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Thoughts on handedness...

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SITZKRIEG

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« on: <06-17-20/1811:10> »
Obviously a potential GM could rule however they want but I figured I'd ask a question to make sure I didn't miss any rules interactions due to my admittedly incomplete knowledge of 6e.  The character build I'm working on right now is a troll face who uses what he calls his favorite pistol but I was thinking I'd make it a custom AR instead.  Basically a bullpup AR like the FN HAR (so that it's smaller to begin with and has the magazine behind the trigger like a pistol) with the no stock and shorter barrel mods (plus obviously metahuman adaptation and personalized grip) from Firing Squad.  The big question I have is if there are any rules in 6e for using weapons one handed.  I figured with the weapon guantlet on a troll being able to mount and use a standard unmodified AR one handed then it should be alright that he can use a cut down weapon like this one handed as well. He wouldn't qualify for a concealable holster as that specifies pistols but I'm ok with that.  Ideas?

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #1 on: <06-17-20/1825:44> »
The question of how many hands a weapon needs is left to GM fiat/common sense.

Technically, a Katana is a two handed weapon, but artwork going back to 1e show street samurai running around with a katana in one hand and a gun in the other... so the rule of cool is well entrenched in this example.

Ask your gm.  Generally, I'd say that using a rifle one handed either means you can't gain edge, can't spend edge, or counts as a factor towards the other guy's favor in the circumstantial leg of the Edge triad.  In the situation you describe where it's modified/balanced for one handed use, I'd probably say that last one if I were your GM.  It might be lost in the wash, but then again that partially-compensated awkwardness might be the factor tipping the scale to edge for the other guy if everything else balanced out...  I might even say no penalty at all if you're as strong as you are big, as the metahuman-adapted rifle could be to you what a pistol is to a mere human...  OTOH if you have a human-like STR value I might say the recoil is so much that even if it IS sized and balanced appropriately for your frame you still can't control the recoil one handed, and go with a more severe penalty like you can't spend edge.

« Last Edit: <06-17-20/1833:41> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

SITZKRIEG

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« Reply #2 on: <06-17-20/1858:48> »
The question of how many hands a weapon needs is left to GM fiat/common sense.

Technically, a Katana is a two handed weapon, but artwork going back to 1e show street samurai running around with a katana in one hand and a gun in the other... so the rule of cool is well entrenched in this example.

Ask your gm.  Generally, I'd say that using a rifle one handed either means you can't gain edge, can't spend edge, or counts as a factor towards the other guy's favor in the circumstantial leg of the Edge triad.  In the situation you describe where it's modified/balanced for one handed use, I'd probably say that last one if I were your GM.  It might be lost in the wash, but then again that partially-compensated awkwardness might be the factor tipping the scale to edge for the other guy if everything else balanced out...  I might even say no penalty at all if you're as strong as you are big, as the metahuman-adapted rifle could be to you what a pistol is to a mere human...  OTOH if you have a human-like STR value I might say the recoil is so much that even if it IS sized and balanced appropriately for your frame you still can't control the recoil one handed, and go with a more severe penalty like you can't spend edge.

Thanks.  And, yes, he'd be a handsome brick with Str/Bod 7. 

Xenon

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« Reply #3 on: <06-18-20/0334:17> »
There are no written rules on how to resolve this.

I'd say you typically want to use two hands to properly wield a rifle sized weapon, but as long as you are not planning on wielding another weapon (or using your off-hand for some other activity) then it doesn't really affect game balance and it would mostly be a cool RP thing more than anything else. You need to sit down and discuss this with your GM, but I would probably allow this specific character to do it (without any penalties).

SITZKRIEG

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« Reply #4 on: <06-18-20/1032:11> »
There are no written rules on how to resolve this.

I'd say you typically want to use two hands to properly wield a rifle sized weapon, but as long as you are not planning on wielding another weapon (or using your off-hand for some other activity) then it doesn't really affect game balance and it would mostly be a cool RP thing more than anything else. You need to sit down and discuss this with your GM, but I would probably allow this specific character to do it (without any penalties).

It's unfortunate that there isn't much if any guidance.  I was hoping that I missed something but I'm not surprised given that the Firing Squad book gives new rules (like Social modifiers for armors there and armor mods) but doesn't retroactively apply them to the core book.  FWIW, the other hand would be used for punching when necessary and general in combat rude gestures.  :)

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #5 on: <06-18-20/1138:10> »
All CRB armors are listed at the end of Firing Squad with their Social Modifiers.
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SITZKRIEG

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« Reply #6 on: <06-18-20/1148:31> »
All CRB armors are listed at the end of Firing Squad with their Social Modifiers.

Thanks as I didn't know that.  Did they update the weapons as well for visual/fluff text mods?

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #7 on: <06-18-20/1232:06> »
The availability tables do not list mods, so the guns are as they were in CRB. Of course the modification rules override/supplement the CRB rules.
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