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Old 06-13-2021, 09:42 PM   #21
timm meyers
 
Join Date: May 2020
Default Re: Exotic weapons requiring Thrown Weapons skill

Bolas are at the minimum the length of your arm (2' or more).
Most records show them even longer. The modern version being tested as a non-lethal police weapon fire 8' long weighted cords.
All of the ancient weapons on record were used in open terrain. Plains, prairie, savanna.
All of this points to the biggest disadvantage being twirling a 4' diameter circle (or bigger probably) and needing that same area clear throughout the flight path.
If you want to nerf Bolas I would suggest simple area restrictions reflecting this.

1. Bolas cannot be thrown if any adjacent hex is occupied. i.e. The thrower must have a clear MH with them as the center. This is not saying the bola is swinging through 12' arc or more (even though big ones could be) but they are taking up 2 to 4 feet from the throwers hand (which is not centered on their head/hex).
Throwing a bola in a 1 hex tunnel? not gonna happen. Throwing a bola in a castle passage, not likely either. In a forest? improbable. Standing next to your companion-Nope! When engaged? I wouldn't let that happen either.

I would even go the same for the target so that all adjacent hexes must be clear also. The 1st object contacted by the rope means the rest starts to "entwine" and if a second object (person, branch, column, candelabra, etc.) within 2-4 feet is contacted the entwinement is halted and the whole weapons purpose is seriously messed up.

And of course you could require the same MH clear path with no rolling to miss option on this type of weapon.

The net is an even more area intensive system in my mind, but the MH open requirement could realistically inhibit the use of both these weapons.
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Old 06-19-2021, 11:01 AM   #22
Nils_Lindeberg
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: Exotic weapons requiring Thrown Weapons skill

Unfortunately, you can hardly fight with any weapon effectively in a 1m wide tunnel. Almost all weapons use a combination of swings, jabs, and a kick or two from the wielder. Heck, even a shield is hard to use in such cramped quarters.

One could set up a general rule about negative DX adjustments based on the room available. This would also come into effect when fighting in a shield line or just in open spaces with your friends or enemies nearby.

Now we only have one distinction, HtH weapons and not HtH weapons. And possible jabs. But nothing in between.

It quickly gets complicated though. And how much of a DX adjustment should it be for a Roman Gladius user that jabs someones instead of slashes, because he is in a shield wall and don't have the room for a slash? Not saying that slashes were better, but it is one less option because of the limited space.

Or should we just do it by GM fiat. Pike Ax, inside the barroom? That is a -2DX, next time it might be a -3 or no minus at all. All barrooms are a little different, some have pillars, a low ceiling and lots of civilians, others have not, live with it... :-)

Just remember to warn your players that circumstances will affect your bolas and your Great Sword swing (the great sword taking up a lot of more room than a bola for sure, as one example).
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