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Namer18
post Oct 23 2003, 09:58 PM
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If someone wanted to use gloves as a weapon focus and they paid according to the rules for a level 4 weapon focus would the focus be in one glove or need both gloves in a set to work?

It seems to me it would only be one glove. Then the question I have is if you had two gloves that were weapon focuses would you get bonus dice in unarmed combat from both of them?

What if you had a boot that was a weapon focus and a glove that was a weapon focus could you get both bonuses at once to unarmed combat?

Maybe this question has a straight forward answer, but I couldn't figure it out.

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Zazen
post Oct 23 2003, 10:13 PM
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I don't think there is any official answer to this.

They are expensive enough that allowing them to just stack wouldn't be ridiculous.
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El_Machinae
post Oct 23 2003, 10:54 PM
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As long as you rolled the dice for off-hand combat, then it'd be okay. I'm not 100% sure about stacking foci, and there's a diverse opinion here.
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ialdabaoth
post Oct 23 2003, 11:01 PM
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Why not? Power foci stack, so I'd say weapon foci stack as long as your combat style includes both weapons.
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mfb
post Oct 23 2003, 11:12 PM
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well, yeah, but name a martial art that only uses one fist.
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Namer18
post Oct 24 2003, 12:08 AM
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My feeling was there is no offhand weapon skill for unarmed combat, that's why the ambidexterity edge doesn't help for unarmed combat.

Namer18
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Kagetenshi
post Oct 24 2003, 12:15 AM
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I guess the answer depends on whether or not you want huge amounts of unarmed-combat adepts running around.

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John Campbell
post Oct 24 2003, 12:34 AM
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I don't think there's any effectiveness advantage to having two weapon foci rather than one of twice the Force, so why not?

And I can think of at least one disadvantage... two weaker foci are more likely to get flattened by a ward or the like than a single stronger focus.
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Zazen
post Oct 24 2003, 01:24 AM
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The only advantage I can think of is that you'd be able to circumvent the usual cap of 6 force worth of weapon focus dice at chargen, albeit by expending absurd amounts of your resources for those few extra dice.


Also note that this concept isn't limited to unarmed combat. What if someone with spurs on one hand enchanted each blade as a seperate weapon focus?
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Cain
post Oct 24 2003, 01:25 AM
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OK, you guys are taking the words "weapon focus" way too literally.

IMG, I frequently allow a "paired" weapon focus, that only works when both weapons are in use. A paired set of gloves, for example, could be a force-4 focus when worn together, but nothing when used separately. Similarily, I'd love to see a katana/wakizashi combination that acts as a focus when used together, but are just nice blades separately.

This also allows me to create fun mixes, since not all of the items have to be traditional weapons. Picture an adept of a Norse tradition, who combines a belt, gauntlets, and hammer as a very powerful weapon focus. In his mind, the power would come from donning the regalia of Thor.
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mfb
post Oct 24 2003, 01:35 AM
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hm, cool. i've always considere the pair of hardliner gloves i'm working on getting to be a single focus, but i'd never considered stretching that concept further.
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Sphynx
post Oct 24 2003, 07:39 AM
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I'm with Cain on this one. A pair of Gloves SHOULD be 1 focus. A K&W combo, if built together COULD be one focus, as could the Norse imagery.

However, as is stated, there is no Canon answer for that question, it's up to the GM. So, although I'm with Cain on this one, it's a House Rule.

Sphynx
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Stonecougar
post Oct 24 2003, 10:04 AM
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As one of Cain's players that does indeed have a paired weapon focus, they work great. My character has a pair of knives that he uses for his Nito combat. (For those that are unfamiliar, Nito (Sp?) is a Japanese fighting style that utilizes two wakizashis. Kinda like Escrima on crack...) That force 6 weapon focus, plus a specialization, plus improved ability (knives) plus Ambidexterity 6 = 20 dice per attack... I know, it's broken, but good god it's fun. My little ghoul can cut through citymasters. :D:D:D
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George
post Oct 24 2003, 01:33 PM
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From a fighting mechanics standpoint, I would say that (if you wanted to have multiple foci) you would only get a single one (players choice) per attack. If you have both your gloves as well as both your boots as weapon foci, you are only going to hit with one of them (visions of the troll street sam flying through the air with fists and feet extended in front of him). As has been stated- it isn't in the rules.

I do like the idea of linked foci (the thor persona is nicely done). You could even build off of it to allow the player to find linked items of power that increase their power the more of them they get- ie a sword is force 1 foci; add the gauntlets gives it +1 force; the belt gives it another +1 etc.
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Cain
post Oct 24 2003, 06:00 PM
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As Stonecougar pointed out, the style and coolness factor of a "paired" focus more than outweighs any possible in-game advantage. Really, there's no mechanical difference between his character having a single force-6 focus and a mundane blade in the off hand. However, it looks cool to have the dual-focus, which doesn't actually confer an advantage (and has a weakness in that they don't work if they're separated!).

I have a very liberal attitude on "special effects"; I frequently allow many things that may not be strictly canon but adhere to the existing rules. It's not even a house rule, it's a special effect to make an existing effect look cooler. For example, if someone wanted a character with orichalcum bone lacing and spurs, I'd let him create a normal adept and help his select powers that simulate that. (Increase Body, Mystic Armor, and Killing Hands would do the trick.) He gets a character that "feels" right, and I get easy and readily-understood mechanics. No rules are actually harmed in the making of this character.

Another special effect, a perrenial player favorite-- hallucinogenic gas grenades. I just use the Neurostun rules; the "damage" represents the distraction of all the hairy purple spiders doing the Sugarplum Fairy dance on your eyeballs.

Anyway, since no rules are actually broken in using a paired focus, there's no reason why a GM shouldn't allow it. The only advantage is the coolness factor.
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