House rules...

[pblackcrow]

Sorry, SDC. I was getting ready to leave when I wrote that. Mine is a bit more weapon oriented. Example, a bull whip's strike has little effect with on someone one in plate, but can strikes with a staff get a reduction roll.

[Razorwing]

Another House Rule for many of the games I run is that WPs do not stack with each other... even if a weapon can conceivably belong to two different WPs.

The reason for this is simple... when Palladium Games first came out, there were only a few broad WP categories. As the game matured, new WPs were added, but the older ones were usually just Copy/Pasted into newer versions of the game. As it stands, there are some weapons, like Staves, that can now benefit from both WP- Staff and WP- Blunt, allowing the player with both those skills to stack them to give him an advantage over anyone who has just one of those skills. It is my opinion that this wasn't intended... that when WP- Staff was introduced, Staves would no longer benefit from the WP- Blunt skill... even though that skill still says that staves are part of those weapons (due to the wording in the skill merely being copy/pasted to new editions and games rather than rewritten each time).

Simply put... a weapon can only receive bonuses from one WP skill... and only the one that is most fitting for the weapon. Sais are now considered Forked Weapons, not Knives... Staves belong with WP- Staff rather than WP- Blunt... etc.

[Library Ogre]

I'm similar, Razorwing, though I let people choose, usually with a change of style... WP Stave means you fight like Little John, WP Blunt means you fight like Babe Ruth.

As for DR, I liked the system laid out in CWAC, which varied according to type of weapon, but my version was designed to be simple and quick, and be easily portable to new Palladium material. If you introduce something in the standard Palladium format, I can drop it into the quick style without any real work.

[Razorwing]

I also include the Large Sword and Short Sword WP from N&SS... along with the Normal Sword WP... as the length and weight of a sword often changes how they are used. Short Swords are used in a very different way than Long Swords which are also very different from a Claymore. It seems logical that these different weapons will have different bonuses when used.

As with using WP- Blunt with a staff... I honestly feel that the Blunt category doesn't really do Staves justice... plus it is a lot broader a category, giving the player a lot more versatility than just WP- Staves. Besides... how one uses a staff properly is very different from how one uses a club/bat. I just don't see how swinging a club, hammer or mace really relates to using a Staff effectively (much like using a Claymore is very different from using a Short Sword).

[Zer0 Kay]

I also include the Large Sword and Short Sword WP from N&SS... along with the Normal Sword WP... as the length and weight of a sword often changes how they are used. Short Swords are used in a very different way than Long Swords which are also very different from a Claymore. It seems logical that these different weapons will have different bonuses when used.

As with using WP- Blunt with a staff... I honestly feel that the Blunt category doesn't really do Staves justice... plus it is a lot broader a category, giving the player a lot more versatility than just WP- Staves. Besides... how one uses a staff properly is very different from how one uses a club/bat. I just don't see how swinging a club, hammer or mace really relates to using a Staff effectively (much like using a Claymore is very different from using a Short Sword).

Your obviously talking about a great sword not the basket hilted broad sword. But if we're going to start getting technical like that then it isn't so much the size, though it is included, but some 10 total factors that can change within one class of sword that determines it's use. Are we going to put in WPs for all of those?
WP stabbing sword
WP cutting sword
WP single edge
WP dual edge
WP cross guard
WP basket hilt
WP cup hilt
WP who the heck wants this much detail?

[Razorwing]

I also include the Large Sword and Short Sword WP from N&SS... along with the Normal Sword WP... as the length and weight of a sword often changes how they are used. Short Swords are used in a very different way than Long Swords which are also very different from a Claymore. It seems logical that these different weapons will have different bonuses when used.

As with using WP- Blunt with a staff... I honestly feel that the Blunt category doesn't really do Staves justice... plus it is a lot broader a category, giving the player a lot more versatility than just WP- Staves. Besides... how one uses a staff properly is very different from how one uses a club/bat. I just don't see how swinging a club, hammer or mace really relates to using a Staff effectively (much like using a Claymore is very different from using a Short Sword).

Your obviously talking about a great sword not the basket hilted broad sword. But if we're going to start getting technical like that then it isn't so much the size, though it is included, but some 10 total factors that can change within one class of sword that determines it's use. Are we going to put in WPs for all of those?
WP stabbing sword
WP cutting sword
WP single edge
WP dual edge
WP cross guard
WP basket hilt
WP cup hilt
WP who the heck wants this much detail?

While it is a more realistic take on swords... that level of detail isn't really needed. The level I use I feel is more that sufficient... mostly because a Claymore can't be used in the same way as a Short Sword, which in turn is used very differently than a Longsword.

It is a little more realistic than ALL swords to be used in the same way... allowing players using different types of swords to further differentiate their fighting style. At least my players seem to appreciate that the agile longswordsman's skill with the sword provides bonuses at a different rate than the barbarian wielding a large claymore... and the wolfen legionnaire working as part of a phalanx uses his short sword in a very different way from both of them. They all play warriors that prefer swords, yet even at the same level, they have different bonuses because their WP- Sword skills reflect the type of swords they prefer... rather than being merely generic.

[pblackcrow]

Another House Rule for many of the games I run is that WPs do not stack with each other... even if a weapon can conceivably belong to two different WPs.

The reason for this is simple... when Palladium Games first came out, there were only a few broad WP categories. As the game matured, new WPs were added, but the older ones were usually just Copy/Pasted into newer versions of the game. As it stands, there are some weapons, like Staves, that can now benefit from both WP- Staff and WP- Blunt, allowing the player with both those skills to stack them to give him an advantage over anyone who has just one of those skills. It is my opinion that this wasn't intended... that when WP- Staff was introduced, Staves would no longer benefit from the WP- Blunt skill... even though that skill still says that staves are part of those weapons (due to the wording in the skill merely being copy/pasted to new editions and games rather than rewritten each time).

Simply put... a weapon can only receive bonuses from one WP skill... and only the one that is most fitting for the weapon. Sais are now considered Forked Weapons, not Knives... Staves belong with WP- Staff rather than WP- Blunt... etc.

So, what are your thoughts on targeting, for both throwing, archery, and mouth weapons? Also, would you allow jugglers to have an extra attack if lobbing darts or knives?

[Razorwing]

Another House Rule for many of the games I run is that WPs do not stack with each other... even if a weapon can conceivably belong to two different WPs.

The reason for this is simple... when Palladium Games first came out, there were only a few broad WP categories. As the game matured, new WPs were added, but the older ones were usually just Copy/Pasted into newer versions of the game. As it stands, there are some weapons, like Staves, that can now benefit from both WP- Staff and WP- Blunt, allowing the player with both those skills to stack them to give him an advantage over anyone who has just one of those skills. It is my opinion that this wasn't intended... that when WP- Staff was introduced, Staves would no longer benefit from the WP- Blunt skill... even though that skill still says that staves are part of those weapons (due to the wording in the skill merely being copy/pasted to new editions and games rather than rewritten each time).

Simply put... a weapon can only receive bonuses from one WP skill... and only the one that is most fitting for the weapon. Sais are now considered Forked Weapons, not Knives... Staves belong with WP- Staff rather than WP- Blunt... etc.

So, what are your thoughts on targeting, for both throwing, archery, and mouth weapons? Also, would you allow jugglers to have an extra attack if lobbing darts or knives?

Archery applies to bows. Targeting applies to thrown weapons (ones specifically designed to be thrown; those not designed use the Strike when Thrown bonus from their more appropriate WP. Mouth Weapons, unless there is a WP for that (not sure off hand if there is) would fall under the Targeting category (unless there is a specific WP for that). I do not apply Targeting to Archery or add to Targeting.

As for Jugglers lobbing daggers... maybe... if I think it would be cool, though I would need to check to see if that is part of the description of the OCC (in which case that would be a special ability that is applied on top of WPs).

[kiralon]

First ed juggler got bonus thrown attacks per round and first ed targeting added range and strike bonuses
First ed sniping gave x3 damage on a surprise attack (this was useful, have you ever tried to hold up a party with 6 guys using bows, even at level 1 the party tends to laugh, walk through the hail of fire and feed the bowmen their bows)

[pblackcrow]

Archery applies to bows. Targeting applies to thrown weapons (ones specifically designed to be thrown; those not designed use the Strike when Thrown bonus from their more appropriate WP. Mouth Weapons, unless there is a WP for that (not sure off hand if there is) would fall under the Targeting category (unless there is a specific WP for that). I do not apply Targeting to Archery or add to Targeting.

As for Jugglers lobbing daggers... maybe... if I think it would be cool, though I would need to check to see if that is part of the description of the OCC (in which case that would be a special ability that is applied on top of WPs).

You do know that the book says otherwise. But the great thing about this topic is, the book doesn't matter here. The book gets tossed out the window. So, it's really no big.

As far juggling go...it says it in first ed, but not second. In my games, it has to be take twice to get that bonus. Also in my game it lets you improves chances of grabbing a thrown weapon, but hey.

[ShadowHawk]

acquiring new skills anytime provided that there is a way to learn them. either through books a spell or teachers.

[pblackcrow]

acquiring new skills anytime provided that there is a way to learn them. either through books a spell or teachers.

Um, was there a question? Or were you saying your group is doing that now?

[pblackcrow]

Energy field spell...the crappy AR solution. 4+1 per level of the caster. That way it can grow as the character develops.

[ShadowHawk]

I may have already mentioned this.

No more "regular skills level advancement". From now on, in my games if you use a skill and roll 6-9 you can roll a D4 and apply it to that skill. When you roll a 2-5 you roll a D6, and when you roll an 01 you get a D8.

[Tywyll]

I'm considering changing when character's get benefits from above average attributes.

So this was what I was thinking, something like this:

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
IQ +1% +1% +2% +3% +3% +4% +5% +5% +6%
ME +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3
+1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3
MA 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60%
PS +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5
PP +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3
+1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3
PE +1% +2% +3% +4% +5% +6% +7% +8% +10%
+1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3
PB 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Anything 21 and higher continues the normal chart progression.

This gives small benefits for higher than average stats without relegating the benefits to less than 5% of the population, which is silly...especially with 3d6 in order.

[ShadowHawk]

I have been testing out something...SDC for only blunt force.

[kiralon]

I tried that for Ninja's and superspies, except it was only unarmed combat rather than blunt.
Worked fairly well.

[Veknironth]

Well, I've heard the "SDC for blunt force" several times but I don't care for it. You can do serious internal damage to a body without actually penetrating it with a foreign body. Unarmed combat might work, although, punches and kicks can cause internal bleeding, break ribs, or damage the brain enough to cause death. I had a roommate who died 3 days after being repeatedly kicked.

-Vek
"Just get rid of SDC all together."

[kiralon]

-Vek
"Just get rid of SDC all together."

I did


But in N&S it helped with the problem of certain kicks doing more damage than shooting someone with a 12 gauge with a solid slug.