"Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

[WalkerGrae]

What I'm looking for is a maneuver where an oppenent is impaled on a long weapon (boar spear, trident, etc.) and pinned to the ground, a tree, or some other surface where they are held immobile so that allies can attack with impunity.

 

What brings this up is a few months ago I had to get up at two a.m. to dispatch an O'possum that was killing chickens in our coop. Now a possum doesn't seem like much . . . at least 'till you've cornered one by flashlight. O'possums are tough little critters. This one I clobbered with a club and before disposing of it I decided to remove its head with my machete as possums are famous for (wait for it) playing possum. That's when I found out that they're really tough. I keep my machete nearly shaving sharp (brush the blade down my arm and it readily cuts the hair off), but it took a few good blows to the neck before it cut through (and the first blow immediatly pissed off the "dead" possum). Where the pinning maneuver comes in is the next month another possum had me dragging myself out in the wee hours to dispatch it. This time I went with a different tactic. I impaled it, pinning it to the ground, with a pitch fork. Satisfied it wasn't going anywhere and definately not thrilled with the idea of pulling the fork out for another stab and letting it have even a moment to do more than show me those fantastic rows of sharp teeth, I promptly fetched the flounder gig/fork and set about perforating it thouroughly. In doing so I found that while possums seem to be extremely resistant to bludgeoning and resist slashing quite well, they are quite easily pierced (perhaps a subject for another thread about weapon types and how they compare: bludgeoning vs. slashing vs. piercing).

 

Now that I'm through with the long winded tales. Anyone know if there is a Impaling/Pinning maneuver in the Hero rules or if it would have to written up using some Power construct with Advantages and Limitations. And while I'm asking, if it requires a power write up, does anyone have any ideas.

[Narthon]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

16

HKA 1 1/2d6 (3d6 w/STR), Penetrating (+1/2) (37 Active Points); OAF (-1), Side Effects (Side Effect always occurs whenever the character does some specific act; Power Becomes Unuseable when surpress is active; -1/4)

4

and

 

13

Suppress vs Running 10d6 (50 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OAF (-1), Linked (HKA; -1/4), Custom Modifier (HKA must do 2 body to activate this power; -1/4)

[1 rc]

 

 

Think that works?

[GamePhil]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Ah, farm life.

 

In part, it depends on what kind of a game you're running, exactly how you describe the maneuver, and what optional rules you are using.

 

If you have to take an active hand in pinning the beast, my favored method is a Multiple Power Attack of a Strike (with the weapon) and a Grab, defined as pinning the target. This is straightforward and costs no points, unless you want to use Martial Arts. You do have to maintain the Grab, however.

 

If you're using the optional Disabling and Impairing Rules, this could be considered an attempt to Impair the target's Legs: if you do enough damage to the target, it loses some of its Running. You could also build and purchase a Martial Maneuver specifically for this for a character who does this stunt a lot, that targets the "legs" (actually, any body part that could allow the target to be pinned, but the game mechanical effect would be legs). Again, free or low cost, and this way you don't have to maintain the Grab.

 

In a Superheroic game, where your character is buying this attack with points, I'd go with something like the first reply. The Charge has to be bought Continuous, though, because otherwise it only lasts a phase. I'd have the Charge be cancelled (obviously) by pulling out the weapon. Another alternative is to use an Entangle that Takes No Damage From Attacks and must do Body to the target to work. This is all kind of pricy, for perhaps too little effect, but it does the job, and could be placed in a Multipower or other Framework for special uses for your weapon.

[Andrew Cermak]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Sounds to me like Uncontrolled Telekinesis, Only to hold target against a surface, with Lockout and probably several other Lims as well.

[Guest Champsguy]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Multiple Power Attack your HKA with a grab. If you want, you could give your impaling HKA something like +10 Str, only to supplement grab. That way, you get your 2D6 HKA (or whatever) that hits your opponent, and then you'd have 20 Str (assuming a base 10) to hold it in place.

[MitchellS]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

I'd call it an MPA as well. Basically it's the attack and then a grab maneuver. The foe resists the grab with str vrs str. If it's something the character does all the time then I'd probably just let them buy the joint break maneuver with a weapon element. Joint break would allow you to keep doing damage with the weapon each phase [wiggling the sword].

 

And being a city boy that I am, can't you just give the opossum a good talking to rather than killing him?

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Note that there is an optional rule in the UMA called Twisting the Blade that includes mechanics for impailing someone with a weapon.

 

In this optional rule it states that attempting to impail someone garners a -3 OCV penalty to simulate the difficulty in achieving this end. The text goes on to describe how to "Twist the Blade" while the weapon is impailed to do extra NND type damage.

 

To stick someone to a surface I would use this House Rule. Use the same procedure as "Twisting the Blade" but after successfully impailing the target, you don't attempt to Twist the Blade, you make another immediate damage roll to the surface behind/beneath the target. If any body damage gets through the DEF of the material (be it earth or stone or wood etc) the target is now considered impailed upon said material.

 

Now the target may attempt to unimpail themselves, provided they are still consciouss and not stunned. To do so they must merely make a STR roll and achieve more Body than what was done to the material they are stuck to. Example:

 

Toshio attempts to impail his opponent, Raiko against a wooden door thats behind him. Toshio's attack is successful and he manages to impail Raiko with the weapon. Now Toshio must make a damage roll vs the wooden door (DEF 3 Body 5) and rolls a total of 6 body for 3 body damage to the door. Raiko is now stuck to the wooden door!

 

Toshio releases the weapon and steps back to gloat over his superior fighting skill. Raiko, no longer stunned, gets pissed and attempts to remove himself from the door so he can lunge at his enemy with the last of his strength. Raiko has a STR of 16 for 3D6 roll, but decides to Push his STR for a total of 26 or 5D6 STR roll. Raiko rolls a total of 6 Body and manages to pull himself off of Toshio's blade and attacks the ninja unexpectedly...

 

Seems to work pretty well.

 

A few considerations:

 

In order to successfully put a weapon all the way through an opponent to reach material behind them, some GM's may want to require that at least an impairing wound (1/2 targets body) be achieved. Gm's who want this to be possible, but very rare should require a Disabling wound to impail.

 

Some GM's may wish to allow a stuck target to use their Martial Escape maneuver to aid in the STR attempt to escape Impailment.

 

If the attack achieves any amount of Knock back, the attempt to impail is impossible, unless the opponent was backed to a wall/barrier or lying on the ground with no where to go. If knockback is achieved in these situations, roll damage vs the barrier as normal and only check for impailment if the barrier is not destroyed by the KB damage.

 

Multiple attempts to impail are possible (via Rapid fire or Two Weapon Combat etc) and if successful, the stuck target must exceed the total impailment body of all the weapons before he can free himself.

 

Friends can attempt to assist in pulling a stuck target free. If so, add their STR rolls to the stuck target (or can be used in place of the targets own STR roll if he is unconsciouss or stunned)

 

Pulling ones self from being impailed can be dangerous and is always quite painful. At the very least, the stuck target takes an amount of Stun damage equal to what was achieved on the STR roll to escape. It is possible to take Body damage as well depending on the location of the impailment and other factors. (GM's perogative of course)

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Also note that Short weapons cannot be used to impail someone to a surface. Only Medium and Long weapons can do that.

 

If the "surface" behind a target is another enemy, the attempt to impail can still happen, but treat it like a Sweep maneuver. (-2 OCV etc) You can successfully impail 2 opponents with a medium weapon and three opponents with a Long weapon. 4 opponents with a Long +1" weapon (weapons with 2" of stretching)

[Sociotard]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Also note that Short weapons cannot be used to impail someone to a surface. Only Medium and Long weapons can do that.

 

If the "surface" behind a target is another enemy, the attempt to impail can still happen, but treat it like a Sweep maneuver. (-2 OCV etc) You can successfully impail 2 opponents with a medium weapon and three opponents with a Long weapon. 4 opponents with a Long +1" weapon (weapons with 2" of stretching)

No Short Weapons? I disagree. Oh, clearly you can't nail a man to a door with a buck knife if you go through his gut, but what about his hand or his forearm?

 

Just to expand this idea, you could probably use this for some ranged weapons as well (I'm thinking crossbows or bows 'n arrows). Think of the fun of nailing someones feet to the inn floor as they try to run towards you.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

No Short Weapons? I disagree. Oh' date=' clearly you can't nail a man to a door with a buck knife if you go through his gut, but what about his hand or his forearm?[/quote']

 

Good point. I'll agree that you could impail a target to a surface with a short weapon by his hand or foot, maybe the arm or shoulder with a Shortsword, but in general, its harder to do that through a chest or meaty thigh than with a medium or long weapon.

 

Just to expand this idea, you could probably use this for some ranged weapons as well (I'm thinking crossbows or bows 'n arrows). Think of the fun of nailing someones feet to the inn floor as they try to run towards you.

 

Yes, I (kind of) mentioned this when I was talking about multiple impailings. I mentioned this was possible via Rapid Fire. I was thinking about crossbow bolts and arrows specifically, or thrown weapons.

[Bengal]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

 

What brings this up is a few months ago I had to get up at two a.m. to dispatch an O'possum that was killing chickens in our coop. Now a possum doesn't seem like much . . . at least 'till you've cornered one by flashlight. O'possums are tough little critters. This one I clobbered with a club and before disposing of it I decided to remove its head with my machete as possums are famous for (wait for it) playing possum. That's when I found out that they're really tough. I keep my machete nearly shaving sharp (brush the blade down my arm and it readily cuts the hair off), but it took a few good blows to the neck before it cut through (and the first blow immediatly pissed off the "dead" possum). Where the pinning maneuver comes in is the next month another possum had me dragging myself out in the wee hours to dispatch it. This time I went with a different tactic. I impaled it, pinning it to the ground, with a pitch fork. Satisfied it wasn't going anywhere and definately not thrilled with the idea of pulling the fork out for another stab and letting it have even a moment to do more than show me those fantastic rows of sharp teeth, I promptly fetched the flounder gig/fork and set about perforating it thouroughly.

 

 

PETA is going to burn your house down and try to give you a deadly disease.

And tongue-kiss your sons and daughters.

 

 

GOOD SHOW!

 

 

Man, I wish I lived somewhere where I could kill stuff with my bare hands without getting thrown into a psychiatric prison...

[Sociotard]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

PETA is going to burn your house down and try to give you a deadly disease.

And tongue-kiss your sons and daughters.

 

 

GOOD SHOW!

 

 

Man, I wish I lived somewhere where I could kill stuff with my bare hands without getting thrown into a psychiatric prison...

There's always bugs and rats. Well, as long as they aren't captive bred rats that you buy in a pet store.

[Sean Waters]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Man' date=' I wish I lived somewhere where I could kill stuff with my bare hands without getting thrown into a psychiatric prison...[/quote']

 

 

...you do, it is called the Champions Universe.

[WalkerGrae]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

Good ideas all! I don't expect it to come up much. Perhaps in a Fantasy Hero campaign. I like the multipower Strike and Grab as a possibility and NuSoardGraphite's twist on Twisting the Blade.

 

As far as killing things, I don't without reason. O'possums have a tendency to keep coming back when they find a chicken yard. The last one ate three baby chicks and crippled two hens.

 

I apologize for the long period before commenting, but I was spending the weekend at the other property and wrote the original post while back taking care of a few quick chores.

[zornwil]

Re: "Impaling/Pinning" Your Oppenent

 

NuSoardGraphite raised a very important point re creating a maneuver based on existing maneuvers' example, and I think this may be the best answer, although the strike-and-grab multipower attack is more immediately "accessible" in existing rules and certainly a good one.

 

Why I'm posting, though, is not so much to make that rather trivial comment but to suggest that in a semi-realistic or just plain violent heroic (low-mid level) campaign with Hit Locations, I'd suggest that the appropriate strike (a stab) with sufficient BODY damage to pierce substantially (for the stomach, chest, groin, I'd say just 2-3 BODY depending on one's opinion, arms/legs/hands/feet 1 BODY, head 5+ BODY or perhaps not at all (after all, going through the head is usually fatal, unless through cheeks or such)) should pin someone, period. To escape such, I would say it's an EGO roll (you try wrenching your arm from being pinned on a wall!) followed by a STR roll.