Unarmed Combat Question

[Tipsy]

Hey All,

So at the risk of seeming dense, can anyone tell me what the base damage is for an unarmed attack? I can't seem to find where it is expressly written in the corebook.

I was originally thinking that was normally just a Character's Damage Modifier, but the prospect of one of my PCs rolling -1D2 for damage seems absurd.

 

[Dan True]

Hey All,

So at the risk of seeming dense, can anyone tell me what the base damage is for an unarmed attack? I can't seem to find where it is expressly written in the corebook.

I was originally thinking that was normally just a Character's Damage Modifier, but the prospect of one of my PCs rolling -1D2 for damage seems absurd.

1D3, page 41 under "Unarmed".

A relate question though: are there any mechanics for knocking people out? All I can see is ways to deal damage to them, not make them faint (other than through continuous combat) or hit them hard in the back of the head to go out.

- Dan

 

[Deleriad]

A relate question though: are there any mechanics for knocking people out? All I can see is ways to deal damage to them, not make them faint (other than through continuous combat) or hit them hard in the back of the head to go out.

- Dan

The stun location CM will work for that. Note that you don't actually have to do damage when you get a CM so you could treat any damage as 'virtual' and only used for the purposes of trying to stun them. As a GM I would allow that.

 

[Dan True]

A relate question though: are there any mechanics for knocking people out? All I can see is ways to deal damage to them, not make them faint (other than through continuous combat) or hit them hard in the back of the head to go out.

- Dan

The stun location CM will work for that. Note that you don't actually have to do damage when you get a CM so you could treat any damage as 'virtual' and only used for the purposes of trying to stun them. As a GM I would allow that.

A brilliant!

 

[Tipsy]

Hey All,

So at the risk of seeming dense, can anyone tell me what the base damage is for an unarmed attack? I can't seem to find where it is expressly written in the corebook.

I was originally thinking that was normally just a Character's Damage Modifier, but the prospect of one of my PCs rolling -1D2 for damage seems absurd.

1D3, page 41 under "Unarmed".

A relate question though: are there any mechanics for knocking people out? All I can see is ways to deal damage to them, not make them faint (other than through continuous combat) or hit them hard in the back of the head to go out.

- Dan

Never in a million years would I have looked at the skill description. The weapon tables, yes. The combat rules, of course. The description of DM, obviously. For some reason, listing damage with the skill never occurred to me!

Thanks!

 

[Ultor]

A relate question though: are there any mechanics for knocking people out? All I can see is ways to deal damage to them, not make them faint (other than through continuous combat) or hit them hard in the back of the head to go out.

- Dan

The stun location CM will work for that. Note that you don't actually have to do damage when you get a CM so you could treat any damage as 'virtual' and only used for the purposes of trying to stun them. As a GM I would allow that.

Of course, you'll need to either get lucky with the location roll or get two CMs - choose location as well as stun - for this to work as "planned." One of the players in my campaign managed it with a kick - choose location (abdomen) and stun. She took a Rune Lord of Yanafal Tarnils out with that...

 

[Mongoose Pete]

You could always knock up a new Combat Manoeuvre, perhaps limiting it to a particular profession or Combat Style, footpad for example.

E.g. Knockout: If target is unaware of his attacker, he may be automatically struck in the head. If one or more points of damage is inflicted through armour, the target must make an opposed test of his resilience verses the attack roll. Failure renders the target unconscious for as many minutes as damage inflicted.

 

[Jujitsudave]

Nice, Mongoose Pete. A way to do a sucker punch in game. That could be useful.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

Nice, Mongoose Pete. A way to do a sucker punch in game. That could be useful.

I try to add one here or there to the books for colour or applicability. I think I added 'Kill Quietly' and 'Inject Venom' in Wraith Recon for example. I treat them as advanced or secret teachings for certain Races and Combat Styles.

 

[Dan True]

Nice, Mongoose Pete. A way to do a sucker punch in game. That could be useful.

I try to add one here or there to the books for colour or applicability. I think I added 'Kill Quietly' and 'Inject Venom' in Wraith Recon for example. I treat them as advanced or secret teachings for certain Races and Combat Styles.

Do you have some ideas as to how many improvement rolls one should use to learn new CMs? I have so far not seen any. Treat them as sort of heroic abilities? Or just let an NPC teach you like an advanced skill?

- Dan

 

[Mongoose Pete]

Do you have some ideas as to how many improvement rolls one should use to learn new CMs? I have so far not seen any. Treat them as sort of heroic abilities? Or just let an NPC teach you like an advanced skill?

I have plenty of ideas, I just haven't formally included them in the books as yet. Primarily to keep to core system open and flexible. Whether it is worthwhile defining such things is dependent on setting. Ancient Japan, yes! Simplistic D&D emulation, not really.

One idea I presented in the S&P article 'Cutting Edge' where a PC selects new CMs as their combat skill increases and can only use those in his 'pool'.

But either of your suggestions would work just as well. Find an old master, beg to be taught his secret technique and pay a couple of IRs. Or make the CM a Heroic Ability which allows you to tack a minimum skill level on learning it (and MP cost to apply it). Or make it a Cult based gift limited to those of sufficient cult rank. Or...

Well you get the idea. :wink: