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size of monsters' weapons


Whisker89

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Hello guys!

I've noticed that monsters' weapons lacks of a size descriptor (in OQ as well as in RQ SRD). never been a problem until one of the characters tried to parry a centaur kick with a small shield.

Even if the shield was a buckler, I've decided that it would absorb the whole damage (because small shield=medium size)... but I'm not sure about the choice. And now I'm losing my mind thinking about parrying dragon's tail whips and other monsters' big natural weapons.

Is there a way to determine (loosely) the size of monsters' natural weapons?

Taking the dragon chart for my example, I've opted to match the monsters' weapons damages with the closest crafted weapon's damages. The result is:

bite 1D10 (like a lance, Heavy)

claw 1D8 (like a lot of one handed weapons, Medium)

tail 1D20 (more powerful that any crafted weapon... Huge)

What do you think about it?

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Monsters of Legend had stats for Size/Reach for all its monsters.

A dragon has:

Type Size Reach Damage AP/HP Range

Bite E/L

Claw E/VL

Tail H/VL

E=Enormous

H=Heavy

L=Long

VL=Very Long

I would recommend Monsters of Legend as a PDF - quite cheap and full of useful monsters.

Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. 

www.soltakss.com/index.html

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Monsters of Legend had stats for Size/Reach for all its monsters.

A dragon has:

Type Size Reach Damage AP/HP Range

Bite E/L

Claw E/VL

Tail H/VL

E=Enormous

H=Heavy

L=Long

VL=Very Long

I would recommend Monsters of Legend as a PDF - quite cheap and full of useful monsters.

It actually has fewer than Monster Coliseum (which is even cheaper at just $1 from Design Mechanism's store on DTRPG) - the book on which Monsters of Legend is based.

But, what I was referring to with RQ6 was the bunch of rules we provide that show you how to calculate the size, reach and damage values, plus some really good guidance on how creatures fight, that you won't find in either Monster Coliseum or Monsters of Legend.

Edited by lawrence.whitaker

The Design Mechanism: Publishers of Mythras

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If you are playing OpenQuest, then I'd tend to stick with the rules as they are. Part of its charm is that it is very broad and designed to have a clean, simple approach to BRP. If you are looking for more meat on the bone in regards to combat options and differentials then I reckon you get your hands on RuneQuest 6th edition, its perfect for that kind of thing, very much grounded in combat options for ancient or medieval flavoured eras.

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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Thanks guys! but, as Mankcam says, I prefer to stick with the rules :) I like OpenQuest for his simplicity and immediacy. I know that RuneQuest 6 is a great game, but is bigger than my needs.

I like the idea of combat styles, combat styles traits, lot of combat maneuvers, everythigaboutthemonsters... but I don't really need it, expecially now that my players are 100% rpg-newbies.

What I'm looking for is a quick and easy way to determine the size of monsters' weapon for parrying purpose, because it seems really strange that such an important info is missing.

Roughly I would say that SIZ is the key...

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What I'm looking for is a quick and easy way to determine the size of monsters' weapon for parrying purpose, because it seems really strange that such an important info is missing.

Roughly I would say that SIZ is the key...

Off the top of my head, and keeping it simple, I would just do something like this…

SIZ 01-05 Light

SIZ 06-20 Medium

SIZ 21-40 Heavy

SIZ 41+ Huge

Treat this as a base and make on the spot GM judgment calls where needed.

Again, these numbers are pulled straight from the aether, you may want to look through the monster chapter and move the breakpoints around if they don't look right.

Rod

Join my Mythras/RuneQuest 6: Classic Fantasy Yahoo Group at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/RQCF/info

"D100 - Exactly 5 times better than D20"

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I've never cared for the weapon size and parry rules in OQ,RQ6 or Legend. Historical fencing manuals showed how to parry polearms using a rapier and modern reenactors have shown it can be done: link.

Now I doubt you can parry a giant's club with a penknife either, so I'd just compare the character's SIZ to his opponent. If one guy has a 10 point advantage you cannot Parry his attack and must Dodge instead.

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Is there a way to determine (loosely) the size of monsters' natural weapons?

Taking the dragon chart for my example, I've opted to match the monsters' weapons damages with the closest crafted weapon's damages. The result is:

bite 1D10 (like a lance, Heavy)

claw 1D8 (like a lot of one handed weapons, Medium)

tail 1D20 (more powerful that any crafted weapon... Huge)

What do you think about it?

That's bang on the money how I would do it. Perhaps for clarity's sake I should have put some guidelines in OQ2 about that, but it honestly didn't occur to me since it doesn't happen in my games (which feature lots of humanoids with weapons).

Some things in OQ2 just need the GM to have the confidence to make a common sense ruling.

Head Honcho of D101 Games
Publisher of Crypts and Things/Monkey/OpenQuest/River of Heaven
The Sorcerer Under the Mountain

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