Fast-Draw
Fast-Draw
Defaults: None.
This skill lets you quickly draw a weapon from its holster, sheath, or hiding place. A successful roll means you ready the weapon instantly. This does not count as a combat maneuver; you can use the weapon to attack on the same turn. On a failure, you ready your weapon normally but may do nothing else on your turn. A critical failure means you drop the weapon!
You must specialize in one of these weapon types: Force Sword, Knife, Long Arm (rifle, shotgun, submachine gun, etc.), Pistol, Sword (any one-handed blade larger than a knife), or Two-Handed Sword. The GM may add Fast-Draw skills for other weapons (or even tools) that one could reasonably draw quickly.
In addition to the above specialties, there are two Fast-Draw skills that allow you to reload missile weapons quickly:
Fast-Draw (Arrow): Lets you ready a single arrow, bolt, or dart instantly. This reduces the time required to reload a bow, crossbow, or blowgun by one second.
Fast-Draw/TL (Ammo): Reduces the time required to reload any kind of gun or beam weapon. The exact benefits depend on your weapon, but a successful roll always shaves at least one second off the reload time. This skill varies greatly with TL! At TL4, it covers powder-and-shot drills; at TL6+, it includes speed-loading techniques for detachable magazines; and at higher tech levels, it involves quickly replacing energy cells and attaching power cables.
For the Arrow and Ammo specialties, failure means you drop the arrow or bolt, or accidentally discard one round of ammunition. On a critical failure, you drop the entire quiver, powder horn, ammo box, magazine, etc., scattering loose ammunition everywhere!
Modifiers: Combat Reflexes gives +1 to all Fast-Draw specialties; Ham-Fisted gives -3 per level.
Martial Arts
In combat-heavy campaigns – like Martial Arts games – it’s crucial to know exactly what weapons each Fast-Draw specialty covers. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a start:
Force Sword: Any ultra-tech weapon that retracts into its hilt and requires the user to toggle a power switch to ready it. Includes all Force Sword, Force Whip, and Monowire Whip weapons.
Knife: All Knife and Main-Gauche weapons, and any weapon hurled using Thrown Weapon (Dart) or Thrown Weapon (Knife).
Sword: Weapons that call for Broadsword, Jitte/Sai, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, or Smallsword skill – including sticks covered by those skills. The GM may extend this to such sticks as boomerangs and spear throwers, which use
Thrown Weapon (Stick) and Spear Thrower, respectively.
Two-Handed Sword: All Two-Handed Sword weapons, plus any 1- or 2-yard Spear or Polearm weapon carried tipdown in a back sheath, like a naginata.
The GM may allow these new specialties for exotic weapons:
Balisong: Used to open or close a balisong (p. 213) that’s already in hand. Roll against skill to do either. Critical failure causes a point of cutting damage to the hand; critical success gives +1 to Intimidation. Use Fast-Draw (Knife) to draw a balisong. If you use Fast-Draw (Balisong) on the same turn, it’s at -2; see Multiple Fast-Draw (p. 103).
Flexible: Any chain, rope, or thong used as a weapon, including all Kusari and Whip weapons, and slings (use Sling skill). In cinematic campaigns, add nunchaku (use Flail skill) to the list.
Shuriken: Any weapon hurled using Thrown Weapon (Shuriken).
This page has not been finished up!