Dual Handedness; Part 2

In the last part we covered the "hands" and the incorporation of 'Strong Hand' and 'Off-Hand' abilities. I also gave you two 'fake' screenshot examples for the coded and non-coded versions in addition to a bit of explanation of how that stuff will work with weapons. But, I did mention the way weapon types and skills are considered will change as well...

Right now, the standard/basic skill types such as Sword, Blaster Pistol/Rifle, Dagger/Vibroshiv, Whip/Tethered Weapons, Quarterstaff/Pole Weapons each incorporate two facets; knowledge and application. That is to say; the points you allocate translate into how well you know the weapon and how well you can employ it - which can sometimes be tough to swallow where realism is concerned. A person can know a vast many things about guns, but be unable to hit the broadside of a barn - that's just a fact. So, what we are attempting to do with this system is 'change' the way we see the points, change what they mean to us.

With the new system, strong hand and off-hand points will define how well you can employ a given weapon while the basic skill type will cover knowledge of the weapon; for example...

Remember how I told you that the weapon databank had been reformatted? I mentioned that the weapons dictate the skill you need, no longer the other way around? The Blastsword was our example there, whose "requirements" to dual wield were - 5 points allocated to the "Sword" category; 3 points allocated to Strong Hand and 4 points allocated to Off-hand. In essence this says that (to dual wield the blastsword) a user needs 'perfect' knowledge of the weapon type (the 5 for 'sword') and 3/4 in the ability to use it. It's just that simple...

All of these things (the requirements of the weapons) ONLY apply to those who wish to dual weild. Those who only want to carry 1 sword (or any viable weapon) will fall in line with their applicable hand skill and the basic weapon type skill - which will still mean the same thing...

Basic type skill equates to knowledge and hand skill applies to application.

If hand skills are not addressed in the custom slot, then users are considered a 1/0 for Strong hand/Off-hand. So, lets say a user has a 5 in sword - but fails to allocate points for handedness just because they don't feel like it; well, that means they have knowledge of the weapon which ranks at 5, but employment which ranks at 1. This is the equivalent of knowing everything about the weapon (basically) but not being able to use it.

Yes, I am forcing you to make a decision on your handedness ability, as the penalties for not falling in line will seriously effect your character's ability to wield anything. Harsh? No - not really. Just one of the many things that we should have done before the ACC opened its doors, had we thought of it, LOL.


A Word On Custom Weapons

Custom Weapons still have a weapon type, but there are two ways to go about using them in this system. The first is leave it alone. Custom weapons are not included in this system because we see them as "one of a kind" and you can't have more than one in a custom slot anyway, sorry What you have is what you have - if you wish to dual wield them, you need to have the basic skill requirements for the type. So, if you have the uber-jedi killer sword with 5 points, and you want to dual wield it...1) you need to have 2 of them on your CS, 2) you need to meet all of the requirements for a basic sword, that is the basic type skill (usually 5 for dual wield) and each of the handed skills. For example, JH Snuffy needs the following...

Sword: 5/5
Uber-Jedi Killer Sword: 5/5
Uber-Jedi killer Sword: 5/5
Strong Hand: 3/5
Off-Hand: 4/5

That burns up 22 points right there - which is why your second option is much, much better. Your second option is to submit the weapon to the CM and DCM for approval into the ACC Weapon guide. This will negate the need for it to appear at all on your CS, freeing up 10 points for other stuff. The downside is that others will be allowed to use it as well. Fictionally, this works because (whether you knew it or not) your characters don't actually have those weapons in the Centre; weapons are replicated as is the terrain. So outside of the ACC, you're still the only one whose got it - but in the ACC, it's just part of the 'weapon databank'.

Note: We will address ACC Armory and Award Weapons later.


A Bit On All The Other Stuff

This will be a bother to some, but its just part of this 'heads up'. All of the other stuff that goes with dual wielding like Echani, OT and above for blasters and all of that will be nixed completely. That is to say, there will be no exceptions no matter the style you have or the rank/order you belong to. That all fit a purpose at one time, but is now obsolete. Everyone will be required to meet the requirements for dual wield (save the exceptions integral to saber styles where dual sabers or saber staffs are concerned).



RECAP

New Dual Handedness System

- A focus on individual hands; Strong Hand and Off-Hand
- Points will be allocated to each hand, either through coding of the CS (still in progress) or use of the custom slots
- If not yet coded when the system goes into effect, users MUST select a hand in the Basic Information section of the CS. This will be considered their strong hand and the off-hand will be the default of what's left. "Don't Know" will no longer be accepted.
- The weapon databank will tell you what the requirements are for weapon types
- These 'requirements' are for those who wish to dual wield
- The points are transferable, provided basic skill type points are sufficient (i.e. if you have the minimum required for swords, and it is more than daggers, you can wield dual swords or dual daggers or a sword and a dagger).
- Basic weapon type points now mean knowledge of the weapon type and the handed points now mean ability with the weapon
- This will NOT effect lightsabres unless you are dealing with a lightsabre + something else (other than another saber)


Possible Penalties
- If a CS is not re-accomplished* to be in-line with the recognition of hand skill, then skill is assumed as 1/0 and will effect all battles that begin 'after' the employment date of the change or the grace period for changing over from the old system (no matter the duration of the battle).
- Once the grace period has expired, CS's not in line may be deleted; this will immediately effect all battles and require the re-accomplishing of the CS.

*As with all changes that effect the Character Sheets, this is the opportunity for approving authorities to decline CS's that may contain unapproved information that was missed previously.

I have a question that really only pertains to me, but figured the answer might help others if they wish to use a similar system.

My "custom" weapon is listed as "improvised weaponry" meaning I can take pretty much anything I'm surrounded with and use it against an enemy effectively. I would imagine the only real requirement for this would be a knowledge or wisdom based attribute, since I'd have to know quite a bit about a great amount of items, though I could see that it might be linked to some sort of specialized skill in order to make any found item into an effective weapon.

I suppose my question is: how does this fit into your proposed system?

Oh - that's easy Unfortunately, the answer sucks a bit...

First, remember, this is for the ACC - don't misconstrue it and try to put it into anything else. That being said, "improvised weaponry" will always fall into a weapon type - even if you have to butter the sides and shove it through the door; broomstick - pole weapons, bowl of chilli - thrown weapons, a midget - prolly thrown, etc.... the most logical way to associate any improvised weapon is just to see how its being used.

With that, the answer to your question; With the type determined, that's how it would apply. If you tried dual wielding Colista Flockharts, a pair of them, and didn't have DH for pole weapons - then you'd get docked and the feat would be deemed unlikely or some other such adjective.

All in all, "improvised weaponry" is a skill, not a weapon - so whatever you use for a weapon, because of that skill, is what will be scrutinized.

I suppose that makes sense, despite the bizarre references.

Improvised Weaponry mostly applies to the ability to use anything reasonable as a weapon in a time of need. If I were to somehow get disarmed and lose my lightsaber, I could use something non-conventional in its place to an effective manner, like a chair leg or stick.

Fear Chair-fu!

Ah so! Or maybe you like the cat-chaku!