[CONAN] Question on Prerequisites

[Supplement Four]

Many combat maneuvers have prerequisites, but what if a character that doesn't meet those requirements attempts to try the maneuver anyway? Does it automatically fail?

Before you say, "Yes," let me throw a little more out there for you to think about.

The Called Strike maneuver in the Warrior's book is the Conan RPG's answer to called shots in D&D. It's requires a BAB +3 to attempt.

Why can't a 1st or 2nd level Barbarian attempted a Called Strike using the -8 penalty? Especially when a 1st or 2nd level Barbarian can attempt a Disarm and a Sunder (both attacks requiring the Barbarian to attack a specific target--which is basically a called shot...and they don't have the -8 penalty)?







OK, look a the Trip maneuver. It requires a weapon that is specifically rated to allow for Trips. The only weapon I can find in the entire 2E rulebook that is rated for the Trip maneuver is the Bill.

What if your player just watched an episode of Spartacus and, when his character is using a Hunting Spear, he tries to emulate what he saw on the show by sticking the haft of the spear betwixt his foe's legs, attempting to trip him.

How would you handle this as GM? The Hunting Spear isn't a "tripping" weapon according to the rules, but, clearly, sticking a pole between a fighting man's legs should have some chance of tripping him, yes?







One more example: The PCs are in a bar tavern fight. The common room is two stories high with a balcony on the second level so that the occupants of the rooms can look over onto the drinking tables. In the fight, one of the PCs is upstairs, and on his action, he wants to leap over the rail and fall down on one of the foes in the fight below. This is covered by the Death From Above combat maneuver in Hyboria's Fiercest. The only problem is that the maneuver requires BAB +4 or higher while the PC is a 3rd level Barbarian (with BAB +2).

How do you handle this. Does the Barbarian automatically miss his target and fall flat on the common room floor, taking falling damage, just because the PC doesn't have the requirements of the combat maneuver? Or, do you ignore the requirements and give him a chance to make the maneuver, maybe at a penalty to this throw? If you do, doesn't this open the can of worms that will allow PCs to try all sorts of stuff for which they don't have the requirements?

As a GM, how do you handle this situation?

 

[Mach5RR]

Why can't a 1st or 2nd level Barbarian attempted a Called Strike using the -8 penalty? Especially when a 1st or 2nd level Barbarian can attempt a Disarm and a Sunder (both attacks requiring the Barbarian to attack a specific target--which is basically a called shot...and they don't have the -8 penalty)?

Yeah, I'm not sure how to answer this one.

OK, look a the Trip maneuver. It requires a weapon that is specifically rated to allow for Trips. The only weapon I can find in the entire 2E rulebook that is rated for the Trip maneuver is the Bill.

What if your player just watched an episode of Spartacus and, when his character is using a Hunting Spear, he tries to emulate what he saw on the show by sticking the haft of the spear betwixt his foe's legs, attempting to trip him.

How would you handle this as GM? The Hunting Spear isn't a "tripping" weapon according to the rules, but, clearly, sticking a pole between a fighting man's legs should have some chance of tripping him, yes?

This one is easy. You can either perform an unarmed trip or a trip with a weapon. The bill, whip, and bolas (from Tito's) are specifically designed for tripping. The only benefit you get with tripping with this weapons is that you don't generate an attack of opportunity (and possibly some reach). I would allow a player to trip with a non-tripping weapon. He just generates an attack of opportunity, unless he has the Improved Trip Feat. Sure, its the same as an unarmed trip but he can describe it as he sees fit.

One more example: The PCs are in a bar tavern fight. The common room is two stories high with a balcony on the second level so that the occupants of the rooms can look over onto the drinking tables. In the fight, one of the PCs is upstairs, and on his action, he wants to leap over the rail and fall down on one of the foes in the fight below. This is covered by the Death From Above combat maneuver in Hyboria's Fiercest. The only problem is that the maneuver requires BAB +4 or higher while the PC is a 3rd level Barbarian (with BAB +2).

How do you handle this. Does the Barbarian automatically miss his target and fall flat on the common room floor, taking falling damage, just because the PC doesn't have the requirements of the combat maneuver? Or, do you ignore the requirements and give him a chance to make the maneuver, maybe at a penalty to this throw? If you do, doesn't this open the can of worms that will allow PCs to try all sorts of stuff for which they don't have the requirements?

In this case, I would let the character perform the action, minus the bonus for maneuver. That way, the player still gets the thrill of "Death from Above", but reaps no special bennies for not meeting the prereqs.

Let's not restrict our imaginations strictly to the confines of what is specifically written. My best interpretation of this came from the reading of the Decapitation Maneuver. The end result of succeeding at this incredibly difficult (requires a +10 BAB and a nat 20 roll to succeed) maneuver is that I lop someones head off. Does this mean I only decapitate someone when I perform this maneuver? I've been interpreting successful death checks as completely laying someone open, wound straight through the noggin, and as the occasional decap. Use of the maneuver just narrows it specifically to that method.