[CONAN] New Manoeuvre for thrown Axes and Spears

[LucaCherstich]

I recently got some interest in the use of the Francisca Axe vs shield.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisca
These axes are useful to make a shield out of order...and the same can be done with spears!
But it is difficult to mimic such things with Conan rules.
So I created this new Manoeuvre.
I await for your comments.

NEW MANOEUVRE: BREAK THAT SHIELD!
You throw an axe or a spear and your enemy block it with a shield. However, the strength of your hit damage his shield.
Action: Immediate
Prerequisite: Str 13+, BAB +3, Proficiency with the thrown axe or spear.
Circumstance: You throw your axe/spear to somebody protecting himself with a shield and you missed the attack roll by a number equal to the Shield Bonus.
For example your target has a total Dodge Defence of 17 which is composed of: 10 + 3 DEX +4 Large Shield. This means that if the attack roll is 17 or more the victim is hit. If the total attack roll is 13, 14, 15 or 16 (4 numbers like the 4 bonus points of the shield) you miss the target but this manoeuver is triggered. Any result lower than 13 is a simple miss.
Effect: The effect is different for axes and spears.
SPEARS: Roll the damage versus the shield as if it is a successful sunder.
If the shield survives but the damage dealt is still greater than the shield hd this means that the Spear head is stuck into the shield making it useless (parry bonus becomes 0 and it cannot be used to make bashes).
To pull off a spear from a shield is a Standard Action.
AXES: Roll the damage versus the shield as if it is a successful sunder.
If the shield survives but the damage dealt is at least twice the shield hd this means that the Axe head is stuck into the shield making it a bit more difficult to wear: Parry bonus is reduced by 1 if the Axe was a light one. It is reduced by 2 if the axe was greater than light.
To pull off an axe from a shield is a Standard Action.

 

[Spectator]

What about carrying spears/ javelins of soft iron like the Roman Pilum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilum
that were designed to hit shields, and warp out of form and make the shield unusable (because it had a 5 pound awkward weight on it).
There would be no need for a feat.

I like the feat for the axe though!

 

[Cheomesh]

Wouldn't that be a Sunder?

M.

 

[LucaCherstich]

What about carrying spears/ javelins of soft iron like the Roman Pilum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilum
that were designed to hit shields, and warp out of form and make the shield unusable (because it had a 5 pound awkward weight on it).
There would be no need for a feat.

I like the feat for the axe though!

Regarding your last line:
I do not want to make this a Feat. This is a Manoeuver for me.

Regarding the Roman Pilum:
You know, some recent academic scholarship suggest that the "neutralizing shields" effect is kind of myth exagerated by ancient literary sources.
That situation happened sometimes ... but not always.
"Neutralizing shields" was not the main duty of a Pilum point.
The main purpose of a pilum design was to have a very high AP ability.

ANYWAY, I like that myth!!!! Even if it is unreal.
I would keep my manoeuver above as it is for any spear or javelin (since any spear or javelin can be fixed in a shield).
However I would mimic pila in this way:

Take Javelin as the base
(cost 3 sp/ dmg 1d8/Crit x2/AP 1**/Range Incr. 30 ft/hd 5/hp3/weight 2 lb/ Type P).
Here are the modification for the pilum:
(cost 20 sp/ dmg 1d8/Crit x2/AP 4**/Range Incr. 30 ft/hd 5/hp3/weight 2 lb/ Type P).
SPECIAL RULES for PILA:
- If the "Break that Shield! manoeuver is triggered and the Pilum hits the shields the HD of the shield is considered 2 pts lower. However, if the manoeuver is succesful not only the shield is useless but also the pilum, since its point in bent. This pilum cannot be removed in combat.

Wouldn't that be a Sunder?

M.

I never heard of Ranged Sunder.
Check Conan Core Rules 2e pag.212.
Under the "Sunder" manoeuver it says:
"The character can use a melee attack with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon to strike a weapon or shield that his opponent is holding."