PDA

View Full Version : How do you handle garrotes?


Lebo77
05-24-2005, 02:21 PM
So a friend of mine asked me last night:

"How would Burning Wheel (revised) handle someone trying to garrote someone else?"

I had to admit I did not think those rules were in the main book, as it is a somewhat unusual thing to try and do. (I could be wrong. I only got my books yesterday.) I was just wondering what the gurus thought about it. Is it handled like grappling, with the victim taking some sot of damage every round? Health rolls of escalating obstacle to stay conscious?

Speaking of which, how would you handle sneaking up and cutting someone's throat? Aside from giving the attacker some extra dice to attack, does this type of strike grant any damage bonuses? I ask because I am unsure if a single stab with a knife, even at S (only 2 extra successes needed) would kill in one hit.

-Lebo

luke
05-24-2005, 02:27 PM
Close to Inside, Garotte, hold until unconscious.

Page 354 of the Monbu has the mechanics for Garrotes. Nobody likes them because they're not hollywood Garrotes. Unlike the movies, they don't instantly let you win. But using a Garrote means you don't have to reduce a victim to zero dice with your Lock in order to incapacitate.

As for "sneaking up and slitting someone's throat," that's a Stealthy test (prolly linked to the next test), and a Knife Strike with extra successes aiming toward the throat.

There's no "special damage" for ninja moves in BW. They're not necessary.

Kublai
05-24-2005, 02:33 PM
I didn't think it was possible to aim for the throat in the Revised Rules.

Anyway, in BW a knife can't kill a normal person with a single strike, even if it were superb.

I think the agreed upon method of the "sneak and slice" move is to first make a Stealthy test vs Observation/Perception roll. If you win, then have the guard make a Steel test to represent surprise. Should he fail, use his Hesitation to Lock him up without him getting his Natural Defences. This should make it fairly easy to incapacitate him silently. Then knife him at your leisure.

luke
05-24-2005, 02:45 PM
I didn't think it was possible to aim for the throat in the Revised Rules.


damn it. sorry. Aim for the HEAD!. Severity of the wound and player narration determines exact final location.

-L

Thor Olavsrud
05-25-2005, 01:34 PM
The knife discussion has been split into its own thread. You can find it here (http://burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1498).