Rapid attack skill

[limey72]

New to the system and have a question.  If a character has rapid attack, ambidexterity, fast draw and multiple attacks.  Can he draw 2 pistols with a zero phase action and fire each pistol twice as they are a half phase or is the character limited to one shot with each weapon?.  I am a little confused.

thanks for any help in advance.

[Steve Long]

First off, welcome to HERO! We hope you'll enjoy it. We have one of the friendliest communities in gaming here on the boards, so feel free to ask any questions that come up and you'll get plenty of helpful gamers chiming in with advice and suggestions.

 

Your question raises a couple of issues, so I’m going to restate them individually to be sure that I don’t miss anything, and that readers at home can follow me.

 

1.  If a character has Fast Draw, can he draw more than one weapon as part of the same Zero Phase Action?

 

2.  If a character has multiple attacks ready, can he make one with each Half Phase Action in his Phase?

1.  If a character has Fast Draw, he may attempt to ready more than one weapon as a Zero Phase Action (up to a maximum of one weapon per manipulable limb). However, he suffers a penalty of -1 per additional weapon after the first, and if the roll fails, none of the weapons are drawn quickly — he either has to draw them all as a Half Phase Action, or wait until his next Phase to try to use Fast Draw again.

 

2.  No. Once a character makes an attack, that ends his Phase (see 6E2 18).

 

In the situation you describe (a character with a gun in each hand), he could use the Multiple Attack Maneuver (6E2 73) and declare that he’s making four attacks. The special effect of the attack is “I fire each gun twice at my target, because I’m just that good!”.  Since your character has the Rapid Attack Skill, he can make the Multiple Attack in a Half Phase (rather than the usual Full Phase), but that doesn’t let him ignore the rule that making an attack ends his Phase. If he wants to perform a Half Phase Action before attacking — such as making a Half Move — he can do so, but he can’t make two Attack Actions.

 

I hope that clarifies things for you. If not, please send me a private message, or post a follow-up question here. Thanks!