Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[77IM]

Hi gang,

I need some rules advice. The book, and several good forum threads, go into detail about the actions and checks required to draw a weapon or multiple weapons. All pretty clear to me, I think.

But what about sheathing/holstering/stowing a weapon? You know, like when you need to switch weapons, or go hands-free to grab someone. You could always just drop the old weapon as a free action, but maybe you don't want too because it's a good weapon (or Trademark) and you're not sure you'll be able to retrieve it easily after the battle.

What kind of action should it be to sheath a weapon? Two weapons? Would the Quick Draw edge speed it up any? What do other people do?

Thanks,

-- 77IM
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Stuff I made: Arcane Abilities · Talent Edge · Savage Fading Suns · Savage Wuxia!

[ValhallaGH]

I treat it as Readying a Weapon, just in reverse. Takes an action, unless you have Quick Draw, and only requires a roll if you're doing so under odd or difficult circumstances.

I tend to let folks draw two similar weapons simultaneously. But I'm nice like that.

[Max Schreck]

Logic seems to dictate that sheathing a weapon should take at least the same time as drawing one, so sheathing could probably use the same rules as drawing. That's what I would do, anyway.

Most combatants would probably throw their weapons to the ground in the midst of a melee, though. If you aren't able to pick up your weapon again after the fight, you probably have bigger things to worry about, such as being dead, captured or in a rout.

Cheers,

Max
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[kreider204]

I tend to interpret "readying a weapon" pretty broadly, including switching weapons, which I count as a single full action. Otherwise, sheathing tends to occur after combat, so I guess I've never worried about it much.
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[Lord Lance]

[Lee_Szczepanik]

Ditto on Readying a Weapon for sheathing. Especially since even sword experts that I know can draw one much faster than they can sheathe it.
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[newForumNewName]

I make it an agility roll to sheath swords in combat since it requires a bit more precision unless all the character does for that round is sheath the sword. Failure indicates that they miss the sheath and drop the sword. Critical failure indicates that they've stabbed or cut themselves in their off hand (because one generally holds the sheath with the off-hand while returning the sword). But that's for blades. Guns with holsters don't require a roll and are treated as readying a weapon while sticking a gun into your waist-band requires an agility roll (and running more than once means that the gun falls out). Sheathing a rifle or shotgun in a boot only requires a roll if the character is carrying the boot, while if the character has strapped the boot onto a horse upon which the character is mounted or standing next to then normal holster rules apply to a single weapon on the horse (unless the character is ambidextrous and mounted two forward boots on the barding or two boots on the side on which the character is standing).

Regardless, drawing, attacking, and holstering suffers multi-action penalties: either -4 for drawing, attacking, and re-holstering/sheathing or -2 if the character has quick-draw.
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"I had a whole bunch of advice for you but got ninja'd by newForumNewName. I'd just do what he says." -- 77IM

"While nFNN could be less of a jerk about how he says what he says, what he says is essentially correct." -- ValhallaGH

[Rachan]

There are a few actions in the game—such as drawing a weapon—that don't by themselves involve a Trait roll. I know this isn't a rule, but the general trend I've noticed is that ONE no-roll action is basically a freebie. TWO no-roll actions prompt an Agility roll.

That said, an action is an action is an action. Even if there's no direct penalty for drawing a gun, it still grants a -2 to shoot it in the same round. Drawing two guns and shooting both would be an Agility roll to draw (two no-roll actions), and a -6 to each Shooting roll (for 4 actions total).

I would say, just to keep things FFF, sheathing falls under the realm of no-roll actions. I wouldn't give it a separate Agility roll, unless used in a multi-action like I just described.
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[quote="77IM"]… it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM is specifically allowed to allow it. [/quote]

[HawaiianBrian]

Drawing a new one is one thing, but it doesn't seem very FFF to make someone sheathe a weapon in combat...
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[newForumNewName]

[77IM]

Thanks everybody. My first instinct was to treat sheathing a weapon just like drawing one, so I'm glad to see other people think that way too.

But then, another part of me wonders if this is too harsh. How many rounds should a player "waste" stowing their sword and shield and drawing their crossbow? Won't the bad guy have escaped by then? Or if you suddenly find yourself in melee and need to holster your blasters to draw your vibroblades -- that's, what, two rounds each with an Agility check just to juggle weapons? And maybe it would overpower Quick Draw since it reduces all of this to a free action and +2 on the checks? I dunno. I guess at least treating sheathing just like drawing is very simple in the sense of being easy to understand and remember.

-- 77IM
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Stuff I made: Arcane Abilities · Talent Edge · Savage Fading Suns · Savage Wuxia!

[JmOz01]

If it ever came up, I would allow it as part of drawing another weapon with agility an agility roll, otherwise I would use the same rules as readying a weapon

[Zadmar]

I currently handle it the same as drawing a weapon, except that Quick Draw doesn't help. Players can of course drop weapons as a free action - but if they could also sheathe for free, there'd be no incentive to ever drop their weapons.

What I'm not so sure about is how to deal people loosening their swords in their scabbards, or placing their dagger between their teeth while climbing the rigging of a ship and then grabbing it when they reach the enemy.

[Clint]

[77IM]

Ah -- I like that a lot! So regular un-edged people aren't screwed if they can make the Agility roll (I can here my players now: "Can I sheath and draw Acrobatically for +2?"), and Two-Fisted people should either pick up Quick Draw or resign themselves to spending a round switching weapons now and then.

-- 77IM
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Stuff I made: Arcane Abilities · Talent Edge · Savage Fading Suns · Savage Wuxia!