Topic: Blackjack weapon

[Zhaleskra]

As you may have noticed, I have made an interpretation of Garrett of the Thief video games for HARP Fantasy. Under the Brawling skill, blackjacks are mentioned as being allowed in a brawl, but they are not listed on the equipment tables.

For this reason, I gave Garrett skill in Brawling. At the same time, I could see a case for a blackjack fitting under the Clubs weapon group. Of course, Garrett would be using the Subdue option with his blackjack.

The question then is, what is the best weapon skill to use for a nonlethal blackjack? I actually have killed alert people in the video games with the blackjack, I really wasn't expecting them to die.

[Cory Magel]

If we were talking RM, I'd probably just use the Club with Subdual criticals... but the attack/critical charts work differently in HARP is even a -20 attack (which is how it simulates "Subdual" and can still kill if you roll good enough).  Maybe just rule and "death" results as "knocked out"?

[Zhaleskra]

If the critical is still too severe, the subduer can reduce it as much as he wants. Maybe I should change Stun results to Unconsciousness and rounds to minutes.

[Thom @ ICE]

Since the blackjack is specifically designed for subdual damage, I would allow it to deliver a small crush subdual strike without the -20, but require that the damage not be reduced below half.

[Zhaleskra]

Since the blackjack is specifically designed for subdual damage, I would allow it to deliver a small crush subdual strike without the -20, but require that the damage not be reduced below half.

I like this, though I am surprised as the critical size being small. Half damage is good too, and a 90 on a crush still isn't that shabby.

[Thom @ ICE]

Tiny Crush would be a buckler.
Medium Crush would be a Club, Jo, Mace, Mattock, Morning Star, Nunchaku, and War Hammer.

I felt Small fit best (similar to bola, boomerang, sling, and tonfa)

Half damage is the least it can do.  This ensures that there's always a risk when using it - otherwise you can majorly open end, but then choose to only barely knock out your foe.  There's never an accidental kill.  Using the minimum of half result an open ended result of 220 would still yield a 110 result minimum = death in 6 rounds.

[Zhaleskra]

Half damage is the least it can do.  This ensures that there's always a risk when using it - otherwise you can majorly open end, but then choose to only barely knock out your foe.  There's never an accidental kill.  Using the minimum of half result an open ended result of 220 would still yield a 110 result minimum = death in 6 rounds.

After reading about how long a person should actually be KOed without serious damage happening (on ttlg, I think), this seems reasonable. Especially after I have Garrett whack someone upside the head, and then spend an hour solving the level: the video game may not count it as a kill, but in real life it probably would be.