VibroAxe Melee Weapon Overpowered?

[Seraph1m 0]

Hi guys,

 

Was hoping someone could help me out. Is there an errata for the vibroaxe out there that I'm missing? Currently, my Wookiee player is one hit killing everything I throw at him. The core rulebook states this weapon has critical 2 with the Vicious 3. This means he can pretty much one hit kill anyone (+30 damage) provided he gets 2 advantage, correct?

 

He typically uses a maneuver and strain to instantly move from medium range to engaged. He then makes his melee attack with two difficulty die. Am I understanding how this works properly? This weapon seems extremely overpowered compared to the other weapons and my bounty hunter player is becoming upset as it takes him three rounds to do the same amount of damage with his blaster carbine. He's asking why theoretically anyone would choose to be anything other than melee focused character with a blaster as a backup.

 

I've added in more space battles, social encounters, etc. to let the other players shine, but I can see they are frustrated with the ground combat situation. I even used gladiator match with flying mounts to emphasize ranged combat and piloting skills, but the melee character still opted to simply fly in and hack with his vibroaxe. I've tried using long range weapons, but that only seems to give them an extra round of breathing room before they get one hit KOed. I'm afraid to throw a nemesis (reoccuring character) at the players as the Wookiee character is guaranteed to simply kill him before he can escape. The player even recently decided in the game that it would be fun to attack a departing starship, and theoretically because he rolled 49 damage (+3 weapon, 4 brawl damage plus four advantage (+40)) damage, he did enough to damage the transport (4.9 hull damage before armor)! I hate to punish players for specializing in a certain type of character, but it's becoming rediculous! I'm worried about what will happen when he decides to modify the weapon. I understand a superior quality vibroaxe would allow him to do +30 crit damage on just one advantage! 

 

Is there any way to offset the nature of this weapon aside from nerfing the stats? As it is in the core rulebook, this weapon seems to be on par with the lightsaber in terms of damage, which doesn't seem right to me. Any thoughts is appreciated. 

 

 

[HappyDaze 10,143]

The +30 is on the d% roll for Critical Hits. It does not inflict extra damage because of Vicious. It makes it deadly, but not so much so that it;s broken.

[Droma 9]

HappyDaze is correct. Vicious does not add extra damage. Vicious gives +10% bonuses when rolling on the crit chart.

[Serif Marak 292]

lawl whoops.  Looks like someone missed something.  >.<

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Melee is going to typically end up being (generally) more powerful than blasters.

So, since the Fuzzy-Wuzzy wants to play the Reaper, set up situations where doing so will have some serious negative side-effects.  If the group has some notoriety, Bounty Hunters will know about him.  Have them use nets or poisons or mines or any number of things.  Make him suffer for it.

 

I don't say that to turn him off of the idea permanently, but he needs to be reminded that there are counter-measures against melee.

And, honestly, it sounds like you need such a reminder as well.

 

No offense.

[Crimson Death 129]

 IIRC my first character had +110 to his crit roll so it's still possible to one shot anything.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Crimson Death

[Plan b 174]

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Melee is going to typically end up being (generally) more powerful than blasters.

 

Hateful lies, Melee is considerably worse then ranged and blasters easily out damage even the most geared marauder.

 

Which is why the only people who use it are focused on it.

[Col. Orange 1,664]

 

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Melee is going to typically end up being (generally) more powerful than blasters.

 

Hateful lies, Melee is considerably worse then ranged and blasters easily out damage even the most geared marauder.

 

Which is why the only people who use it are focused on it.

 

Damage to Wound Threshold, maybe.  Our group's Marauder only does a little less than my Gadgeteer (still enough to one-shot most mooks), but he far outstrips everybody else in the group during combat because of the frequency and severity of his criticals (as he's meant to - Hired Gun being the most combat-dedicated career).  It's always him going toe-to-toe with the big bad.

[HappyDaze 10,143]

 

 

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Melee is going to typically end up being (generally) more powerful than blasters.

 

Hateful lies, Melee is considerably worse then ranged and blasters easily out damage even the most geared marauder.

 

Which is why the only people who use it are focused on it.

 

Damage to Wound Threshold, maybe.  Our group's Marauder only does a little less than my Gadgeteer (still enough to one-shot most mooks), but he far outstrips everybody else in the group during combat because of the frequency and severity of his criticals (as he's meant to - Hired Gun being the most combat-dedicated career).  It's always him going toe-to-toe with the big bad.

 

Lethal Blows isn't restricted to melee. Pick it up and use it to land nasty crits at range too. Assassin and Merenary Soldier have access IIRC, but even a Marsuder shoots from time to time.

[Col. Orange 1,664]

Lethal Blows isn't restricted to melee. Pick it up and use it to land nasty crits at range too. Assassin and Merenary Soldier have access IIRC, but even a Marsuder shoots from time to time.

 

I jump to Assassin next Sunday.  Lethal Blows is something I'll invest in, but 2 ranks of it vs. the Marauder's 3 + deliciously Vicious* vibroweapons means I'll not be in the same class.  That isn't a complaint, it's an observation; close combat has an important part to play in combat, both narratively and mechanically.  That Marauders are great at this bit of the game is a huge part of what makes them special.

 

* No, I will not use a Disrupter Rifle; I'm still Bounty Hunter first and foremost, damnit - I bring 'em in alive. 

[DavetheLost 216]

How to deal with Mr. Vibro-Axe... Send him a close combat opponent who is holding down the spoon on a grenade (or thermal detonator) in his off hand. Kill him and BOOM!

A sniper on the rooftop is also effective.

[HappyDaze 10,143]

How to deal with Mr. Vibro-Axe... Send him a close combat opponent who is holding down the spoon on a grenade (or thermal detonator) in his off hand. Kill him and BOOM!

A sniper on the rooftop is also effective.

Justbwaitnuntil he triesntonrun up on a Saboteur from AoR that can use an anti-armor grenade as a close combat weapon with no threat to himself.

[Kshatriya 1,199]

Have someone throw bolas around his feet in a surprise round. Or ambush them from the 2nd/3rd story of a building. I certainly would not allow instant movement up there no matter how the rules suggest.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Kshatriya

[2P51 33,580]

Is there some rule that says minions will all stand shoulder to shoulder in a convenient tight group to be mowed down?  Have them disengage and run, spread them out, use intervening obstacles to slow his movement, overlapping fields of fire, set up in positions where a bayonet charge is a heroic suicide at best.  Deploy multiple small minion teams of 2 to 3 when possible multiple range bands apart.  Minions don't have to fight stupid.

[Kshatriya 1,199]

There's not, but IIRC damage will be applied to the whole group no matter where they are. So do excessive damage to one guy and two of his friends might also keel over.

[2P51 33,580]

There's not, but IIRC damage will be applied to the whole group no matter where they are. So do excessive damage to one guy and two of his friends might also keel over.

No I get the minion rules, but there is nothing that says the minions have to be deployed in '1' group for easy melee disposal. That's why I suggest the fire team approach.   Plus, you don't have to deploy them as a group at all.  You could use them all as individuals, slows things down, a but but I just don't think minions have to parade march into a vibro buzz saw.

[mouthymerc 4,484]

Keep in mind this is a narrative game. Minions only have wounds, no strain. Damage can be described in a variety of ways. Rounds are a minute long. A lot can happen. A character could do enough melee damage to take out three minions, but it could be describe as taking out one so deftly that the other two decide "enough is enough, we're out of here". Or the other two were so horrified with the death of their compatriot they turned into quivering masses of jello. Or got so distracted they walked into the barrage of blaster bolts flying around. As long as it accomplishes the result of he took out three minions, it doesn't matter. And it can be as serious and accurate or as unrealistic and campy as you want it to be as long as you are having fun.

[jerrypocalypse 75]

Keep in mind this is a narrative game. Minions only have wounds, no strain. Damage can be described in a variety of ways. Rounds are a minute long. A lot can happen. A character could do enough melee damage to take out three minions, but it could be describe as taking out one so deftly that the other two decide "enough is enough, we're out of here". Or the other two were so horrified with the death of their compatriot they turned into quivering masses of jello. Or got so distracted they walked into the barrage of blaster bolts flying around. As long as it accomplishes the result of he took out three minions, it doesn't matter. And it can be as serious and accurate or as unrealistic and campy as you want it to be as long as you are having fun.

 

"You shoot and take down the stormtrooper just as he pulled the trigger on his own blaster. The force of the bolt hitting his chest causes him to spasm to the left, delievering a sizzling beam into his squadmate across the hangerbay."

[Seraph1m 0]

Clearly I misread the weapon quality. Thanks everyone for the great tips. I love the bola idea with bounty hunters having done their homework.

[DavetheLost 216]

Even spread out, the embers of a minion group are still treated as single "character" in many ways. Sometimes multiple smaller and weaker minion groups are preferable to one larger and more competent one.

Star Wars does remain a game (and a setting) where an optimized character can do stupid amounts of damage fairly easily. Best that can be said about that is it fits the genre.

[Kshatriya 1,199]

Clearly I misread the weapon quality. Thanks everyone for the great tips. I love the bola idea with bounty hunters having done their homework.

I would just try to avoid making it a trope. 

[MosesofWar 125]

Marauders are designed to deal massive amounts of weapons, especially wookiees with vibro-axes... The key is putting them in situations where massive amounts of damage simply isn't effective. This would be a situation where the aforementioned Bounty Hunter nemesis, with live capture gear, or target systems (aiming for the wookie's weapon, with disarms and sundering) come in as effective balancing tools for a GM. Remember, you can disarm your wookiee friend, and kick his weapon away with enough advantages by an NPC, or even outright destroy it (thanks to Happydaze for suggesting this to combat Knockdown). Strain damage against wookies is particularly effective if the wookiee took 5 brawn at char gen - a bounty hunter with a Stun Blaster Rifle or Bolas can easily drop the wookiee, capture him and run off creating a nice rescue mission setup .

[themensch 3,092]

So my wookie just customized his vibroaxe (well, Teemo did) and it now has crit 1.  Imagine the carnage....

[mouthymerc 4,484]

I don't mind making things difficult once in while, but I wouldn't look to do it regularly. Let him enjoy the character he built. Throw more minions/targets at him so he can have fun decimating them.

[Split Light 672]

I'd give him a taste of his own axe.  Have him fight another beefy character (Trandoshan perhaps) with a vibro-axe.  It's not like only PC's can carry them.  A little Marauder on Marauder action could be fun.

[MosesofWar 125]

A Trandoshan without a vibro-Axe is pretty mean. Base damage of a Vibo-Axe with claws and Disorient/Knockdown properties on his fists, with the same Crit rating as a base Vibro-Axe... Mean... And if you want to make him meaner, give him Cyber Arms...

Edited January 10, 2014 by MosesofWar