Spare arms

[Kloster]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

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I'm guessing from this that your PCs were not in the habit of dropping their packs at the start of fights if they weren't already on pack animals then, which was the habit locally all the way back to RQ1.

No, I don't drop my armor, my shield and my weapons.
Due to weapons breaking (more important with RQII than RQ III, I agree but it still occurs) and disarming rules, plus the fumbles tables and impaling, I usually start with 3 or 4 weapons on me, just to be able to finish the fight.
My current character has a ringmail armor (10 ENC), a broadsword (2 ENC), a hoplite shield (a scutum in fact, but ruleswise it is the same) (5 ENC), a kukri (0.5 ENC) and a dagger (0.5 ENC), plus 4 darts inside the scutum (2 ENC).
That means a minimum ENC of 20. I thus start at 5 (CON 13, STR 12).
I'm not counting a bow and a javelin (carried by my mount), nor the luggages and food (idem).

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Kloster

No, I don't drop my armor, my shield and my weapons.

I didn't say a thing about dropping those. I said your "pack"; as in, your food, water, miscellaneous gear, and possibly missile weapon if that doesn't seem worth hauling around.

Due to weapons breaking (more important with RQII than RQ III, I agree but it still occurs) and disarming rules, plus the fumbles tables and impaling, I usually start with 3 or 4 weapons on me, just to be able to finish the fight.

A spare weapon was a good idea, but I don't think I ever saw anyone need more than one extra, and even one wasn't typically critical for someone who didn't parry with a weapon but used a shield. The only time you were particularly likely to lose a non-parrying weapon was on certain fumbles, and even then it was usually retrievable.

My current character has a ringmail armor (10 ENC), a broadsword (2 ENC), a hoplite shield (a scutum in fact, but ruleswise it is the same) (5 ENC), a kukri (0.5 ENC) and a dagger (0.5 ENC), plus 4 darts inside the scutum (2 ENC).
That means a minimum ENC of 20. I thus start at 5 (CON 13, STR 12).
I'm not counting a bow and a javelin (carried by my mount), nor the luggages and food (idem).

That's already more encumberance than I typically saw most characters of average attributes bother with. You'd see more on advanced characters, but they also typically had improved their Strength and Con by that time, and/or routinely augmented them magically; alternatively, they'd get by more lightly and use a lot of Protection or Shield.

[Kloster]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

I didn't say a thing about dropping those. I said your "pack"; as in, your food, water, miscellaneous gear, and possibly missile weapon if that doesn't seem worth hauling around.
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Yes.

Originally Posted by Nightshade

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A spare weapon was a good idea, but I don't think I ever saw anyone need more than one extra, and even one wasn't typically critical for someone who didn't parry with a weapon but used a shield. The only time you were particularly likely to lose a non-parrying weapon was on certain fumbles, and even then it was usually retrievable.
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I have only 2 (the darts are throwing weapons): the kukri and the dagger.
And to loose a weapon, you forget the disarming rules and the impales. Even with 2 spare weapons, I have sometimes finished some fights barehanded.

Originally Posted by Nightshade

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That's already more encumberance than I typically saw most characters of average attributes bother with. You'd see more on advanced characters, but they also typically had improved their Strength and Con by that time, and/or routinely augmented them magically; alternatively, they'd get by more lightly and use a lot of Protection or Shield.

We see that quite often, even with (not so) begining characters.
I agree with your comment on more advanced characters.

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Kloster

I have only 2 (the darts are throwing weapons): the kukri and the dagger.
And to loose a weapon, you forget the disarming rules and the impales. Even with 2 spare weapons, I have sometimes finished some fights barehanded.

No, I didn't. I don't think I ever saw anyone bother to deliberately disarm; it was too unreliable and too transient. And spears, the common impaling weapons, weren't routinely used just for the reason of their potential loss; those that did were among those most likely to carry a backup.

We see that quite often, even with (not so) begining characters.
I agree with your comment on more advanced characters.

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

Most characters I saw during the early part of their careers focused on bezainted body and head equivelents, and got by with either hard leather limbs or at most studded. That was more than sufficient to take the edge off, and in cases where it wasn't, the extra point or two just wasn't that likely to help enough to matter.

[Kloster]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

No, I didn't. I don't think I ever saw anyone bother to deliberately disarm; it was too unreliable and too transient. And spears, the common impaling weapons, weren't routinely used just for the reason of their potential loss; those that did were among those most likely to carry a backup.
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I pesonally have used disarm and have it used against me, but I agree this is rare.
But what I have seen and used is: Targeting the weapon to destroy it.
On axes and maces, this is a worthwile tactic. Versus swords, it is a bit longer, but it works also.
And in RQIII, the broadsword and the scimitar (the most common 1 handed swords) are impaling weapons. I have already lost (and recovered later) several time my sword that way.
I know it is not mandatory to use one's sword that way, but the impale bonus is often too tempting.

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by Kloster

But what I have seen and used is: Targeting the weapon to destroy it.
On axes and maces, this is a worthwile tactic. Versus swords, it is a bit longer, but it works also.

LOL. You reminded me of the time when one has his Great axe destroyed that way. With no backup weapon or shield, the character was in a bind. He survived, but developed the habit of putting Protection on his Axe during combat. Sometimes it was better protected that he was.

And in RQIII, the broadsword and the scimitar (the most common 1 handed swords) are impaling weapons. I have already lost (and recovered later) several time my sword that way.
I know it is not mandatory to use one's sword that way, but the impale bonus is often too tempting.

Well, most character I've seen carry some back up, if only a dagger. Since a backup sword is only 1-2 ENC, why skimp. Better to take the 2 FP hit.

Implaing weapons usually weren't a problem for us. Most of the time there way a conveniently placed body lying on the ground who just dropped his weapon.

Unless you are being double teamed or worse (bad news in RQ), you usually have time to retrieve your own weapon too.

Impaled and still a threat didn't come up that often. Stuck in a shield was the big nightmare.

[Kloster]

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

LOL. You reminded me of the time when one has his Great axe destroyed that way. With no backup weapon or shield, the character was in a bind. He survived, but developed the habit of putting Protection on his Axe during combat. Sometimes it was better protected that he was.
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I like using this versus 2 handed weapons. And 2h axes are especially vulnerable because of the low AP (compared to swords).

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

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Well, most character I've seen carry some back up, if only a dagger. Since a backup sword is only 1-2 ENC, why skimp. Better to take the 2 FP hit.
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If you look on the figure I gave, you know why I prefer dagger or kukri.
I prefer 1 ENC for 2 weapons than 2 for 1. Withy that, I'm almost sure to finish the fight armed.

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

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Implaing weapons usually weren't a problem for us. Most of the time there way a conveniently placed body lying on the ground who just dropped his weapon.

Unless you are being double teamed or worse (bad news in RQ), you usually have time to retrieve your own weapon too.

Impaled and still a threat didn't come up that often. Stuck in a shield was the big nightmare.

I prefer having my backup with me.
Agreed for the shield nightmare.

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

[Kloster]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

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A spare weapon was a good idea, but I don't think I ever saw anyone need more than one extra, and even one wasn't typically critical for someone who didn't parry with a weapon but used a shield. The only time you were particularly likely to lose a non-parrying weapon was on certain fumbles, and even then it was usually retrievable.
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Have you ever had your shield rendered unusable.
I had and this is another reason to have a parrying weapon available (once because a dark troll destroyed it concienciously with his maul, and several others a bit too unwieldy because of impaled weapons stuck in it. I was happy to have something to parry with).

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

[drohem]

Most of my characters went for the standard layering combinations: soft leather with bezainted, cuibouilli, or ringmail.

Most of my dwarven characters could wear ringmail or scale over soft leather. Maybe a select piece here and there of something heavier like a helmet or weapon arm.

Of course, we had a house rule regarding dwarves: you would add 3 to their Size in regards to determining Hit Points and Fatigue scores and use their normal Size for Strike Ranks.

Maces were a staple of starting adventurers as well. I usually always had a backup weapon or two. I think every character I had carried a dagger just in case things got desperate.

[drohem]

oh...and "I love my shield!"