So far, all I've done is copied Net's supterfuge proposals across, and deleted all the discussion. What other pages have subterfuge proposals on them? --Jacob
Subterfuge is the path of the dodgy backstabbing bastard. It can be put to righteous ends, but Subterfuge is primarily good for theft, murder, and getting away with same.
On linears, this is a melee combat class. In a stand-up, face-to-face fight, they will lose, hard, to a warrior. They excel in striking the distracted and the careless from behind and running off before they the situation turns into the aforementioned stand-up fight.
"Encounters" are separated by DAC refreshes.
Subterfuge N (15 XP)
This is the class skill. It provides competence at going unnoticed about a city or village, picking locks, stealing things, and selling the results without getting arrested. Higher levels grant greater competence. A righteous Subterfuge character could use these skills to make a property resilient to burglary, or to find criminals that they may be brought to book. It's not terribly good at this, though - these tricks mostly work whether or not your opponent knows them too, thieves being rather an untrusting bunch.
(Agility, Dodge) N (5 XP, requires Subterfuge N)
DAC skills, usable only in 2pt armour or less. What precisely DAC means will hopefully change by the time this tree is in play.
Streetfighter N (5 XP, requires Subterfuge N)
The base, honourless, but fairly effective fighting style of the Subterfuger.
Level 5 and above are pretty tentative; feel free to suggest better ones. Seriously. I don't read IRC reliably.
- SINGLE by dagger or cosh, parry with off-hand dagger or cosh.
- SINGLE by off-hand dagger or cosh.
- SINGLE by on-hand short-(sword, mace).
- SINGLE by off-hand short-(sword, mace).
- HALT 5 by anything up to a short sword or mace, once per encounter.
- STRIKEDOWN by anything up to a short sword or mace, once per encounter.
- HALT 5 by anything up to a short sword or mace, three times per encounter (for a total of 4 HALT 5s).
- STRIKEDOWN 30 by anything up to a short sword or mace, once per encounter.
Backstab N (10 XP, requires Subterfuge 2N)
Backstab is only effective when striking a target in the rear of the torso, while standing behind them, using a dagger with which the character may call at least HALF. The user adjudicates this, do not take the piss. The first Backstab blow against a target causes through damage equal to the user's level in Backstab. Each subsequent Backstab blow against that target that encounter suffers a cumulative penalty of one degree of damage. Weapon buffs never increase the damage call due to backstab, but if they impart some colour (or magic or spirit), that is applied.
- Example 1: Bob the Dodgy has Backstab 4 and Streetfighter 2, and is dual-wielding daggers. Ted the Unobservant is facing away from him, and Bob attacks him. Assuming Ted lives up to his name (and has many hits), Bob will do QUAD THROUGH, TRIPLE THROUGH, DOUBLE THROUGH, SINGLE THROUGH, and may then elect to do HALF THROUGH followed by SINGLE until bored, or just go straight to the SINGLEs.
- Example 2: Bob is thoroughly buffed, and otherwise in the same circumstances. His right-hand dagger is enflamed, causing a damage call, in normal circumstances, of RED DOUBLE. His left-hand dagger has a spiritual effect, and calls SPIRIT SINGLE. If he alternates daggers, he will strike for RED QUAD THROUGH with his right dagger, then SPIRIT TRIPLE THROUGH with his left, then RED DOUBLE THROUGH with his right, then SPIRIT SINGLE THROUGH with his left, then may opt to continue backstabbing for one more blow of RED HALF THROUGH with his right dagger.
Alternative Backstab N (10 XP, requires Subterfuge 2N)
Backstab is only effective when striking a target in the rear of the torso, while standing behind them, using a dagger with which the character may call at least HALF. The user adjudicates this, do not take the piss - some kind of guideline is probably in order, see below. When backstabbing, the user's damage is increased by a number of degrees equal to their level in Backstab, and the damage is all THROUGH. This is the natural damage call, and may be increased by buffs. After making a blow using Backstab, the user may not make another such blow for ten seconds.
- I'd suggest "When backstabbing, the user's damage is increased by a number of degrees equal to their level in Backstab minus one, and the damage is all THROUGH." to allow people to buy one level in Backstab just to facilitate delivering blade venoms. --Valtiel
Alias N (10 XP, requires Subterfuge 2N - 1)
For each purchase of Alias, the character gains an alter ego with their own history and half-way convincing excuse for a life. This alter ego may not be changed. It is very hard to link the alter ego with the character. This alter ego must be the same race and sex as the character. It is permissible to buy this skill some time before defining the actual alias.
- It's been suggested that an alias may be changed given some (ranging from two to six) weeks of downtime, in which the alias can't be used. Does that make it too strong? Is it already too strong? --NT
- I don't think that the ability to change it over makes it notably stronger/more problematic. Although I'd suggest it be *all* aliases you can't use, otherwise someone could have them on a rotation. Whether it's already too strong is another question entirely. --I
Improved Alias N (10 XP, requires Alias 1 and Subterfuge 3N - 1)
- Your aliases need not be the same sex as you.
- Your aliases need not be the same race as you, but must be the same size as you: humans, elves and orcs may disguise themselves as each other, and kender and dwarves may disguise themselves as each other.
- Your aliases may be any humanoid race or sex.
Note that, while it's possible to have an elemental elf alias, or for an elemental elf to have a non-elemental-elf alias, reproducing the magical aura of these creatures is beyond the scope of Subterfuge.
Light armour N (3 XP, requires Subterfuge N)
The character may wear two additional points of armour for each purchase of this skill. This allowance stacks with that provided by the Armour skill in Warrior, and the Scout Armour skill in Wilderness.
Missile Competence N (10 XP, requires Subterfuge 2N)
- May choose any one of SINGLE THROUGH by bow, SINGLE THROUGH by crossbow, or SINGLE by thrown weapon.
- The two abilities not chosen at Missile Competence I.
Knockout (10 XP, requires Streetfighter V)
The character may safely incapacitate an unwary opponent. The user must strike their target on the rear of the head, while standing behind them, using a cosh with which they may do at least HALF. The damage call of the weapon is SILENCE 10 HALT 10. At the end of the halt, call DROP. The victim's head is on zero from Subdual damage. This ability will be interrupted if anything breaks the halt, or if anything which would interrupt casting affects the user. This ability may only be used once per encounter.
Forgery I (10 XP, requires Subterfuge III)
As current Forgery I.
Recognize Forgery (5 XP, requires Subterfuge III)
As current Recognize Forgery.
Forgery II (15 XP, requires Subterfuge VIII and Forgery I)
As current Forgery II.
Use Venom (6 XP, requires Subterfuge III)
You may use both ingestive and blade venoms, except for the dreaded Assassin's Venom, without killing or injuring yourself.
Use Assassin's Venom (6 XP, requires Subterfuge VI and Use Venom)
You may use the dreaded Assassin's Venom without killing or injuring yourself.
Pick pocket (15 XP, requires Subterfuge IV)
You may steal items from other people. To use this ability, inform a ref you intend to, and describe the item you are stealing. You must touch the pocket, pouch or container it is in without the holder noticing and objecting. The ref will then request the item from them and, assuming an item matching your description is in the place touched, secretly pass it to you.
Conceal item N (5XP, requires Subterfuge 2N - 1)
Each purchase of this skill allows you to hide a dagger, or equipment with the volume of a dagger, about your person. It must be hidden from visual inspection. You need not report it to mundane body searches, but supernatural effects which would detect it will find it.
So, when am I standing behind somebody?
It'd be nice to have a hard rule on this, not so much so that people are called up on it as so that people know what "taking the piss" might constitute - see Brawling for an example where the lack of such a rule has caused bad feeling. This suggestion is pretty tentative, and I'm hoping that someone twistier-minded than I will improve it.
There is a 180deg arc around everyone which is "behind" them, bounded by the line joining their feet (which side of this line is "behind" should always be obvious; I can't think of any definition which doesn't get broken by contortionists and/or falling over, but feel that buttocks should be involved). You are standing behind someone if you have one foot on the ground behind them and no feet, hands or other appendages on the ground in front of them.
Another possible suggestion for knockout - SUBDUAL SUFFICIENT when hit on the head from behind when out of combat (with out of combat being suitably defined - maybe having made/taken no combat calls in the previous 30 seconds?) -- Flying_O
Alternative Backstab N (10 XP, bought at level 1, then 2(N-1))
Backstab is only effective when striking a target in the rear of the torso, while standing behind them, using a dagger or cosh with which the character may call at least HALF. The user adjudicates this, do not take the piss - some kind of guideline is probably in order, see below. When backstabbing, the user's damage is increased by a number of degrees equal to their level in Backstab minus one, and the damage is all THROUGH if by dagger or SUBDUE if by cosh. This is the natural damage call, and may be increased by buffs. After making a blow using Backstab, the user may not make another such blow for ten seconds.