Parry and Sunder

[Water Bob]

I've been toying with an idea to set to my Spicy Conan Combat Rules. I'm not sure of the mechanics just yet. I'll want something easy. This is just brainstorming for right now. But, my thought is to have an accelerated chance of a sunder attempt happening when a character successfully parries with his weapon. I'm thinking of a muted form of the sunder--maybe something that does one point of sunder damage max when it happens--and it wouldn't happen all the time.

I want it to be a threat. This is nicks and broken bits that happen on the weapon during normal use.

It will force PCs to visit smiths when in town to take care of their weapons, and it will make the weaponsmith skill valuable to those who want to take better care of their equipment in the field.

It may also encourage a fighter to Dodge some time instead of parry.

What I don't want is swords breaking in two all the time.

I dunno. Maybe the rule that is already in the game is enough--where a sunder attempt is made if attack = defense exactly.

Thoughts on this?

 

[kitcik]

...Spicy Conan Combat Rules...

...This is nicks and broken bits that happen on the weapon during normal use...

ninja and hot pepper by Knee Holes, on Flickr

 

[xigbar]

I've been toying with an idea to set to my Spicy Conan Combat Rules. I'm not sure of the mechanics just yet. I'll want something easy. This is just brainstorming for right now. But, my thought is to have an accelerated chance of a sunder attempt happening when a character successfully parries with his weapon. I'm thinking of a muted form of the sunder--maybe something that does one point of sunder damage max when it happens--and it wouldn't happen all the time.

I want it to be a threat. This is nicks and broken bits that happen on the weapon during normal use.

It will force PCs to visit smiths when in town to take care of their weapons, and it will make the weaponsmith skill valuable to those who want to take better care of their equipment in the field.

It may also encourage a fighter to Dodge some time instead of parry.

What I don't want is swords breaking in two all the time.

I dunno. Maybe the rule that is already in the game is enough--where a sunder attempt is made if attack = defense exactly.

Thoughts on this?

At higher levels, character who actually use weapons would be making too many attacks for their weapons to survive, or take a break every couple of rounds, while they're still in the middle of a fight.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I dunno. Maybe the rule that is already in the game is enough--where a sunder attempt is made if attack = defense exactly.

I think that this (or something like it) is probably your best bet. Where a parry (successful or not) is within X amount of the attack, resolve it as a Sunder attempt, as well as (or instead of) a normal attack.

 

[Water Bob]

At higher levels, character who actually use weapons would be making too many attacks for their weapons to survive, or take a break every couple of rounds, while they're still in the middle of a fight.

You'd have to consider that, of course, when the mechanic was designed so that, at higher levels, weapons do not break unrealistically often.

Or...maybe the mechanic is to weaken the blade. Put a nick or a chip in it. Something that will lower its hardness or lower the items hit points--something that will attract foes to attempt sunders.

 

[Empirate]

Foes who attempt sunders need a magic weapon from the mid levels on. So if your weapon breaks, you'll find a nice replacement on your opponent's rapidly stiffening corpse in just a few rounds' time... (unless Conan handles these things differently).

That said, do you really want to introduce that kind of bookkeeping? The way I see it, there's two ways this can play out: EITHER the players methodically keep track of each tiny nick and chip in their weapons, scratching their heads whether they should maybe spend 6 silver pieces at the town's smithy - but maybe the weapon will still hold together for one more dungeon foray? This is spending a lot of time better spent roleplaying. OR visiting a smith when in a town or village, or taking some ranks of Craft(Weaponsmithing) quickly becomes a mandatory, unexciting, normal part of their everyday routine - so everyday that describing it becomes unnecessary (just like you won't describe a PC's visit to the bathroom normally), and keeping track of small amounts of weapon damage can be generally ignored.

The latter seems rather likely to me - which is a good thing - and makes introducing a rule change pretty pointless. After all, a professional warrior can be expected to take good care of his weapons anyway. Since, usually, not every minute of city downtime is taken up with specific activities, let's just assume warriors go to a smithy to have their gear checked for wear, while Wizards and Sorcerers will probably want to refill their component pouches at the local alchemist's etc.


Bottom line: concentrate on what is fun and important, stay away from rules changes that introduce additional bookkeeping.

 

[Water Bob]

Foes who attempt sunders need a magic weapon from the mid levels on.

Very few magic weapons in Conan. Remember, this isn't D&D. And, unlike D&D, sunder is a much used tactic.

That said, do you really want to introduce that kind of bookkeeping?

Very good point. The answer: Not really.

Good post. Good thoughts.