Is there something about the slam rules I'm missing?

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Incidentally, I notice that Pizard's cheetah template is missing Sharp Claws, for some reason.

That's because cheetahs don't have them. They have non-retractable Blunt Claws like dogs instead of sharp retractable claws like most cats. This gives them extra traction when they do their savanna rocket shtick.

[JulianLW]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

That's because cheetahs don't have them. They have non-retractable Blunt Claws like dogs instead of sharp retractable claws like most cats. This gives them extra traction when they do their savanna rocket shtick.

Blunt Claws isn't on that template, either.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Blunt Claws isn't on that template, either.

GURPS Animalia also doesn't give dogs Blunt Claws, so at least it's consistent in that regard (it does give the trait to bears, as well it should).

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Talonos

A female cheetah uses a pounce (B372) against a partially surprised male impala, as the description of pounce suggests. ("This is how some animals attack, especially cats: they knock down their foe and then claw or bite.") The cheetah is running at speed 24. The cheetah easily makes her attack roll and the impala fails to dodge. They "each inflict dice of crushing damage on the other" (B371). The impala takes 2d crushing damage (2.16, round down) and the cheetah takes 3d. (2.64, round up as per B371.)

On average, the impala takes 6 damage and the cheetah takes 9.5 (because both have DR 1). The impala takes less damage, so remains standing, unless he takes a major wound and fails his knockdown roll. The cheetah is more likely to have a major wound, as likely as not to be at 0 HP or lower, and must make a DX roll or fall over because of the special rules on flying tackle. (If the impala rolls twice as high as the cheetah it's possible the cheetah's down anyway, depending on your interpretation of "On a success, you stay on your feet!" under pounce on B372)

It seems like unless you can manage to arrange your velocity such that your damage is above a rounding breakpoint and your opponent's is not (hard to know unless you exactly know your foes HP) then a slam of any kind is a really bad idea, unless you have armor (which limits your velocity) or a shield or spear to absorb the damage. Even if you can manage to arrange the damage around a breakpoint, if you're an unarmored martial artist, you're risking a major wound even at 1d, and therefore at risk of getting stunned or knocked over.

Is there something I'm missing here?

Aside from the combat rules themselves, you have a 40 kg cheetah attacking a 45 kg impala. It's not impossible that that happens in real life, but given the range of weights for cheetahs given in Wikipedia and the average prey size for cheetahs also given in Wikipedia, it is possible that the problem is less in the combat rules (though Wikipedia does mention that cheetahs trip their prey and then bite to suffocate) and more that the example cheetah is overmatched and should be preying on a juvenile impala, somewhere around 27 kg.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Aside from the combat rules themselves, you have a 40 kg cheetah attacking a 45 kg impala..

It shouldn't be an Impala at all. It should be the smaller Thompson's Gazelle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomson%27s_gazelle

Wikipedia even mentions cheetahs as their principle predator.

Weight is given as 30 to 35 kg for males and 15 to 25 kg for females. Only predators who attack in groups like lions go after prey bigger than they are.

Sorry I didn't catch the 'impala" thing earlier.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

Sorry I didn't catch the 'impala" thing earlier.

Neither did the cheetah.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

Only predators who attack in groups like lions go after prey bigger than they are.

Or the occasional male that thinks they're tougher than they actually are - there are credible reports of adult male lions deciding it'd be a bright idea to ambush bull cape buffalo that are napping and have a go. It usually ends badly for the lion.

[zoncxs]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Or the occasional male that thinks they're tougher than they actually are - there are credible reports of adult male lions deciding it'd be a bright idea to ambush bull cape buffalo that are napping and have a go. It usually ends badly for the lion.

OR honey Badgers, cause they don't care.