A few situations, let me know your thoughts.

1A - I'm wielding a heavy blaster rifle, can I use it as a Truncheon/Gun Club to make a Melee attack?

1B- How about making an attack with the rifle and following through with a gun-club attack during the same action?

2 - I'm using a long force pike (2 meter model), can I make a Two-Weapon Fighting to attack with both ends?

1A-Sort of GM's call but probably would be considered an improvised weapon.

1B-One Action per round without some kind of Field Commander intervention.

2-No.

1A - maybe, but I'd say it's an improvised weapon

1B - no, each attack is an Action in and of itself and you only get max 1 Action per turn

2 - Hm. My first impression is to say no, but...if you follow the TWF rules (increasing difficulty, etc) then I don't see exactly why not.

1A) yeah, improvised Melee weapon.

1B) why not? Just use the Two Weapon Fighting rules, pick your worst characteristic and skill plus the hardest difficulty to hit and don't forget to add an automatic Threat because of the improvised Melee weapon. If you can pull it off, it would be very cool.

2) I think the Two Weapon Fighting rules would work for this.

Really though you should submit these as rules questions. Then tell us how they respond!

wrt 1B and 2, technically they aren't 2 weapons, nor is a heavy blaster rifle or force pike a Ranged (Light) weapon or a one-handed melee weapon. This is spelled out on page 210.

So 2 is out for sure per RAW, though it would be cool if they had rules to allow for it (maybe you lose the Defensive quality for a round).

However, if somebody wanted to try 1B, why not? I think it's possible, but it's ugly, and rightly so. Let's say you have:

Brawn 2, Melee 1, Agility 3, RH 2

For your dice pool you take the worst skill and characteristic, in this case Melee and Brawn, so YG.

Your minimum base difficulty is 3 purples because you have to be engaged with a target to make a melee attack, so even if the person you're shooting at is at Short range, your base pool is PPP (engaged vs ranged heavy = +2 difficulty). But you're using two different skills, so your difficulty is increased twice, to PPPPP. However, the melee attack is with an improvised weapon, I'd say a heavy blaster rifle counts as a "large" weapon, so it's Cumbersome 4. This technically means 2 more purples because you only have Brawn 2, but then it's an "impossible" task (see p18 CRB), which means the player needs to flip a DP just to try...or (as a GM I'd prefer) two difficulty dice could be upgraded, or 2 setback added. So the difficulty pool could be:

PPPPP + DP flip by player; or RRPPP; or PPPPPSS.

^Edited

The final pool is YG vs whatever massive difficulty, with an automatic +1 Threat, and if somebody really wanted to tempt fate like that I'd flip a DP too. Go ahead, make the GM's day...

1B) Page 210: "When attacking with two weapons, the character must be wielding two weapons that can each be reasonably held and wielded in one hand."

However, the strength of this RPG system is that the rules are flexible and you're bound to get as many answers as there are GMs. Indeed, a GM can always invoke Rule Zero and allow it because it sounds cool.

But... One issue you're going to have, even if your GM allows this, is to hit with a melee weapon you will have to be Engaged with the target. Firing a rifle at engaged range is possible but it increases the difficulty by two so you're starting off with a base difficulty of three purple dice. Then, since you're using two skills (Ranged Heavy and Melee) you would increase the difficulty again by two. That's five purple dice and your GM is more than justified in throwing in some Setback dice if your rifle is especially cumbersome. Heck, I'd flip a Destiny Point just for the chance of breaking the weapon on a Despair (or two Threat).

You have to declare which of the two attacks is the primary one (firing the rifle or clubbing them with it) and then you assemble your dice pool by taking the lowest of your Brawn vs. Agility and the lowest of your Ranged (Heavy) vs. Melee. Because you're using your rifle as an improvised weapon you add one automatic Threat to the result. If you manage to hit with the primary attack, you still have to spend two Advantage or a Triumph to hit with the second attack.

So, RAW: No. If your GM allows it anyways, it's probably not worth it.

EDIT: GAAAAAH!!! Ninjaed again by whafrog!? HOW CAN THIS BE?

EDIT: GAAAAAH!!! Ninjaed again by whafrog!? HOW CAN THIS BE?

1B- How about making an attack with the rifle and following through with a gun-club attack during the same action?

Sure you can, no problem. Make your Ranged (Heavy) attack, and then spend advantage/triumphs to make his next attack harder, or drop his weapon or something and narrate it as the club attack.

Just to be annoying, but Cumbersome adds difficulty dice, not setback dice... which basically means that it becomes even harder (although adding another two difficulty dice to whafrog's dice pool would be silly-insane [even impossible tasks have no more than 5 difficulty dice], so slap on the setback dice instead, or upgrade the difficulty twice instead, those despairs are really fun).

Just to be annoying, but Cumbersome adds difficulty dice, not setback dice... which basically means that it becomes even harder (although adding another two difficulty dice to whafrog's dice pool would be silly-insane [even impossible tasks have no more than 5 difficulty dice], so slap on the setback dice instead, or upgrade the difficulty twice instead, those despairs are really fun).

There can be Difficulty 6+ actions. Trying to escape from a heavy tractor beam (Tractor 6) is one example.

Just to be annoying, but Cumbersome adds difficulty dice, not setback dice...

Oops, right you are, thanks. So the final pool would be PPPPP, plus the player would have to flip a DP just to try, or the GM could upgrade. I'll edit...

Alright, into the nitty-gritty details: I’m using a (regular) Blaster Rifle with the Vertical Foregrip upgrade (remove 1 P in Engaged). Brawn, Agility, Melee and Ranged Heavy all at Rank 3 so I’m [YYY]. I would declare the Rifle as the primary, and the Gun Club as secondary. The dice pool would then be [PPPPS]. Correct?

Also I’m considering a house-rule item unless it officially comes out. Bayonet Ring: 150 Credits. 1 HP. Mount on any Ranged Heavy Weapon without a Cumbersome Rating. Treat as a Knife. Let’s you make Melee attacks with your rifle without penalty.

Define "penalty." If your goal is to get 2 attacks in one Action without difficulty increases or using the normal two-weapon rules, then it's broken.

I think he means melee attack with the bayonet without adding difficulty dice, basically using the rifle as a spear or whatever. How you understand this as an attempt to get two attacks in one action I cannot understand.

Also I’m considering a house-rule item unless it officially comes out. Bayonet Ring: 150 Credits. 1 HP. Mount on any Ranged Heavy Weapon without a Cumbersome Rating. Treat as a Knife. Let’s you make Melee attacks with your rifle without penalty.

Wouldn't it be more like a spear?

I think he means melee attack with the bayonet without adding difficulty dice, basically using the rifle as a spear or whatever. How you understand this as an attempt to get two attacks in one action I cannot understand.

Well, that was the OP's first question: he wants to shoot and whack in the same turn, which is two actions. By RAW it's not even allowed, unless you relax the two-weapon fighting rules.

Just to be annoying, but Cumbersome adds difficulty dice, not setback dice...

Oops, right you are, thanks. So the final pool would be PPPPP, plus the player would have to flip a DP just to try, or the GM could upgrade. I'll edit...

I do not think a task becomes impossible once you break the 5 dice mark, as HD points out, there are times where more than 5 difficulty dice are in the pool, and this shouldn't require a destiny point to attempt. I think the impossible task sidebar is intended for tasks that you cannot normally perform, but you can if you spend a destiny point and the GM agrees, and then as the sidebar says, the difficulty is set at 5 dice for simplicity, you could easily put it at 6 or 7, but I'd not do that.

So, I'd avoid 6+ difficulty pools most of the time, instead adding upgrades in place of increases - or setback dice instead of extra difficulty dice. Which is why I'd go with your 2 setback dice approach or a two upgrade approach rather than pushing 7 difficulty dice at a player wanting to do something cool - or requiring a destiny point to do it; although I'd expect them to use a destiny point to increase the odds...

I think he means melee attack with the bayonet without adding difficulty dice, basically using the rifle as a spear or whatever. How you understand this as an attempt to get two attacks in one action I cannot understand.

Well, that was the OP's first question: he wants to shoot and whack in the same turn, which is two actions. By RAW it's not even allowed, unless you relax the two-weapon fighting rules.

Fair point, I was just thinking about the attachment he suggested. Which in itself is fine, Brawn+1 damage, engaged, yep, works well I think.

Using the blaster rifle as an improvised weapon is ok, but the rest of it is beyond the RAW. Could you shoot in one turn and club in the next and still be satisfied?

Or as was suggested, the "clubbing" could be pure fluff. Nothing wrong with that.

I think he means melee attack with the bayonet without adding difficulty dice, basically using the rifle as a spear or whatever. How you understand this as an attempt to get two attacks in one action I cannot understand.

He's also trying to argue that "rifle shoot + bayonet stab" is TWF, which it isn't (because it is not using two one-handed weapons held in separate hands). Beyond this, being able to TWF without actually suffering the balancing penalties of TWF is broken as all hell.

Excellent. Then I'm satisfied with the answers.

House Rule Bayonet to use the rifle as a Melee Weapon.

Use the Rifle as an Improvised Melee Weapon.

Narrate the Rifle Shooting & Gun Clubbing or attacking with both ends of a Force Pike with remaining advantages.

Thanks!

Wouldn't all this be moot if the guy is in med rng vs melee?? I mean the last time I checked if you fire a weapon from short rng, then try to do a melee att. you cant because you are out of range for a melee att.

Alright, into the nitty-gritty details: I’m using a (regular) Blaster Rifle with the Vertical Foregrip upgrade (remove 1 P in Engaged). Brawn, Agility, Melee and Ranged Heavy all at Rank 3 so I’m [YYY]. I would declare the Rifle as the primary, and the Gun Club as secondary. The dice pool would then be [PPPPS]. Correct?

Also I’m considering a house-rule item unless it officially comes out. Bayonet Ring: 150 Credits. 1 HP. Mount on any Ranged Heavy Weapon without a Cumbersome Rating. Treat as a Knife. Let’s you make Melee attacks with your rifle without penalty.

You're considering a house rule? If you're the GM then feel free to do whatever you want at your table if it makes things more fun.

As proposed, the Bayonet Ring seems too good as-is and I probably wouldn't allow it.

Wouldn't all this be moot if the guy is in med rng vs melee?? I mean the last time I checked if you fire a weapon from short rng, then try to do a melee att. you cant because you are out of range for a melee att.

Yeah, even short range is distinct from engaged.

Or as was suggested, the "clubbing" could be pure fluff. Nothing wrong with that.

I think he means melee attack with the bayonet without adding difficulty dice, basically using the rifle as a spear or whatever. How you understand this as an attempt to get two attacks in one action I cannot understand.

He's also trying to argue that "rifle shoot + bayonet stab" is TWF, which it isn't (because it is not using two one-handed weapons held in separate hands). Beyond this, being able to TWF without actually suffering the balancing penalties of TWF is broken as all hell.

Well, the wording he chose for the attachment was "Mount on any Ranged Heavy Weapon without a Cumbersome Rating. Treat as a Knife. Let’s you make Melee attacks with your rifle without penalty." To me this implies attacking with a rifle while engaged without adding difficulty dice or whatever other penalties incurred by using a rifle as an improvised weapon, it could certainly be worded better perhaps, but I don't see that being broken in itself. Sure, if you take it to mean negating TWF penalties, I'm with you, but I don't really see that as being the case here - the attachment is separate from his desire for TWF with a rifle, shoot and club that is. At least that's how I read it. Perhaps I'm naive...

As for applying the TWF rules for attacking with both ends of a force pike or shooting and striking someone with a rifle... meh, it's perhaps not strictly RAW, but it is definitely in the spirit of the rules as far as I'm concerned, but you're right, it's not RAW.