Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip > The Fantasy Trip: House Rules

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-08-2020, 07:45 AM   #1
Axly Suregrip
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Durham, NC
Default What to do about Great Hammers?

Maybe this has been brought up before. Great Hammer at ST 14 does the same damage as Bastard Sword used 2 handed at ST 13.

So, either Great Hammer damage should be increased to 2+3 or 3-1.

And it is not a fair comparison to the Pike Axe (ST 15 and 2+2) as that a pole arm, which gets plenty of other bonuses.

For the Great Hammer I am leaning towards 2+3.

I know that gives is more consistant damage than 2 handed sword (also at ST 14 and 3-1), but the higher maximum damage of teh 2 handed sword still makes it more attractive verses heavy armor.

Just curious how others have addressed this issue.
Axly Suregrip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 08:39 AM   #2
Shostak
 
Shostak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

I just look at this as "life is unfair." The difference between a halberd and a pike axe seems made up to me, given that a halberd is a pole axe. If you want more cost/benefit to weapon choice, GURPS is probably a better choice than TFT.
Shostak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 09:16 AM   #3
Shadekeep
 
Shadekeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Aerlith
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

I don't think it's necessary to increase the damage of the hammer. An edged weapon is, generally speaking, more likely to do harm to a living foe than a blunt weapon. I would be more inclined to house rule it another way.

For example, the ax/mace category of weapons would be more likely to stagger a foe than an edged weapon, thereby producing a DX-affecting or knockdown effect (see Reactions To Injury, ITL pg 118). So give hammers and such a bonus is that regard. Say that they inflict -2 DX at 4 damage instead of 5, and knock an enemy down at 6 damage instead of 8. This makes them attractive on their own for those effects rather than raw damage, and makes blunt weapon fighters a distinct kind of threat from swordfighters.
__________________
Shadekeep - TFT Tools & Adventures
Shadekeep is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 09:29 AM   #4
TippetsTX
 
TippetsTX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: North Texas
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadekeep View Post
For example, the ax/mace category of weapons would be more likely to stagger a foe than an edged weapon, thereby producing a DX-affecting or knockdown effect (see Reactions To Injury, ITL pg 118). So give hammers and such a bonus is that regard. Say that they inflict -2 DX at 4 damage instead of 5, and knock an enemy down at 6 damage instead of 8. This makes them attractive on their own for those effects rather than raw damage, and makes blunt weapon fighters a distinct kind of threat from swordfighters.
I suggest moving this to the house-rules forum, but this would be my approach as well. The damage profiles for weapons in TFT are extremely limited given the dependency on a single die type so better to create unique weapon 'traits' to differentiate them IMO.
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.” -Vladimir Taltos
TippetsTX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 10:05 AM   #5
Shadekeep
 
Shadekeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Aerlith
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

Quote:
Originally Posted by TippetsTX View Post
I suggest moving this to the house-rules forum, but this would be my approach as well. The damage profiles for weapons in TFT are extremely limited given the dependency on a single die type so better to create unique weapon 'traits' to differentiate them IMO.
Agreed, this is basically a house rules question anyway. And I much prefer to have distinct effects rather than just a straight range of damage rolls. Otherwise why should a player prefer one weapon class over another?
__________________
Shadekeep - TFT Tools & Adventures
Shadekeep is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 10:05 AM   #6
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

My suggestion is to double armor against cutting weapons and halve the hits inflicted after armor of other attack types.
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 10:23 AM   #7
Axly Suregrip
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Durham, NC
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

Well the answers are house rules answers, but I put the question here since I believe this is an error in the game.

Thank you for your answers.
Axly Suregrip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 10:54 AM   #8
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

Bastard Sword 2-h damage has been errataed. (To be higher than Great Hammer) so the problem is solved.
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 12:30 PM   #9
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

I'm not sure anything should be done here. Great hammer has an average of 9, 2-handed sword averages 9.5. But their distributions differ, with various effects. E.g., standard plate armor (5 pts protection) has a 1 in 12 chance of stopping all damage from a great hammer, but a 1 in 11 chance of stopping all damage from a two handed sword. Both differences are subtle, but they point in different directions. I don't think there is a clear statistical choice between the two when you consider all the situational variables.
larsdangly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2020, 05:30 PM   #10
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: What to do about Great Hammers?

For once, I agree with HCobb on something.

The 2d+2 two-handed damage for bastardswords was set back to its original 3d-2 value in errata.
Skarg is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.