spear, it would take time to get him off where I could be attacked by others" or even "he has acid blood which is going to ruin my spear" So should there be some option to maybe treat this like a non-critical successful attack on a weapon where the spear-holder might perform a dodge or parry to prevent contact with his spear if he doesn't want the free auto-impale against the unarmed attacker who crit-failed a punch on him? - a similar concern for results 3 and 18... if the GM says "walk facefirst into an opponent’s fist" shouldn't the owner of that fist have a say in if they WANT their fist to make contact? I think "you trip and fall on your head" is more analagous to the earlier "you hit a wall" or "you hit a floor" results that don't involve contact with other characters. I was thinking 3/18 instead of auto-KO could be something like "take a 2-yard fall/collision to your skull" or maybe like 5/16 where you suffer the results of the striking ST you were using for the failed attack? It seems like helmet and skull DR should matter. |
01-21-2022, 01:16 AM | #2 | |
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
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If the GM is feeling indulgent, perhaps allow a suitable weapon or unarmed combat skill roll to convert the critical into a less damaging, more desirable effect like a disarm. |
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01-21-2022, 02:44 AM | #3 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
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01-21-2022, 06:56 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
If it's a Critical Failure on the part of the attacker, I'd allow a Parry to get the weapon out of the way. If it's a Critical Success on the part of the defender (that is, a Critical Success on an Active Defense, which is treated as a Critical Failure on the attack), I'd allow the player to simply waive the benefit of the Critical Success and treat it as a normal Success.
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01-21-2022, 08:41 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Panama
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
If you don't want to hurt someone don't point a spear at them.
If you have a spear at hand and trying to control a drunken peasant (for example) you may say to the GM you are not using your spear in a dangerous way, you are using it mostly to parry and push, probably with both hands (across the chest) or something. If you are using the spear with an intent to kill you probably have it pointed to the target and a critical failure is as surprising to the target as to you. |
01-21-2022, 11:01 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
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01-21-2022, 12:33 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
Getting out of the way seems like a dodge.
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Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
01-21-2022, 12:42 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
Parry can be used to get a weapon out of the way if it's the target of an attack, so I'd let it work here as well (it's another case of "get the weapon out of the way"). Dodge would certainly also be an option, but Parry is usually higher.
EDIT: Of course, the GM could be justified in saying that only getting the weapon out of the way (that is, using Parry) means the attacker stumbles into you rather than your weapon, which may risk you falling down or similar.
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GURPS Overhaul |
01-21-2022, 02:51 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
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I was thinking of a slightly more cinematic combat where the spear-user is competent and the opponent is impaired or unskilled. |
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01-21-2022, 03:25 PM | #10 | |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: what if you don't want your foe to fall on your spear?
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Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
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Tags |
impaling weapon, unarmed critical miss, you hit a solid object |
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