OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

[Thanee]

Some of the Talents in Fantasy Hero (i.e. Rapid Archery, Storm of Steel) have the OIF "Weapon of Opportunity" limitation.

 

While I understand what it means, I do wonder, why is this an OIF and not an OAF?

 

Isn't the weapon you just happen to use with the Talent still accessible, disarmable, and so on?

 

I can see, that it shouldn't really get the full -1, mostly because it is "easily replaced" with just about any other weapon of the type, but nonetheless... why not an OAF?

 

Any ideas?

 

Bye

Thanee

[Shadowsoul]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

I think that the difference is that it is comparatively easy to take someone's magic sword away from them and prevent them from picking it up again. You can then throw the sword into a bottomless pit or take it to the other side of the world. Doing these things will probably ensure that the sword wielder can never use their magic sword's power ever again.

 

It is harder, as you noted, to ensure that that person doesn't have access to knives, bar stools etc. A weapon of opportunity reflects the potential to use a weapon in a certain way, you can't take that potential away from someone with a disarm, (though you might be able to do it by taking their arms away). Throw the weapon of opportunity into a well and you may stop your opponent from using their ability for that combat, but you won't have thrown their skill at using weapons of opportunity away.

[Bloodstone]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

Getting hung up on terminology.

 

It's not really an OAF, even though obviously the individual swords, bows, what-have-you are. But a collection of OAF's are generally considered an OIF because they are collectively harder to take away than any single object.

 

We could easily rename this particular limitation FOO (Focus of Opportunity) and be done with it.

[L. Marcus]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

"Mister Vimes? I have three knives, Mister Vimes!"

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

I've generally been shying away from the 'Focus of Opportunity' idea, myself. To use a superhero example, if someone has a blast defined as picking up an object, charging it, and throwing it at a target (a la Gambit), you can't disarm him if there is anything nearby he can throw. I think the 4e book that introduced the concept said that, instead of disarming him, per se, you take 12 seconds to make sure there's nothing appropriate around. But suppose you're at, say, a gravel quarry? You just *can't* clear out all the rocks in 12 seconds, sorry. I'd just rephrase it to something like 'requires (whatever)' with a limitation based on how hard it is to appropriate the necessary materials. This also lets it be combined with a 'regular' Focus that grants the character powers. For another superhero example, if you have a ring that grants you magnetic powers (IIF Ring), then you can't take an additional Focus (OIF cables and chains of opportunity) for your 'wrap the guy up' Entangle.

[Bloodstone]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

For another superhero example' date=' if you have a ring that grants you magnetic powers (IIF Ring), then you can't take an additional Focus (OIF cables and chains of opportunity) for your 'wrap the guy up' Entangle.[/quote']

 

Yep, that's a general problem with with how the system has always built weapons and ammo.

[Kraven Kor]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

Yep' date=' that's a general problem with with how the system has always built weapons and ammo.[/quote']

 

Well, I just use the "Real Weapon" or a custom "Real Equipment" limitation on top of the focus limitation in these instances; or a custom modifier for the difference between the IIF Focus of the Power Framework, generally, and the OIF/OAF for the individual slots.

[Thanee]

Re: OIF "Weapon of Opportunity"

 

Ok, so I was pretty much on the right track there... thanks!

 

Bye

Thanee