tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post958430603228436749..comments2024-03-29T00:46:13.625-07:00Comments on B/X BLACKRAZOR: No GladiatorsJBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-3874679880194242792010-09-08T23:30:11.423-07:002010-09-08T23:30:11.423-07:00Thanks for the link. I have both of Nadi's boo...Thanks for the link. I have both of Nadi's books, as well as a biography of his, so I've read his account of his duel in the past.<br /><br />The article on "facing cold steel" IS interesting...though strangely, the idea of facing someone with blade in hand makes me excited not fearful (strange because I have a gross fear of firearms and don't even like to handle them). I have always found the mensur schools fascinating, but I'm not sure my temperament is suitably stoic to let someone mark up my face.<br /><br />Ah, well...interesting reading for sure.<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-60197577263022818902010-09-02T12:09:11.710-07:002010-09-02T12:09:11.710-07:00The person I was learning from's primary style...The person I was learning from's primary style was rapier & cane; which was a heck of a guard to get through!<br /><br />Maybe just allow the Duelist a buckler? ie: a shield whose bonus can only apply to one opponent?<br /><br />On the Nadi note, I came across this cool thread last night, with some interesting recordings of 20th century duels, and a couple of awesome links. Thought you might be interested too.<br />http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?p=34182662<br />http://www.koryu.com/library/camberger1.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-18722830694393105362010-09-02T11:32:39.009-07:002010-09-02T11:32:39.009-07:00@ Shim: I never had the time, money, nor craftsman...@ Shim: I never had the time, money, nor craftsman ability to invest in the SCA...just sport fencing for me. If my 36 year old knees weren't shot to hell, I'd probably still be doing it. As it is, I've been talking with a co-worker about starting a work-based salle. It's hard to get it out of the blood!<br />: )<br /><br />Those rapier and buckler guys in the SCA are hardcore...watching them spar ALMOST sucked me in. However, in my B/X Duelist class (not posted to the blog), I've dis-allowed the shield. Hmm...I should probably reconsider....JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-90584979308393009322010-09-02T10:50:36.634-07:002010-09-02T10:50:36.634-07:00Sweet. I did sport fencing from ~'88-'92,...Sweet. I did sport fencing from ~'88-'92, Foil, first French grip then Belgian. I later tried out SCA fencing, which was pretty darn cool (got to try out different historical weapon combinations, like rapier & dagger, and rapier & buckler), but the closest group was just too long a drive for me to keep it up. I then did LARP stuff from '95-2000, which wasn't as hardcore a discipline, but there were a good number of guys who were really into the fighting, and we had off-event weeknight sparring and such.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-33571113064720820322010-09-02T06:18:19.030-07:002010-09-02T06:18:19.030-07:00@ Shimrod: thanks. I should mention one of these d...@ Shimrod: thanks. I should mention one of these days that my other MAIN hobby is/was fencing...especially anachronistic-style (i.e. I am "old school" about my fencing technique as well). Hell, I even had an electric foil with an Italian grip (complete with wrist strap). My instructor (who used an anatomical grip himself) always gave me hell about that...especially considering I was fencing out of a French salle! But if it was good enough for Aldo Nadi...<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-48208269150356345272010-09-02T01:21:20.918-07:002010-09-02T01:21:20.918-07:00You are officially awesome for giving this a Nadi ...You are officially awesome for giving this a Nadi tag. One of my old (in both senses of the word, and this was back in ~'92) fencing instructors was either a student of Nadi's or of one of Nadi's students. I heard a couple of seriously badass stories. One of the fencing magazines also published his account of the duel with Contronei back then, before his autobiography was finally published.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-30132389158764896822010-08-25T01:12:08.022-07:002010-08-25T01:12:08.022-07:00In Dark Sun the gladiator and fighters were differ...In Dark Sun the gladiator and fighters were different both in combat style, and in the boons they got at high levels, namely fighters became experts at mass warfare.Antoniohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17258180992723371727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-68785737148671859492010-08-24T20:34:37.430-07:002010-08-24T20:34:37.430-07:00I like having some differentiation within the figh...I like having some differentiation within the fighter class or it simply becomes pure vanilla. The important thing to remember really is that there is no free lunch. Player wants a bonus because they trained extensively in light armor? Fine, they can't use heavy armor, or operate in it within a penalty. Want a wrestler? Cool, character suffers hit penalties when using weapons for lack of as complete training with them. So on and so forth. It's hardly something that needs an entire class gutted and re-written though.Greyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08598333373614218168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-61749111916889591972010-08-24T19:05:05.919-07:002010-08-24T19:05:05.919-07:00I waffle on this. Sometimes I like the basic thre...I waffle on this. Sometimes I like the basic three (or four) classes with assorted fancy dress to represent character concept, sometimes I like having esoteric subclasses with ridiculous ability score requirements.<br /><br />I agree that B/X seems less amenable to this kind of spitwadding and kitbashing than OD&D, which virtually demands it. I just can't bring myself to houserule B/X significantly. Those two books aren't what I'd use for every campaign, but when I do use them, they seem perfect as is.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00155926145150934199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-51890433876651120992010-08-24T13:47:10.251-07:002010-08-24T13:47:10.251-07:00Say, mister, you wanna see some gladiator art? Nud...Say, mister, you wanna see some gladiator art? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-89682933648083096922010-08-24T13:35:05.620-07:002010-08-24T13:35:05.620-07:00@JB -- Are you saying you don't want to go sh...@JB -- Are you saying you don't want to go shopping for gladiator artwork? Spend hours staring at line art which clearly represents the repression of the artist?GragSmashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13941571149100716787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-70987318152780092962010-08-24T12:40:33.957-07:002010-08-24T12:40:33.957-07:00Absolutely nothing wrong with a wizard-gladiator o...Absolutely nothing wrong with a wizard-gladiator or thief-gladiator. Some deities might allow, or even encourage their clerics to take part. <br /><br />I think many "gladiator" builds will forbid the use of heavy armor, in exchange for access to some exotic weapon like net and trident.GragSmashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13941571149100716787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-45743755708528435222010-08-24T12:36:35.120-07:002010-08-24T12:36:35.120-07:00@ Jay: "Commissioning new art." Oh, God....@ Jay: "Commissioning new art." Oh, God...my eyes, my eyes! They're melting out of my skull.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-16144209904164735722010-08-24T12:24:44.759-07:002010-08-24T12:24:44.759-07:00I think Matt's on to something with the guidel...I think Matt's on to something with the guidelines. Plus it's an excuse to commission cool new gladiator art!Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997164906328234122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-26401382452093358812010-08-24T12:15:29.305-07:002010-08-24T12:15:29.305-07:00@ GragSmash: I know what you're talking about ...@ GragSmash: I know what you're talking about with the "feedback loop" and think it's a cool rule...for ANYONE fighting "as a gladiator" in the arena. I will probably include some arena-specific rules, but it won'tjust apply to a single class of character.<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-13602333263159113702010-08-24T11:55:34.597-07:002010-08-24T11:55:34.597-07:00Something I did find myself wanting, the other day...Something I did find myself wanting, the other day, is good rules for running a chariot race. I may re-read my old copy of GURPS Rome to see if it has some ideas. <br /><br />This would be something gladiator specific that could be good content. <br /><br />Another trope common in gladiator fighting rules is "crowd bonuses" where the character enters a feedback loop, doing cool stuff to get the crowd on his side, which in turn cheers him and bestows some bonuses (or throws things to distract his opponent)GragSmashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13941571149100716787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-90469257282686682222010-08-24T11:52:03.478-07:002010-08-24T11:52:03.478-07:00The only one of the above versions that works for ...The only one of the above versions that works for me is that <i>Compleat</i> one and that only works because there is a skill system to distinguish the Gladiator from the Warrior. In B/X, they both really have to be Fighters.Matthew Slepinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04056247825064943944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-91084339015470394412010-08-24T11:01:15.998-07:002010-08-24T11:01:15.998-07:00agree. People are too quick to make everything a ...agree. People are too quick to make everything a new(usually unnecessary) class, rather than just stretching or reexamining the definitions of the existing ones. I'd much rather allow a player to define his character with a unique ability and trade-off every once in a while.The Iron Goathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15839364742884404019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-70553735875668998132010-08-24T10:43:15.606-07:002010-08-24T10:43:15.606-07:00I agree - you just don't need a class for ever...I agree - you just don't need a class for everything. However, you could translate your love of gladiators into guidelines on modeling a fighter after the gladiators of Rome.John Matthew Staterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310914386482078369noreply@blogger.com