Author Topic: Fumble Question  (Read 699 times)

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Offline Osiris

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Fumble Question
« on: March 20, 2022, 07:42:30 PM »
Good evening all!

I have a question regarding fumble interpretation in AL/CL and hope someone can share insight/opinions..

I use 2nd edition Arms Law & Claw Law. A PC fumbles long bow and roles on the fumble table.
The roll is 65 resulting in: "Drop your bow. You lose 2 rounds while retrieving and reloading it"

Can the PC opt to leave the bow and arrow on the ground and do something else next round? Or does the fumble imply mental confusion in addition to the physical fumble? You go to shoot and drop bow and arrow and are scrambling around for them (sort of single minded and lost in that moment for 2 rounds..).

Thanks for any thoughts shared.

Offline jdale

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2022, 10:58:54 PM »
Personally, I would let them switch to a different weapon or action.
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Offline Cory Magel

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2022, 11:23:28 PM »
What jdale said. :)
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Offline Osiris

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2022, 05:03:19 AM »
Thanks chaps!

Offline Grinnen Baeritt

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2022, 02:15:53 AM »
Though, I quite like the idea of a character amusingly "juggling" a fumbled weapon.... trying, but failing, to regain control. Much like catching something hot, but not wanting to drop it.    I'd give the character a RR to get the choice..

Offline pantsorama

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2022, 08:10:31 AM »
Though, I quite like the idea of a character amusingly "juggling" a fumbled weapon.... trying, but failing, to regain control. Much like catching something hot, but not wanting to drop it.    I'd give the character a RR to get the choice..

That's what the Swashbuckling skill is (was) for.

Offline Spectre771

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2022, 03:50:42 PM »
Though, I quite like the idea of a character amusingly "juggling" a fumbled weapon.... trying, but failing, to regain control. Much like catching something hot, but not wanting to drop it.    I'd give the character a RR to get the choice..

We've played it both ways and letting the character say "screw it" and swap weapons but we felt like it betrayed the "intent" of the critical.  The players chose to stick to the wording of the critical and the PC was fumbling with the weapon for the 2 rounds, for example.  That was the result of their decision and they went with it and had fun.  Again, the players surprised me with their choices.
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Offline Hurin

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Re: Fumble Question
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2022, 05:32:18 PM »
I was going to say something similar to what Spectre said. The other fumble results around the 60s tend to have more serious consequences than just drop your weapon (and free to draw another). So I like Spectre's solution better (you can draw another one, but you'll fumble that one too).
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