Stock #37-2677 i t ® n his i ssue c ontents For many games, combat is somewhere around Plan A, Plan B, or . . . well, the only plan. Fortunately, this issue of From the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Pyramid is here to help you rally the troops, hone your aim, and get into battle. Whatever era or genre you play in, there’s Combat Writ Large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 something sure to be of interest here. by Sean Punch When you’re facing an ogre, killer robot, or alien face- worms, you’re ready for Combat Writ Large. GURPS giant LoW-teCh armor Loadouts Sean Punch collects, unifies, and expands the rules for fighting For the NeW WorLd . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 larger things. The effects of size on attack, defense, grappling, and more are all here in one place – along with a few new by Dan Howard rules to cover edge cases! (And remember that when you fight eidetiC memory: aNCieNt egyptiaN smaller things, you are the “giant” . . .) aNd romaN armies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 If you like historical accuracy and ready-to-use equipment, you’ll love Low-Tech Armor Loadouts for the New World. Dan by David L. Pulver Howard – author of GURPS Loadouts: Low-Tech Armor – oN target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 offers some insight into the hard work that went into forging by Douglas H. Cole that supplement, as well as seven new sets of armor loadouts for Spanish conquistadors, Aztec war leaders, Shoshone war- it’s a threat! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 riors, and more. by Christopher R. Rice Perhaps conflicts a bit larger than a melee skirmish are on your mind. If so, get ready to go to battle with Ancient raNdom thought tabLe: Egyptian and Roman Armies. These two armies for GURPS Faster, CombataNts! KiLL! KiLL! . . . . 36 Mass Combat are presented by that supplement’s author, by Steven Marsh, Pyramid Editor David L. Pulver, in this month’s Eidetic Memory offering. Pit these two armies against each other, or use either one in your odds aNd eNds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 own massive conflicts! featuring Murphy’s Rules For more possibilities for the Aim maneuver in GURPS, we have some optional rules that are On Target. Crafted by about GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Douglas H. Cole (scribe of GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling), these rules will let you use an All-Out Aim, learn the Quick Aim technique, or experience critical successes and critical failures like never before. a c rticle olors Are you trying to craft effective dangers for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy heroes? Now you can make sure Each article is color-coded to help you find your favorite It’s a Threat! Prolific Pyramid penman Christopher R. sections. Rice codifies how threatening all Dungeon Fantasy Pale Blue: In This Issue monsters are (up through Pyramid #3/76: Dungeon Fantasy IV) by describing each one’s Offensive Rat- Brown: In Every Issue (humor, editorial, etc.) ing, Protective Rating, and Combat Effectiveness Rat- Green: Columnist ing . . . and providing the rules to calculate your own! Dark Blue: GURPS Features This month’s Pyramid also features a Random Purple: Systemless Features Thought Table for those who want to fight faster, plus Odds and Ends that encourage you to take a breath and enjoy a new Murphy’s Rules that’s given its best Cover art iNterior art shots. Unleash your combative nature with this issue Eric Wilkerson Greg Hyland of Pyramid! Editor-in-Chief z STEVE JACKSON Managing Editor z MIRANDA HORNER Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH Chief Operating Officer z SAMUEL MITSCHKE Assistant GURPS Line Editor z Production Artist & Prepress Checker z Marketing Director z BRIAN ENGARD JASON “PK” LEVINE NIKOLA VRTIS Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON Page Design z PHIL REED & JUSTIN DE WITT P m 2 m 2015 yramid agazine arch F Rom tHe e ditoR R ? R ! mopping the floor with us. I (in character) expressed relief that ats ats I was safe outside bravely guarding the others’ backs. My favorite combat ever as a player was one I didn’t even We eventually dispatched the rats (my cowardly self is participate in. using the royal “we” there) and healed up, all the while laugh- It was a fantasy game at a convention. We’d progressed ing and reveling in how we hadn’t noticed that these “nor- through the dungeon crawl without much incident, and the mal-sized rats” were larger than trained attack dogs. players (who didn’t know each other beforehand) were getting It was an amazingly fun, lively combat, and certainly one along well. that doesn’t just stick in my mind solely because the GM – who In one room, I decided to take up guard duty outside while I’d only met at that convention for the first time – ended up the rest of the heroes investigated inside. (It made sense in becoming my wife. character.) Once inside, the heroes were attacked by rats. Regardless of the exact mayhem, mishaps, and merriment, Thinking it was no big deal, the PCs attacked and were coun- we hope that you have beloved melee memories of your own terattacked by the rodents. The rats inflicted heavy damage . . . and we especially hope that this Pyramid continues to be a on the heroes, while the heroes were having a hard time dis- wonderful part of your own gaming memories. patching the vermin. Guarding outside – hearing the turmoil both in and out of W H , W N character – I ask, “How big are these rats, anyway?” Rite eRe Rite oW The GM says, “Oh, they’re normal-sized rats,” and holds Your comments help us improve our publication. How out two hands about 3’ apart. are you using this material in your campaign? What do you We all start exclaiming about how “normal sized” these wish we’d write about? Let us know via private feedback at 3’ rats were, and understanding more clearly why they were [email protected], or join the public discussion online at forums.sjgames.com. Special Thanks: Douglas H. Cole and Christopher R. Rice Pyramid, GURPS, Warehouse 23, the all-seeing pyramid, and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are trademarks or registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. Pyramid is copyright © 2015 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Submission of your photos, letters, humor, captions, and marginalia constitutes permission to Steve Jackson Games Incorporated to use them in all media. All such submissions become the property of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated and will not be returned. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this material via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the authors’ rights is appreciated. P m 3 m 2015 yRamid agaziNe aRcH c ombat W l rit arge s P by ean unch A recurring theme in dungeon crawls, off-world bug-hunts, SM-to-Hexes Table and monster horror – not to mention GURPS Q&A – is com- Sizes in hexes are ordered (hexes front-to-back) ¥ (hexes bat between human-sized heroes and larger creatures. The side-to-side). GURPS Basic Set and its supplements offer many scattered rules for this. Now it’s time to unify those and fill the gaps. SM Sleek Boxy Upright These rules often use “monster” to refer to the fighter with 0 2 ¥ 1 1 ¥ 1 1 ¥ 1 the higher Size Modifier (SM). Remember that when adven- +1 3 ¥ 1 2 ¥ 1 1 ¥ 1 turers fight smaller creatures, they are the monsters! +2 4-5 ¥ 1 3 ¥ 2 1 ¥ 2 +3 6-7 ¥ 1 4-5 ¥ 3 2 ¥ 3 +4 8-10 ¥ 1 6-7 ¥ 4-5 3 ¥ 4-5 s r ize eFined +5 11-15 ¥ 1 8-10 ¥ 6-7 4-5 ¥ 6-7 Size Modifier is important but not the whole story. Height +6 16-20 ¥ 1 11-15 ¥ 8-10 6-7 ¥ 8-10 and width, area occupied, and reach also matter. These dimensions depend on not only SM but also morphology – Reach particularly on whether the figure has Horizontal (p. B139) or Huge fighters enjoy superior reach in melee combat. Add No Legs (p. B145). the bonus described in Size Modifier and Reach (p. B402) to the upper end of reach for melee weapons and unarmed attacks Size in Hexes with limbs or Strikers. Always mark reach from the counter’s Per Multi-Hex Figures (p. B392), practically all SM +1 and edge. Treat bites as reach C or use this more complex option: larger creatures fill more than one hex. Hex count isn’t a strict What a Long Neck You Have! For a Horizontal figure, add function of SM – a towering giant could have a modest “foot- bonus reach to bites, too, but measure total reach from the print,” while an impossibly flat slime might engulf acres. For center of the figure toward its head. Since bites start at reach C, a quick-and-dirty estimate, however, consult the “Longest they remain limited to close combat unless the bonus exceeds Dimension” column of the Size Modifier Table (p. B19), read half the figure’s length (rounded up). For upright monsters, “yards” as “hexes,” round down (but never to less than one bites are always close-combat attacks. hex!), and then follow these guidelines: For instance, a snaky SM +6 dragon that is 16 hexes long • A sleek (horse-like) or snaky (dragon-like) Horizontal but has a mere +7 reach can only bite foes in close combat; figure uses full SM to work out length in hexes, but is a mere much of its counter is neck, so attacking with teeth means one hex wide – though it might bulge an extra hex or two near moving its head hex into its victim’s hex. A boxy SM +6 pred- the limbs. ator that’s 11 hexes long could exploit +7 reach to snap at foes • A boxy Horizontal figure (boar, elephant, muscular pred- within a yard of its head on the battle map. And a SM +6 giant ator, etc.) uses one SM smaller to determine length in hexes might punch at reach 7, but bending over to chomp is an awk- and two SM smaller to find width in hexes. ward close-combat move. • An upright being (like a giant) has a footprint found by using three SM smaller for front-to-back thickness in hexes Height Effects and two SM smaller for side-to-side width. There’s also the issue of what each combatant can reach. Semi-Upright (p. B153) figures fight as if upright, but the Use Combat at Different Levels (pp. B402-403) with the follow- GM may treat them as boxy when they drop to run. The ques- ing refinements: tion of sleek vs. boxy for Horizontal creatures is entirely a fea- ture. Sleek monsters are more likely to shove smaller figures 1. Assess each fighter’s effective SM. This is full SM for when turning (Didn’t See You There, p. 6) while boxy ones are upright figures. Horizontal ones have -1 to SM, plus an extra harder to dodge in head-on slams (Defense vs. Slams, p. 9). -1 if they lack legs and travel by slithering, rolling, or similar. The SM-to-Hexes Table (below) summarizes the ranges these Examples: A SM +1 lion has effective SM 0, a SM +1 serpent rules imply for SM 0 (human size) to +6 (10 times human size). has effective SM -1, a SM -1 rattlesnake has effective SM -3, and a SM -3 housecat has effective SM -4. P m 4 m 2015 yramid agazine arch 2. Consulting the Size Modifier Table (p. B19), use the defends at -1 for a three-foot difference, -2 for a four-foot dif- “Longest Dimension” column to find an effective height to go ference, or -3 for a five-foot or larger difference. with effective SM. This is not the same as true height; e.g., all Those who can move in three dimensions by flying or SM 0 humans use “six feet,” while Horizontal beasts can rear swimming can usually ignore height disparities. Other work- up above standing shoulder height. Record this on character arounds include climbing a larger opponent (Going for a Ride, sheets if combat between different-sized beings is common- p. 10) and picking up a smaller one (Big Strength, p. 10). place. Examples: Effective height is 6’ for the SM +1 lion, 4.5’ for the SM +1 serpent, 2’ for the SM -1 rattler, and 1.5’ for Outsize Body Parts the housecat. 3. Use the disparity in effective height as “vertical differ- Size Modifier isn’t always uniform. A monster uses the ence” in Combat at Different Levels. Examples: Against a SM SM of an outsize body part to determine that part’s reach 0 human with effective height 6’, the SM +1 lion is at the and permitted attacks, and whether said attacks can use Huge same level, the SM +1 serpent uses “up to two feet of vertical Melee Attacks (p. 7). Its opponents use that part’s greater SM difference,” the SM -1 rattlesnake uses “up to four feet of when they attack it – and also when assessing Barely Hanging vertical difference,” and the housecat uses “up to five feet On (p. 10). Use bodily SM for Incidental Collisions (pp. 6-7), of vertical difference.” Defense vs. Slams (p. 9), Special Attacks vs. High SM (p. 8), 4. Effects of Reach (p. B403) – including bonus reach from pins, and almost all other purposes. high SM (Reach, p. 5) – mitigates vertical difference normally. Some specific notes: Then make these further changes: Born Biters (Martial Arts, p. 115): Increases SM for deter- mining what a bite can accomplish (Breakpoints, below). • At “up to six feet of vertical difference,” the larger Makes the jaw and nose easier for foes to hit. fighter can target the smaller one’s head, neck, arms, and Long Arms (p. B53) and Long Strikers (p. B88): Give addi- torso – not just the head. (If using advanced hit locations tional reach with all melee attacks (including grapples) using from GURPS Low-Tech, read “arms” as “shoulders” and those parts. Make those locations easier to hit, too. “torso” as “chest.”) Long Legs (pp. B54-55): Give additional reach with kicks. • At “over six feet of vertical difference,” the smaller fighter Add their SM bonus to body SM for the purpose of finding uses the rules for “up to six feet of vertical difference” – that is, vertical difference (Height Effects, pp. 4-5), determining what it’s always possible to attack a colossus’ feet or legs. the monster can evade for free (Evading, p. 6) or trample • At any vertical difference, the larger fighter can use a kick (p. B404), and assessing the creature’s lines of sight. Make against any part of the smaller one at no modifiers other than the legs easier to hit and increase the monster’s SM for Sand those for hit location, kicking, and relative SM. The victim Through Fingers (p. 7). b reakPoints When battling huge monsters, it’s imperative to know opponents needn’t kneel or lie down to grapple it while it’s what game-changing rules “switch on” at specific SM dif- prone, kneeling, or sitting (p. B370). ferences. Collecting these: • Monster’s SM is three or more larger than victim’s. Monster fully blocks the line of sight of its puny rival while • Monster’s SM is equal to or larger than victim’s. Mon- kneeling, or while standing up if it’s Horizontal (p. B389). ster with Constriction Attack (p. B43) can use it. Monster’s Its tramples do large-area injury (p. B400). It can evade bite can’t attack internal vital spots (skull, spine, veins/ such tiny enemies without rolling dice simply by paying arteries, or vitals), dismember anything but small body +1 movement point (p. B352, and see also Movement, parts (ears, noses, etc.), or cripple limbs (but can cripple pp. 6-7). Its bite can attack any hit location, and cripple extremities, joints, and small body parts), and counts as a or dismember anything; counts as a two-handed grapple one-handed grapple (GURPS Martial Arts, p. 115). for all purposes; and can attempt a pin on a standing foe • Monster’s SM is one or more larger than victim’s. Mon- (Martial Arts, p. 115). ster can “bear hug” its opponent’s torso in order to choke • Monster’s SM is four or more larger than victim’s. or strangle (pp. B370-371); it doesn’t have to grapple the Monster completely blocks the line of sight of its oppo- neck. It can trample a victim who’s lying down (p. B404). nent under all circumstances (p. B389). Its bite can attack any hit location, and cripple or dismem- • Monster’s SM is seven or more larger than victim’s. ber anything, and counts as a two-handed grapple for Monster’s unarmed strikes and attacks with melee weap- strangling, breaking free, Neck Snap, and Wrench Limb, ons scaled to its size inflict large-area injury (p. B400). but as one-handed otherwise (Martial Arts, p. 115). • Monster’s SM is 10 or more larger than victim’s. The • Monster’s SM is two or more larger than victim’s. GM may invoke Small Size and Combat (GURPS Powers, Monster completely blocks the line of sight of its dimin- p. 76), letting Lilliputian rivals crawl inside the monster’s utive foe while standing up (p. B389), unless it’s also armor if its SM is 13 or more larger, enter its bloodstream Horizontal. It can trample regardless of its victim’s pos- through wounds if its SM is 19 or more larger, and pene- ture (p. B404). However, the monster is so huge that tiny trate its pores if its SM is 44 or more larger. P m 5 m 2015 yramid agazine arch Evading Per Jumping (p. B352), obstacles three or s o ide rders more SM smaller than a fighter count only as minor obstructions that cost +1 movement GURPS gives you only what you pay for – and SM is a zero-cost fea- point to bypass (see Movement Point Costs, ture. While it has upsides and downsides, these roughly balance out. p. B387). Nothing changes if such an obsta- Large monsters have some typical traits that the GM may want to add to cle happens to be an opponent! The monster stats blocks and racial templates, however. doesn’t have to roll to evade (p. B368) such a Strength: As Growth (p. B58) suggests, creatures need ST equal to tiny foe; it just pays a movement point and about five times height in yards for their SM on the Size Modifier Table keeps going. On a crowded battlefield, apply (p. B19): ST 10 at SM 0, ST 15 at SM +1, ST 25 at SM +2, ST 35 at SM this generalization: +3, ST 50 at SM +4, ST 75 at SM +5, and ¥10 ST per additional +6 to SM You and What Army? The monster pays (e.g., ST 350 at SM +9). the extra movement point only once per yard Hit Points: Per p. B16, HP are usually within 30% of ST – but double of movement regardless of the number of HP for Unliving, and quadruple HP for Homogenous or Diffuse. puny foes that step encounters; e.g., if the Move: Movement speed increases with SM in a morphology-specific SM +3 elephant depicted on p. B392 had a manner that isn’t easy to express. It suffices to say that the GM should SM 0 man in each of the three hexes dead increase Move for big monsters. Bonus Move equal to SM is a bare ahead, it would pay one extra point to evade minimum. them, not three. Damage Resistance: A monster’s hide thickens with size. Consulting the Size Modifier Table, multiply DR by the ratio of “Longest Dimension” All this assumes the monster steps over for scaled-up creatures, dropping fractions; e.g., SM +2 notes 5 yards foes. If can’t – or chooses not to – read on! while SM 0 gives 2 yards, and the resulting ratio of 2.5 would multiply the DR 1 of a SM 0 wolf to DR 2 for a SM +2 giant wolf. For DR 0 beings, Incidental Collisions like men scaled to giants, begin with DR 0.5 and drop fractions at the These rules pertain to monsters three or end; thus, a SM +4 giant with a ratio of 5 gets DR 2. Fantastic beings more SM larger than their foes: often have more DR – they just won’t have less. Steamroller! If the monster moves by Effects of Huge HP means other than walking – rolling, slith- The Basic Set offers several rules that apply when high-HP beings ering, etc. – the “free” evade also counts as suffer harm: a free slam attempt (pp. B371-272). Such a slam requires no roll to hit, and Defense vs. Collisions and Falls (pp. B430-432): When a creature falls, or collides Slams (p. 9) applies. A creature that has legs with an immovable object, dice of injury are proportional to HP. (or that can fly) never has to risk a slam; it High HP and Healing (p. B424): At 20+ HP, multiply HP healed for any may opt to take the free slam, or it may clear reason by (full HP/10). The rules say to drop fractions – e.g., at 40-49 HP, the smaller figure(s) by stepping/jumping healing is multiplied by 4 – but if the GM is fine with 47 HP multiplying over them, evading without slamming. healing by 4.7 (then rounding down), go ahead! Didn’t See You There: If realigning a larger Shock (p. B419): At 20+ HP, the shock penalty is -1 per (full HP/10) of figure with its head after it enters a hex or injury, dropping fractions. turns sweeps it through a smaller one’s If using Bleeding (p. B420), it makes sense for the HT roll to be at -1 space, don’t use the above rule; instead, treat per HP/2 lost rather than per 5 HP lost. Thus, a dragon with 40 HP rolls it as a free two-handed shove (p. B372) that at -1 per 20 HP of injury, just as a man with 10 HP rolls at -1 per 5 HP. requires no roll to hit. Defense vs. Slams still Disease (pp. B442-444) might be proportional, too; e.g., a disease that applies to the target’s defense. This shove takes 1 HP from a man with 10 HP inflicts 4 HP on a dragon with 40 HP. inflicts knockback – only – based on the mon- That’s sensible when HP loss is shorthand for a countdown (“kills vic- ster’s thrust damage (not doubled, as with a tims in x days”). Don’t scale localized injury such as infection, or super- deliberate shove). A victim who defends or natural attacks explained as disease. suffers no knockback stays put, ducking under or around the monster. One who’s knocked back at all is swept along – move the victim’s counter as though it were part of Stretching (p. B88): As above for arms or legs. Stretching the monster’s! the neck adds SM for the purpose of biting reach (though not Incidental Tramples: Anybody knocked down by either what a bite can do) and the monster’s lines of sight, but makes variety of incidental collision may suffer trampling damage the neck easier to hit. (p. B404) if the monster’s movement continues past the point of contact. This requires no roll to hit but does allow a dodge at m the standard -3 for lying down; the victim may retreat by roll- ovement ing, for the usual +3, but Defense Bonus (e.g., for a shield) is Huge creatures always obey the rules in Multi-Hex Figures of no value. A hit inflicts trampling damage for half ST (record (p. B392) when moving, modified as follows. The biggest this for big creatures), which is large-area injury (p. B400). changes are to Slam and Overrun. P m 6 m 2015 yramid agazine arch Belly Flop: If a flying colossus lands atop someone, Defense Melee Attacks vs. Slams applies – and any defense likely suffers the extra -2 As p. B19 spells out, SM is a “modifier to rolls to hit you in for Attack from Above (p. B402). On a hit, use the damage for combat.” That means all combat – not merely ranged combat. an incidental trample (above) if the landing was deliberate, or However, a literal reading of this rule implies that rival SM Damage from Falling Objects (p. B431) if the monster crashed -10 insects would rarely land a blow in a melee, while dueling (as when incapacitated). Either way, it’s large-area injury and SM +10 titans would almost never miss. It needs adjustment the victim’s next turn includes squirming free, giving -3 to for relative size so that opponents of the same SM fight on an active defenses and allowing at most a step of movement. equal footing, just like SM 0 humans: Being Evaded Size Modifiers in Melee Combat: For melee attacks only, apply the difference in SM as a penalty to the attack rolls of the Tiny fighters often want to evade huge monsters by duck- larger combatant. Add it as a bonus to the attack rolls of the ing between legs and so on. If the evader is one or two SM smaller fighter, to a maximum of +4. In both cases, this affects smaller, use the rules on p. B368. The larger creature isn’t big striking only; grappling works differently (Grappling, pp. 9-10). enough to prevent the smaller one from pushing past, leaping over, etc. in the usual fashion. Thus, a SM +1 ogre has -3 to hit a SM -2 halfling and -7 to If the evader is three or more SM smaller, use whichever of strike a SM -6 pixie with melee attacks, while against the ogre, the following rules applies: the halfling has +3 to melee attacks and the pixie enjoys the maximum +4 (not +7). None Shall Pass: If the larger creature rolls, slithers, or oth- erwise has zero ground clearance – or has legs but is currently Huge Melee Attacks sitting, kneeling, or prone – the only way for the smaller one to If a creature is seven or more SM larger than its opponent, evade is to vault over it. The attempt must use DX, Acrobatics, its unarmed strikes and blows with melee weapons scaled to or Jumping (not Judo), and suffers an additional penalty equal its size deal large-area injury (p. B400), implying that such to the SM difference. things are targeting a general area! This suggests a rule: Sand Through Fingers: If the larger creature has legs, lev- itates, or otherwise has ground clearance, it will have trou- Swatting Flies: A creature seven or more SM larger than its ble keeping a small, nimble opponent from evading. Such an target suffers relative SM as a penalty only if it targets a partic- attempt can use any legal skill, and gets an additional bonus ular hit location (the torso counts). Alternatively, it can simply equal to the SM difference. try Attacking an Area (p. B414), rolling at +4 instead of at -7 or worse! The victim’s only permitted defense is Diving for Cover Regardless of relative SM, the evader still has to cover the (p. B377), and the Defense Bonus of a buckler, cloak, or shield ground! Use this next rule whenever that is in doubt: never helps. A successful defense or a missed attack leaves the Transit Time: A figure might be so vast (see Size in Hexes, attacker overbalanced: -2 to DX and -1 to active defenses until p. 4) that a tiny opponent who successfully evades has insuffi- next turn. Otherwise, the blow does large-area injury. cient Move to pass through its space in a single turn. If so, the This may seem abrupt: -1, -2, -3, . . ., -6, +4. If the GM pre- evader ends the turn next to (if SM difference is two or less), fers, any warrior attacking a smaller foe can avoid relative SM atop (None Shall Pass), or beneath (Sand Through Fingers) penalties by attacking a general area: the bigger foe. One who’s beside the monster is subject to Incidental Collisions (pp. 6-7) if the creature moves. One who’s Big Swings: Exploiting huge size to pummel entire areas under it is in the same boat – and if the monster drops to a can blunt the downside of high SM. Roll to hit at a basic -3 lower posture for any reason, it inflicts full trampling damage plus SM difference, to a maximum of +4. As a one-SM differ- (p. B404) instead, no defense allowed! Someone on top is now ence gives -2, this isn’t useful until SM is at least two larger. Going for a Ride (p. 10). Each turn of evading calls for a new The victim defends normally. A successful defense or a missed Quick Contest. attack leaves the attacker at -2 to DX and -1 to active defenses until next turn. A hit uses Random Hit Location (p. B400) and a doesn’t inflict large-area injury. ttack Some humongous monsters have true area-effect attacks Larger beings are easier to hit and sometimes have a hard capable of hitting many foes at once; if so, the GM should time striking smaller rivals. The Basic Set rules need refine- specify this. ment to allow for more sensible scaling, however. Man in Black: Look, are you just fiddling around with me or what? Fezzik: I just want you to feel you’re doing well. – The Princess Bride P m 7 m 2015 yramid agazine arch s a . h sm Pecial ttacks vs igh Afflictions: The GM might optionally extend Afflic- and Speed/Range Table (p. B550), and use “Linear Mea- tions and Inanimate Targets (Powers, p. 40) to all large surement” in yards as the cost multiplier. Thus, SM 0 is combatants, so that tiny stun-guns and the like can’t eas- ¥1, SM +1 is ¥1.5, SM +2 is ¥2, SM +3 is ¥3, SM +4 is ¥5, ily drop giants. Simply add SM to HT-based resistance SM +5 is ¥7, and each +6 to SM past that is another ¥10 against Afflictions. If modified HT is 21+ after adding SM (e.g., ¥50 cost at SM +10). This doesn’t change things that and subtracting the Affliction’s HT modifier, resistance much for ogres, elephants, and dragons. is automatic. Entangling Weapons: Add SM difference to all rolls to Size and Fear avoid bad effects due to or escape from bolas, lariats, Per Attacks by Mounts (p. B397), troops charged nets, etc. scaled to smaller users; e.g., human-made (SM by mounted warriors might have to make Will rolls to 0) bolas give SM +1 ogres +1 to DX rolls to escape or avoid avoid panic. Fighters with SM equal to or greater than tripping, and to ST rolls against disarms. Oversized weap- the mount’s needn’t roll. Thus, ogres, dragons, etc. won’t ons can mitigate this, but these weigh and cost more, and flee before knights riding ordinary SM +1 horses, while give the user -1 to skill per extra SM. dragon-riders on colossal wyrms can panic almost anyone! Fragmentation Damage (p. B414-415): Add SM to rolls Size affects Intimidation (p. B202) as well. Smaller to be hit by fragments. fighters take relative SM as a skill penalty; larger ones Poison (pp. B437-439): Delays assume SM 0. Double receive it as a bonus. them for each +1 SM; halve them for each -1 SM. As an optional extension of these ideas, when beings Pressure (p. B435): At SM +2 or more, multiply injury of different sizes inflict Fright Checks on one another, rel- from high pressure by SM. ative SM acts as a bonus to the larger party’s rolls and a Regular Spells (p. B239): Multiply energy cost for penalty to those of the smaller individual. Thus, a SM +4 Regular spells by (1 + SM). This can get out of hand in dragon with Terror gives SM 0 men a free -4 to Will, while high-powered games, with wizards casting spells on, say, the dragon rolls at +4 vs. human-sized opponents with the SM +43 planets at ¥44 cost. The GM who doesn’t mind same ability. the extra math can subtract two from SM, consult the Size Ranged Attacks d eFense In ranged combat, apply absolute target SM as usual. Huge fighters wield huge weapons. For blocks, use Damage However, a further rule does make sense: to Shields (p. B484) to assess the effects of stopping heavy Close Approaches: For ranged attacks only, being closer blows. Parries require special rules, however – and some than two yards cancels some penalties for negative SM (but attacks are simply too big. never results in a net bonus). At one yard, any attacker may ignore up to -2 due to SM. In close combat, the penalty Parrying ignored is up to -4 or the attacker’s own negative SM, which- Big weapons pose two threats to smaller victims who try ever is more favorable – but remember to apply the Bulk to parry, as described in Parrying Heavy Weapons (p. B376): penalty (Weapons for Close Combat, p. B391) and note that targets this close may parry missiles by slapping aside the 1. A weapon three or more times as massive as the defend- attacker’s hand (p. B376). er’s has a 2 in 6 chance (1-2 on 1d) of breaking the parrying weapon, rising by +1 per full multiple above three, and modi- Thus, at two yards, a SM 0 human, a SM -2 halfling, and fied further for weapon quality (+2 for cheap, -1 for fine, or -2 a SM -6 pixie all have -2 to hit a halfling and -6 to hit a pixie for very fine). with ranged attacks. At one yard, all three ignore up to -2 from 2. A weapon that weighs more than the defender’s Basic target SM, giving 0 vs. a halfling and -4 vs. a pixie. In close Lift (BL) if defending one-handed – or 2¥BL if defending combat, the human and the halfling can ignore up to -4 from two-handed – automatically bypasses the parry, disarming an SM, resulting in 0 vs. a halfling, -2 vs. a pixie. The pixie can armed defender if the weapon doesn’t break, or knocking back approach closely enough to avoid up to her own SM -6, and an unarmed defender. experiences no SM penalties against any of these targets! This lets tiny beings stand their own height apart and These rules aren’t ideal, though. Unarmed attacks are enjoy the same modifiers as two SM 0 humans standing their treated as having an effective weight of 1/10 of the attacker’s height apart. For beings of SM +1 and above, this rule isn’t ST – or full ST, for the attacks under Slam (pp. B371-372). This needed because range penalties kick in; e.g., titans with SM might seem fine, but consider that BL increases with the square +10 standing their height apart (-10 for distance) still have of ST; thus, ST 1 or 2 beings with BL 0.2 or 0.8 and maximum no net penalty to hit . . . but humans attacking the titans can two-handed parrying weights of 0.4 or 1.6 lbs. can’t parry the approach closely enough to avoid range penalties yet enjoy 1-lb. or 2-lb. slams of their own kind . . . while ST 10 humans +10 to hit for size. with BL 20 and maximum two-handed parrying weight of 40 lbs. can parry even the 40-lb. slams of ST 40 monsters. P m 8 m 2015 yramid agazine arch Perhaps worse, the 4-lb. bite or claw of a ST 40 beast poses no only if the dodge succeeds and the defender’s step is large significant danger to most human-scale weapons. To fix this, enough to get out of the attacker’s path; e.g., a man barely use the following: clipped by an elephant’s counter could dive to safety regard- less of step, but one hit head-on would need to be able to step Quadratic Natural Attacks: Effective weight of an unarmed two yards. Without a map, assume the attack is centered, so attack is 1/20 of the attacker’s Basic Lift (that’s ST¥ST/100) – step must equal or exceed half of the attacker’s width, rounded rising to 1/2 of BL (that’s ST¥ST/10) on a slam. up; e.g., a man charged by a three-yard-wide elephant needs to This gives consistent ratios of effective unarmed weapon be able to step two yards. weights to maximum parry weights at every ST. Now ordinary The GM can also invoke this ruling when an attack other ST 10 humans won’t be able to parry ST 15+ slams or ST 45+ than a slam is so physically extensive that the only logi- bites/claws one-handed, or ST 21+ slams and ST 64+ bites/ cal defense is diving aside. The usual candidates are strikes claws two-handed – and ST 30+ claw swipes will threaten even involving the entire body rather than just limbs or teeth. Even serious weapons like 3-lb. broadswords! unarmed and weapon attacks can work this way if the attacker Another issue is the independence of the attacker’s ST and is big enough, though; see Huge Melee Attacks (p. 7). weapon weight. Even the existing rules have oddities such as As Being Evaded (p. 7) suggests, a smaller figure can some- an attacker with ST 24 and an effective fist weight of 2.4 lbs. times use fancy athletics to tumble under or over a larger one, being able to use full strength through a hatchet, saber, or eluding it. The GM may permit this as a defense: shortsword (three times the minimum ST 8 for those weap- ons) that only counts as a 2-lb. weapon. Swinging a weapon Evasive Action! Against a slamming attacker too large makes the brute’s blows safer to parry! Quadratic Natural to permit normal defenses, the defender may make a “free” Attacks exaggerates this gap. It’s also counterintuitive that, evade attempt of any type allowed against the onrushing foe. say, ST 10 and ST 30 fighters are equally likely to sweep aside This replaces a standard active defense – and yes, evading is or shatter defenders’ weapons with their own, because all that easier than dodging in some cases! Failure means being hit. matters is relative weapon weight. This next rule fixes that: Success sees the monster move through the defender’s space without making contact. Weapon Power: For purposes affecting the defend- er’s parry against an armed melee attack, use the greater of the attacker’s effective unarmed attack weight or the weapon’s actual weight. Shields and Size The Defense Bonus (DB) of a buckler, cloak, or shield Thus, a ST 10, BL 20 man with an effective 1-lb. reflects not its absolute size but the extent to which it covers the punch and wielding a 3-lb. broadsword has a 3-lb. defender’s body. Therefore, a properly scaled example always attack . . . while a ST 30, BL 180 brute with an effective gives the user its full DB. However, DB is never of any value 9-lb. punch and the same blade has a 9-lb. attack that against slams, shoves, or tramples by attackers three or more can break other broadswords. For additional realism, SM larger than the defender; when a wider assailant slams, use this add-on: regardless of exact SM; or in Swatting Flies (p. 7) situations. Punching Above Weight: If effective armed attack weight exceeds actual weapon weight by a factor of three or more, the attacker’s weapon risks breakage g when a parry stops it (even if the enemy weapon breaks but raPPling the parry still counts) or when the blow fails to penetrate DR. The Basic Set contains two rules for grappling matches In those cases, roll for breakage as when parrying, using the between fighters of different sizes: ratio of effective weight to actual weight. 1. Each point of SM difference gives the larger fighter +3 in Thus, that brute with a broadsword has a 2 in 6 chance of the Regular Contest for a pin (p. B370). (When following the shattering the sword against massive DR or a successful parry. advanced rules in GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling, replace this bonus with +15% to Trained ST per point of SM Defense vs. Slams difference in all grappling Contests.) By the rules, when a huge being slams a smaller one – 2. Each point of SM difference gives the larger fighter +1 whether deliberately or due to Incidental Collisions (pp. 6-7) – to hit with a grapple (p. B402). This is instead of the modifiers the target can block, dodge, or parry. That’s reasonable if the described under Melee Attacks (p. 7), but is capped at +4. A SM monster is at most two SM larger than its victim and no wider, +1 ogre has -7 to punch a SM -6 pixie but +4 to grapple, and though such creatures are usually strong enough for this to this +4 replaces the bonus that Huge Melee Attacks (p. 7) might be murder on weapons and shields! However, if the attacker give (it’s effectively the same thing). is any bigger, active defenses become implausible. Use this The first rule applies no matter who initiates the pin; the optional rule: bigger fighter always enjoys an advantage. The second one Huge Slams: When one figure slams another that’s smaller matters only when the larger fighter attacks the smaller – do than it in width (e.g., two or more hexes wide vs. a one-hex- not invert it to penalize diminutive grapplers, who still receive wide man) – and regardless, when the victim of a slam is three the standard bonus for relative SM (maximum +4) because or more SM smaller than the attacker – the sole permitted there’s so much to hang on to. It isn’t realistic to let tiny hands defense is Diving for Cover (p. B377), and the Defense Bonus of grapple gigantic body parts for purposes beyond hanging on, a buckler, cloak, or shield doesn’t count. On a map, this works though! Handle that as follows: P m 9 m 2015 yramid agazine arch Barely Hanging On: When a smaller fighter grapples a larger up to half “Longest Dimension” on the Size Modifier Table one and the relative SM bonus plus the hit-location penalty for (p. B19); e.g., 10 yards for a SM +6 dragon. Otherwise, the grappling (p. B370) is greater than zero, the smaller grappler climber stays aboard. can hold on but not exploit the grapple for follow-up moves Rolling over also counts as an attack. The monster simply (Arm Lock, Choke Hold, Neck Snap, etc.). does it! Its foe can attempt to jump off as his active defense; use Diving for Cover (p. B377) without any Defense Bonus. For instance, a SM -2 halfling fighting a SM +1 ogre has A successful defense lets the victim land on his feet next to +3 to hit for relative SM, even when grappling. The standard the monster before being rolled on. Failure means suffering grappling penalties are -1 for an arm or a leg -2 for a hand or full trampling damage (p. B404) and ending up lying on the a foot, and -3 for the face or neck, which total +2, +1, and 0, ground next to the monster. Someone who opts to hang on respectively. Thus, only the ogre’s face and neck remain vul- instead of defending automatically takes damage and must nerable to the halfling’s locks, holds, etc. roll against DX, best grappling skill, Climbing, or Riding for that creature, at a penalty equal to the SM difference, or be Big Strength dislodged (as above) regardless. Large-SM monsters often have sufficient ST to benefit from On each later turn, the climber can clamber one yard up two further grappling rules: the monster’s body, usually to get nearer the head. Clinging and Super-Climbing speed this up normally. This counts as 1. Per p. B370, if the monster’s ST is more than twice that a step, so other actions are possible – but at a basic -2, plus of someone grappling it, its puny attacker merely counts as another -2 if the creature attacked or dodged on its last turn. extra encumbrance. Such an insignificant opponent can’t pre- If the smaller fighter frees a hand, such as to attack, he’s more vent it from moving away! vulnerable to being bucked or rolled on: apply the same pen- 2. Follow-up moves that involve picking up the enemy after alty (-2 or -4) to DX and DX-based skill rolls, and half of it (-1 grappling – including basic attempts to lift someone (say, as a or -2) to active defenses, against either. prelude to a bite), as well as the Backbreaker, Piledriver, and If the monster is particularly huge and flat (seven or more Wrench Spine techniques in Martial Arts – only work on tar- SM difference) – or if the climber has Perfect Balance – the gets that weigh at most BL¥4 lbs. when using two limbs or BL GM may permit running instead of climbing! In that case, the lbs. when using just one. This typically lets monsters do bad creature counts as treacherous ground (p. B387): +1 move- things to victims, but not vice versa. ment point per hex. A running fighter has hands free for other actions but is still at -2 or -4 to act. Attempts to avoid bucking Going for a Ride use the better of DX or Acrobatics; grappling skills, Climbing, As Being Evaded (p. 7) explains, a combatant who wins and Riding aren’t relevant. the Quick Contest to evade a figure three or more SM larger Spines: Many monsters have Spines (p. B88). These change by vaulting over it, but who doesn’t have the Move to clear the damage due to rolling from crushing to impaling, but give the opponent’s entire body, ends up on top. This is tricky to climbers +2 to rolls to grapple or hang on. accomplish, though – the smaller indi- vidual must win an already-difficult Contest at a penalty equal to the SM difference. Losing means being unable to leap high enough to clear a hostile You’re a great warrior! And a swordsman! . . . enemy bent on blocking the way. But what if the smaller fighter climbs And you’re ten times bigger than I am, stupid! up? That starts with a two-handed grap- – Willow, in Willow ple of whatever body part is nearest; the tiny attacker can use the best of DX, any grappling skill, or Climbing skill. The target defends normally; smart mon- ster-riders exploit the relative-SM bonus to make a Deceptive Attack (pp. B369-370). If the grapple a a bout the uthor works, the grappler is now climbing his oversized foe! Whether the smaller fighter gets aboard by evading or by Sean “Dr. Kromm” Punch set out to become a particle grappling, later turns are considered climbing. On the mon- physicist in 1985, ended up the GURPS Line Editor in 1995, ster’s first turn after being boarded and every turn thereafter and has engineered rules for almost every GURPS product until it sheds its tiny tormentor, the creature may ignore this since. He developed, edited, or wrote dozens of GURPS annoyance or attempt to buck or roll over. It’s up to the GM Third Edition projects between 1995 and 2002. In 2004, he whether it can attack something on its body in any other way produced the GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition with David – a fireproof dragon may well scorch its own hide! Pulver. Since then, he has created GURPS Powers (with Phil Bucking counts as an attack. Roll a Quick Contest: crea- Masters), GURPS Martial Arts (with Peter Dell’Orto), GURPS ture’s DX or best grappling skill vs. climber’s DX, best grap- Zombies, and the GURPS Action, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, pling skill, Climbing, or Riding for that creature type, at a and GURPS Power-Ups series . . . among other things. Sean penalty equal to SM difference. Victory means the climber has been a gamer since 1979. His non-gaming interests include falls. The monster can rear up to ensure a fall from any height cinema, mixology, and Argentine tango. P m 10 m 2015 yramid agazine arch