Author Topic: Weapon Skills  (Read 1872 times)

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Offline NicholasHMCaldwell

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Weapon Skills
« on: April 22, 2007, 10:32:09 AM »
It has been remarked that the Weapon Skills description is a little bit obscure, so since I was revamping the weapon classes and groups anyway, I've rewritten the description as well. Try this revised description for clarity:

Weapon Skills
This skill provides a bonus for wielding weapons in combat. Weapon Skills are divided into seven weapon classes (1 Handed Concussion, 1 Handed Edged, Missile, Modern Ranged, Pole Arms, Thrown, Two Handed). Each of those weapon classes is further divided into a number of individual weapon groups. Those groups, in turn, are broken into the list of individual weapons. SysOps will find a much more complete list of archaic weapons (i.e. from the 1 Handed Concussion, 1 Handed Edged, Missile, Pole Arms, Thrown, and Two Handed classes) in HARP ? the list presented here is only a representative sample.
Learning Weapon Skills: Weapon skills are learned in weapon groups (Short Blades, 1-Handed Energy, 2-Handed Energy, Spread Weapons, etc.). When your character learns a particular weapon group, your character selects one weapon from that group to be the default weapon.  Your character receives his or her full bonus when using this weapon. All other weapons in the group are used with a -10 modifier.
Example: Dack learns the 1-Handed Energy weapon group and chooses Laser Pistol to be his default weapon. His skill in the 1-Handed Energy weapon group is +29, so +29 is his skill with the laser pistol. He can also use other weapons from the 1-Handed Energy weapon group, i.e. Blaster Pistols, Electrostunners, Laser Dazzlers, Miniblasters, Minilasers, and Sonic Stunners with a skill of +19 (29 ? 10).
To change the default weapon, the character must spend one week training with the weapon that he wishes to become the new default weapon for the group. Once that week is up, only the new default weapon may be used at the full bonus.
The 1-Handed Edged, 1-Handed Concussion and Modern Ranged weapon classes are special in that the weapon groups which comprise them have many similarities in how the specific weapons are used/operated.  Firing a laser pistol (1-Handed Energy) is very much like firing a firearm such as a revolver (1-Handed Projectile), for instance.  Consequently having some skill in one of the weapon groups in these weapon classes translates into a lesser degree of skill with the other weapon groups in the same weapon class. Specifically, other weapon groups within the same class may be used with one quarter of your character?s skill rank bonus for any known group within that class, or a bonus of +25 (plus stats, and other modifiers), whichever is less.
Example: Dack?s skill with 1-Handed Energy weapons is 29, 15 from skill rank bonus (a whole three ranks!) and +14 from stats.  One-quarter of his skill rank bonus is +3 (15 / 4 rounded down). Adding stats back in yields a skill of +17 (3 + 14) with any weapon in the other weapon groups of the Modern Ranged weapon class. If Dack is forced to resort to using a revolver or a hunting rifle, he can claim +17 as his skill.
Note:  For the other classes (Missile, Pole Arms, Thrown and Two Handed), no bonus is given to other groups within the same class, but the modifier for different weapons within a given group still applies.
Note:  Pole Arms are unique in that they may be used equally well either one-handed or two-handed.  If used one-handed, they do a maximum of a Medium critical.  If used two-handed, they do a maximum of a Large critical.
Note:  Two weapons are listed that may be used either one handed or two handed, namely the Katana and Nunchaku. If a character has skill in using either of these weapons one-handed, he may use it two-handed with a ?20 modifier (and vice versa), without having to learn the other weapon group separately.
Example: If a character wields a Katana one handed using his Long Blades skill bonus of +50, he may use the Katana two handed with a bonus of +30 (50 ? 20 = 30) without having to have the Great Blades skill. If he happens to have the Great Blades skill, then the character has the choice of using either the Great Blades skill bonus, or the Long Blades skill bonus with a -20 modifier.
The following list contains the different weapon skill groups and categories, and the weapons that can be used within each of the individual categories. The equipment lists (See Chapter 8 Equipment Lists) contain the attack size and type for each individual weapon.
(Combat ? St/Ag - Combat)

Best wishes,
Nicholas
Dr Nicholas HM Caldwell
Director, Iron Crown Enterprises Ltd
Publisher of Rolemaster, Spacemaster, Shadow World, Cyradon, HARP & HARP SF, and Cyberspace, with products available from www.drivethrurpg.com
Author: Mentalism Companion, GURPS Age of Napoleon, Construct Companion, College of Magics, HARP SF/HARP SF Xtreme

Offline lazarus

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Re: Weapon Skills
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2007, 12:30:18 AM »
I like that writeup.

Laz

Offline Mungo

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Re: Weapon Skills
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2007, 02:35:38 AM »
me too

Offline GMLovlie

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Re: Weapon Skills
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2007, 02:59:55 PM »
Its good, and a bit clearer in fact than the one in HARP, nice work.
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