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View Full Version : Showdown at dawn -- BW quickdraw rules


Yagathai
05-25-2005, 01:41 PM
I'm putting together a set of BW rules and lifepaths for an Old West-type setting. In conference with Abzu, I came up with the following rules for a high-noon type quickdraw showdown.

It's basically a Range-and-Cover type dice-off.

Each gunfighter rolls their Agility dice in an opposed test.

Bonus dice for:

Higher reflexes +1D
Lower Hesistation (don't count hesitation bonuses vs. pain, but do count vs. surprise or gore) +1D
Hand already on gun: +1D
Weapon already drawn but not leveled: +2D
Weapon already drawn and leveled: +5D, plus free tandem Acquire or Aim
Quick Draw or Practiced Precision: Draw Gun trait (same thing): +2D

Results:

Test tied: Both gunfighters shoot at the same time.

Win/lose by 1 success: The person that won the test gets to fire first. The person that lost the test also gets to fire, but at a +1 Ob in addition to any wound penalties that they suffer from their opponent's shot. This shot goes off after the wound is taken, but before Hesitation kicks in.

Win/Lose by 2-3 successes: The person that won the test gets to fire. Opponent suffers full Wound and Hesitation effects if they're hit. Assuming they pass their Steel test and aren't incapacitated by wounds, they can fire, but at a +1 Ob.

Win/Lose by 4+ successes: Assuming that neither gunfighter the already had their weapon drawn and leveled, the winner is so fast that he actually manages to draw down on the loser before the loser can even clear his gun from the holster, and everyone knows it. The winner can either choose to fire, as above, or he can delay firing.

If he delays, the loser has a split-second to put up his guns. Assuming that the loser doesn't surrender, play immediately shifts to a second Quickdraw contest, where the winner of the previous test automatically gets the "gun drawn and leveled" bonus, and the loser of the previous test gets only the "hand on gun" bonus. This situation may or may not call for a Steel test on the loser's part.

If he doesn't delay, the loser does not get to shoot back. At this point, the contest can become a standard range-and-cover, or it can go to another round of Quickdraw, with standard bonuses/penalties for having a gun already drawn, &c.

No matter who wins, unless the shooter has had time to Acquire their target, he suffers the standard +4 Ob penalty for a Snapshot. Traits like The Killer obviously negate this penalty.

Thoughts?

Edited to change Speed to Agility.

Kublai
05-25-2005, 01:46 PM
That sounds great!

luke
05-25-2005, 02:08 PM
wowee! that's cool!

is there anyway we can build in the "wait for it... wait... wait..." aspect you see in so much gunslinging? Is there a penalty for you reaching first?

can we make it a one action script? Reach or No Reach? The man who reaches first gets a dishonorable notch in his reputation belt?

also, if you're going to do straight up draw actions, how about Agility or Steel as the draw ability?

With Steel, you have a chance of causing yourself to hesitate!
-L

Yagathai
05-25-2005, 02:20 PM
Hmmm. How 'bout this:

Unless it's a timed draw, a la Quick and the Dead, the contestants make a series of opposed Intimidation tests. The person that loses keeps track of how much they failed by. When this total exceeds their Steel exponent (or Steel + 2 for Grey Steel), they can't take it anymore and reach first. They get a +1D to their Draw roll for initiating, but a +1 Ob to their Draw roll for flinching first.

And yeah, Agility makes more sense than Speed in this context.

Example:

Deadeye Dick and Mexican Pete are facing off. Deadeye Dick has a B5 Steel, a B5 Intimidation. Mexican Pete has a B7 Steel, a B3 Intimidation.

First opposed intimidation: Dick rolls 4 successes, and Pete rolls just 1. Margin of victory is 3. The two gunslingers glare at each other from beneath their brims. Neither looks away or twitches, but a trickle of sweat rolls down Pete's cheek.

Second: 2 successes for Dick, 2 for Pete. Nothing happens.

Third: 2 for Dick, but Pete blows some Artha and gets four successes. Margin of victory is 2. Dick's fingers twitch, and Pete starts to squint.

Fourth: Dick rolls 5/5 successes, and poor Pete only 0. Margin of failure is 5, plus the 3from the first opposed intimidation test, for a total of 8. This is more than Pete's B7 Steel. He can't take it anymore! He reaches for his gun! He gets +1D for reaching first, but because he's so shaken, and he knows that Dick outlasted him, he gets a +1 Ob as well.

Kublai
05-25-2005, 02:24 PM
That's cool, too!

Verrain
05-25-2005, 02:25 PM
That's good Yag.

I was thinking along the line of each volley you don't draw gives you an Aim bonus but the first one to script draw gets a +1D on the above table. That gives you incentive to wait but not too long lest he get the drop on you.

I think I like Yag's idea better though.

luke
05-25-2005, 04:16 PM
sweet. it's like a mini-Duel of Wits.

so all shots are going to be Ob 3 (Ob 1 plus current snapshot penalty of +2 Ob)? Plus any "Shaken" penalties?

That's good. Makes it a nice median range of difficulty.

And you're right, after the first shots are fired, it's complete Range and Cover! High Noon, baby!

-L

Yagathai
05-25-2005, 04:18 PM
Was the Snapshot penalty reduced to +2 Ob? Maybe I should have checked that. :oops:

But yeah, for your average shooter it's going to be a base ob of 3, plus "shaken" penalties. Now, I'm planning on the Gunfighter and Gunslinger lifepaths to have "The Killer" on their trait list, so those guys will have a much easier time of it...

luke
05-25-2005, 04:30 PM
Was the Snapshot penalty reduced to +2 Ob? Maybe I should have checked that. :oops:

But yeah, for your average shooter it's going to be a base ob of 3, plus "shaken" penalties. Now, I'm planning on the Gunfighter and Gunslinger lifepaths to have "The Killer" on their trait list, so those guys will have a much easier time of it...

Dude, the Killer is going to KILL! He'll be shooting with an Ob 1 or 2 at short range. Certain death!

-L

Yagathai
05-25-2005, 05:17 PM
Yeah! :D

Why? Do you see that as a problem?

yeloson
05-25-2005, 07:39 PM
Hi,

If you really want to go cinematic, give the gunfighters control over the IMS hits only during the showdown- that is, hitting the basic Ob gives an Incidental, but it works like an Add 1 weapon. Making it pretty likely to get a Mark or Superb hit...

Chris

Kaare Berg
05-26-2005, 09:56 AM
You really want to give Malicant that option considering he carries the formidable Hecutor 50;

Hecutor 50
IMS: B5 B9 B12 VA 1
Range Optimal 30 - 2D Extreme(max) 100 - 1D
Dum Dum + 1 DOF
Capacity 7.