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Old 06-18-2021, 05:20 AM   #1
Tymathee
 
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Default [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

See Post #15 and beyond for discussion of the second draft of this character.

Part 1

I do not think the forum has explored much regarding whip-wielding heroes or heroines, and I needed a break from the stress of cramming for college finals so here is this thing! Protagonists in fiction are often capable of great feats with the whip, either through sheer extreme skill or because the weapon is made of magic and/or alchemy, or its some ultra/super-tech gear. Here is one interpretation mostly suitable for a DF game.

Adeline Beauchêne

250 Points

Adeline comes from a long line of successful highwaywomen who robbed the nobility and did what they pleased with what wealth they did not share with the peasantry… some time ago, one of her female ancestors wielded the Fiend Slayer, a whip made with legendary craftsmanship and magic, to fight evil in its many forms. Now the weapon has been passed from mother to daughter to keep with their traditions. Inspired by the tales told to her by her mother of the heroism of her ancestors she seeks to travel the lands in search of evil to vanquish with her ancestral weapon.

Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 15 [100]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 13 [30].

Secondary Characteristics:
Damage 1d-1/1d+1
BL 24 lbs.
HP 11 [0]
Will 10 [0]
Per 10 [0]
FP 13 [0]
Basic Speed 7.00 [0]
Basic Move 7 [0]

Advantages:
Appearance (Beautiful) [12]
Blinding Strike 2 [2]
Sharp-Dressed 2 [2]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Enhanced Parry 1 (Whip) [5]
Extra Option (Sexy Clothing compatible w/ Sharp-Dressed) [1]
Luck [15]
Rapier Wit [5]
Rules Exemption (Combat Perky!) [1]
Signature Gear (Fiend Slayer) [25]
Weapon Bond (Fiend Slayer) [1]
Weapon Master (Whip) [20]

Disadvantages:
Chummy [-5]
Code of Honor (Highwaywoman’s) [-5]
Compulsive Carousing (12) [-5]
Impulsiveness (12) [-10]
Overconfidence (12) [-5]
Selfish (12) [-5]
Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5]
Short Attention Span (12) [-10]

Quirks:
Broad-Minded [-1]
Determined [-1]
Forgetful [-1]
Inquisitive [-1]
Insensitive [-1]

Skills:
Acrobatics-15 [4]
Brawling-15 [1]
Carousing-13 [1]
Climbing-14 [1]
Fast-Draw (Flexible)-16 [1]
Fast-Talk-10 [2]
First Aid-10 [1]
Gesture-10 [1]
Hiking-12 [1]
Intimidation-10 [2]
Jumping-15 [1]
Public Speaking (Repartee)-12 [4]
Search-10 [2]
Sex Appeal-18 [1]
Stealth-15 [2]
Streetwise-10 [2]
Whip-24 [32]
Wrestling-15 [2]

Skill levels as written represent effective Skill levels with all modifiers from traits and equipment.

Equipment:
Fiend Slayer [Belt] Dmg sw-2 cr; Reach 1-4; Parry -2; ST 9; $12,500; 8 lbs. Enchanted w/ Shatterproof. See Designer’s Notes.
• Blanket [Torso] $20, 4 lbs.
• Bandages [Haversack] $10, 1 lb.
• Elven Rations (1 week) [Haversack] $105, 3.5 lbs.
• Haversack [Shoulder, Left] Holds 10 lbs. $30, 1 lb.
• Personal Basics [Haversack] $5, 1 lb.
• Rope, 3/8” (10 yards) [Torso] $5, 1.5 lbs.
• Sexy Clothing [Torso] +2 to Sex Appeal. $460, 1 lb.
• Small Belt Knife [Belt] $15, 0.25 lb.
• Light Thigh-High Boots of Solidity [Legs] DR 3* for feet and legs. $290, 5.25 lbs.
• Whetstone [Haversack] $5, 1 lb.
• Wineskin [Over Shoulder] $10, 0.25 lb. (8.25 lbs. full of water)
• Money [Haversack] $45; Silver, 10 coins. Copper, 5 coins.

Last edited by Tymathee; 06-21-2021 at 12:55 PM.
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Old 06-18-2021, 05:24 AM   #2
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

Part 2

Designer’s Notes

Adeline’s character build is based off the Swashbuckler template but does not deviate too far from it, although I would admit this build does lean more towards “built to concept”. Certain aspects of her character wander outside the accepted boundaries of DF char gen but for the most part the points are paid for the privilege of coloring outside the lines. I actually wrote the majority of this character sheet and design notes months ago, but I dredged it up to polish it off with some finishing touches to showcase.

Under the hood for Fiend Slayer, Adeline’s signature cool whip, in four parts. Using a combination of Low-Tech Companion 2, Metatronic Generators from Pyramid 3/46, the “Extra Ready” trait from the Monster Hunters line, and some Perks crafted from options in Power-Ups 2…

1) Extra Ready 4 (Fiend Slayer only, -80%; Melee Weapon (Reach 1-4), -15%) [20]
No real Power Modifier was used here as these abilities of the weapon are achieved purely through what amounts to “legendary craftsmanship”, or about +0%. Maybe magic or alchemy really was utilized in the process, but the qualities are so engrained in the essence of the weapon that it transcends the limits of its own origins. We are invoking the Rule of Cool here!

2) Standard Operating Procedure (Ready maneuvers while Fiend Slayer is held are always taken) [1]
Ready maneuvers are always assumed to have been performed, when possible, by the player character to ensure the weapon is available for both attacking and parrying; this is here to speed up play rather than require the player to declare the actions. Quality of Life improvement!

3) Combat Shtick (Menacing Whipcrack) [1]
After a successful use of the Crack technique, you may make an immediate attempt at Intimidation as a free action. Whips, in fiction at least, have a common trope of being cracked to psyche out targets. This whip was made to be especially intimidating. It strikes fear into the hearts of the wicked!

4) To the base cost of the whip, +10 CF to remove Armor Divisor and the additional damage penalty that comes with that. Another +4 CF for Dwarven to make it balanced. Finally, we arrive at the final price of $12,500 by adding $8,000 for the benefit of having a Shatterproof enchantment.

It is wholly possible to emulate some of these features of the whip as Techniques (“Coup de Jarnac” could be refluffed for use with a whip, and the Dwarven modifier could be substituted by a Technique as well), but I decided it would be more fun if they were features of the whip rather than the product of mastering cinematic techniques. Technically it is not RAW kosher to put the Dwarven modifier on any weapon not specifically marked “0U” with their parry. The modifier is based on the nonsense-logic of fantasy masterful craftsmanship anyways, so it seems OK here.

Public Speaking (Repartee) provides the most game mechanical relevant part of Public Speaking for Rapier Wit while also not having the greater utility of plain unspecialized Public Speaking; it is just the skill of making quick, clever insults. If more utility is wanted, I would say it would be fair to allow it as a Complimentary Skill Roll to Intimidation attempts. If anything, this is an option to permit Rapier Wit on more character types and yet still gatekeep them for the sake of niche protection (for the Bards) because they lack full access to the full utility of Public Speaking.

Contrary to the rules, there is more Combat Perks than what might be permitted with the number of points already invested in combat skills. Most of which is not giving any more leg up than what would be available to other delvers really (any delver worth their salt is going to have at least some amount of DR 2… she might have DR from her clothes, but it is still only as lasting as skimpy attire is), but the levels in Blinding Strike might seem sus. A Rules Exemption Perk seems fine here as it is in the context of better conforming to the concept… we were already going against the spirit of the rules by including yet more combat relevant Perks built into Fiend Slayer. Oh well! Rule of Cool takes priority here. She’s a cool whip-wielding anti-heroine! You could say she’s… Combat Perky! *badum-tish!... insert laugh track here*

The Extra Option perk included here is fitting for the genre. Honestly, I am surprised it was not an option by default. Everyone knows that the more exposed you are by your “armor” the more protective it is! It is a trope of the genre, and an obnoxious one at that. My favorite kind of DF takes all the obnoxious tropes and goes full ham with them… like scantily-clad Barbarians (“Beefcake Protection”, heh-heh), which DF by default already fully embraces.

Her equipment loadout seems fine. Some torches might be called for, but I imagine the standard DF party to always have a Wizard, and every Wizard ought to have the ubiquitous Light spells to render said torches moot. Or maybe there is a dedicated hireling who always has a steady supply and good grip on his torches. Who knows! This list ought to be subject to change as necessary for whatever campaign she might end up in.

That's it for now for design notes.
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Old 06-18-2021, 07:34 AM   #3
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

I like it! Yeah, you need to do a lot of work to make a whip a decent weapon; personally, I'm fond of just forgetting about making it as equipment and building it as a Natural Weapon, but this works too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tymathee View Post
Some torches might be called for, but I imagine the standard DF party to always have a Wizard, and every Wizard ought to have the ubiquitous Light spells to render said torches moot. Or maybe there is a dedicated hireling who always has a steady supply and good grip on his torches.
I kind of assumed the areas she went would be fairly well-lit - indeed, well-lit enough that she could safely use her whip to snuff out a lot of the torches and candles and pick up whatever they dropped.
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Old 06-18-2021, 10:23 AM   #4
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

Looks very nice. As an aside, the "diabolical whips" from Fantasy Tech 2 may be of interest to you; they eschew most of the traditional disadvantages whips have when being used as weapons.
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Old 06-18-2021, 01:11 PM   #5
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tymathee View Post
Fiend Slayer [Belt] Dmg sw-2 cr; Reach 1-4; Parry -2; ST 9; $12,500; 8 lbs. Enchanted w/ Shatterproof. See Designer’s Notes.
Eight pounds? with a required Strength of 9? Am I missing something?

A quick glance at the weapons tables in Characters shows that a one-hand morningstar is 6 lb but requires ST 12. There are 8-lb weapons but even with two hands the minimum is ST 11 (and two-handed doesn't seem to fit the image).
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Old 06-19-2021, 01:42 AM   #6
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

Thanks for the replies! I'll respond to them individually when I can. I'm totally bushed with exams.

thrash, the weight might have been modified due to the "Metatronic Generators" rules I utilized for designing it... although I can't recall if that's true or not. Must be the brain fog! If its true I might want to I'll have to refresh my memory by rereading the article when I've got time. Or maybe it was a typo! I thought I'd at least comment on this since I usually try to be meticulous with my notes....

.... and upon further inspection it appears I came to a weight of 8 lbs. as Characters states that it's 2 lbs. per yard, so yes, it is in fact a 8 lb. whip. Required minimum ST is 5, +1 per yard. So Min ST 9. Maybe it is odd, but that's what is written in the book. *shrug*
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Old 06-19-2021, 07:56 AM   #7
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tymathee View Post
...Characters states that it's 2 lbs. per yard, so yes, it is in fact a 8 lb. whip. Required minimum ST is 5, +1 per yard. So Min ST 9. Maybe it is odd, but that's what is written in the book. *shrug*
Ah, so it does. That's ... not surprising, actually. I seem to recall that there are a lot of odd values in the weapons tables, but it's not productive for SJ Games to try to errata them all.

For what it's worth, an unscientific sampling of bullwhips offered for sale on Amazon yields weights of 0.36 + 0.305x lb, where x is length in yards. Length only accounted for about half of the variation in weight (R^2 = 0.49), with materials and construction (12- vs. 16-plait, etc.) apparently accounting for much of the rest. If I take just the heaviest example at each length, the formula becomes 0.19 + 0.387x lb, and the R^2 goes up to 0.75. The heaviest example I saw was 2.4 lb, which seems reasonable for a one-handed weapon with a relatively low strength requirement.
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Old 06-19-2021, 11:40 AM   #8
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

I support any role playing game content that can:

Sneakily give an S & M subtext.

Make me hum Devo songs to myself.

Remind me of a George Hamilton movie.

So this wins on all three!
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Old 06-19-2021, 03:42 PM   #9
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

It's a little munchkinny, but this is for DF, so I will suggest: Technique Mastery (Crack) with Crack maxed out to Whip+4.
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Old 06-19-2021, 08:27 PM   #10
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Default Re: [DF] Swashbucklers... but with whips!

Zorro uses whips, and he very much fits the swashbuckler mold, so we have a ready example of what the character may look like in combat. Whip-cracking is used in the real world for herding livestock. There's also cracking competitions. As far as scaring people, I suppose it could be intimidating enough warrant a bonus to Intimidation rolls. I'm not sure how parrying would work with a whip, but you can, at least cinematically, use the whip to pull weapons right out of a foe's hand. This is a good concept, although you might want a few points in a secondary weapon.
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