I swear I saw a threshold test for throwing a grenade that lands at your feet somewhere. But I can't find it. IIRC, it's just Reaction (2) to pick up a grenade that someone throws at you, and throw it back. Am I imagining things?

Per Arsenal p. 163, it's a single Complex Action that requires a successful Agility+Reaction (3) Test.

Thanks. Low search-fu here.

Of course, methinks there should be a willpower+charisma check to see if you have the composure to even try,

Best thread title ever.

For mages I would suggest the spell 'Fling' or 'Levitate' where they essentially only need 1 success to send it in the general direction of the attacker.

The difference would be the speed of the 'attack' as levitate would be limited to FxNet Hits per combat turn while Fling would be more of a normal throwing test with F X 1,5 as the strength value and the grenade would also use the grenade range table.

Worst case with levitate is that you might still be within the blast radius with only one success.

Doesn't a grenade go off at the end of the turn?
Wouldn't magic be pointless then? I thought casting a spell is a complex action that takes effect in the next turn?

Spellcasting is a complex action that takes effect in the pass it is initiated in.

You can only throw a grenade back if it hasn't gone off yet (this is why most people use impact detonation or air burst grenades).

Ok, now I know why everyone thinks magic is overpowered.

Because it's AoE is way, way better.

And every mage who tries to out-do a grenade is going to knock himself on his ass doing so.

(Elemental effect spells have high drain costs, on the order of F/2 + 5, and doing "as much damage as a grenade" is going to be about F6)

But a stunball is only F/2+1, does as much damage, only it doesn't kill, but instead knocks out (which is as good as dead but makes people less pissed off at you). Oh, also has the side benefit of not being affected by armor, and not having its power reduced the further you get from the point of impact, plus a potential higher damage (since grenade damage doesn't go up with successes). If you really want people dead, Manaball does that, with only a F/2+2.


Elemental Manipulations are majorly overpriced. Elemental side benefits are nice, but not worth knocking yourself out.

The spellcasting has been addressed, but the Grenade goes off on your initiative count in the next pass. Timing Grenades SR4A 155.

That's why you only try to beat the effects a couple meters out. Still, either one is a bunch of trouble more often then not.

Could I use my hacky sack skill to kick it back? ;)

Only if you roll it up onto your toe, then flip it straight up, spin around backflip kick it back at them..

In a session last week I returned a grenade by shooting it because it was too far away for me to grab.

Reitterating lost point.

Please take your on topic point and get it out of this topic

There's a cybernetic replacement for that check.

Testicles or Ovaries of Steel.

I seem to recall a story about a baseball player using his pitching skill to great effect during WW2. Both to throw grenades and return those thrown at his squad.

Btw, nothing like fastballing a live "pineapple" at someones forehead

From what I heard, a cricket pitch is a better throw, but, yeah, I heard of a number of various types of ball players that were given more grenades than everyone else on the idea that "They'll know what to do with them better.", to varying degrees of success.

"But I'm was a kicker on the football team!"

Seems like a pineapple would lend itself more to a nice, tight spiral than a baseball pitch.

That sounds like it would hurt...and be entirely superfluous. I suppose if you wanted to break anyones toes who tried to kick you in the crotch....but anyone who's trying a crotch kick isn't going to beat a professional level street fighting in a melee fight anyways.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Mills_bomb

Tho now i notice that it was a British design, go figure...

Anyways, it was mostly about the mental image of first hitting someone in the forehead with a grenade. And then have the grenade basically land between his legs thanks to the sudden loss of momentum.

Here's the US "Pineapple".

That's what i get for looking up grenade and scrolling down until i found something familiar

*Blinks* Is it weird that it's the Canuck is the one doing the firearms and explosives research?

Hell, for a Norwegian that was given a pass on conscription i have a interest in military hardware that gives me cognitive whiplash from time to time.