The power field upgrade on any melee weapon is just dam sexy.

What has peaked my interest is the 75% chance of destroying a non -power weapon that parries a power weapon. Who is to say the Joe Pirate doesn't meet an unfortunate end as the Rogue Trader's power sword slices through his blade and then through his shoulder?

This is the rough house rule which my group uses to represent this occurring, feedback please!

Slicey Slicey Houserule:

Step 1 . After a melee weapon with the power field upgrade is successfully parried by a weapon without a power field, roll a D100 as usual to determine the 75% chance of the non-power field weapon being destroyed.

Step 2. If the non-power field weapon is destroyed, the attacking party rolls another WS test at -20 (to represent the skill of the wielder steering the blade after the jolt of the parry), if they succeed, the power weapon has sliced through the parrying weapon and struck the target. Resolve damage and hit locations as normal BUT do not apply the power weapon wielder's strength bonus to the damage (this represents the robbed momentum from the parry).

Step 3. Power weapons = sexier

RougeSquire Out

If you don't mid the extra dice roll, then it sounds like a good house rule. You might also want to consider keeping the rule simple: if your parrying weapon breaks/is destroyed during the parry, then the parry automatically fails. In other words, the attacker would automatically hit his opponent if the opponent's weapon breaks.

I had originally played the rule as you suggested Red Bart, having the strike hit automatically. However due to an unfortunate amount of bad luck TWO of the players met ends at the hands of a power blade wielding Eldar attempting to parry with a shock maul and a mono sword

I had pity on the poor souls.

RougeSquire out

I think the house rule captures what you want to do with power weapons. IMHO power weapons are fine as is. I can easily imagine someone sacrificing their non-powered sword to ward off a blow from a fearsome power sword.

Flaminpiglet said:

Damned players and their rotten luck But that's of course why the God-Emperor granted them fate points to burn!