Called Shots

[Goldrak]

Thanks you all for your great suggestions!

[Rich H]

An opponent is not stupid, and will likely move around so you CANNOT retrieve your weapon, since that confers him with quite an advantage. You need to push your opponent out of the way and risk a vulnerable maneuver where you are exposed to retrieve your weapon.

That's what the Battle roll is for - understanding and taking advantage of the battlefield, versus the TN 10 + Attribute Level of the opponent.

I certainly don't agree with it being a Forward stance but could see the justification in an Open stance rather than a Defensive one.

[Rich H]

For me, losing your turn to pick up the weapon is penalty enough.

... And that's absolutely fine. I created my own house rule (as described above) to add some more rules to resolving it.

[Eclipse]

... And that's absolutely fine. I created my own house rule (as described above) to add some more rules to resolving it.

My reply was meant in response to making a player-character spend one turn and be easy to hit (and maybe even make a roll in addition). Your rule is how I would handle it: most of the time, it is just a round of inaction, sometimes it might become more involved and heroic.

[doctheweasel]

These are all good ideas, I think.

I would do Forward Stance too, though I would have them spend an action without making a roll.

Alternatively, you could do something like spend a Hope point and you still have an action after picking it up.

[Rich H]

My reply was meant in response to making a player-character spend one turn and be easy to hit (and maybe even make a roll in addition).

Agreed, and that's the issue with the Forward stance especially. Low TN to hit, arguably no Parry modifier (as the character isn't holding a weapon), LM could apply a Complication modifier as well (due to being unarmed), and character loses an action retrieving the weapon. No, thanks. I'm more than happy with my house-rule.

[Angelalex242]

Actually, if I were running a horde of orcs, and somebody dropped their weapon and was disarmed, I'd have one of the orcs grab that character's weapon, which is probably better then his, thus making it effectively impossible to retrieve unless that orc is slain. To add insult to injury, I'd then have that orc attack the character with his own weapon...and all cultural rewards and valor based merits applied to the weapon apply full force against the character! The highly trained dwarf with his Axe of Az Grievous Keen Fell Greataxe will surely feel sorry indeed when he drops that axe, it gets used on him, and he finds himself insta wearied and wounded besides!

[James Harrison]

This seems more like a DnD move than a LotR move however. Think of the Goblins jumping back from Orcrist and Glamouring.... and reversably you wouldent give up your blade for theirs - even if it seemed better, you arn't use to weilding it...

However if a character was disarmed and failed the house rule battle roll I can see the all sorts happening in the fluff (an orc grabbing it, or kicking it away) but I would still have the same mechanic for retrieving the weapon...

I don't think it would be cool for a hero to be decapited by his own axe... or fun.

[Rich H]

This seems more like a DnD move than a LotR move however.

My thoughts exactly.

and reversably you wouldent give up your blade for theirs - even if it seemed better, you arn't use to weilding it...

... In fact, the free peoples' actively shun such devices. I think it wouldn't be any stretch for the LM to employ the Shadow mechanics to such weapons as well - even Orc swords not just Morgul blades and the like. It would certainly support the spirit of the game and themes within the literature.

However if a character was disarmed and failed the house rule battle roll I can see the all sorts happening in the fluff (an orc grabbing it, or kicking it away) but I would still have the same mechanic for retrieving the weapon...

No self-respecting Orc would want to use a stinking elven blade or a crappy Dwarven axe.

I don't think it would be cool for a hero to be decapited by his own axe... or fun.

Yep, again, agreed.

[Eclipse]

No self-respecting Orc would want to use a stinking elven blade or a crappy Dwarven axe.

Or actually be proficient with those; weapon skills in The One Ring are rather narrow, after all.