Defense Against Multiple Attackers?
Lewis W Beard
I run a GURPS game that is a fantasy style game in a world of my own making.
One of my players who is running an outcast knight. He is upset to learn
that GURPS combat isnt what he hoped. Basically, he uses a sword and shield,
and he is unsatisfied that he can only defend against 2 attacks (one with a
block maneuver and one with a parry). Obviously, he can dodge all he wants,
and with a shield and his combat reflexes, he has a decent dodge. However,
he wishes he could have a better defense against multiple attackers.
Currently, I have told him that he can just use dodge. I am considering
letting him let his dodge roll "look" like a parry or a block because I
think MOSTLY he just wants to be in a more cinematic game where a highly
skilled warrior can defend against multiple opponents, without sacrificing a
normal attack.
Does anyone have any suggestions on ways to allow this without overpowering
the game? I hate the chambara rules personally. Anyway, the game is NOT
cinematic per se, with the exception of a couple of "fantasy standards" like
dual-weapon attacks and some healing magic.
Should I stay firm like I am, or let him have a parry special effect using
his dodge number, or should I simply allow one dodge or block per attack
(possibly capping the extra ones to 11- or 12-)?
Any advice?
Lewis
--
Lewis W Beard .... #1362 .... le...@lwb.org ............... http://lwb.org/
"I say if you're gonna buy the angel bull****, you might as well go for the
zombie package as well." - George Carlin
Wrathchild
>
> I run a GURPS game that is a fantasy style game in a world of my own
making.
> One of my players who is running an outcast knight. He is upset to learn
> that GURPS combat isnt what he hoped. Basically, he uses a sword and
shield,
> and he is unsatisfied that he can only defend against 2 attacks (one with
a
> block maneuver and one with a parry). Obviously, he can dodge all he
wants,
> and with a shield and his combat reflexes, he has a decent dodge. However,
> he wishes he could have a better defense against multiple attackers.
D&D convertee is he ;-) ?
> Currently, I have told him that he can just use dodge. I am considering
> letting him let his dodge roll "look" like a parry or a block because I
> think MOSTLY he just wants to be in a more cinematic game where a highly
> skilled warrior can defend against multiple opponents, without sacrificing
a
> normal attack.
Don't we all ;-)
> Does anyone have any suggestions on ways to allow this without
overpowering
> the game? I hate the chambara rules personally. Anyway, the game is NOT
> cinematic per se, with the exception of a couple of "fantasy standards"
like
> dual-weapon attacks and some healing magic.
>
> Should I stay firm like I am, or let him have a parry special effect using
> his dodge number, or should I simply allow one dodge or block per attack
> (possibly capping the extra ones to 11- or 12-)?
>
> Any advice?
I believe this is one of those "Is your players having fun?"-situations. One
player seems somewhat dissatisfied - what about the rest? You also seem to
have a pretty set picture of the campaign you'll run - what room for change
would you leave, and where is the line that takes your campaign somewhere
_you_ don't want to go? Personally, I'd have no qualms telling your player:
"Hey, this is such and such a game - people just can't do what you want",
but then again - are you prepared to loose the player?
Wrath
Gene Ha
Lewis W Beard wrote:
> Obviously, he can dodge all he wants,
> and with a shield and his combat reflexes, he has a decent dodge.
> However, he wishes he could have a better defense against
> multiple attackers.
In GURPS Martial Arts, there's a weapon that fascinates me. It can also be
found in GURPS Compendium II. I've never used it in play yet.
It's called the Jiann (Long Sword). It can be used with Broadsword skill OR
Fencing skill. Fencing is only useable if encumbrance is Light or less. Also,
you can only carry a small shield (see the fencing rules).
The weapon stats are the same either way, but used with fencing it gets a 2/3
skill parry. And of course, with Fencing skill you get two parries. So two
incredible parries, one block, one attack, endless dodges.
It does one point less damage than a broadsword for either swinging or impaling,
so it's near useless against heavily armored foes. Possibly he could carry two
swords if he can handle the weight, and keep the unused one scabbarded.
Beyond this, all I can think of is careful footwork and mass tactics so he never
gets surrounded. Acrobatics helps a bit, but not much. Or perhaps letting him
play two characters who fight in concert well.
Hope this helps him.
Gene Ha
--
"Whoever said, 'Brevity is the soul of wit'
wasn't being paid by the word." Kyle Baker
Gene Ha
Our wise and rude friends who actually spend time with real swords might disagree
with this. I've never seen a Jiann, much less held or used one. But BY THE RULES,
your player could have a Fine quality Jiann with a basket hilt. (Their hard earned
real life experience only matters if you don't want a silly and cinematic campaign.
I like cinematic).
This gives an additional PD 1 to frontal melee attacks for the basket hilt. If he
can afford a higher quality, this will prevent it from breaking when blocking blows
from a large mace.
For more benefits of basket hilts, see Compendium II or check the ROLEPLAYER
archives online.
Gene Ha.
Ozzy Ryder
>
> All,
>
> I run a GURPS game that is a fantasy style game in a world of my own making.
>
> Any advice?
l don't like chambara too!
l prefer to use "combo" option from MA, with some restrictions:
- not all maneuvers are possible: l agree with feint, disarm (w/ sword),
hit location, ground fighting, and any other that fit my game.
- number of maneuvers: the number of point a pc can invest in his
maneuvers is at most the number of cp he has in his combat skill (exmpl:
with 16pts in axe/mace, he can buy a 4pt maneuver and up to two 6pts...
if you read french, you can take a look at my web site:
http://perso.easynet.fr/~ozzy/jdr/pangheia/pangheia.html , combat
section)
As the GM, it is your *role* to agree or disagree with this or that
maneuver!
And if finally your player is not satisfied, either you ask him to leave
the game for a moment and come back when other will have more cp, OR you
tell him to play of game system...
he could try this famous game for kid who likes to do hack&slash...
mmmmhhh... D&D!?! ;-)
happy new millenium
Lewis W Beard
> I believe this is one of those "Is your players having fun?"-situations. One
> player seems somewhat dissatisfied - what about the rest? You also seem to
Yes he seems to be having fun. In fact, there is combat in only every other
game I run, on average. Its his character he enjoys more. I just think he
was surprised once when in a fight against several people, he didnt have the
options he expected.
> "Hey, this is such and such a game - people just can't do what you want",
> but then again - are you prepared to loose the player?
Right. He lived with it, and I dont think I will lose him at all. I was just
seeing what other people had to say.
Xiphias Gladius
> Beyond this, all I can think of is careful footwork and mass tactics so
> he never
> gets surrounded. Acrobatics helps a bit, but not much. Or perhaps
> letting him
> play two characters who fight in concert well.
Also, remember the time frame. It's one-second rounds. If he's used to
blocking twenty attackers a turn, but the turns are ten second rounds,
then, heck, one parry and one block a turn is exactly what he's used
to.
I remember some amazing cinematic moves from earlier in our campaign. One
character was beset upon by about a dozen armed thugs. He managed to
maneuver so that he was never terribly surrounded, but then disaster
struck: he rolled a crit failure on an attack and dropped his sword, while
being attacked by two thugs. The first one attacked; he parried with his
dagger. The second one attacked. He'd established earlier that, as a
gunner, he carried a stilleto with the common lengths of fuses marked on
it (historically accurate, by the way). I allowed him to fast-draw it and
attempt a parry, which worked.
The mental image was great -- our hero swings! His sword flies out of his
hand! Thug attacks him! He parries with his left hand! Other thug
attacks him while his dagger is occupied! He grabs a ruler and blocks
with that! Then he kicks one of the attackers in the groin and dives for
his sword!
Cinematic, yes, absolutely. But not chambara.
Would that kind of combat work for you and your player?
- Ian
--
Marriage, n: The state or condition of a community consisting of a master,
a mistress, and two slaves, making, in all, two. -- Ambrose Bierce
SSBB Diplomatic Corps; Boston, Massachusetts
Alex Truman
"Lewis W Beard" <le...@lwb.org> wrote in message
news:3A46EFD2...@lwb.org...
> Currently, I have told him that he can just use dodge. I am considering
> letting him let his dodge roll "look" like a parry or a block because I
> think MOSTLY he just wants to be in a more cinematic game where a highly
> skilled warrior can defend against multiple opponents, without sacrificing
a
> normal attack.
Lewis-
I don't think that it is much of a stretch at all to describe his dodge
as a block. The dodge is enhanced by the PD from the Shield, no? Therefore
the shield is certainly playing some role in the defensive maneuver.
Describinng it along the lines of "you angle your shield to deflect the blow
away from your body as you step in the opposite direction" as opposed to
"you hold your shield up and with a resounding CLANG your opponent's mace
bounces harmlessly off" could be the difference between a shield-assisted
dodge and a block.
Hope that helps at all.
Alex Truman