Analogous Combat Skills?

Combat rules discussion. Beat them up, blow them up, burn them up, blow them away. If it ruins someone's day, this is probably the forum to talk about it.
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MrEben
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Analogous Combat Skills?

Post by MrEben » Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:47 pm

So I was running a game where two of the players had hunting backgrounds, and thus had sunk a lot of points into the rifle skill. As the game worked out, they ended up acquiring a shotgun which meant that the player was rolling against the base skill, and missed quite a bit.

From a role playing perspective, it seems to me that someone who his a good shot with a rifle should be at least a decent shot which a shotgun. I was thinking of proposing a house that a weapon could be used at 75% of a higher analogous weapon's skill. The problem seems to be that this roleplaying rule might lead to player min/maxing, so that they would put all their skil points into just one weapon.

Thoughts?
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Nvision
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Re: Analogous Combat Skills?

Post by Nvision » Fri Apr 12, 2013 11:15 pm

Rifles and shotguns could be compared to a mace and a rapier. Once requires quite a bit more precision than the other. Range and recoil are quite different, so you can easily make the case for separate skills. However, I wouldn't dismiss the idea of overlap, as the gun mechanics are pretty much the same if you're taking aim before firing.

Worries about min/maxing really have more to do your players, so you'd have to make that judgement call. My players like the limitations of the game and often have more fun rolling critical failures than successes. If you think they might try to meta-game things, then maybe give a bonus based on context. If the players are in the heat of battle and have used up the ammo in their rifles, but happen across a loaded shotgun, I might let them use it with a bonus based on their rifle skill. If they go out and purchase a shotgun, having no points allocated in that area and hoping to game the system, then maybe the recoil from that first shot knocks them flat on their behind, or they can't find the trigger safety after being used to a bolt lock or wing safety on their rifle. :twisted:

Whitechapel Jack
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Re: Analogous Combat Skills?

Post by Whitechapel Jack » Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:53 pm

I absolutely agree the aiming and overall handling skill for using shotguns and rifles is practically the same like if you can use a revolver then you can use a simi-auto with handgun, but there is a difference in ballistics and recoil which can throw you off at least a little. I would maybe suggest using the combined skill test with these skills (ie: if you make the rifle roll but miss the shotgun roll maybe you lose some damage because you were not taking the differences into count but because you are familiar with long guns don't miss entirely. Or you only get 1/2 the weapons attacks because you are not use to the action of that particular weapon.)

Keeper Dan
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Re: Analogous Combat Skills?

Post by Keeper Dan » Sun Aug 04, 2013 11:04 pm

That's a good way of going about it, Whitechapel Jack. I like that approach. Simple, within existing rules (in this case Martial Arts), and fast to determine with one roll.

And welcome to the forums! :welcome:
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