Alright so I'm intending on having a NPC choke out one of my PCs in an upcoming session, but I want to be sure of something before I try

The garrote Chrono says "A successful attack with this weapon causes the target to become suffocated, targets may attempt to break free with a brawl vs brawl check adding a setback for each round they have been caught"

So here are the questions

1) by "successful attack" does that mean a successful hit or successful damage (soak can be annoying in that case)

2) the setback for each round caught, would that include the same round the garrote is used?

3) as the user of the garrote chrono, for my turns I'm guessing I can't attack with other weapons (narrativly speaking) so do I keep trying to add damage by attacking with the garrote? And if so how do I handle a failed attack in that case

4) getting attacked back rather than brawl vs brawl check to save themself... I think I may add a couple of setback to that unless someone has a good suggestion for if they try... (I would)

So looking forward to using this, just hope it works the way I am pretty sure it works, gonna be so fun "shh shh shh just let it happen, just let it happen, just go to sleep this is all just a bad dream"

1) I would say successful attack inflicts damage, most qualities like crits require a successful hit.

2) I read it as including the round they were caught.

3) I would say you are maintaining the "action" the hold the person but could take a limited pool of manoeuvres. Cover behind the victim, gaining purchase to increase brawn difficulty.

4) Becomes a brawl check with setback, likely as they are attacking someone behind them.

HTH

My take, for what it's worth...

1) I'd go with successful hit, just based on the wording. To me, it's much the same scenario as weapon qualities where you can use Disorient or Knockdown even if you don't inflict any wounds.

2) Again that'd be a yes.

3) I'd say that if you want the choking effects to continue, you'd need to make a fresh combat check each round with the garrote. If you fail the attack, then the target gets free. The target might still have that setback die from the previous round though, as we often see that nobody instantly recovers from being strangled, so the setback as a lingering effect of the previous garrote attack makes sense.

4) Add setback in that situation (attacking the garrote wielder) is a prime case where adding setback dice makes sense, as the victim is at a notable situational disadvantage, so I'd say it's a good idea to go that route. I might add that if the victim is able to score a critical injury on their attack, then it's not much of a stretch to say that the garotte attacker loses their hold as a result of such a severe injury.

I agreew with most of what @Donovan Morningfire said, except for number 3. I would suggest asking the Developers to get a definitive answer though.

1 minute ago, Tramp Graphics said:

I agreew with most of what @Donovan Morningfire said, except for number 3. I would suggest asking the Developers to get a definitive answer though.

Well Darkside bind lasts So I could see the same applying here.

Just now, Daeglan said:

Well Darkside bind lasts So I could see the same applying here.

Exactly, and the rule itself says that the Suffocation lasts until the target breaks free via a successful Brawl vs Brawl check. Based n that, it seems to me that the attacker just needs to forego taking any other actions, while the victim needs to actively try to break free on his turn each round.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm entirely unfamiliar with the garrote chrono, particularly since I expect it is in the spy sourcebook, which I have (currently away from books). I used the following thread for inspiration:

alright, Ill go with

1) successful hit (maximise my chance of doing this)

2) same round included (bring the pain)

3) npcs action is to continue choking the B**** ... i mean poor victim

4) add setbacks for counter attacks (1 for giving up all defence to land a hit and another for attacking someone in a awkward position)

When its all said and done and if im successful ill regale you with the story of this encounter, so if your interested follow this thread for hopefully a interesting event =D

ALRIGHT, the part where i had planned to use this has now come and gone, now i promised to tell you beautiful people what happened so now OP delivers =D

The Plan

PCs are taking over a pirate ship, the PCs gather themselves into a small lift and make their way to the top deck to find the captain of the ship, initially the plan was to have a minon group of commando droids operate a heavy gun and light up someone in the lift... this part of the plan was changed and instead of a droid minion team it was replaced with a droideka due to the PCs amazing success in the previous session, so the plan then was for it to light up multiple people with is "Fire Sweep" ability, after the squad defeats the droidekea the pirate captain (modeled on captain hook) was supposed to come out and challange the squad to 'honourable' one on one combat where he would lure a PC into another room and close and lock the door where the captain would turn to dirty pool using a wrist mounted pistol (Verpine shatter pistol) that has knockdown, after which he would then use the garrote chrono and choke the victim out, after that PC would be knocked out he would open the door acting panting like it was a tough fight and then loudly proclaim "NEXT"

What happned TLDR at bottom

The PCs arrive in the small lift to see the droideka with its shields up looking at them ... PCs knew this due to accessing security cameras but there wasnt much they could do to prepare... it was such a great choke point, so the door opens up and combat begins with the droideka up the top of the initiative order (AWESOME i think) I open up with its "Fire sweep move" and make its hard ranged check to allow it to attack 2 or more people in the 1 turn... the dice are in my favor on this roll as well... AMAZINGLY the squad learn the way of the loth cat and become liquid and cram themselves to the sides of the lift dodging the droideka's attack (**** IT!!!!) ... its ok its ok... this droid has soak 8 and a shield that gives it the equivilent of adversary 1 and 2 defence so it will be fine....PCs do combat rolls out of the way of the droideka's fire, blaster fire peppers its shields some breaking through to connect and do damage, One PC pulls out a armour piercing grenade... he wanted to d something special with it so i increased the difficulty by 1... so this PC steps out droideka blaster fire raining down around him, he throws the grenade like a baseball at the droideka's shield, it bounces off the shield bouncing so perfectly it bounces upwards hits the roof and lands perfectly on top of the droideka's shield and then slowly sinks through the shield and lands on top of the droids head before exploding... OUCH... its ok its ok the droid is still alive but barely... then another PC character bolts out of the lift drawing her vibrorapier and plunging her sword into the droid taking the last remaining few wounds exactly ... **** IT big scary droid did exactly 0 damage to the PCs ... oh well telling that grenade story was epicly fun.

With the droid dead the door to the next room opens and out steps the Dread Pirate Captain Vist, he begins his evil bad guy monologue congratulating the PCs on making it this far and challenges the group to honorable one on one combat .... now of course if we have a Captain Hook like character I NEED Mr Smee, so out pops Mr schmeed (not too original i know) the ships first made and slicer genius (needed someone to challenge the PC groups 5 intellect hacker mechanic) ... this bumbling baffoon comes out in a horrible attempt to protect his captain he misses his one and only shot (Scripted so no chance of hitting) and is pushed aside by captain Vist “Step aside you detestable delinquent im here trying to have a duel to the DEATH... well several now OUT OF MY WAY, so who wishes to cross swor....." at this point before i can finish my monolouge the teams droid swings his axe and damages the captain starting combat ...

Thankfully I gave the captain 2 custom abilites

Bad Form: When a PC does a dishonorable action activate Bad Form, Before making an attack suffer 2 strain to make 2 attacks in the one turn, no crits may be applied while using this

Bad form, Bad Form Indeed: When attacked by multiple PCs, Spend 4 strain to make 3 attacks per turn, maximum 2 attacks on 1 PC, must attempt to target 3 different PCs, if a third PC cannot be targeted excess attacks go to the PC who is the least hurt, No crits may be applied

these 2 abilites were made to stop the whole gang up on one character having like 6 attacks against a single NPC...

thankfully I accounted for someone doing something underhanded... that wasnt Captain Vist... so this really helped put this droid in its place, 2 turns it went from hey im doing alright to KNOCKED THE F&#%& OUT ... and i didnt lure him into another room for one reason... i couldnt garrote wire this droid as he does not breath... THANKFULLY a victim volunteered, he ran past the droid and captain, even attempting some underhanded trickery involving a spool of slice wire a friend with a mastery of the force their intention to run past the droid and the captain and when between those two the force user would pull 1 end of the slicewire thus making a razor clothesline attack against the captain ... would of been epic if it worked destroying my plans completely but one of them failed their coordination roll and force pulled the entire spool rather than just an end...

With a new victim in the room of doom Vist steps through the doorway he was standing in and closes and locks the door between the two and the rest of the party, the little victim attempts to run into the next room and presses the lock button thinking that he can stop any attempts on the captain unlocking the door with super hacking skills... unfortunantly for him... its the captains ship and he knows the access code to open the door, to him its just a few buttons... YES i think, finally a chance to commence my plan ... and this is the tech guy so there is such a low chance he can stop me if i was successful in garrotting him. So I commence the first step... knock him down (i know i didnt need to do this but it was for themeatic purposes), so I shoot with a verpine shatter pistol... as i read out what it does to him... 8 damage... knockdown... oh and 2 pierce ... when he heard the pierce he said "... Well im down" ... my heart sank... I have taken out 2 PCs and still havent used the garrote chrono.

Well after this small game of cat and mouse the other PCs are there breaking through the locked door... one using a lightsaber the other made a ridiculousally good roll and with his rifle just dissintergrates the door they see their friend on the ground, the PC with the lightsaber charges in and starts attacking, doing some damage, the one with the rifle makes some shots but misses but gets 9 bloody advantage... i allow it to be transfered as a despair effect for the captains next turn... the last PC is there chilling eating space popcorn that schmeed offered eariler (the PC was my character... we alternate GMs so we have our own characters with the group) ...

so enough playing around I WANT TO USE THE GARROTE CHRONO!!!!!! ... the dice gods are not kind... he misses... and gets attacked again with the lightsaber but a dispair on that roll the PC loses that saber.... attempt # 2 with garrote chrono... remembers the despair so for that the struggle lands both the lightsaber user and the captain on the floor right next to the blaster rifle PC in a prime position to get his head blown off ... shot comes... SURVIVES!!!!! OMFG 1 wound left *phew* ... Lightsaber PC attempts to struggle out of the garrote having suffered 3 strain ... F(&*%ing succeeds!!!!

Sensing impending death for the captain story script mode activates (his death is currently unacceptable) My character was checking a bounty hunter database and sees a very high bounty on this guy ... oh S#!T moment activates and my character rushes in and tackles the guy saying to the others I need him alive and places cuffs on him.... this ends the combat with PCs victorious... and my plans to choke someone out... gone... but even still it was sooooo fun

because i dont know if my PCs may read this I cannot reveal anything else beyond this point but i can say good things happen for now =D

I hope you enjoyed my sharing what happened

TLDR ... Garrote happened, but not the way i wanted and not as long as i wanted... still had fun