The Brandin' Iron Saloon - Out of Character

[Black Wyvern]

No problem. Thanks for letting me know.

Your group is no longer magnificent.

[Scott308]

That's alright. Now we're the Spectacular Six, and manage to avoid any copyright infringement issues!

[Black Wyvern]

Looked like everyone had updated their characters?!

Just a heads up. I will be very vague as to where you are. I like to draw on different elements that didn't always appear in the same locations and befuddle Western historians. I usually refer to the area you are in as "The Territory" and things pertaining to it as "Territorial", i.e. territorial governor, territorial prison... So don't be confused if over the course of a hundred miles you travel through Wyoming mountains where there is a Native American threat, extra-territorial badlands filled with bandits, southwestern badlands and whatever else I decide will be fun.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sounds awesome!

Will we need to own a horse for this trip? Or will there be wagons and such to ride in?

[Black Wyvern]

Yeah you will need some kind of mount. You don't want to take a wagon over the pass.

I haven't heard from anyone on the proposed house rule. I guess I will assume that means you are happy with the rules as written.

Zhym normally you would shove a scattergun in your bed roll, tied behind the seat of the saddle or in front of the saddle horn. Remember they are illegal in most towns so you can't just walk around carrying one.

[Zhym]

Remember they are illegal in most towns so you can't just walk around carrying one.

Well, that's an important detail! How does one buy a scatter gun, then?

I hadn't noticed (or had forgotten) the proposed house rule. I kind of like it. It gives the player a chance to decide what he wants his character to be most accurate with. I'd be surprised if anyone takes bow or knife as one of their two, though, so mostly I'd think it would help determine whether a PC is more of a handgun or rifle type. And yeah, it would make Ted a little more useful in a battle.

[Rex]

I am fine with the house rule as well.

[Black Wyvern]

I always kind of assumed you buy a shotgun and then have a less reputable gunsmith cut it down for you.

The thing is that you have to take them in order so if your first roll is low and you second is high you have to take bow to get pistol second. It is a little cheesy but it is more for balance. Most will probably just ignore that they have bow but some might embrace it. In Ted's case that is what he would have to do if he wants to be good with a pistol he has to take bow and be untrained in rifle.

[Rex]

You wouldn't need a gunsmith to turn a shotgun into a scatter gun, just a hack saw, pipe cutter or even a file with a corner.

[Zhym]

Okay, the "in order" thing is a little weird. Does it "wrap around"—so a PC could theoretically take Throwing for first roll, which would make Bow the second?

For Ted, it doesn't really matter which his lower roll goes to, as long as he could put his 90 toward handguns. He won't be any better with his second weapon than he would be with an untrained weapon.

How do bows work now, BTW?

[Black Wyvern]

You wouldn't need a gunsmith to turn a shotgun into a scatter gun, just a hack saw, pipe cutter or even a file with a corner.

Where are you going to get any of those things in a small 1870's town. Go down to Ace hardware? A smith is about the only person who is going to have tools to work on metal.

No they don't wrap around.

Sorry I guess I left them off the weapons table.
Bow Short 0-7, Medium 8-18, Long 19-30, Extreme 31-50, Rate of Fire 1, Reload Rate: 1, Speed: Below Average.

[Scott308]

I'll be honest- I didn't chime in on the house rule because I didn't really understand it, but I think it has been explained a bit better now. I guess if we do the house rule, Shootout will be a little better with pistols, have a crappy score with the bow (which he will never use), and be untrained in long guns, which he might have use for at some point. Or I break my character concept, as he would be unlikely to be a gunslinger if he is better with a rifle. I'll admit, I'm not really a big fan of the house rule, but it isn't a deal breaker if others want to use it.

[Black Wyvern]

Scott it wouldn't really matter at all for you other than you would loose the ability to use a bow and throw. Your character has Above Average +2 in both accuracy stats. You could take Pistol and Rifle and have the same +2 as you currently have, you just would have a +0 for bow and throwing rather than the +2 you currently have. Your character is the rare one that looses out on the rule. While you may never use a bow you may want to throw something someday.

[Zhym]

Scott it wouldn't really matter at all for you other than you would loose the ability to use a bow and throw.

Okay, I usually try not to be That Guy, but this is going to drive me crazy if I don't say something: when you're talking about giving up something, the word is "lose," with only one "o."

[Black Wyvern]

I usually try not to be That Guy.

Something I am finding harder to believe as the days go by.

[Scott308]

I guess I still don't quite understand it, then, but as it won't really limit my ability to shoot a rifle if I decide to go that route, I'm fine with not necessarily being able to throw something with high accuracy.

[OGRE MAGE]

I usually try not to be That Guy.

Something I am finding harder to believe as the days go by.

I don't exactly understand the house rule either, but I am willing to try it if everyone else is on board. Just let me know how it affects my character and I will make the necessary adjustments.

[Black Wyvern]

Okay I seem to be failing with the written word this week. Let me try again.

You will still only have two accuracy scores that modify to hits. But you get to choose those two scores from Bow, Pistol, Rifle and Throwing. However they are in the following order and you essencially have to cross two out.

Speed
Bow Accuracy
Pistol Accuracy
Rifle Accuracy
Throwing Accuracy
Strength
Bravery
Experience

You roll (modified)
75
45
98
45
67
03

You really want to be good with a pistol so you cross out rifle and throwing accuracy so your final character looks like this.

Speed 75
Bow Accuracy 74
Pistol Accuracy 98
Rifle Accuracy
Throwing Accuracy
Strength 45
Bravery 67
Experience 03

If being able to have a bonus with a rifle and pistol is more important you could just cross out bow and throwing. Rolls and stats always stay in the same order though. Crossed out accuracy stats don't apply any to hit mods to attacks using those weapons.

Speed 75
Bow Accuracy
Pistol Accuracy 74
Rifle Accuracy 98
Throwing Accuracy
Strength 45
Bravery 67
Experience 03

[OGRE MAGE]

Thanks!

That is much more clear now.

A 98% Accuracy with a pistol seems a bit too good to pass up, even if it does negate any future rifle bonus.

Right?

[Rex]

It wouldn't benefit me. Pistol would remain the same and rifle would go down 5%. Could we go with either?