Barbed Arrows

[Sociotard]

So I was trying to make a few trick arrows. Nothing magical or surreal. Strictly arrows that had really been used in the real world. I'm trying to fine tune the "Barbed arrow"

 

I started with the "Heavy Shortbow" build.

 

Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, 32 Recoverable Charges (+3/4) (52 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 13 (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4), Beam (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7)

 

Then came the challenge of adding the barbs. As I understand it, barbs make it more likely the arrowhead will get stuck inside the body rather than poke out the back. It also makes it more difficult to remove the arrow without doing more damage. I'd imagine the barbs make it less likely to punch through armor as well, and might make it less accurate since the arrow will be less streamlined, but I don't know.

 

Barbed Arrows: (Total: 61 Active Cost, 48 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, 8 Recoverable Charges (+0) (30 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (-1 to OCV; -1/2), Reduced Penetration (-1/4) (Real Cost: 17) plus Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6, 8 Recoverable Charges (+0), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset; +1/4) (19 Active Points) (Real Cost: 19) plus Negative Skill Levels (-2 with Paramedics), Ranged (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (12 Active Points) (Real Cost: 12)

 

The idea is that when someone tries to remove the arrow, the negative skill levels hamper him and he winds up setting off the trigger. If he succeeds, he has diffussed the trigger and the wounded character takes no additional dammage.

 

So, I'm not sure if it needs both the 1d6 Triggered and the Negative Skill Levels. After all, rolls to diffuse triggers get modified anyway, so why not just keep the trigger and lose the negative skill levels? By the same token, a badly failed Paramedics roll often exacerbates existing wounds, so why not just keep the Negative Skill Levels and lose the trigger?

 

What do you think?

 

Oh, while we're at it, I'll put up my current list of trick arrows, just for kicks:

1. Standard Arrows: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, 32 Recoverable Charges (+3/4) (52 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 13 (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) (Active Points: 52; Real Cost: 17)
   Notes: This is a standard arrow, the most common one in use. All other arrows are just modified versions of these arrows.
    
   
2. Armor Piercing Arrows: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, 12 Recoverable Charges (+1/4), Armor Piercing (+1/2) (52 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 13 (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Half Range (-1/4), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4)(Active Points: 52; Real Points: 12)
   Notes: Nearly three feet long, these arrows are massive. Their tips are hardened in salt water to better penetrate armor.
    
   
3. Whistling Arrows: Hearing Group Images 1" radius, +3 to PER Rolls (14 Active Points); OAF (-1), 3 Recoverable Charges (-3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), STR Minimum 13 (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3) plus Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6 (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), 3 Recoverable Charges (-3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), STR Minimum 13 (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7) (Active Points: 44; Real Cost: 10)
   Notes: Simple tin whistles are affixed to the shafts of these arrows, causing them to screech when fired. They are typically used as signals, though they can also augment presence attacks.
    
   
4. Flaming Arrows: Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6, 16 Charges (+0), Sticky (+1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Continuous (+1); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 13 (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1), Activation Roll 14- (-1/2), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) (Active Points: 45; Real Cost: 11)
   Notes: Flaming arrows have heads wrapped with raggs soaked in pitch. They're most useful for setting things like thatched roofs, fields, camps, ships, and forests on fire. They're far less useful against infantry and castle walls. If you're making a movie, they look very cool.
    
   
5. Arrow Poison Drain CON 3d6, Ranged (+1/2), Delayed Return Rate (5 Points per Hour; +1), NND (defense is appropriate LS: Immunity) (Standard; +1) (105 Active Points); Extra Time (onset time begins 5 Minutes after victim is hit, -2), OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), 4 Charges (-1), Gradual Effect (15 Minutes; 1d6/5 Minutes; -3/4), HKA Must Do Body (-1/2), Linked (RKA; -1/2) (Real Cost: 15) plus RKA 3d6, NND (defense is appropriate LS: Immunity) (Standard; +1), Does BODY (+1) (135 Active Points); Extra Time (onset time begins 5 Minutes after victim is hit, -2), OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), 4 Charges (-1), Gradual Effect (15 Minutes; 1d6/5 minutes; -3/4), HKA Must Do Body (-1/2) (Real Cost: 21) (Active Cost: 240; Real Cost:36)
   Notes: This poison is a paste carried in a pouch. The arrowhead is smeared with the stuff just before it is fired.
    
   
6. Blunted Arrows: Energy Blast 6d6 (30 Active Points); STR Minimum 13 (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1), OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), 4 Recoverable Charges (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) (Active Points: 30; Real Cost: 7)
   Notes: These have a hard knob on the end instead of an arrowhead. They're good for training.
   

[CraterMaker]

Re: Barbed Arrows

 

I'm not a huuge fan of overcomplicating weapons, but I could see this being used in certain genres.. The only problem I have with it is giving a -1 OCV penalty a 1/2 disadvantage.. for a 2 pt penalty it seems WAY too high.

 

And I'd make the extra damage from removing the arrow 1/2 d6, NND does Body, Defense is not having Internal Organs. (slimes, gelatinous cubes, golems, treants - I'd include Undead in my games, too..)

 

Otherwise, interesting idea..

 

-CraterMaker

[Greatwyrm]

Re: Barbed Arrows

 

My only question is, why Recoverable Charges on something that's purposely designed to be difficult to recover?

[Sociotard]

Re: Barbed Arrows

 

My only question is' date=' why Recoverable Charges on something that's purposely designed to be difficult to recover?[/quote']

If you miss and hit dirt it would be nice to recover it. Or if you picked it out of a dead guy. Or if he wasn't dead and you didn't care.

[Curufea]

Re: Barbed Arrows

 

I'd just pay cash for them and not make them charges - it implies that it is a character point-based power. Most fantasy genre games don't pay points for equipment.

[Beast]

Re: Barbed Arrows

 

Mongols came up with a defence vs barbed arrows

just have the target wear a silk shirt when they went into battle

it would not stop the arrow but it would not tear and would be carried into the wound with the arrow

later when the warrior was being treated for his wound the shirt would be lifted to help assist getting the arrow to follow the path it created going in

 

and easier way to simulate this would be to simply have the target take 1 pip of damage per point that the paramedics roll is failed by

 

because just about all arrows that would be used for combat would have some kind of barb(remember that an arrow in flight is spinning and that is what makes it hade to get arrows out) except for armor-piercing arrows

[braincraft]

Re: Barbed Arrows

 

It seems like it would be a lot simpler to just make barbed arrows +1 STUN multiplier.