A fully cannonical way to do centaur's lower body strength

[Kuroshima]

From some time, I've been thinking about how to model a centaur's lower body strength, ie that he has the kicking and load bearing capacity of a horse, but has human sized arms. Finally Powers granted me the tools to do it right, though that took a while to assimilate.

Lower Body ST [5]
->Listing ST+1 [3]
->Striking ST (One attack only: Kicking -60%) [2]
Add apropriate mods for size as needed (A clasical centaur is definivelly size +1, but given the nature of GURPS I wouldn't make any assumption on that, since you might have cat-taurs that are cat sized in a specially weird setting)

[Adina]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

From some time, I've been thinking about how to model a centaur's lower body strength, ie that he has the kicking and load bearing capacity of a horse, but has human sized arms. Finally Powers granted me the tools to do it right, though that took a while to assimilate.

Lower Body ST [5]
->Listing ST+1 [3]
->Striking ST (One attack only: Kicking -60%) [2]
Add apropriate mods for size as needed (A clasical centaur is definivelly size +1, but given the nature of GURPS I wouldn't make any assumption on that, since you might have cat-taurs that are cat sized in a specially weird setting)

Why not just use extra ST(No fine manipulators)?

JeffM

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by jmurrell

Why not just use extra ST(No fine manipulators)?

JeffM

Partly because I don't like using the modifier associated with a disadvantage the creature does not posses, but mainly because it causes weird interactions with HP: How do you consider the HP granted by the extra ST purchased with No Fine Manipulators? Do you create split a HP stat, for lower body and upper body wounds? If so, how do you split the original HPs?

It creates way too many problems IMHO, and this is both very simple and appropriate. You should purchase HP according to your mass though.

Also, this represents al kinds of lower body ST, from centaurs to goat-legged fauns to other creatures with stronger lower body than the rest of their limbs.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

Partly because I don't like using the modifier associated with a disadvantage the creature does not posses, but mainly because it causes weird interactions with HP: How do you consider the HP granted by the extra ST purchased with No Fine Manipulators?

As lack of fine manipulators doesn't reduce the utility of HP (and does reduce the utility of Load ST and Striking ST) I'd say that the NFM limitation includes an assumption that it only affects load/striking ST, and thus it would add HP normally.

[Pomphis]

One question: what skill would be used by a centaur with a Lance ? Lance or Spear ?
And would damage be calculated based on upper or lower body strength ?

[Charleson Mambo]

Side question:

How well can a centaur load stuff onto his (equine) back? There'd be some serious twisting around to get suff on, not to mention tying it down.


Charleson Mambo

[Mercator]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

From some time, I've been thinking about how to model a centaur's lower body strength, ie that he has the kicking and load bearing capacity of a horse, but has human sized arms.

I like your solution. It's simple and avoids weird trait behavior like the HT problem you mentioned. Being something of a GURPS newbie, I wasn't sure how to model Centaurs for my setting, that is, whether to use your system or the NFM limitation, but I like this one much more.

Add apropriate mods for size as needed (A clasical centaur is definivelly size +1,

. . . plus a lower-body ST of perhaps +13 to +15 relative to the upper body ST, as per the Horse writeups on B459.

but given the nature of GURPS I wouldn't make any assumption on that, since you might have cat-taurs that are cat sized in a specially weird setting)

Now I want to see that...

Originally Posted by Pomphis

One question: what skill would be used by a centaur with a Lance ? Lance or Spear ? ]

As far as weapon skills are concened, I'd treat Centaurs as normal mounted humans, so I'd say Lance. Of course, they would not use the lower of weapon and Riding Skills, just the weapon Skill.

Originally Posted by Pomphis

And would damage be calculated based on upper or lower body strength ?

See Cavalry Weapons, on B397.

Cheers,

M.

[Mercator]

Originally Posted by Charleson Mambo

Side question:

How well can a centaur load stuff onto his (equine) back? There'd be some serious twisting around to get suff on, not to mention tying it down.

I guess that, as we humans do, they'd have to wear a harness or gear of some sort, perhaps with the load hanging from side pouches (that open closest to the torso) instead of directly on the back. Having a human torso, I guess they could also wear humar rucksacks.

Cheers,

M

[Kuroshima]

For how would the centaur put load on his equine body, remember, most of the human torso is filled with important organs that would probably go to the horse part (after all, I don't think that a human sized heart can move the blood through the hibrid body of a centaur, nor that you can fit horse sized heart or lungs into the human torso). This means that the human torso would be comprised mostly of muscle, and it wouldn't be a too big strech to imagine centaurs to have enough flexibility to nearly turn 180º.

Still, fitting a centaur with proper armor (including barding for it's horse half) would require the help of a page, as would probably fitting a knight into a plate armour. (No knowledge on this, other than knowing that most of the comon knowledge is just wrong)

[Mercator]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

For how would the centaur put load on his equine body, remember, most of the human torso is filled with important organs that would probably go to the horse part (after all, I don't think that a human sized heart can move the blood through the hibrid body of a centaur, nor that you can fit horse sized heart or lungs into the human torso)[...]

Yes, it's clear that Centaurs as depicted in the myths do not make much scientific sense. But they are so darn cool that I am ready to spend some time trying to make them believable.

Now, about the cat-taur thing you mentioned... wait a minute, I just had a very nasty idea that involves them. Sorry, I can't say more. My players might be watching... ;-)

Cheers,

M