Quick question. In the rulebook it says that I need a melee weapon to parry an oponent's attack. I was wondering if it's possible to parry a melee attack with ranged weapon like stub pistol or lasgun? Would it be also possible to block an enemy melee weapon attack with just a hand? I know that I've read somewhere about that possibility (official DH source material perhaps?). I think this would be possible if a person would be wearing heavy armour like a plate, a carapace or a power armour, and the opponent's weapon would not possess certain qualities like mono or a power field. Any ideas on that matter?

Xathrodox86 said:

There are no rules about parrying with a stub pistol or lasgun that I am aware of. (unless the lasgun has the melee attachment upgrade) By Rules As Written I do not believe you can.

However, I treat things like rifles as improvised melee weapons with all of the corresponding rules. So this opens up some possibility.

No, you can't block a melee attack with a hand. That would be exactly the same as saying the opponent gets a successful strike to your arm. You might be able to argue that a successful parry attempt with your arm would result in the arm being damaged instead of say…the head. Still, this starts introducing a slippery slope of arguments that I don't advise going down.

I might allow parrying melee weapon attacks unarmed only if you have both of the Unarmed Talents (one increases the damage your unamred attacks do, the other allows you to count as armed when making attacks.)

Because you count as armed, I might allow it. However, you might want to avaoid parrying Power weapons. Just saying.

As for using a bolt gun: I would allow it as an improvised weapon, so long as it's a basic weapon (pistols are generally too small to be used to parry, I would think.) However, on a successful parry, I might roll damage and apply it instead to the weapon. So maybe your bolt gun would become useless and need to be repaired, or gain the unreliable quality or something. And of course: see my previous point about power weapons.

You'd be better off getting a melee attachment for ther gun instead.

In our group if you are considered armed Via Unarmed Warrior or Unarmed Master then we allow parrying weapons. The idea being you dont put your hand into the chainsword to slow it down you grab their wrist and push it aside or whatever.

Why don't you just roll Dodge instead?

Boss Gitsmasha said:

low agility roll? no access to dodge skill yet? agility damage/penalty?

Use an armored gauntlet. Catching blades and deflecting Eviscerators with your barehands is beyond the pale.