Dueling

[Choinski, Burton]

The following are prototype dueling rules I have thrown together for any
Dirllar stuff. Please feel free to go over them and comment on them
(playtesters welcome, if you have sucke...err...players in the region :)

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Dueling is a highly regarded activity in Dirllar, and as such has its own
customs and rules beyond simply sticking one another with thin pointed
swords.  Dueling is an accepted means of resolving disputes among the middle
and upper classes of Dirllari society, so most citizens of means with have
some skill in it.

Foil                    Initial: 30     Next Level: NEL x 8     Maximum:
(I+D+A)/15

Dirllari dueling is much like a ritualized dance, the long, graceful foils
clacking and whipping though the air.  The foils themselves are equally
specialized:

Dueling Foil      WSB -2     2SC    1#     FV 6

The foils are very sharp, but still unable to penetrate hard plate.  Roll
1d6 against each of the various armors - if the indicated numbers show, the
point hits hard plate and does not penetrate:
    Scale: 1
    Brigandine: 1-2
    Plate Mail: 1-3
    Plate Armor: 1-5

    Metal Helm: 1
    Full Helm: 1-3

Fighting with a foil is very different from combat fighting.  Since the
primary attack is a sharp thrust, similar to that of an arrow, on any severe
or deadly hits only one form of armor protects (helmet or body).  Roll 1d6
to determine what is struck:
     1-2: Head     3-6: Chest

However, in most duels, armor is not allowed, but the use of capes
(requiring the Cape Parry skill), bucklers (Shield skill) or daggers (Two
Weapon Fighting skill)  to improve ones parrying ability is accepted.

Cape Parry       Initial: 25     Next Level: NEL x 6   Maximum: (D+A)/10

Light Cape    AV 2      3CC     ½#      DR 15  
Half Length cape used to parry weapon attacks.  Requires Cape Parry skill
and increases DCV by 1

Full Cape      AV 4       5CC    1#        DR 25
As for half cape, but full length. Increases DCV by 2.


Certain eccentric duelists have been know to use other object to parry with,
such as chairs or drinking tankards.  Each differing object requires it's
own training:

Object Parry       Initial: 30     Next Level: NEL x 6   Maximum: (S+D+A)/15
Obviously, using a tankard is worthless against regular weapons (or at best,
AV2 or so), but when you are out drinking and that's all you got...


DUELING PROCEDURE
Dueling is similar to normal combat, except that due to nature of the nature
of the blades and the stance of the duelists, parries are much more common.

In any phase, each duelist rolls 1d10 and adds their AB and "IB" (figured
off intelligence, just like Agility determines AB) - the attack order goes
from highest to lowest. 

On his turn to attack, the aggressor makes his combat roll, subtracting foil
skill and adding any defensive modifiers from the target.  In this case a
miss is always a miss, and a shield hit is considered a parry.  In any case,
the aggressor notes the type of hit.

The defender now makes his own combat roll in defense (attacker may add in
his defensive modifiers against this).  If the level of his "hit" is better
than that of the attacker (i.e. he "scores" a severe hit when the attacker
only managed a normal hit), then he has beaten back the attack or turned it
aside, and no damage is done.  It is now the next combatant's turn.

 If the defender beats the aggressor's attack by two levels or more (i.e.
the defender "scores" a severe hit when the aggressor got a shield hit), the
defender gets an immediate counter-strike.  The defender keeps his level of
hit and the former attacker must make his own defensive roll.  If the
attacker can beat back the counter strike, the current aggressor's turn is
done and initiative goes to the next person in the attack order.  If The
attacker beats the defender by 2 or more, he counter-strikes and the
defender must try to beat that (and so on, until a hit actually lands or is
blocked).

Due to the nature of the blades, deadly hits max out at 2d10 damage - we are
not talking brute strength here, we are talking finesse.

At any time a duelist may "pull" his strike and shift down a hit type in
damage (i.e. pulling a deadly blow to do only severe damage). Pulling a
normal hit does 1d3 damage instead of 1d6.

TYPES OF DUELS
Many duels are to "first blood", in which the first one to score 1 or more
hits of damage is deemed the winner.

Also common are "duels to the yield" whereupon one of the combatants usually
yields when they have taken half or more of their HPV in damage.

Less common are duels to the death, in which only one is allowed to live.
In this case the duelist cannot strike an unconscious foe - any death strike
must finish him through his DTV.  If the poor soul does not expire on the
dueling court, his seconds are honor bound to finish him off (those that do
not are considered the worst of rogues)



Burton Choinski
Principle Software Engineer, Quality Engineering
email: burton.choinski at matrixone.com

phone: 978-322-2135
fax  : 978-452-5764

MatrixOne, Inc.
Two Executive Drive
Chelmsford, Ma 01824
www.matrixone.com

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