The Rancor Pit Forum Index
Welcome to The Rancor Pit forums!

The Rancor Pit Forum Index
FAQ   ::   Search   ::   Memberlist   ::   Usergroups   ::   Register   ::   Profile   ::   Log in to check your private messages   ::   Log in

The Bowcaster... underpowered? My take on it.
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Rancor Pit Forum Index -> Ships, Vehicles, Equipment, and Tech -> The Bowcaster... underpowered? My take on it. Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, ... 13, 14, 15  Next
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Fallon Kell
Commodore
Commodore


Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: Tacoma, WA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ZzaphodD wrote:
I cant really see why the weapon needs a boost to begin with...

Sure its not a Wookie repeating blaster, but why should it be?

Do wookies need heavier firepower? Please read the threads about bulletproof wookies. Do we need to add more firepower to that? Their only drawback is that they have to get up and close as it is.

Why go to all the trouble to build a bowcaster, when you can do more damage with a bag of rocks to throw?
_________________
Or that excessively long "Noooooooooo" was the Whining Side of the Force leaving him. - Dustflier

Complete Starship Construction System
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Director of Engineering


Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16163
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.

PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Because the Emperor George I has decreed that Wookiees have bowcasters, not bags of rocks.

A thought on bowcasters...

Most of the information on bowcasters comes from the Brian Daley Han Solo trilogy. In particular there is one scene where a bad guy has taken Han and Chewie's weapons and is hunting them, intending to kill them with their own guns. He catches sight of Chewie and fires his bowcaster, but lacks the arm strength to re-cock it. In the amount of time it takes him to realize this, drop the bowcaster and try to draw Han's blaster, he is buried under a pile of angry Wookiee.

I bring this up because the WEG stats limit you to one shot per round regardless of your Strength, which doesn't seem a good fit with what is seen in the story. Perhaps a better rule would be to require a Strength check to reload and fire a bowcaster, maybe Easy or Moderate Difficulty, which is something a Wookiee could pull off with relative ease, but an average human would be hard pressed to duplicate. The Strength roll would count towards MAPs, so that firing a second shot in a round would generate a -2D MAP.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Naaman
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral


Joined: 29 Jul 2011
Posts: 3191

PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But that's only worthwhile if your bowcaster is dealing 6D-ish damage... and ignores armor
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Fallon Kell
Commodore
Commodore


Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: Tacoma, WA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Naaman wrote:
But that's only worthwhile if your bowcaster is dealing 6D-ish damage... and ignores armor

I'd have used an "or", rather than an "and", but I agree. There's no point in a bowcaster if it doesn't do more damage than a thrown rock. It has to be something a wookiee would actually carry as a weapon.
_________________
Or that excessively long "Noooooooooo" was the Whining Side of the Force leaving him. - Dustflier

Complete Starship Construction System
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Director of Engineering


Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16163
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.

PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Naaman wrote:
But that's only worthwhile if your bowcaster is dealing 6D-ish damage... and ignores armor


True. Bowcasters really should have a greater range if they are only going to inflict 4D damage
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
The Brain
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mind you a bowcaster is a traditional cultural weapon that does not always equal uber kewlness in modern times, irl example WW II Japanese officers carrying swords while leading troops in the field.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
garhkal
Sovereign Protector
Sovereign Protector


Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 14022
Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

True, but since they hunt with it on their native kasshyk, it should cause more damage than they themselves should be capable of.. 5d+2 is good for me.
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Esoomian
High Admiral
High Admiral


Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 6207
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
True, but since they hunt with it on their native kasshyk, it should cause more damage than they themselves should be capable of.. 5d+2 is good for me.


Unless of course the weapon is designed for hunting small prey and intended not to be dangerous to the Wookiees themselves should someone misfire.
_________________
Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Director of Engineering


Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16163
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Esoomian wrote:
garhkal wrote:
True, but since they hunt with it on their native kasshyk, it should cause more damage than they themselves should be capable of.. 5d+2 is good for me.


Unless of course the weapon is designed for hunting small prey and intended not to be dangerous to the Wookiees themselves should someone misfire.


Apparently they use it to hunt both birds for food and the katarn as part of their rites of passage. Given that the Katarn has a Str of 4D, a bowcaster really should be capable of inflicting greater damage, unless one uses the optional damage rules from RoE, requiring a precision shot to take it down...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
ZzaphodD
Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral


Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 2426

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Esoomian wrote:
garhkal wrote:
True, but since they hunt with it on their native kasshyk, it should cause more damage than they themselves should be capable of.. 5d+2 is good for me.


Unless of course the weapon is designed for hunting small prey and intended not to be dangerous to the Wookiees themselves should someone misfire.


Or simply the fact that you dont have to chase down the prey and claw it to death... Laughing
_________________
My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course..
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Esoomian
High Admiral
High Admiral


Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 6207
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crmcneill wrote:
Apparently they use it to hunt both birds for food and the katarn as part of their rites of passage. Given that the Katarn has a Str of 4D, a bowcaster really should be capable of inflicting greater damage, unless one uses the optional damage rules from RoE, requiring a precision shot to take it down...


4D soak and 4D damage seems to be about fair for a rite of passage. That way you either need to hit it often or make use of called shots or something similar to actually win the combat and complete the rite of passage. Even stunning a creature can allow you to close the distance and bring your close combat skills into play so perhaps the weapon is well balanced for what it is intended for.

After all if things were weighted too heavily in the Wookiee's favour it could hardly be a rite of passage could it?
_________________
Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
The Brain
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Esoomian wrote:
4D soak and 4D damage seems to be about fair for a rite of passage. That way you either need to hit it often or make use of called shots or something similar to actually win the combat and complete the rite of passage. Even stunning a creature can allow you to close the distance and bring your close combat skills into play so perhaps the weapon is well balanced for what it is intended for.

After all if things were weighted too heavily in the Wookiee's favour it could hardly be a rite of passage could it?


Precisely what I was going to say. Whats more impressive bringing down a cougar with '03 Springfield or a spear?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bren
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral


Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Posts: 3868
Location: Maryland, USA

PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Brain wrote:
Mind you a bowcaster is a traditional cultural weapon that does not always equal uber kewlness in modern times, irl example WW II Japanese officers carrying swords while leading troops in the field.
True, but a WWII military sword doesn't do less damage than a punch from Lieutenant Yamada. Wink A bowcaster does less damage than many Wookiees and probably most PC Wookiees.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Fallon Kell
Commodore
Commodore


Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: Tacoma, WA

PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Brain wrote:
Whats more impressive bringing down a cougar with '03 Springfield or a spear?
Trouble is, this may be more of a case of "what's stupider, trying to bring down a cougar with a BB gun or your bare hands". What's the point of a weapon if it's not as effective as no weapon?
_________________
Or that excessively long "Noooooooooo" was the Whining Side of the Force leaving him. - Dustflier

Complete Starship Construction System
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bren
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral


Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Posts: 3868
Location: Maryland, USA

PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fallon Kell wrote:
The Brain wrote:
Whats more impressive bringing down a cougar with '03 Springfield or a spear?
Trouble is, this may be more of a case of "what's stupider, trying to bring down a cougar with a BB gun or your bare hands". What's the point of a weapon if it's not as effective as no weapon?
But it's not very effect at a distance. Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Rancor Pit Forum Index -> Ships, Vehicles, Equipment, and Tech All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, ... 13, 14, 15  Next
Page 2 of 15

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


v2.0