GURPS is the only system I've seen that allows you to strangle a dinosaur with an underwire brassiere. -- Cherrio01
Default: DX-4
Garrote (DX/Easy) is the skill to strangle a victim with a rope or a wire.[1][2] Garrotes cannot be used to parry.[1] A garrote (the item) is typically around $2 and negligible weight, or $10 for a wire saw / wire garrote.
Use[]
You can only use a garrote on an unaware victim, and from behind--typically, this requires some level of stealth. An attack with the garrote is against the neck (-5), but is almost always done as an All-Out Attack (+4), so just assume a flat -1.[2]
Streamlined Rules[]
Roll to hit with your garrote--mooks don't get a save, but big bads do. You do (ST+8)-(Target's ST) damage--flexible DR applies normally, but rigid DR prevents the garrote from working at all! Wounding is x1.5 (or x2) every turn. A major wound means the target is dead or may as well be. Only use the rules for suffocation if the creature has significantly high DR and could survive several rounds.
Regular Rules[]
The victim may attempt to parry with their hand or a ready C range weapon, but does so at -3. Unless they have Combat Reflexes, they are likely mentally stunned, for an additional -4 to their defense roll. On a successful parry, they manage to put their hand between their neck and the garrote. This prevents the garrote from working... but can damage their hand, if you're using a wire garrote!
On the turn of the attack, and every subsequent turn, the attacker may choke the victim, getting a +3 to ST on the ensuing Quick Contest. The damage is crushing (x1.5 to the neck!), or cutting (x2 to the neck!) for a wire garrote. In addition, the victim starts to suffocate.
To break free, the victim must win a Quick Contest of ST-5, Judo-3, or Wrestling-3 against the attacker's Garrote skill. An improvised garrote (a random piece of usable rope) gives -2 to skill. A wire garrote must be equipped with handles--a simple wire will damage your hands at thrust/cutting to each!
Improvised Garrotes[]
| Weapon | Damage Modifier | Skill Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Rope | +0 | -2 |
| Vines[3] | +0 | -2? |
| Belt[4][5] | -1 | -1 |
| Bootlaces[5] | -1 | -2 |
| Brassiere | -1 | -2 |
| Entire Braided Spool of Floss | -2* | -3 |
| Scarf[5] | +0 | -1 |
| Wire Saw / "Commando" Saw[6] | +0* | +0 |
| Chain/Rope Weapon[7] | +0 | +0 |
* Counts as Wire!
Cinematic archers will sometimes use their bowstrings (while still on the bow) as garrotes![8] While this doesn't work at all due to the cord not wrapping around the neck, the opponent is often a good sport and will decide to go unconscious anyway.[9]
Holdout and Hiding Garrotes[]
Garrotes are at worst, +1 to Holdout,[10] being at most the size of a cigarette lighter. Higher-tech ones might even be smaller, using synthetic fibers and nonmetallic handles.
If disguised as another innocuous object (twine bundle, tailor's tape, earbuds, fishing line, phone charging cable)[11], Holdout may not even be necessary. Any sneaky character trained in Garrote should also learn Holdout to get their weapon past security.
Enemy NPCs using Garrotes[]
Garrotes are terribly unfair weapons against PCs. They're sneaky and one-sided, and don't offer the defender many combat options other than "struggle to escape". Because of this, it's probably best to not even use garrotes against PCs unless they've got a trick or two up their sleeve--for instance, a Rubber Man will be able to turn 180 degrees and give the assailant a smack!
Defenses[]
- Rigid DR works regularly (and, logic being retained, simply blocks garrote damage entirely)
- The anti-garrote collar[12] gives +4 DR vs strangling and garroting. Very useful against garrotes... and Throttlers!
- Garrotes are useless if you cannot reach the target's neck--for instance, it's immensely difficult to garrote a character who's mounted on horseback
Wildcard Skills[]
Garrote is covered by the Assassin!, Whip!, and Wetwork! wildcard skills, respectively.[13][14][15]
Garrotes in the Multiverse[]
- Sora, street-fighter, parkourist and assassin, is familiar with the garrote as a weapon
- In the Late Belle Époque (1900-1914), Paris' gangs used a technique called the coup de père François (blow of Father Francis), wherein an attacker would garrote a victim back-to-back as an accomplice picked the victim's pockets. Considering the complexity of this maneuver compared to simply stabbing the victim, it's likely this maneuver was used more specifically for looting than assassinations.
- Bionics can allow one to conceal a garrote in their fingertip.[16]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Basic Set, p.197
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Basic Set, p.405
- ↑ Action 5: Dictionary of Danger, p.8
- ↑ Martial Arts, "Improvised Weapons", p.224
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Low-Tech, p.63
- ↑ High Tech, p.25
- ↑ Fanon assumption. Rope-Darts, bolas, kusaris and such could all work as garrotes.
- ↑ Power-Ups 7: Wildcards, p.19
- ↑ Fanon
- ↑ Fanon assumption
- ↑ various things Agent 47 might use in a pinch
- ↑ Dungeon Fantasy Adventurers, p.112 (the DFRPG edition)
- ↑ Power-Ups 7: Wildcards, p.27
- ↑ Power-Ups 7: Wildcards, p.37
- ↑ Pyramid 3/107: Monster Hunters III, p.12
- ↑ Pyramid 3/51: Tech and Toys III, p.18