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[praguepride]

So we have this improvised weapon skill. Wouldn't it be neat if based on that skill, a character has a chance to grab a random chair/computer/tv/piece of equipment and bash his opponent with it?

Several lines of thought:

1) Only when unarmed: Think about a bar fight. Two guys duking it out bare fisted, one guy grabs an ash tray/pool cue/beer bottle and suddenly has a big advantage as he smashes it over his opponents head.

2) Even when armed: Maybe if he's using a weaker attack, it can be "upgraded" a few random damage points by incorporating the random weapon. So for sake of example (and the fact I don't actually know how combat is calculated) Joe LCS is fighting Billy Bob CCS. Joe LCS is using a pistol that does 5 pts of damage. His improvised weapon triggers and he grabs a printer and bashes Billy Bob with it. This adds +X (1-4 pts) of damage to the attack, so instead of doing 5 pts he does 6-9 pts of damage.

3) Can be used on defense? Billy Bob fires a 9mm at Joe LCS. Joe LCS shields himself with XXX (printer/table/chair).

4) Different Zones have different amounts: Basically the industrial zones probably have a lot more dangerous stuff lying around then a downtown building. It could be by specific location (Factories > Sweatshops > Apartment Buildings for example) or just by broad zone (Industrial > Downtown > Outskirts).


Anyway, just some thoughts on using that skill.

[Cosmonot]

This is just my personal preference, but I'd rather that the use of improvised weapons not have any special benefits.

In fact, I would be quite happy with the removal of the improvised weapons skill, and not giving any skill bonuses when using improvised weapons.

The idea of allowing liberals to upgrade both attacks and defense with improvised weapons has the potential to be quite overpowered, as well as somewhat nonsensical.

[praguepride]

1) If the Improvised weaponry skill is slated to be removed, that's fine. If it isn't, then this might be a way to make it more useful and have a better impact on the game.

2) Overpowered? Given all the other "overpowered" aspects of the game (guitars, seduction, max disguise/stealth) I don't see how adding a random chance to do at most 50% extra damage is overpowered. Especially considering that this will also effect NPC's, so when you're fighting those unarmed conservatives maybe they suddenly whip out a chair and bash you good.

3) Nonsensical? What I find nonsensical is that my unarmed mercenary, a trained fighter, in a oil refinery is reduced to fighting with his bare hands when there are pipes and clubs and any number of improvised weaponry just lying around. The defense one is a little bit of a stretch, but I was just throwing it out there as an idea.

[Jonathan S. Fox]

Improvised weapons had a good purpose when it was originally introduced, but I'm not sure it still does. Cutting it actually seems like a decent idea.

[Gimmick Account]

I agree with cutting it, too. Since 'Improvised Weapons' seems to cover everything from spray cans to chains, it is far too broad a category.
_{See - I can make short posts, too. Please don't hate me, Jonathan!}

[praguepride]

I'll take that as an idea rejection

[Gimmick Account]

I'll take that as an idea rejection

Yeah, sorry. To be precise, it's more a rejection of the concept your idea was based on. I don't see what all those weapons have in common, in terms of handling experience.

[beorn080]

Well, how bout this for a change. Instead of Improvised Weapons being a straight weapon skill with various weapons associated with it, make it so that when using unarmed attacks, you increase your chances of doing damage with a random background item. Remove it as a weapon skill, and simply make it so that while making your unarmed attacks, you grab a pool cue as attack 3 instead of throwing a punch and break it over the guy's back for additional damage.

[praguepride]

Well, how bout this for a change. Instead of Improvised Weapons being a straight weapon skill with various weapons associated with it, make it so that when using unarmed attacks, you increase your chances of doing damage with a random background item. Remove it as a weapon skill, and simply make it so that while making your unarmed attacks, you grab a pool cue as attack 3 instead of throwing a punch and break it over the guy's back for additional damage.

Wow, I can't tell if this is a joke or serious . If it's a joke...you got me! If you're being serious, that's exactly what's in the OP...

[Cosmonot]

Well, how bout this for a change. Instead of Improvised Weapons being a straight weapon skill with various weapons associated with it, make it so that when using unarmed attacks, you increase your chances of doing damage with a random background item. Remove it as a weapon skill, and simply make it so that while making your unarmed attacks, you grab a pool cue as attack 3 instead of throwing a punch and break it over the guy's back for additional damage.

There was already some work done on the unarmed weapon skill to make it represent martial arts; characters now progress from doing jabs and punches to spinning kicks. Reworking the flavor text yet again would be a waste, especially since unarmed combat frankly isn't an important feature.

[praguepride]

It is from a Conservative point of view. A good number of conservatives fought are unarmed. It'd be neat if they were able to be counted as "armed" if they had a high improvised weapon skill (for purposes of kidnapping, for example).


example: You send your guy to kidnap a Secretary. Surprise! She's trained in improvised weapons and instead of just going along piecefully, she smashes her chair over the kidnappers head.

[Little]

What would this add to the game, besides a few funny flavor texts that grow old after the 1000th Secretary springs it on you?

[praguepride]

Difficulty and surprise. Kidnapping wouldn't be a sure thing anymore.

[chaoticag]

What would this add to the game, besides a few funny flavor texts that grow old after the 1000th Secretary springs it on you?

999 doses of fun, and "I never new that!" moments.

[Oksbad]

Improvised weapons had a good purpose when it was originally introduced, but I'm not sure it still does. Cutting it actually seems like a decent idea.

Why?