Martial Arts

[Lance D. Allen]

I suppose what I'd like to see out of "martial arts" is somewhat illustrated by Jake's story of sparring that greatsworder.. How do you disarm someone in TRoS? The only thing I've seen is the counter, which is essentially random, and perhaps a defensive grapple to trap, but that doesn't mention any way to take your opponent's weapon away. It makes sense that if you're fighting unarmed against an armed opponent, the best way to level the playing field, or turn it to your advantage is to take the opponent's weapon, and either use it yourself, or simply deny him the use of it.
A few, very few, different options not currently offered or illustrated by the current maneuvers would be enough for me.

[Sneaky Git]

Side point:

I have always found Duck & Weave to be just a tiny bit too hard to pull off. At TN9 even ten dice will only give you (on average) 2 successes, which just isn't enough to avoid most attacks.

I've been floating the idea of a TN8 for Duck & Weave for a while now, using it in my own game etc. I also put it as an optional rule in the combat sim. Has anyone used that in the combat sim, or experimented with it in actual tros play? Any thoughts? Too unbalanced? etc.

Brian

I adopted a TN8 Duck & Weave after several characters got skewered attmpting the standard TN9 one.  I'm not certain about the balance issue (only a few attmpts since the change - PCs were a tad gun-shy)...I just know that I've seen it work now.  It's not easy mind you, just a little more of a possibility.

Chris

[Jake Norwood]

Re: TN 8 Duck & Weave

Works for me. I'll try it, too.

I suppose what I'd like to see out of "martial arts" is somewhat illustrated by Jake's story of sparring that greatsworder.. How do you disarm someone in TRoS? The only thing I've seen is the counter, which is essentially random, and perhaps a defensive grapple to trap, but that doesn't mention any way to take your opponent's weapon away. It makes sense that if you're fighting unarmed against an armed opponent, the best way to level the playing field, or turn it to your advantage is to take the opponent's weapon, and either use it yourself, or simply deny him the use of it.

I didn't wrench the weapon out of his hands--once I closed to grappling range he relinquished his own weapon (in TROS terms, he knew that he's have a bigger CP with his own hands at that range--especially since I had successfully grappled and we were going to end up wrestling). In the chaos of it all I got my hands on his sword. I'm not sure I know how exactly, except that it often happens that way. Basically I grappled to trap, and instead of striking or trying to break something (he's my friend, after all), I went for his weapon with my free hand (I had both of his bound up for a split second with my left arm). IRL I would have gone for the break, and then kicked him in the head or played with the break more until I could comfortably grab the weapon. Well, ideally, that is.

Jake