CT Only: Weakened Blows

[Supplement Four]

I've got a love/hate relationship with Weakened Blows.

From the moment I read the rule way back when, I was attracted to it. Too many games ignore fatigue during a hand to hand fight. If you've ever been in a fist fight or brawl, then you'll know that a person can bet tired out extremely quickly! This was something I noticed a long, long time ago, when I was young and in shape! Today, I bet I'd get one or two punches in before I became fatigued.

The problem I have with the rule is the bookkeeping. I hate having to count things!

Does anybody have a good method for using weakened blows in a game that makes the counting easy?





On the other hand, I supposed this is really just an issue with low END characters. Much of the time, combats won't go five or seven combat rounds. So, I guess you really only have to keep an eye on it when the character involved has a low END.

What complicates things, though, is when players voluntarily accept a weakened blow and not take from their total, then resume taking from their total.

 

[Axe]

My players usually keep track of their own number of blows, much like they keep track of their own arrows, treasure, etc.

I have used my Paizo Combat Pad, with which note taking is made super easy, when I have players I don't know (trust?).

 

[mike wightman]

Use the numbers or pips on a die or dice as counters to keep track of your full strength blows.

Every time you use a full strength blow reduce the die by turning it to the next number until it is all used up.

Remember a character can opt to use a weakened blow instead of a full strength blow at any time - useful if you have a much better skill + characteristic advantage over your opponent.

e.g. Norbet Q Gunbunny has an End of 13 and takes combat drug, effective End is 15.

I place three dice, 6 - 6 - 3 you can work out the rest

Alternatively use a polyhedral die... in the above example for Norbet I would use a D20 initially on 15.


Alternatively a piece of paper, number of full strength blows and tally marks as they are used up.

 

[aramis]

Poker Chips. Simply put a number of poker chips equal to their End, and if they don't hand one back, it's a weakened blow. Since they won't have any left after End full-strength blows, they can opt for weaker ones earlier, and after the correct amount, they can't give you any more.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Well, it's like anything that a game master, DM or Ref need to keep track of, but are too busy to do. It's the honor system; trust but verify. It didn't come up in Snapshot scenarios too often, but occasionally when the fire fight morphed into fisticuffs or some form of fencing.