Throttling training

[Yagathai]

One of the PCs in my game has taken the Thug lifepath, and wants to know why he would want to take Throttling training.

I'm wondering what y'all would think about Throttling training giving the ability to do damage with a lock without first reducing someone to 0 dice with a non-damaging lock (similar to the Kimdo technique). Would that bee too unbalancing, and if so, does anyone have alternate suggestions?

[Kublai]

We have to imagine the role of the Thug and why he would have Throttling. A Thug usually throttles when he is trying to extort someone, so killing them is not his goal. Perhaps a successful Lock by someone with the Throttling Training automatically causes a Steel test? That's not too powerful and it's pretty damn niche-y, so it won't be abused. Just make sure the Thug is Locking the neck of his victim. I don't suspect Throttling training would work on something without a neck! :wink:

[Yagathai]

I had thought that the "Thug" lifepath was more inspired by the Indian Thuggee cult, hence murder-wise and throttling.

[Kublai]

My interpretation of that lifepath is of a city-based crime organization/gang member. This is also because BW has a definite Western feel to its lifepaths.

In BW, both of us are correct. Isn't that swell? :wink:

[luke]

As for an actual mechanical interpretation, I'd go with Kublai on this one. The special move for damaging locks can be found on page 203 of the Burning Wheel under the Killing Lock heading. Practice of this art is notoriously difficult, and I think it should be left to dedicated martial artists and not street thugs (cultists or otherwise).

-L

[eruditus]

I certainly understand part of the perspective...

Your thug wants to grab the victim by the throat, shake hima few times, lift him to the wall and when he has submitted you let him go winded and gasping, most of the fight taken out of him.

I don't think this would be a training skill, rather a Brawl or Wrestling manuever.

Ob 4 After a successful Lock make a Brawl/Power test with an Ob equal to the victim's Forte minus Lock dice. Each success over the Ob indicates an additional exchange your Lock's dice continue to affect your opponent.

What do we think?

[Kublai]

I think making it a special manouever is not the intent of Throttling. After all, it shouldn't be allowed to be taken by every character with Brawling/Martial Arts. It's specifically a Thug skill. So, unless I was gonna develop a Thug Fighting Style, I'd stick with it as a training.

As for your mechanical suggestion, I think you've reinvented the wheel. It seems your using Lock Versus Forte to create a sort of Hesitation. So, why not just use the Hesitation mechanic? I think using a Steel test is good because it's simple and known. Also, I really think Throttling is more in tune with Intimidation and Will, rather than some physical aspect. Throttling could be used as a FoRK when Intimidating physically.

[eruditus]

Well, that is another way to handle it. I was looking more at a physical way for a Lock to linger. Right now when you let go of a lock all the Lock dice go away.

The Steel idea is neat but fleeting at best. We're talking about a way to relatively incapacitate a target in order to get what you want out of them over a longer period. The Steel test option would only every work over a few seconds.

I agree, however, that the Throttle trait is different than what I am looking at here. This should just be an option for anyone, seperate of the Throttle trait. I agree that the trait would simply be a call on for any such actions - intimidate, brawl, lock, etc.

[Kublai]

:D I love BW and it's undefined terms. This must be how it was when the Bible was first being interpreted. Everyone having their own opinion and each is correct. Let's just hope we don't go to war with each other! :twisted:

[eruditus]

Crap, yeah cause your going to pull all those obscure rules out of yer ass while scripting... that's how Kublai wins so often, ya know. :P

Speaking of which I can wait to get an online scripting program done. Online scripting is going to RAWK!

[Trayer]

This probably could be it's own post, but what kinds of programs are people looking at for this?


-CMC

[eruditus]

Well, nothing specific yet.

Most likely some Java/Javascript/Perl app on a web page. It would probably be serverside to allow folk to use it without downloading anything special.

Luke and I have been persueing the whos and hows.