Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[Vinzent]

a friend recently asked me why anyone would choose to wield a knife over a sword in any fantasy setting. As I had just recently watched a Mythbusters (Bringing a knife to a gun fight) a came up with a house rule.

Knives are small and do not require specific finger placement (like in pistols) to be effective. Therefore drawing a knife or dagger is a free action.

The only pistol I have ruled this for is the derringer on a sleeve rail.
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[Clash957]

Well that would get rid of that pesky quickdraw problem with throwing knives. Still I'm not a fan of this house rule without a particular setting tone you're looking for.

Better reasons for having a knife are:

a backup weapon in case you are disarmed
fighting in really tight quarters
having a holdout weapon you can conceal
it isn't that heavy or expensive and could used for 100 other things
if its balanced for throwing, a fairly quick to ready ranged weapon

It is true that if you take a knife to sword fight in the middle of the street things aren't looking that good for you. But you could say the same thing about taking a sword to gun/bow and arrow fight. But there are situations where any weapon can be the best. If you want to show how knife can be a reasonable weapon, allow the Close Fighter Edge from Solomon Kane, have an arrogant duelist disarm and toss the victim's weapon far away, or have the adventure go to a city where the characters are allowed weapons.
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[Vinzent]

Well as I said the ruling came from watching Mythusters. What they found is that if two opponents are within 20 feet of each other, the knife fighter will draw and kill the gunfighter nearly every time. That includes a draw and charge with a knife.
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[ogbendog]

So, wait. A guy with a sheathed knife vs a guy with a holstered pistol, the knife guy wins?

My sister was in law enforcement, and they were taught that if they guy had a knife out, readied, they could move 20' and stab you before you could draw your weapon. But that was with a knife out.

[Vinzent]

Yes, I misremembered the Mythbusters as they did have the knife out. But I can pull a knife from a hip sheath pretty damn quick and even if I am running.

The houserule also covers why knives are favored by assassins. If you are spotted, you can have your weapon ready before your opponent for that initial attack.
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[ogbendog]

Knives are still good, even without that rule
1 - light back up weapon
2 - melee and thrown
3 - cheap
4 - concealable

Personally, I'd make it a Knife Fighter edge. I like the idea of making weapon specific edges.
Can ready as a free action
+1 to parry

[Cryonic]

I don't think making drawing the weapon a free action should be universal for knives. It should be a circumstance bonus based on the sheath. If you have the knife down in your boot, then it is a bit hard to grab it, draw it and run at the same time.
So, keep Quick Draw as an Agility check, but give a +1 or +2 for a sheath that is well positioned for quick draw.
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[jpk]

The knife-fighter from Mythbusters moved his Pace, drew (-2), and (I presume) Wild Attacked (+2) a foe with no melee weapon (-2 Parry), for a total modifier of +2 to hit with +2 damage.

Does he really need to be better than that?

[Vinzent]

Good points all.
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[J Gregory]

[kronovan]

[Haroth]

I like the idea of knives receiving a +2 to being concealed and a +2 to the agility check for a multi-action draw. It allows them to really give the opportunity to shine in hostage situations or capture scenarios.