Carn (Archie)! My first new recruit! I really like Scouts. They are fast-attack artillery. I'll first take a look at your equipment list, then comment on character traits. However, before doing so, let me talk a bit about something I didn't want to explore during our first session: the importance of hit locations to Scouts and the introduction of bodkin-point arrows. First, in review, we talked during our first session about how GURPS Martial Arts expanded Deceptive Attacks (pp. B369-370) from being a melee-only combat option to include ranged attacks with Prediction Shots on page 121. As usual for a Deceptive Attack, the attacker’s effective skill after all modifiers must be at least 10. Now, hit locations really increase damage a lot. Hitting someone in the head ups the impaling wounding modifier from x2 to x4! Plus, getting hit in the head does other nasty stuff, like requiring a HT roll to avoid stun . . . at -10 . Being stunned means you fall down and have to keep rolling against HT every turn to snap out of it. That's really, really bad in GURPS combat. See the notes on the Humanoid Hit Location table, p. B552 and the affects of bad injury on p. B420. However, the skull hit location is targeted at -7 to skill; not an easy target. The skull also grants an extra DR 2 on top of any natural DR or DR from a helmet. The other hit location often targeted is the vitals, or "heart" it's often called in game play. The vitals are targeted at -3 and change the wounding modifier of impaling to x3, a big boost in damage. So, vitals are often targeted by Scouts due to having a great boost to damage for little skill reduction. Trouble with targeting the head (skull) and vitals is that the victim is often most heavily armored there. But, there's a way to deal with that! Say hello to bodkin-point arrows, p. B277. Bodkins cost and weigh the same, but they do cutting damage instead of impaling. Wait, that's a downgrade, right? Well, yes and no. In addition to the wounding modifier swap, they have an "armor divisor" of (2) meaning they halve DR! Their wounding modifier becomes moot when targeting the vitals or brain. It still changes to x3 and x4 respectively. So, it's a win-win. Both regular (impaling) and bodkin arrows do the same damage to vitals/brain—but bodkins halve armor. Eyes are the last location most often targeted. They do all the bad stuff that hitting the skull does, but don't grant DR +2 and the eye is easily "crippled." Shoot one out and your foe has poor depth perception, which has negative affects in combat; shoot both out and your victim is blind and good as dead if he's not already! However, eyes are targeted at -9 to skill. You can use regular arrows here are almost no one has armored eyes! Carefully selecting your hit location will greatly enhance your character's effectiveness in combat. You'll vie with the Knight for the most damage done in combat throughout the entire dungeon. A Scout's damage is greatly reduced, however, when facing enemies that aren't alive, foes such as golems, elementals and undead. But, you'll be the only character that can both reliably and consistently attack flyers! Just stay the hell out of melee.If you're using a sword, something has went very, very wrong. Onward to equipment!
