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Clarification about mass weapons

Started by Spartan, August 27, 2002, 01:24:06 AM

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Spartan

OK, I know these are kind of  dumb questions, but I thought I'd ask just to make sure...

Mass weapons and shock:  It says in the weapon description that mass weapons add shock, usually "Damage Level" +or- 1.  Is Damage Level another way of saying "Wound Level" (i.e. 1-5... that's my guess)?  It's not stated explicitly that I can see.  Also, it appears in the Combat Sim that they add shock even if the Damage Rating is 0... is that right?  Should a glancing blow deliver any shock?

Secondly, the added bloodloss from flails and such...  Does it occur on every successful strike, even those with a DR of 0?

Mind you, my dad always said there were no stupid questions... only stupid people... or something like that (I think that's a quote from somewhere, just not sure where)! ;)

FTR, I just can't adequately say how much I love this game.

Thanks,
     -Mark
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

Shadeling

That is the advantage of Mass weapons, they always tend to do shock and pain. I mean think of a warrior in a suit of plate armor. He deflects a couple of sword blows, but then gets hit with a maul. Though his armor stops the damage like the sword blows-he gets knocked a few feet-the shock. He gets up, only to realize-it really hurts to have that armor dented against his skin.
The shadow awakens from its slumber in darkness. It consumes my heart.

Jasper

What about toughness: is the wound rating used for the extra shock taken before you factor in TO or after?
Jasper McChesney
Primeval Games Press

Lance D. Allen

I'll have to read up on mass weapons adding shock before I can answer that aspect, but for the morningstar and bloodloss, I have my take..

It mentions it, I do believe, as additional bloodloss. Therefore, unless there is bloodloss described in the wound, I do not add any. That is just me.

Alternately, I would allow any of the effects of a weapon only on a level 1 wound or higher. A level 0 wound is a grazing wound.. the scrapes and nicks that don't matter in the battle, but can be irritants afterward. If I wanted to be a real bastard, I'd keep track of the number, type and location of level 0 wounds, and apply them later as minor bruises, scrapes and scratches. Not enough to cause even a single pain point (unless there are an awful lot of them, perhaps) but something to add a little realism to a scenario.
~Lance Allen
Wolves Den Publishing
Eternally Incipient Publisher of Mage Blade, ReCoil and Rats in the Walls

Lyrax

Mass weapons do extra shock according to the DAMAGE level, not the WOUND level.

To clarify:

Joe the Maul has a maul, which, if I remember correctly, does x + 1 shock, where x is the damage level.

Let's say that Joe's strength is 6, and he gets 2 successes on an attack that isn't blocked, for a damage level of 8.  Regardless of his opponent's armor and toughness, the attack deals an extra (8 + 1) nine shock.  When fighting armored opponents, this helps represent the disorienting but undamaging blows one can recieve while armored.

I know, it seems unfair.  But when one looks at the ATN of this weapon, he will realize that it isn't so unfair.
Lance Meibos
Insanity takes it's toll.  Please have exact change ready.

Get him quick!  He's still got 42 hit points left!

Spartan

Quote from: LyraxMass weapons do extra shock according to the DAMAGE level, not the WOUND level.
The combat sim seems to equate it with Wound Level instead, and bleeders are included on any WL of 1 or higher.  Maybe Jake can clarify when he gets back (Not that I don't believe you, Lyrax, I just want to be sure)?

-Mark
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

Brian Leybourne

Quote from: Spartan
Quote from: LyraxMass weapons do extra shock according to the DAMAGE level, not the WOUND level.
The combat sim seems to equate it with Wound Level instead, and bleeders are included on any WL of 1 or higher.  Maybe Jake can clarify when he gets back (Not that I don't believe you, Lyrax, I just want to be sure)?

Don't take that as necessarily meaning anything, since Jake didn't write the sim :-)

Having said that, the way the sim works is how I always envisioned the shock+X working (which is why the sim is that way, obviously). Admittedly, if you read the rules it does seem that Lyrax is right, but I prefer it the other way, otherwise it makes mass weapons too good.

Plus, it's not 100% clear. The rules talk about working out your damage level by adding attack successes and strength etc, then subtract toughness and armor. A lot rests on a couple of commas and full stops as to where the description of "damage level" ends, if you see what I mean.

Also, it seems counter intuitive that the "damage level" is the attackers successes + bonus, and you then subtract the toughness etc from that. That means it wasn't really the damage level, was it? Surely the damage level should be the end result (i.e. another term for wound level) because thats how much damage the person takes.

ANyway, Jake can clear all this up when he gets back (in the next couple of days I believe).

Brian.
Brian Leybourne
bleybourne@gmail.com

RPG Books: Of Beasts and Men, The Flower of Battle, The TROS Companion

Lance D. Allen

Okay, to reiterate, there should be no additional special effects if damage is reduced to nothing. A grazing mace, despite the song, does not fell an opponent, nor do a whole series of grazing maces. It's going to take at least a minimal but solid shot to apply the additional effects.

This is not true of closing range, though. If you successfully hit, but do no damage, you've still hit and closed range (or opened it, if you are the longer weapon) despite there being no other effect.
~Lance Allen
Wolves Den Publishing
Eternally Incipient Publisher of Mage Blade, ReCoil and Rats in the Walls

Brian Leybourne

Quote from: WolfenThis is not true of closing range, though. If you successfully hit, but do no damage, you've still hit and closed range (or opened it, if you are the longer weapon) despite there being no other effect.

I agree with you that that's the way it *should* be (and that's the way I do it), but according to the rules, it's wrong. On page 78 it's pretty clear that range only changes after a DAMAGING blow.

Brian.
Brian Leybourne
bleybourne@gmail.com

RPG Books: Of Beasts and Men, The Flower of Battle, The TROS Companion

Lance D. Allen

Call page 78 errata then, because I cleared it with Jake, personally. Tiberius has a lot of issues with his shorter weapon, so I checked this out thoroughly. He said so long as the strike is successful, then you've closed/opened range.
~Lance Allen
Wolves Den Publishing
Eternally Incipient Publisher of Mage Blade, ReCoil and Rats in the Walls

Lyrax

Ruling: Even if I cause a level 0 or level -n wound, it counts as a damaging blow for the purposes of range.

I'm not THE official rulemaster, but I think it's safe to say that this is what Jake has in mind.
Lance Meibos
Insanity takes it's toll.  Please have exact change ready.

Get him quick!  He's still got 42 hit points left!

Spartan

Quote from: BrianLHaving said that, the way the sim works is how I always envisioned the shock+X working (which is why the sim is that way, obviously). Admittedly, if you read the rules it does seem that Lyrax is right, but I prefer it the other way, otherwise it makes mass weapons too good.

Plus, it's not 100% clear. The rules talk about working out your damage level by adding attack successes and strength etc, then subtract toughness and armor. A lot rests on a couple of commas and full stops as to where the description of "damage level" ends, if you see what I mean.

Yeah, true.  It's all in the interpretation.  What's your advice on this, Jake?  Inquiring minds want to know! :)

-Mark
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

Jake Norwood

Howdy.

My thinking, for purposes of range, a level 0 wound is still a hit, and range is closed. As for shock, pain, and BL, I don't think that mass weapons should get the bonus when no normal damage is dealt.

So it's like this:

When closing range, a lvl 0 wound is good enough, but for weapon-based damage bonuses, you need at least a lvl 1.

Sound good?

Jake
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -R.E. Howard The Tower of the Elephant
___________________
www.theriddleofsteel.NET

Spartan

Quote from: Jake NorwoodWhen closing range, a lvl 0 wound is good enough, but for weapon-based damage bonuses, you need at least a lvl 1.
Yeah but what about the Shock?  Is it based on Wound Level, or Weapon Damage or what?  In the weapon chart it defines Shock as being "Damage Level" +/- #.  What is the "Damage Level"?  It's not stated specifically anywhere that I can see.  I've been equating it with "Wound Level"... is that right?

-Mark
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

Jake Norwood

Quote from: Spartan
Quote from: Jake NorwoodWhen closing range, a lvl 0 wound is good enough, but for weapon-based damage bonuses, you need at least a lvl 1.
Yeah but what about the Shock?  Is it based on Wound Level, or Weapon Damage or what?  In the weapon chart it defines Shock as being "Damage Level" +/- #.  What is the "Damage Level"?  It's not stated specifically anywhere that I can see.  I've been equating it with "Wound Level"... is that right?

-Mark

Honestly, I think orginally it was pre-TO and everything, but that's waaayyy off. Calculate it from the wound received.

Jake
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -R.E. Howard The Tower of the Elephant
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www.theriddleofsteel.NET