Juggling during combat. No, really.

[Yagathai]

So I'm trying to throw together a character that's a trick-juggler -- not a clown, mind you, but just someone that happens to be able to juggle, and juggle well.

So I'm wondering, on a purely theoretical basis, how one would actions while juggling during combat. For example, while I'm pretty sure that Strike would be right out (unless he stopped juggling), I don't think that it's unreasonable for a character to be able to move while juggling. But what about Avoiding or Getting Inside? What about tossing in a Lob or two every now and then?

It's a bit of a silly question, I know, but this is the sort of thing that keeps me up at night wondering.

[Kublai]

oh, boy... there's a clown in every group, isn't there? We've had our fair share of such nonsense, so don't expect any ridicule from me! :D

I think Lobs are definitely a good idea. All the circling objects might be distracting for the opponent which may mean obstacle reduction when the juggler strikes.

Juggler strikes? Yeah! I think it would be fun to let the juggler get inside and then bounce the dangerous objects off his opponent!

[luke]

I recommend penalties to Avoid since the juggler is concentrating on two things at once, penalties to Block because the juggler's hands are full and occupied.

I don't understand how or why a juggler would Get Inside. Wouldn't this proximity interfere with the juggling?

Aside from that, it costs 2 actions for a Physical Act during the exchange. Juggling counts for this. Perhaps each two actions count as one full rotation?

Thus your average bloke with a B3 Reflexes could do a full rotation and then Lob a ball at someone the course of an exchange.

If actions aren't spent on completing a rotation then balls start to fall. Juggler's skill would determine maximum number of objects in rotation.

[Dwellver]

Howdy

Try is, for every object juggled above one, +1 Ob to all actions. All actions are permitted, but both hands are occupied. Note that with three objects, simple walking is a Ob2 SPD check. Failure at any check, the juggler drops the items. Also he may throw a juggled item at one range band higher than he has set for.

[Yagathai]

Are you taking notes, Eruditus? :twisted:

[eruditus]

unfortunately.... ;)

funny I was just thinking about this very same topic.

and in fact when I thought about it I recalled that in Unearthed Arcana you could use the Juggling skill... oh, I'm sorry... non-combat proficiency... to catch thrown projectiles you were the target of. And I thought, gee that's something Yagathai would probably consider incorporating :)

and not two days later you post a juggling discussion

BTW one rotation should be an action... otherwise I like abzu's ideas on this

[Yagathai]

Well of course. Unearthed Arcana = minor gaming deity in book form.

[Kublai]

ok, I will tell you about another character in BW that had the juggling skill. His 1st instict was to catch anything that was thrown at him. It worked amazingly! Some ninja or such threw a grenade and our juggler caught it and threw it back. Most impressive! :shock:

[Yagathai]

And that's why, in the eternal and epic struggle between ninjas and circus performers, the ninjas will always be doomed to miserable failure.

[eruditus]

Question: How would catching missile weapons work in BW? Its possible. This was a stupid passtime for me and my friends when I was young (and really stupid). One of us would be at one end of a field with a low powered bow and another would stand off to the side and try to dive and catch arrows (which really weren't going too terribly fast at that range). Although this would be a completely different story with combat grade weapons (and I probably wouldn't be here to be typing this silliness) but do we have any good gauge on OB's ofr such a thing?

And skills? Maybe a missile catching training skill - use Agility with a set of Obs for certain weapons (this is where crossbows would really differentiate with bows at closer ranges). Then you could just double the Obstacles for those without the training skill. Although I would even go as far as to say - without the skill you must first pass a perception test (does not count toward advancement, rather as part of learning the skill - thus both Perception and Agility rolls for catching one missile give you one training pip in Missile Deflection).

oooo - I just thought of a new spell... complete non-sequiter. Don't mind me.

[luke]

theoretically possible, sure.

i read an account by some japanese martial artist once who said that missile deflection and invulnerability (another martial arts favorite) were bullshit and if you wanted to that shit you should buy a gun instead.

anyway, it would have to be based on range and missile type.
the shorter the range the harder to catch, and the greater the pull of the weapon the harder to catch.

Hunting Bows and Crossbows: Ob 4
Great Bows and Heavy Crossbows: Ob 5
Muskets and Pistols: Ob 6

Pointblank: +3 Ob
Short: +2 Ob
Medium: +1 Ob
Long: --

Character must be either ready and waiting, or have "deflect/catch" scripted.

Has anyone else seen Hero yet? There's some really cool missile deflection in there!
thousands of arrows at time!

[eruditus]

although I would not allow deflection of most firearms accept as a gray missile deflection manuever

[Kublai]

My martial artist tried to develop this manouver once. His student almost shot his ear off! He didn't try it again. :oops:

[wattj]

His student almost shot his ear off!

Was there an apple involved? I think I've heard this story before.