Re: Penalty

From: Andrew Solovay <asolovay_at_...>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 14:42:46 -0800

Nick Eden <nick_at_...> wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 06:39:10 -0000, you wrote:
>
>> Say you had this Humakti who always used the Greatsword. Then in one
>> scene he ended up fighting with
>>
>> A - A short sword
>> B - A broom handle
>>
>> I reckon he could use his GreatSword skill at an improv of -10 on
>> each of those.
>>
>> Is that ok?
>
> I would perhaps say that there would be a greater penalty for the
> Broom Handle. I'd certainly knock off any more if he got some skill
> bonus from a Gift. Humakt gifts his worshippers with skill in the
> Sword, not in fencing with a club.

On the other hand, if the Humakti has a minute or two, he can tie a short crosspice to the broom handle and make it into a "wooden sword". I'd bet that then he could use it as a sword, for all religious purposes. It wouldn't be a very effective weapon (especially since he'd have to use it *like a sword*, not like a club), but magically speaking it is a kind of sword, and his Humakti magic would work on it--though perhaps with a penalty.

I'm sure there are stories of Death Swords who, in extremis, picked up a wooden practice sword and started chopping off heads.