Hard science
fiction, like our real world, favors the gun over the sword. However, the space
opera genre often includes daring duels with flashing blades and sharp knives,
where heroes and villains defend their honor in the ancient way of the sword.
This free supplement provides several rules intended to add such a flavor to
your Faster Than Light: Nomad game. They are, of course, optional – to be adopted when
the Referee and the players desire pulpy swordfights in their sci-fi game.
Parry Dice
Each character has
a number of Parry Dice equal to their Combat skill. In addition,
a shield provides an additional Parry Die. For example, a character with Combat
2 and a shield will have 3 Parry Dice. These represent the ability to block
enemy melee blows, mitigating their damage. Parry Dice renew at the beginning
of each character’s turn in combat.
Parrying
An armed character
hit in melee combat who has Parry Dice may Parry. This requires the
character to be aware of the attack; surprised characters, or those attacked by
sneaking foes, may not Parry.
There are 3 types
of parrying:
·
Low
effort: expend 1 Parry Die; throw 1d6 + Combat. The
result is your Parry Score.
·
High
effort: expend 2 Parry Dice; throw 2d6 + Combat.
The result is your Parry Score.
·
Epic
Effort: expend 3 Parry Dice; throw 2d6 + Combat,
with a +1D Advantage Die. The result is your Parry Score.
If the Parry Score
is equal to or higher than the attacker’s total attack throw, the attack is Parried
and causes no damage.
Riposte
A character who
successfully parried an attack and has remaining Parry Dice may Riposte the
attack by expending one Parry Die, gaining a free retaliatory attack against
their attacker. This Riposte may be Parried as well, and even Riposted! This
does not replace the character’s regular Combat Actions.
Martial Arts and Parrying
An unarmed
character with the Martial Artist Archetype may Parry and Riposte, as if armed.
However, as they are using their flesh to Parry, each successful Parry against
a weapon (but not against another unarmed character) causes them half the
attacking weapon’s damage (rounded down).
Sundering Weapons and Shields
A critical hit
(“natural” 12 on the attack throw) against an armed character in melee breaks
the target’s weapon, as it is assumed that this weapon will be raised in
defense. If the target has a shield, it is destroyed instead.
On the other hand,
a character who fumbles a Parry (“natural” 2 on the Parry roll, or a “natural”
1 if only one Parry Die is used) breaks their weapon and suffers the enemy
attack’s normal damage. If they have a shield, the shield is destroyed instead.
A Martial Artist
who would otherwise suffer a “weapon destroyed” result simply takes full attack
damage instead.
Laser Rapiers
High adventures
among the stars sometimes include Laser Rapiers. This is a Cosmic Age
artifact, with value beyond any price. It takes 1 point of Encumbrance and
causes 3d6 damage. When turned off, the Laser Rapier appears as a short metal
cylinder reminiscent of a sword’s hilt. When lit, this hilt emits an energy
blade. A Zero Point Energy cell within the hilt will feed the blade for
eternity.
Only characters of
the Space Monk Archetype may use a Laser Rapier. This represents the
specialized mystical training necessary for this ultra-tech artifact to work.
Laser Rapiers
have the following characteristics:
·
A
successful Laser Rapier attack against a character with a weapon or shield which
is not a Laser Rapier cannot be parried and automatically breaks the target’s
weapon or shield. Laser Rapiers may, of course, parry other Laser Rapiers.
·
A Laser Rapier can Parry, but not Riposte, ranged attacks
against its wielder, as if they were melee attacks.
·
Characters
Wounded by Laser Rapiers suffer a -1D Penalty Die to their Triage Table roll.
Space Monk
Archetype: Extensive training in mysticism and
using a Laser Rapier. Space Monks are often positioned as guardians of
civilization against the forces of Chaos. Some, however, do fall into the
embrace of Chaos and become Dark Space Monks.
