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Old 02-02-2022, 02:53 PM   #1
JazzJedi
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Default Wolverine Claws

Would it make sense to make Wolverine-style triple-bladed claws do x3 damage? Or roll damage three times? I realize that realistic claws would have less penetrating power since the force is divided into three blades. But assuming penetration was not an issue, what argument could be made that it should be a single damage roll? Assuming the character could extend 1, 2, or all 3 claws, there must be a damage differential?
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Old 02-02-2022, 03:00 PM   #2
the_matrix_walker
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

Strength-based attacks are variable by default, so you can pull your punches...

So buy Claws, Long Talons, and when you want to pull your punches, just say you are doing less damage and decide how much each missing talon deducts.
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Old 02-02-2022, 03:34 PM   #3
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

I would probably treat this like a trident in GURPS Low-Tech (p. 64).
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Old 02-02-2022, 04:54 PM   #4
Varyon
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

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Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
I would probably treat this like a trident in GURPS Low-Tech (p. 64).
Exactly what I was thinking as well. LTC2 notes the effects of a multi-tined spearhead relative to a normal one - +1 to the enemy's Block/Parry (multiple tines makes it easier to intercept, as you only need to connect with one), -1 to the enemy's Dodge (larger surface area means it's harder to avoid), a (0.5) Armor Divisor (impact spread over a wider area, reducing armor penetration), and +1 to damage (it leaves larger, nastier wounds). Normally this also screws up a weapon's balance, for -2 to hit and Parry U, but that's not necessary for a "natural" weapon.

Personally, I'd be inclined to say Claws/Striker/Melee Innate Attack/Natural Weapon with the above (+1 Block/Parry, -1 Dodge, x2 DR, +1 damage) all works out to a +0% modifier; being able to switch between multi-tined and single-tined would be an Enhancement, which I'd eyeball at +10% if it requires a Ready, +20% if it doesn't.
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Old 02-02-2022, 06:26 PM   #5
naloth
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

In the Natural Strikers article Minotaur hours are written up on Impaling Strikers x2 (linked). If you have the article it would be fairly easy to do a similar thing for Wolvie's claws by taking 3 then linking them with 20% link so that you could use any of the three. You can also buy AP or Cosmic (ignores) as desired. Pyramid Issue 3/65.

This probably doesn't help much without the article to explain the modifiers but I'd do:
Wolverine Claws (Cutting; AP/100* +250% ; Destructive Parry +40%; Extra Type: Impaling +20%; Hidden +20%; Link +20%; Resilient +40%; Swing Cut +10%) 35 per blade, 3 blades. Total: [105]

*AP/100 isn't official, but seems reasonable.

Last edited by naloth; 02-02-2022 at 06:45 PM.
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Old 02-02-2022, 06:39 PM   #6
Jack Sawyer
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

Or you figure one claw does the damage of a small blade (like a knife or dagger) and multiply that by three. It's basically three knives being driven by the strength of one arm. I'd say the main drawbacks are perhaps parrying or catching a weapon (depends on the type I think - catch another blade and you may end up just cutting your knuckles) and armor penetration (your strength is split among three blades rather than one and they'd still be rather light blades all told - not sure you'd want several kilos of weight on the back of each wrist).

If you implement this true 'wolverine' style it probably comes out of their flesh so that might cause some small pain/injury to trigger unless you also regenerate (they might or might not bleed too... I remember this being depicted inconsistently in the novels. When Logan lost his adamantium the 'natural' claws caused serious bleeding the first time for some reason) I vaguely recall there may have been an in-comic reason for avoiding that bleeding but again they weren't always consistent with it given how long Wolverine has existed.
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Old 02-02-2022, 06:53 PM   #7
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

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Originally Posted by naloth View Post
Wolverine Claws (Cutting; AP/100* +250% ; Destructive Parry +40%; Extra Type: Impaling +20%; Hidden +20%; Link +20%; Resilient +40%; Swing Cut +10%) 35 per blade, 3 blades. Total: [105]

*AP/100 isn't official, but seems reasonable.
I'd probably do this, but add Cosmic, Rapid Fire on Melee (+100%) and Rapid Fire 3 (+50%). I'd definitely add Cosmic Irresistible Attack (+300%) in addition to some level of Armor-Piecing. Those things go through anything.
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Old 02-03-2022, 05:56 AM   #8
naloth
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

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Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice View Post
I'd probably do this, but add Cosmic, Rapid Fire on Melee (+100%) and Rapid Fire 3 (+50%). I'd definitely add Cosmic Irresistible Attack (+300%) in addition to some level of Armor-Piecing. Those things go through anything.
I considered AP/10 (+200%) plus Cosmic (+300%) instead of AP/100 since that's the official way to ignore both hardened DR.

You shouldn't need Rapid Fire. The reason for purchasing it three times and linking each together was to get up to 3 hits with one attack if all 3 blades were out.
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Old 02-03-2022, 06:32 AM   #9
whswhs
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

You don't get three true attacks. There is not a gun firing a bullet, and then another, and then another; there is not an arm swinging a blade, and then again, and then again. There is one swing of an arm wielding three blades. The part of the damage that comes from strength (the majority of it) is not tripled; it occurs only once.

To be specific, a large knife does thr impaling damage; a fist does thr-1 crushing damage. So it appears that the knife adds 1 point of damage and changes it from crushing to impaling. If the claws count as three large knives, they might at most do 3 extra points of damage, or thr+2, and change it to impaling. It's a cruder approximation, but they might comparably change cutting damage from sw-2 to sw.

A small knife does thr-1 impaling damage, which is no damage bonus relative to a fist; tripling that bonus would give thr-1 impaling damage for three small knives. Perhaps they might get up to thr; I doubt that they could get up to thr+1.

Down at this level, treating damage as a linear function of number of blades is probably too crude an approximation, though. I think it would be better to use the spear-to-trident conversion, which adds 1 point of damage and reduces penetration by one step.
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Old 02-03-2022, 06:56 AM   #10
naloth
 
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Default Re: Wolverine Claws

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Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
You don't get three true attacks. There is not a gun firing a bullet, and then another, and then another; there is not an arm swinging a blade, and then again, and then again. There is one swing of an arm wielding three blades. The part of the damage that comes from strength (the majority of it) is not tripled; it occurs only once.
That may be more realistic approach, but there's very little realism involved with Wolverine's claws. Comic-wise, the 1 vs 3 claws slice is a a lot more effective than a +1 or +2 damage. Mechanics-wise, it's an excuse to multiply his damage up to the point where he's doing similar damage to a brick type character. If I were running a Supers game, I'd pick the solution that fit in with the power level better.

In any case, the rules foundation seems solid since it follows the precedent for the Minotaur's Horns presented in that article.

BTW, tridents used to have a RoF but penalized base damage, so that has waffled a bit over time as well.

Last edited by naloth; 02-03-2022 at 07:00 AM.
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