Forget the romanticism art of combat and the visceral thuggery of some more primitive men by now some one has had to ask and in the immortal words of Simon Phoenix:
“This is the future. Where are all the phaser guns?”
This week we’re talking about guns, marksmen and some of the advantages of being Lucid.
While corporate security and police may trot out assault rifles and combat shotguns on a regular basis not everyone wants that kind of attention brought to themselves. This weeks’ Gun Bunny falls into that category so we’re to go with a handgun, namely the TKX 10mm Series 3.
The Series 3 is the latest polyresin semi-automatic from TKX a subsidiarity of Thalberg-Koertig International. Weighing 1.5 kilograms with a 13 centimeter barrel the Series 3 holds 8 rounds in the standard clip, the refined action and smooth recoil increase the effective firing range over 30% compared to most heavy pistols. For these reasons the Series 3 has become the preferred handgun for private security and body guards who’s clients want to keep a low profile.
We’re going to give our Gun Bunny two of them. The Firearms skill is found under the Intelligence Tree.
Firearms – Combat
Everyone can point and fire a gun; the skill of firearms covers more than just firing off a few rounds at a range. This skill is a measure of accuracy and the ability to compensate for recoil and movement in a hostile situation.
Like Strong for the Hulking Brute there is also a corresponding Intelligence Trait for Gun Bunnies.
Accuracy – Dark, Grave, Slumber
The ability to shoot a gun is one thing; the ability to put a bullet down your opponent’s barrel is another. Accuracy is the fine art of the gunslinger, bowman and ninja master.
In addition to these two core Characteristics there are two other Characteristics and a Boon that will take this character from being just good with a gun to a true gun bunny. Normally we’d talk about Characteristics first however as the Boon Trigger Happy is the quintessential Gun Bunny Tool:
Trigger Happy – Mundane
The character’s skill with a gun is uncanny.
Using Trigger Happy: For each level of this boon (Minor, Typical, Major) the character can make 1 additional attack with a Firearm or Exotic Weapon in which they have a specialty. The player makes only a single attack roll, dividing the total value evenly. The weapon’s rating is added to the base value before the roll and is divided along with the total.
Variation – Movement: The character may specify an action in the Trigger Happy combo as movement. The character may take up to half their normal Movement for each action in the combo designated as movement. The total attack of the Trigger Happy Combo is still divided as normal.
For our Gun Bunny we’re going to take 2 Versions of the Trigger Happy Boon. The first is a Minor Boon which is two pure attacks. The second is a Typical Boon we’ll call Run and Gun allowing the Gun Bunny to fire twice in an Action while Moving. However, from the Trigger Happy Boon’s description this leads to one major complication. The more you try and do the more difficult it becomes. To compensate for this the Gun Bunny adds a Specialty for their Firearms Skill: Two Gun Style. This Specialty is applied whenever the Character uses two handguns. Also we’re going to add the Kata Trait.
Kata – Mundane
Focusing on key martial arts techniques, the character has been trained to execute quick sequences of attacks and/or defenses in rapid succession. The character may use the Kata trait as a supporting characteristic when using a Combo boon. NOTE: Unlike with the Martial Arts Styles, Kata may only be used when the character is using a Combo boon.
While the Kata Boon may only seem to apply to traditional Martial Artists the Trigger Happy Boon is a firearm inspired version of their Combo and as such allows the Gun Bunny to pick up this key Characteristic. While some people may be turned off at the entry requirements for the Gun Bunny needing multiple Characteristics when put together they are able to double their effective number of actions in a Turn and do so with amazingly deadly weapons. Put another way it takes skill to use two guns at once.
But why stop there? A Lucid is filled with supernatural forces and they are capable of imparting that on their weapons. Lets look at a few Boons that can help intensify the Gun Bunny’s arsenal:
Deadly Accuracy – Mundane
The character is exceptionally skilled at taking aim, requiring less time to effectively target their enemies.Fatal Precision: (Various)- Mundane
Practice leads to perfection, and skill with weapons is no exception. This Boon increases your weapon’s damage based on your skill.Lucky Shot – Supernatural
No one can predict the flow of combat, but sometimes what should be a negligible blow is instead crippling.Critical Strike: (Various) – Supernatural
An expert with their weapons of choice, the character is capable of delivering horrific damage in a single blow.
With only their core Characteristics and the Trigger Happy Boon a Gun Bunny can quickly pick off lesser targets with easy turning a back ally dust up into a shooting gallery. With the addition of just a few Boons the Gun Bunny goes from capable to all around lethal capable of crippling foes on even the worst of attacks and utterly destroying them on the best.
Next Combat Styles takes a darker look at ranged fighting and the powers of the Realm of Shadow and Nightmare.
