From: VALAMIR@aol.com Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 21:16:02 EDT Subject: Re: [GM-7thSea] Derring Do (long) Here are some rules of thumb I came up with to deal with some of the wacky things players might try in the course of a bang up swash buckling fight. They're still pretty rough but let me know what you think. I tried to adapt some moves from teh "Derring-do" table from TFGs old "Muskateer" game. Block with Table: Character attempts to keep a table or other piece of substantial furnature between himself and an enemy. Character takes an action (interrupt action ok) and makes a Finesse + Footwork roll against opponents Finesse + Footwork. Footwork is helpful but not required, do not use the 0 rank rules, straight Finesse is Fine. If the Characters roll is higher the opponent cannot attack the character with a sword or shorter weapon (polearms and firearms may prove useful, however). He must use an action of his own to repeat the roll and attempt to win it. Each raise by the character allows an additional enemy of equal or lesser skill to be blocked, each raise by the opponent allows an additional enemy to close. If the character uses an action for anything but a hold, this effect is lost. Cloak Bind: A character with a free hand can use a cloak to attempt to Bind an enemy's weapon exactly as for the Swordsman Knack. This is added as an Advanced Dirty Fighting Knack. The Cloak can also be used to dazzle, blind and irritate an opponent. The wielder can make an Intimidate or Taunt attempt using his Cloak Knack instead of his trait. Cut the Drapes: Large heavy drapes or tapestries can make impromptu weapons. If a room has such items and enemies can be lured to their vicinity, the character can take an action to cut the drapes. Make a Panache vs Wits contested roll. Success indicates an opponent is trapped by the drapes. Additional raises allow additional targets of equal or lesser rank to be caught. A failure means the action is wasted, but if the opponent succeeds, he and those avoiding the attempt get a free raise against the character with their next action. A trapped person loses all remaining actions and requires 1d5 - wits actions to escape. While trapped he has no active defense and a passive defense of 5. Attack from a Hieght: If the character is fighting from 1 map level higher than his enemies, he gets +1 unkept die to his attack knack. Pull Rug: If the room has a rug not held down by heavy objects, and enemies are standing on it, yanking the rug can produce the desired effect (can also work with a table cloth against enemies fighting on the table). Character must have both hands free to attempt this. Make a Brawn vs Finesse contested roll (character may add his Lifting knack in unkept dice if he has it but it is not required). If successful the rug has been yanked and the opponent has fallen. Additional raises can drop additional opponents of equal or lesser rank. The opponents are knocked prone, with all the penalties that entails. Passive Defense becomes 5, it takes 2 raises to actively defend, it takes 1 action to stand back up during which your passive defense remains a 5 and no active defense is possible. Smother: Smother is what you do when you want to cut the drapes on someone and there are no drapes to cut. The character can use any sizable cloth: table cloth, blanket, cloak, or even a cut drape or pulled rug. He attempts to toss it over an opponent so as to entangle him in it. The attempt requires a Panache vs Wits contested roll. Success means the opponent is entangled and loses his next action getting free. Additional raises can cause additional opponents to be entangled (if the cloth is suitably large) or additional lost actions to caught opponents. While caught, the opponents passive defense is 5 and no active defense is possible. Also if an opponent is grappled while smothered, they lose 2 unkept dice to escape from the grapple (which must be done before the actions are spent to escape from the smother). Rearm: A character without a weapon may wish to attempt to get one. This simply requires an action and a finesse check. The TN for the finesse check is 0 if the character is unopposed (walking across the floor to pick up a sword is automatic). There is a +5 for each opponent the character will need to pass within striking distance of as well as any other situational modifiers the GM may employ. To handle an enemy actively blocking a character from reaching the one available weapon, use the Block with table rules above. Slide Down Bannister: Sliding down the bannister is great fun, but it can also help to get the drop on the bad guys. Assuming a suitable bannister is present sliding down requires an action and a simple Finesse roll (+ Rolling knack if available) against a TN of 10 for straight stairs or 15 for steep or windy stairs. Failure results in 1 die falling damage (or more for particularly nasty stairs). However, if there are bad guys present at the bottom of the stairs, the character may also attack them using the same action as the slide. Each raise during the slide gives the character a free raise on the attack which is used exactly like the attack were a Feint using any applicable attack knack. If the raises equal the targets wits, he recieves no active defense. Swing from Chandalier: Or bell rope, or long banner, or sheets hanging out the window, or drapes from a balcony, or… This is handled exactly as for Sliding above except it uses the Swinging Knack instead of the Rolling knack and damage from a fall varies with circumstance. The character can make an attack at the end of the swing in the same manner. Stop Drop and Roll: Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. It may not do much for your reputation but ducking under a table, or sliding under a wagon maybe just the ticket to avoid that nasty bad guy. This can be used in one of two ways: Sometimes the character just needs to get through a tight spot. A simple Finesse + Rolling attempt can be made to slide under a dropping porticullis, slip under a horse, or lose a pursuer by diving under a moving wagon. TN and penalties for failure are all conditional. The dive for cover can be used to use the characters Rolling knack for an Active Defense. Rolling does not have to be the defense knack used for the character's passive defense that phase. He can elect to abort his normal defense in favor of the roll. If used as an Interrupt it requires only 1 action to perform, but the character must have at least 1 rank in rolling to attempt it. Each raise allows the defenses total to be carried over into the next phase as the character's Passive Defense for that phase. Failure leaves the character prone, and in trouble. -- Contents Copyright (C) 1997,98,99 by ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.