OOC-Chapter 7-The Morning After-General Discussion

[Mr. Handy]

Impales are good, and are synonymous with piercing. When you impale, your damage rolls are doubled, so instead of 1d10+1+1d4, you would do 2d10+2+2d4 damage. The only problem is that your weapon gets stuck in the target, and it will take at least one more round (and a successful skill roll with the weapon) to pull it out.

[Garrett]

and I have to roll 15 or less to impale, 20% of my chance of success, right?

[Mr. Handy]

Correct.

[Garrett]

also are we going to be logical and say that I can't use my Katana's blade for more then a couple decapitations without it breaking?

[Mr. Handy]

No, you can keep reusing it. It's only in danger of breaking on a critical failure, and even then it won't always happen.

I've always thought katanas were much better made than that, anyway. In World War Two, Japanese officers carried and used them. It wasn't uncommon for them to behead multiple people in succession (often these were civilians being murdered rather than enemy troops in actual combat, where katanas were used but multiple decapitations would be rare).

EDIT: The other way your katana can break is if you keep using it to parry successfully.

[Garrett]

I'm pretty sure Japanese officers used cavalry sabers for executions, Katanas have very thin metal that wouldn't cut bone very well. Katanas are designed to get between ribs and get someones internal organs. But your call, and I'm sure as hell not complaining about being able to use it without fear of breaking.

[ImpInTraining]

If I were a Japanese Officer, I'd use my chainsaw to cut through bone.

[Garrett]

sorry one more question, do we gain sanity from killing monsters like in the cthulu book?

[SSior.27]

I'm pretty sure Japanese officers used cavalry sabers for executions, Katanas have very thin metal that wouldn't cut bone very well. Katanas are designed to get between ribs and get someones internal organs. But your call, and I'm sure as hell not complaining about being able to use it without fear of breaking.

If memory serves, which I admit it might not, the full-sized katana was used for slicing along the length of the blade as opposed to stabbing (such as with a rapier). This is shown with the curve of the blade and how it's hung on the hip, in a manner which allows the user to draw the weapon and slice outward with one fluid motion. The companion weapon, the shoto, was more suitable for stabbing due to its shorter blade.

However, what I do know for certain is a katana was more than capable of cutting through living bone. How they were forged made them excel at it. Light weight, sharp as a devil, and deadly. Perhaps not so much now with imitations and props.

[Garrett]

Yeah I know a katana could cut through bone, what I'm saying is that because they're made of such thin metal the blade would probably break if you did it more then a few times.

[SSior.27]

It's quite capable of breaking even another sword without being damaged (save the possible nick). The way it's forged makes it stronger than most other blades of that era. Don't count it out just yet

[Mr. Handy]

Yes, katanas are made of tempered steel. Impurities are filtered out, and the metal is folded over itself hundreds of times. It's a long, painstaking process. I've heard that when swordsmiths are done forging a katana, they hold it with the blade upwards and drop a silk handkerchief onto it, letting the blade cut it in half. If the edges of the halves are at all frayed, they scrap the katana and start again. Imitation katanas may be more lax, but Ryuu has the real deal. Katanas are used more frequently for slashing attacks, but it is possible to thrust with one by gripping the hilt with both hands and lunging forward.

You still have to fear the katana breaking, just not as much. It can break on a bad enough critical failure, or if you use it to parry and it takes too much damage. Katanas are tough, but they're not unbreakable. Decapitating zombies (or live humans for that matter) will not damage the blade, however.

You don't get Sanity rewards anywhere near right away. Those rewards come at the end of a chapter, and chapters tend to last about a year on average. This one's more than a year old, but it's been moving more slowly and will most likely last into next year. Even then, I usually only give out Sanity rewards when you reach a "safe" haven, and it's typically 1d10, which includes the Sanity reward for killing or otherwise defeating zombies (by evading them to reach said "safe" haven). If you defeat something worse than zombies, I might increase that.

[Laraqua]

In other words, you're going to go insane.

Do not pass Go.

Do not collect $100.

[Garrett]

I don't know Ryuu has a pretty good head on his shoulders, I shelled out for 16 power.

By the way were talking the Cheyenne in Wyoming right? If so Ryuu might have to get off at the next stop, I think we're driving in the opposite direction of Chicago. From Nebraska he's only got a five day walk, from Cheyenne its almost a month. Assuming I have both those destinations right I'm probably getting off as soon as I see a car I can take.


By the way I'm sorry to ask so many questions but my rule book got stolen a couple weeks ago. I just read over how combat with zombies works, can I aim for the head with a melee weapon if I sneak up on the target? Also how much damage do I have to roll to kill a zombie after successfully hitting the head, your rules said ten but I assumed that was for blunt objects and such? Last question, how fast do zombies, slow and fast move. A person can move their DEX in feet every round right?

[Mr. Handy]

I've been sick the last couple of days, so I haven't been able to update yet. I'm hoping I'll be able to before too long.

It was a good question about Sanity gain, and I had asked Welsh about it six years ago. This was what he had suggested that I do. Feel free to ask any questions you like. I'm sorry your rulebook was stolen, and I hope you can get it back or get a replacement.

Yes, Cheyenne is in Wyoming, and you're heading west. Of course, you may wish to continue traveling with the bus. After all, they have an EMP device and are heading for somewhere (relatively) safe. Chicago might also be very dangerous, and there may not be anyone left alive there.

You can aim for a zombie's head with a melee weapon whether or not you sneak up on it. It's a -5 penalty. It takes 10 damage to the head to kill a zombie, no matter what weapon you're using (as long as it inflicts physical damage; a garotte would do no good, as zombies don't need to breathe). You can move your DEX in feet each round, but that's a house rule, I think. I don't recall seeing it in the rulebook (which has all humans moving 8 undefined "units"). The zombies in this game are not the same as the zombies in the rulebook. Slow zombies tend to move only 7 or 8 feet per round, but they are tireless and relentless. People have to stop sometime, but zombies don't. Ryuu hasn't seen a fast zombie yet, so he doesn't know this, but they move 20 feet per round.

[Garrett]

Ryuu is aware that he would be much safer staying with this group but his dads the head of a Yakuza organization and lives in a mansion that's practically a fortress, so there's a pretty good chance his family is still alive. Ryuu hasn't even considered they might already be dead, in his mind his family(by which I mean they entire Yakuza) is pretty much invincible. But any car the EMP passes would be fried beyond repair right? If so Ryuu might as well got off now and start walking.

[Laraqua]

Fortress of Yakuza being safe? hehe, depends on the vector for zombification. If it's in the water supply....

[Garrett]

Wait, infection through the water just meant that once you died you would turn, it doesn't immediately turn you does it? If so how are any of us alive?

[Garrett]

Wait, infection through the water just meant that once you died you would turn, it doesn't immediately turn you does it? If so how are any of us alive?

[ImpInTraining]

The infection doesn't actually 'activate' until time of passing. It lies dormant as long as we live.


BTW - there is a large hurricane that seems to have it's eye on me ...

there,see what I did?

so if you don't hear from me after sunday for a few days, don't be surprised. Feel free to NPC me as necessary.