Insta-kills with knives

[foxandwarlock]

Note from Thor: Split from How do you handle garrotes? (http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1492&sid=7c972ca6d7b1fefca67d4a562cc18949)

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.

Just for clarity's sake, it goes:

1) Stealthy test to sneak up on the guard.

2) (assuming success) Declare that you are attempting to Lock the guard around the mouth to hold from running or screaming.

3) Guard makes a Steel test for being surprised.
a) If the Guard succeeds, roll standard Opposed test for Lock action and proceed to scripting.
b) If the Guard fails, he Hesitates thereby reducing his Natural Defenses to zero (no roll). Roll for success of lock and proceed to scripting with the Guard scripting Hesitatation actions until he has recovered. During scripting, extra successes can be used to re-aim the blow to the head via standard BW rules.

4) After he recovers, he must break the lock or script as normal (assuming he has survived a number of knife blows equal to his Hesitation since the knife is a Fast weapon).

[Yagathai]

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

*weeps*
*rages*
*shakes fists at the sky in impotent rage*

[Kublai]

Wait!

::does some math::

If you had a B5 or B6 Power, such a blow might be possible against a normal dude. The IMS would be 3/6/9 or 4/7/10. A B9 or B10 would be either a Traumatic or MW for most people!

HURRAY FOR THE KNIFE!!! :D

[Thor Olavsrud]

What's with this glorification of the insta-kill?

In most edged weapon attacks the victim received multiple knife wounds. The usual cause of death are usually the last few wounds of the overall attack. -- from http://www.ocjkd.com/a_dl_edged.htm

What's wrong with a Severe or Traumatic wound that causes them to bleed to death? Why does it always have to be a Mortal Wound? The reality is, that in the period we're talking about, a Severe or Traumatic Wound was almost always a death sentence. The victim would have enough time to go all Shakespeare and say "I am murdered!" before expiring.

[Kublai]

What's with this glorification of realism?

::stabs Thor in the heart with knife and instantly kills him::

[Thor Olavsrud]

What's with this glorification of realism?

::stabs Thor in the heart with knife and instantly kills him::

How does Naoko feel about your "one stroke, done!" attitude? :twisted:

I think a scene where your opponent lies on the ground, weeping and cursing your name as his life's blood pools around him, is far more interesting than "I stab him and he's dead!"

[Kublai]

Books, movies and video games provide a lot of inspiration for the swift kill and a lot of players want to emulate that. There's nothing wrong with such an approach. I think it's badass to drop a guy without making a sound!

[Thor Olavsrud]

Books, movies and video games provide a lot of inspiration for the swift kill and a lot of players want to emulate that. There's nothing wrong with such an approach. I think it's badass to drop a guy without making a sound!

Then maybe he should back his concept up with some Precision Training?

[Kublai]

Precision Training is nice, but isn't necessary at all. Any schmoe with a Power 5 and a B3 Knife skill can score a killing blow with a single stroke!

[phredd]

Oh, I am so amused to see Gronti touting the knife. :lol:

Of course, I think he's the one responsible for the new limit on Dwarven speed.

[Kublai]

"Verakai, or How I Learned to Love the Knife and Stop Fearing It."

I had nothing to do with the Speed thing, though I am not bothered by it at all! :oops:

[luke]

Books, movies and video games provide a lot of inspiration for the swift kill and a lot of players want to emulate that. There's nothing wrong with such an approach. I think it's badass to drop a guy without making a sound!

And I am very clear in BW that it does not emulate this type of source material. There are many games that do, though!

-L

[Kublai]

You may not want BW to do it, but it's certainly possible within the rules. BW turns out to be very flexible when it comes to what styles you can emulate. Hyper-reality or Hyper-fantasy is totally possible.

[phredd]

I had nothing to do with the Speed thing, though I am not bothered by it at all! :oops:

:: Chuffs skeptically ::

[Kaare Berg]

I think it's badass to drop a guy without making a sound!

I haven't found anywhere in the rule where it says you have to make a sound when you kill someone.

But a severe or traumatic wound inflicts a 3d or 4d penalty. Since mister Guardsman is average then his stats lie around B3 or B4, all depending on how average he is.

If a stat drops to zero so does the guard. Rolling and drooling in pain I think the book says. Unless its Will or Perception which leaves him unconcious, bleeding to death in both cases.