Weapon Maneuvers
Normal hand-to-hand combat maneuvers cannot be used with weapons; characters need to purchase Weapon Maneuvers.
The maneuvers are described below.
Weapon Maneuvers are bought in pretty much the same was as Combat Maneuvers. For every dot in Melee, a character
gets two Power Points with which to purchase these maneuvers.
The difficulty to hit someone with a hand-to-hand weapon is list in the chart of Weapon Techniques. The difficulty
to Dodge hand-to-hand weapon attacks is a bade of 6, +1 per opponent after the first. Weapon damage is always Kill
damage (even from blunt weapons).
Note that not all Weapon Maneuvers can be performed with all weapons. In addition to the listed prerequisites for
these maneuvers, a character must of course know the appropriate Weapon Techniques, which are listed under "Usable
With". If "Any" is listed there, the maneuver is usable with any type of weapon.
BASH
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 1
Usable With: Axes & Picks, Clubs, Fist-Loads, Staff
System: Use the modifiers below
Cost: None
Initiative: +1
Accuracy: +0
Damage +1
Move: +0
DAZING BLOW
Prerequisites: Melee 3
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Any (but see below)
System: At the Storyteller's discretion, not all weapons may be appropriate
for this maneuver. For example, while it's possible to knock someone out by hitting
them with the flat or pommel of a sword, hitting them with the flat of a switchblade
knfie is much less effective.
Cost: None
Initiative: -1
Accuracy: +0
Damage -2
Move: -1
DISARM
Prerequisites: Melee 3
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Blades, Blunt Weapons, Flexible Weapons, Staff
System: The fighter rolls her Strength + Melee, difficulty 6. The target soaks
the damage by rolling Strength (difficulty 6). For every success left after the target
soaks, the weapon goes flying out of the target's hands one hex in a direction specified
by the fighter. If the fighter does not score at least one success after the soak, the
target does not lose his weapon. If she botches the Disarm roll, she drops her own weapon;
it will take her a turn to pick it up.
Cost: None
Initiative: -1
Accuracy: None
Damage None
Move: None
FLECHE
Prerequisites: Melee 2
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Axes & Picks, Blades, Blunt Weapons, Fist-Loads, Staff
System: Use the modifiers below.
Cost: None
Initiative: -1
Accuracy: +1
Damage +1
Move: +1
GREAT BLOW
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 1
Usable With: Any
System: Use the modifiers below.
Cost: None
Initiative: -2
Accuracy: +0
Damage +3
Move: -2
JAB
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 1
Usable With: Blades, Polearms, Staff
System: Use the modifiers below.
Cost: None
Initiative: +2
Accuracy: +1
Damage -2
Move: +1
PARRY
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 1
Usable With: Any but Fist-Loads
System: This maneuver works exactly like a Block, except that it
is performed with a weapon (thus, Melee [rather than Dodge] is added to
Stamina for purposes of Soak). If a weapon us used to Parry a hand-to-hand
attack, the opponent does not take damage from the weapon.
The Storyteller may rule that certain weapons may not be used to perform
this maneuver. In some cases, this is because of the difference in size
between weapons -- a knife cannot generally parry a two-handed sword or
battle axe. In other cases it is simply not possible to use the weapon
to parry (this might be the case with garottes, for example).
Cost: None
Initiative: +4
Accuracy: None
Damage None
Move: +0
RIPOSTE
Prerequisites: Melee 2, Parry
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Any but Fist-Loads
System: A fighter may only use a Riposte in the turn after he has
made a Parry -- it is designed to allow a fighter to take advantage of his
opponent's temporary inability to react (i.e., the Initiative bonus received
from parrying the attack).
Cost: None
Initiative: See above.
Accuracy: +1
Damage +0
Move: None
SLASH
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Axes & Picks, Blades
System: Use the modifiers below.
Cost: None
Initiative: +1
Accuracy: +0
Damage +2
Move: +1
SMASH
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Axes & Picks, Clubs, Fist-Loads, Staff
System: Use the modifiers listed below.
Cost: None
Initiative: +0
Accuracy: +1
Damage +2
Move: +1
SWEEP
Prerequisites: Melee 2
Power Points: 2
Usable With: Staff
System: In addition to any damage taken, the opponent suffers a Knockdown.
At the Storyteller's discretion, some flexible weapons may also be used to perform
this maneuver; they are used to yank an opponent's legs out from under him.
Cost: None
Initiative: +0
Accuracy: +1
Damage +0
Move: None
THRUST
Prerequisites: Melee 1
Power Points: 1
Usable With: Blades, Staff
System: Use the modifiers below.
Cost: None
Initiative: +1
Accuracy: +1
Damage +1
Move: +1