[DigitalZombie]

Whoops, my bad.

Page 42.
I presume that the target Rolls athletics + agility against the threshold of DV-2 + net hits from the initial attack roll.
And not just against DV-2, right?

Trip (I)
This action focuses more on bringing the target
to the ground than on doing damage. Can only be
done with a melee weapon and must be combined
with an Attack Major Action. Decrease the base
damage of the attack by 2P; if it hits, target rolls
Athletics + Agility with a threshold of the adjusted
DV of the attack. If the target fails, they gain the
Prone status.

[Hobbes]

Well the Adjusted DV of the Attack would have been increased by any net hits from the initial roll.  So, yes, DV of weapon, minus 2, plus net hits on the attack roll is the threshold to resist going Prone.  Just shorthanding the steps a bit is all.

[Leith]

Tripping someone without doing damage. Real world question, can you trip someone without smacking them in the leg, grappling them or using a whip like thing? Excepting, of course, hilarious pratfalls. Like, in a fight. Seems to me the best way is to kick they're legs out from under them or judo throw. Don't know if that's better than using a whip, but I don't think it's worse.

[DigitalZombie]

Tripping someone without doing damage. Real world question, can you trip someone without smacking them in the leg, grappling them or using a whip like thing? Excepting, of course, hilarious pratfalls. Like, in a fight. Seems to me the best way is to kick they're legs out from under them or judo throw. Don't know if that's better than using a whip, but I don't think it's worse.

Well, SR5 had the option in the CRB to trip people without  causing them dmg. (This didnt involve per say, so more like throws and trios etc).
DnD5 and other editions also allow tripping opponents without causing dmg.
And I suppose most RPGs with a modicum of complexity has rules for tripping opponents without causing dmg.

In real life many trip techniques wouldnt cause any dmg in itself. Naturally the asphalt, dancing floor etc. Might have a say there though:)

I think its perfectly cool and realistic to have the option of tripping someone and dral some dmg at the same time, like an axe to the kneecap or a shock glove to the side of the head etc.

But did the new streamlined, intuitive edition had to have 2 versions of tripping an opponent while causing him dmg with 2 very different mechanics, and no way to trip a guy without causing him harm?

My guess is that the trip and tumble actions were created by 2 different writers, and a third put them both in the book.

[Hobbes]

If you want to immobilize someone without damage the Grappling rules should work.  If you're in Combat odds are you'll want to do your damage.  If you just want to trip someone for RP reasons, distraction, get them to drop something, whatever, the GM should be able to wing it.

Stand up is just a Minor Action, so knocking them Prone doesn't do much if you're trying to not damage them.  Grappling, or whatever, would be the thing for non-damaging immobilization. 

[Leith]

In real life many trip techniques wouldnt cause any dmg in itself. Naturally the asphalt, dancing floor etc. Might have a say there though:)

I cannot think of a technique other than hand to hand ground fighting (which the Tackle rules seem to cover, though it does do damage and there are other problems there) or just sticking out a foot that would meet this criteria. If I have a baseball bat or a quarterstaff (besides just putting it in one's way) how would I get someone to trip over it besides swinging it at their legs?

To some extent one does have to accept that there is no such thing as a "non-lethal weapon," and if you knock someone on their proverbial butt there's a decent chance they will hurt themselves.

I agree that it is weird tho.