shields up!

[griff]

There is a quick glimps of an Ewok with a simple wood shield just after R2 frees everyone from the net. It is not very big (about the size of a note book). But an Ewok warrior out and about the galaxy would have a better made shield possibly. And we all have seen the. gungan shields. With this I have included an DEXTERIYY SKILL: SHIELD PARRY. A small shield would have 1/4 cover and a large shield would have 1/2 cover. An Ewok's wood shield would be imperveous to pure electrical attacks and have a 2D strength. A Gungan's shield would be able to deflect blaster fire and would have a battery life of about 20 rounds (about 4 minutes).

Thoughts, corrections, stats converted from another source, would like to hear any and all comments.

On another topic, would a planet hooping Ewok soon take to vibospears and vibroknives quickly, we know that they are up to try new things (speeder bikes, and blasters).
_________________
"EXECUTE ORDER 67. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like order 67..... No, wait. Yes, yes it does. EXECUTE ORDER 68" Palpatine's last moments - robot chicken.

[shootingwomprats]

I think shield use if you choose to go that way would be best utilized with the Melee Parry skill as opposed to an entirely new skill. A shield is used to parry melee weapons after all so it does make sense.
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[griff]

I always used the parry skills as what was used to parry not what is being parried. I.e. melee parry you are using a melee weapon to block an attack. Brawling parry you parry using a brawling move to parry. But using melee parry to use a shield works for me. Maybe even a specialty of melee parry? But I like having many specific skills rather than a lot of specialties.
_________________
"EXECUTE ORDER 67. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like order 67..... No, wait. Yes, yes it does. EXECUTE ORDER 68" Palpatine's last moments - robot chicken.

[garhkal]

How's about make it 2 ways. THey can be passively used, giving 1/4 to 1/2 cover (+1d or +2d soak) OR actively in a block (if the block works, you take no damage, but your shield would)..
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[griff]

That is exactly what I was thinking.
_________________
"EXECUTE ORDER 67. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like order 67..... No, wait. Yes, yes it does. EXECUTE ORDER 68" Palpatine's last moments - robot chicken.

[DougRed4]

Cool idea, griff. Though I would be inclined to include them as a specialty of Melee Parry, personally.

I hadn't really thought much about shields, though we've got some elaborate rules for them in my supers game (where they're a much more common trope of the genre).
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[garhkal]

I'd rather it be a base skill under dex, than a spec of melee parry, as it would be cheaper to raise it.
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[shootingwomprats]

My feeling is to include it under melee parry and if someone wants to specialize they can, but just like with any other melee parry its covered by the base skill. No need for an additional skill. As for a shield all it needs is the cover it provides and its protection is D and your done.

Small (1/4): +1D cover
Medium (1/2): +2D cover
Large (3/4): +4D Cover

Wood reinforced: 2D
Metal: 3D
Alloy: 4D
Unique: 6D
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[TyCaine]

Han Solo and the Corporate Sector sourcebook has a Riot shield detailed in the Equipment section, and it's shown as using Melee Parry as it's skill. P116
Rather than provide 'cover' they state that you roll against Melee Parry, and if successful you've blocked the attack. It mentions it has a Strength of 4D as well.


There's also the Shield Gauntlet used by the Kilian Rangers, mentioned in the Rebellion Era Sourcebook (page 49), converted in the Equipment Stat Book, again it mentions Melee Parry and making a roll to block the attack.


So there's a couple of existing RAW examples that state for the skill, though for the rules of use they feel a little like they were thrown in as an afterthought.


[EDIT]
Also, there's a conversion from the D20 rules/SAGA in the Equipment Stat Book with the following stats for a 'primitive' shield:

Primitive Shield
Type: Wood or hide shield
Scale: Character
Skill: Melee parry: shield
Cost: 50
Availability: 2
Game Notes: Blocks brawling, melee or ranged attacks on
a successful melee parry roll. The shield has a Strength of
3D.
Source: Ultimate Adversaries (page 155)


So you don't necessarily have to re-invent the wheel (or shield) unless you don't like the rules already determined...



T.C.
_________________
"For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble."

[shootingwomprats]

That is what I was thinking but I think that the cover modifier rules work better for the item and this also takes into account how much cover it provides, how much damage it can take and how much would get through.

I think a shield could realistically (sorry I can't help but laugh when I use that line when talking about a pulpy game like SWD6) a shield would block a typical brawling attack. I do not think it would automatically stop a melee attack and thus should roll vs the Protection of the item, also taking into account its cover modifier.

Now for ranged attacks. I think I would have to go along with the same thing as melee if was anything beyond an arrow being blocked and MAYBE a spear. Blocking guns, crossbows, and blasters? No, I do not see that at all. UNLESSS, the item is made of a super durable alloy, magnetized or some such. Again this can me mechanized using the Protection rules.

So there you have it, my take on it. Shields use Melee Parry, they provide a cover modifier, have Strength and provide Protection.
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[TyCaine]

How about splitting the rules?

Versus ranged attacks it provides a cover modifier, no skill roll required because, when it comes down to it, it's there attached to your arm and partially obscuring the body.

In Melee (where someone can maneuver around the shield and so takes skill to keep it between you and the attacker) you use Melee Parry skill to see if you can block/parry the attack.

In either case if you parry the attack, or the shot hits the shield, you have to roll versus the strength of the shield to determine whether the shield is damaged by the assault.

Thoughts?


T.C.
_________________
"For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble."

[garhkal]

That i can agree with. Though would it have a flat 'body' rating or like armor, have a separate phys/energy rating?
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[TyCaine]

Well, versus ranged attacks it's not an actual armor rating, it's a cover modifier (which I take from SWR's post above):

Cover Modifier
Small (1/4 cover): +1D cover
Medium (1/2 cover): +2D cover
Large (3/4 cover): +4D Cover


Versus melee attacks it's a parry roll to block the attack, not an actual armor rating either.


In both cases the Strength of the shield is used to absorb the attack:

Strength vs physical / energy damage from attack
Primitive: 3D / 2D
Tech: 4D / 3D
High-Tech: 5D / 5D
Advanced: 5D / 6D


So with this set of rules the armor rating of vs phys/vs energy doesn't apply as far as I can see? In essence we're using the shield as cover or a parry weapon, as opposed to actual armor.

Thoughts?

[EDIT] Actually, maybe I CAN see where it would have separate ratings, primitive shields would be less able to stand up to energy attacks, so perhaps splitting the 'body' or 'strength' between vs phys and vs energy makes sense in which case I adapted the strengths above.


T.C.
_________________
"For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble."

[griff]

Even with the cover modifier is an increase in the difficulty of hitting the character, the cover needs a Strength code. The +1D is added to the difficulty to hit the character, but if the attacker was successful at hitting the unmodified difficulty number the attacker hit the cover. The object then rolls its strength against damage. Depending on the level of damage received by the cover there is damage to the character. If the attackers rolls successfully against the modified difficulty number than the cover was bypassed and the character receives full damage. Page 63 combat modifiers, our Vader book.
_________________
"EXECUTE ORDER 67. Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like order 67..... No, wait. Yes, yes it does. EXECUTE ORDER 68" Palpatine's last moments - robot chicken.

[Tupteq]

I really like the idea of cover modifier. IMO it could apply to both melee and ranged combat. I like reusing already existing rules instead of creating a bunch of new ones. I expanded this idea below also trying to reuse already existing rules (encumbrance).

How about this:

Shields provide a passive defense bonus equal to their cover rating.
Active shield use is an opposed roll versus attack roll, modified by cover modifier and encumbrance.
Optionally, for each 5 points of success, STR value of attacker may be reduced by -1D - defender causes weapon to slip off the shield instead of absorbing all energy of attack (this is not an option in case of passive defense). Please note this reduction doesn't apply to pure energy weapons like lightsabers (they aren't STR based), moreover, very heavy weapons (STR+3D or so) will cause substantial damage even if attacker's STR will be reduced to 0, so buckler will be not effective against them.
Shields have also an encombrance modifier (like heavy armor), so using them makes any physical action harder. For parrying this penalty is effectively compensated by cover modifier. Also, veteran warriors may overpass some encumbrance (1D or even 2D, but not 3D) by special training.

Shield types: