Objects of Opprtunity and Damage

[bryanb]

Hi Everyone,

 

I was just wondering if someone could clarify for me the rules for using objects of opportunity (cars, lamp-posts, baseball bats) in Champions.

 

My understanding is that the target takes the number of points of DEF and BODY that the object has in dice damage (eg. if it had Def=3 and Body=2 the target would take 5d6 normal damage). Is this correct? Do you get to add strength?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Daz

[lemming]

Re: Objects of Opprtunity and Damage

 

Originally posted by bryanb

Hi Everyone,

 

I was just wondering if someone could clarify for me the rules for using objects of opportunity (cars, lamp-posts, baseball bats) in Champions.

 

My understanding is that the target takes the number of points of DEF and BODY that the object has in dice damage (eg. if it had Def=3 and Body=2 the target would take 5d6 normal damage). Is this correct? Do you get to add strength?

 

Up to the amount of strength. So if Mr. Brick picks up a truck with his 60 STR and throws it on top of Hapless Martial Artist we can have these results:

 

Truck is 3 def/20 body: HMA takes 12d6

 

Truck is 3 def/7 body: HMA takes 10d6

 

Of course, Mr. Brick could always buy an energy blast defined as "Throwing Object of Opportunity" and then it would be whatever D6 it was bought as.

[austenandrews]

This also ties back to the debate about how much damage is delivered by dropping an object on somebody. For instance, I roll a car off the roof of a parking garage and drop it onto the bad guy. How much damage does the bad guy take? It's not determined by STR, obviously.

 

I know that discussion has run long before, but I don't recall what if any conclusions ever came from it.

 

-AA

[prestidigitator]

Normally the damage is just a character's Str dice, I believe. The maximum is the object's Def+Body. I think the rationale is that a bigger object does more damage, but it takes a greater Str to swing or throw it anyway.... Of course, this has never really sat well with me when I consider things like clubs adding to a character's Str damage. I will admit that I could do more damage with a baseball bat than with my bare hand, but wouldn't a car have the same effect if I could swing it?

 

Originally posted by austenandrews

This also ties back to the debate about how much damage is delivered by dropping an object on somebody. For instance, I roll a car off the roof of a parking garage and drop it onto the bad guy. How much damage does the bad guy take? It's not determined by STR, obviously.

Good point. I would probably base this on the amount of Str which would be needed to lift the object, and a Move Through maneuver with whatever velocity it has achieved when it hits.

[J4y]

Of course, this has never really sat well with me when I consider things like clubs adding to a character's Str damage. I will admit that I could do more damage with a baseball bat than with my bare hand, but wouldn't a car have the same effect if I could swing it?

 

They don't? I can't recall the rules on it but my GM usually gives a die or two extra damage for improvised weapons. Assuming they're sturdy enough to be used as such of course. Some modern cars are more akin to an empty plastic pop bottle than a bat...

[bryanb]

Originally posted by J4y

They don't? I can't recall the rules on it but my GM usually gives a die or two extra damage for improvised weapons. Assuming they're sturdy enough to be used as such of course. Some modern cars are more akin to an empty plastic pop bottle than a bat...

 

This is what I was looking at doing - giving 2d6 extra damage for using improvised weapons....otherwise why would you need one (and having the characters destroy their surroundings is always fun!)?

[Arthur]

Re: Re: Objects of Opprtunity and Damage

 

Originally posted by lemming

Truck is 3 def/20 body: HMA takes 12d6

 

Truck is 3 def/7 body: HMA takes 10d6

 

Right, but a bit incomplete. Assuming 12 BODY is rolled: The truck in the first example is reduced to DEF 3 / 11 BODY, while the truck in the second example (obviously a Kia) is destroyed. The object being used takes the same damage, but cannot deliver damage beyond the point of its own destruction. No matter how strong YOU are, you can only do so much with a (relatively) flimsy object.

[prestidigitator]

Originally posted by bryanb

...otherwise why would you need one (and having the characters destroy their surroundings is always fun!)?

True. Of course, throwing them to do Str damage at a distance can be nice. For anyone who can actually lift the truck, the Area of Effect is nice.