Re: [HoE] [Goff] HTH Defensive Bonus ?

["Steve Crow" <crow_steve@hotmail.com>]

>In a message dated Thu, 4 May 2000 11:43:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
>"Steve Crow" <crow_steve@hotmail.com> writes:
>
><< Here was that question I promised.
>
>Is there any case when someone using a firearm or other ranged weapon 
>_ever_
>gets a HTH defensive bonus (i.e., Fightin'/Brawlin')?>>
>
>According to the Weird West Player's Guide, you can use a pistol as a light 
>club with fightin': brawlin'.
>
>Using that as a guide, I'd probably allow a character with fightin': 
>brawlin' to get the Aptitude's DB if he was holding a pistol.
>

Actually, according to HoE itself, page 93, you can use a pistol in such a 
manner.

Sorry, I should have been more specific, since I can see where the confusion 
would arise.  When I meant "using a firearm" I meant in the manner in which 
folks typically used (i.e., shooting, not clubbing :) ).

Like I said, for whatever reasons, BNW (which originally seemed to base 
itself a bit on the basic Pinnacle's assumptions on such things) _does_ let 
you get a HTH defensive bonus even if you are firing a pistol.  As Matt 
Forbeck put it when talking about a HTH bonus, "It's not an active defense 
like a dodge. As long as you're aware of the attack and are willing to put 
some effort into stopping it, you should get the bonus." (that's a quote 
from a personal query, not the BNW rules - we had to ask him specifically 
about this, too).

Now by no means should this mean that Deadlands rules would work the _same_ 
way as BNW.  But we couldn't really find anything that either supports or 
disputes this contention.  Thus our question.

Page 93 again seems to be the relevant section of rules to look to, but it's 
not very specific.  The relevant entry _implies_ that you must be using the 
pistol as a "club".  However, read literally, it seems to allow that you can 
use a pistol (or any "club" like firearm) to gain a Fightin'/Brawlin' 
defensive bonus as long as you simply have it in your hand.

Hope that clarifies things.

*****

Just as an aside, that's why I don't buy the whole "If you're a gamer..." 
thing Phil mentioned earlier.  Matt Forbeck is undoubtedly a gamer and he 
has one particular take on it.  John and Pinnacle may have another take.  If 
Pinnacle does it one way and BNW does it another, then being a "gamer" gives 
you no useful way to make a determination one way or another.


>John


---

Steve Crow

"Worm Can Opener Extraordinare"

Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/

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