So, lets say you are an escaping prisoner without a gun. Standing next to you is a stormtrooper with a gun. You would like to snatch that gun away from him. How do you do this?

We put our heads together and came up with a brawl attack to grab the gun and then an opposed strength roll to actually get the gun away from him. (As it turned out, they got enough successes to get the gun, but enough threat to have the trooper pull the trigger as he was losing the weapon, getting one free accidental shot in).

So, how would you have handled it?

I think you overcomplicated it a bit. A Brawl attack is correct and with three advantages or a Triumph, it allows for a disarm. Follow that with a Maneuver and you have the gun for yourself.

I'd do it like so:

To have the opponent unaware first have a Stealth vs Vigilance roll. Success and the opponent is unaware with Advs and Triumphs can be added to the Attack. Failure or just grabbing at the gun and the opponent is aware.

If the opponent is aware of the attacker then: Opposed Brawn vs Brawn

If the opponent is unaware of the attacker then: Opposed Brawn vs Vigilance

Fail = well, Failed.

Success = they've grabbed ahold of gun but hasn't taken it.

Success + 3 Adv or a Triumph = they've got the gun

Extra Advs = Opponent Strain

Threats = Attacker Strain

Despair = Failure

Extra Successes don't matter.

if the stormtrooper is carrying their gun, then I'd say HappyDaze has the right approach, since Brawl already covers grappling as does the ability to spend 3 Advantage or 1 Triumph to deprive the target of their weapon.

If the weapon is holstered, then I'd say it's an opposed check of the character's Skulduggery (which covers things like sleight of hand) vs. the trooper's Perception or Vigilance. This approach generally requires that the target doesn't know the would-be thief is there, but a good enough distraction, either by the thief or an ally, could alleviate that.

if the stormtrooper is carrying their gun, then I'd say HappyDaze has the right approach, since Brawl already covers grappling as does the ability to spend 3 Advantage or 1 Triumph to deprive the target of their weapon.

I don't disagree but I made it all one Action. My way also allows for a longer struggle with the Attacker possibly having hold of the weapon but not having succeeded in getting it away and the positions being reversed the next round.

You could do it HD's way with using a Second Maneuver at the cost of two Strain, which also works for me.

If the weapon is holstered, then I'd say it's an opposed check of the character's Skulduggery (which covers things like sleight of hand) vs. the trooper's Perception or Vigilance. This approach generally requires that the target doesn't know the would-be thief is there, but a good enough distraction, either by the thief or an ally, could alleviate that.

I wouldn't use Perception in this case unless the Opponent specifically mentions that they are on the lookout for having their weapon taken, Vigilance seems the most appropriate Skill.

I think you overcomplicated it a bit. A Brawl attack is correct and with three advantages or a Triumph, it allows for a disarm. Follow that with a Maneuver and you have the gun for yourself.

I guess my concern with the three advantage for the "you're disarmed" result is that it's not very proactive, that it just happens by accident. Sure, accidents do happen - and that's fine, but when the player is setting out to grapple the gun away, that's everything they're trying to do that round, the entire focus of their attack - there should be some kind of game mechanic to simulate that.

And these were starting characters - we rarely get that many advantage on more seasoned characters. Brand new guys right out of the box? They'd be gunned down long before they got a weapon away, going by the three advantage requirements.

If the opponent is aware of the attacker then: Opposed Brawn vs Brawn

If the opponent is unaware of the attacker then: Opposed Brawn vs Vigilance

I think I prefer this method better. Eh, my way worked for last night. It got the guns away from the troopers, so that's all that mattered - but I'll keep this one in mind for the future.

I think you overcomplicated it a bit. A Brawl attack is correct and with three advantages or a Triumph, it allows for a disarm. Follow that with a Maneuver and you have the gun for yourself.

I guess my concern with the three advantage for the "you're disarmed" result is that it's not very proactive, that it just happens by accident. Sure, accidents do happen - and that's fine, but when the player is setting out to grapple the gun away, that's everything they're trying to do that round, the entire focus of their attack - there should be some kind of game mechanic to simulate that.

In that case, much of the game isn't going to be viewed 'proactive' since many of the results characters are going to try to achieve (like Knockdown, Disorient, and even disarming in hand-to-hand combat) are triggered by Advantages/Triumphs. I don't consider this an accident at all, but rather the intent of the combat system.

I guess my concern with the three advantage for the "you're disarmed" result is that it's not very proactive, that it just happens by accident. Sure, accidents do happen - and that's fine, but when the player is setting out to grapple the gun away, that's everything they're trying to do that round, the entire focus of their attack - there should be some kind of game mechanic to simulate that.

In that case, much of the game isn't going to be viewed 'proactive' since many of the results characters are going to try to achieve (like Knockdown, Disorient, and even disarming in hand-to-hand combat) are triggered by Advantages/Triumphs. I don't consider this an accident at all, but rather the intent of the combat system.

Exactly. If you're using a combat check, the Disarm then a Maneuver to pick up the gun works. Otherwise, I'd use a Stealth/Perception check to allow the character to approach the Stormtrooper and/or Skullduggery/Perception check for stealing the gun.

I'd have allowed it as an opposed Brawl check, with a Boost die on behalf of the player if they took the guy by surprise. Another way to do it is an "aimed" Brawl attack, wherein you add two Setback dice to the check (or just one if you use a second maneuver to aim again) and then make it normally. If pressed, I might also allow an opposed Skulduggery vs. Perception modified by Brawn check instead. If players have an idea for a given skill might work, hear them out.

Using Advantages or Triumphs is all well and good because you can deal same damage even if the check fails, but if you're trying to take someone's gun rather than hurt them I'd allow it with an opposed Brawl check.

I'd also allow Athletics vs. Athletics or Brawl, but I'd add an extra Difficulty die both because that's not necessarily what Athletics is for, and also because that IS what the Archaeologist's Pin talent is for.

I think you overcomplicated it a bit. A Brawl attack is correct and with three advantages or a Triumph, it allows for a disarm. Follow that with a Maneuver and you have the gun for yourself.

Simple is better. If your PC wants to make sure they have a better chance of getting what they need, encourage them to use a Destiny Point to upgrade their pool. He's gonna need some luck anyway as an unarmed, half-starved prisoner trying to disarm a stormy.