Throwing
Throwing an object can be a brute-force physical act or a combination of grace and hand-eye coordination to hit a distant target. Your character can throw a non-aerodynamic object (such as a clay pot or tire) a distance in yards equal to his Strength + Dexterity + Athletics, minus the object's Size. The result is considered short range. Medium range is double that number, and long range is twice medium range. So, a character with 4 Strength, 3 Dexterity and 2 Athletics can throw a tire with 2 Size a short range of seven yards, a medium range of 14 yards and a long range of 28 yards.
Aerodynamic objects such as footballs and spears can be thrown double those distances. Thus, the same character who throws a football (Size 1) has a short range of 16 yards, a medium range of 32 yards and a long range of 64 yards.
An object with a Size that equals or exceeds your character's Strength simply can't be thrown far enough to constitute range, even if itÕs an aerodynamic item. It's simply too heavy or bulky to be thrown.
While the distance that an item can be thrown is relatively fixed, your character's accuracy is rolled: Dexterity + Athletics + equipment. Weapons such as knives, spears and rocks, however, confer their Damage ratings as bonuses when thrown (see the Combat Chapter). Mundane items such as baseballs or footballs can be thrown to hit and hurt (probably unsuspecting) targets, too. These items typically confer a +1 bonus and do bashing damage (see p. 153).
Modifiers to hit targets are -2 at medium and -4 at long range. By no means is long range the limit to which an item can be hurled. Your character could throw it with everything he has and achieve greater distance - up to twice long range. Accuracy is forgone, though. If your character tries to throw an object at a target beyond long range, he can still make the attempt. Make a chance roll to determine success (see p. 125), regardless of what your character's dice pool might normally be. Any target that's more than double long range away is considered completely out of range and no throw can hit it.
Failure: The object misses its mark or simply does not make it as far as intended.
Success: Your character hits his intended target. In the case of a thrown weapon, each success inflicts one point of damage.
Exceptional Success: The object hits the target with great accuracy and/or force.
Suggested Equipment: See the Damage ratings of thrown weapons in the Combat Chapter, p. 150.
Possible Penalties: Slippery conditions (-1), strong wind (-2), bad weather (-1 to -3)
Aerodynamic objects such as footballs and spears can be thrown double those distances. Thus, the same character who throws a football (Size 1) has a short range of 16 yards, a medium range of 32 yards and a long range of 64 yards.
An object with a Size that equals or exceeds your character's Strength simply can't be thrown far enough to constitute range, even if itÕs an aerodynamic item. It's simply too heavy or bulky to be thrown.
While the distance that an item can be thrown is relatively fixed, your character's accuracy is rolled: Dexterity + Athletics + equipment. Weapons such as knives, spears and rocks, however, confer their Damage ratings as bonuses when thrown (see the Combat Chapter). Mundane items such as baseballs or footballs can be thrown to hit and hurt (probably unsuspecting) targets, too. These items typically confer a +1 bonus and do bashing damage (see p. 153).
Modifiers to hit targets are -2 at medium and -4 at long range. By no means is long range the limit to which an item can be hurled. Your character could throw it with everything he has and achieve greater distance - up to twice long range. Accuracy is forgone, though. If your character tries to throw an object at a target beyond long range, he can still make the attempt. Make a chance roll to determine success (see p. 125), regardless of what your character's dice pool might normally be. Any target that's more than double long range away is considered completely out of range and no throw can hit it.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: Your character loses control of the object. If it's large or heavy (Size 4 or greater), he loses his grip and drops it, potentially injuring himself in the process. Smaller objects land wildly off the mark, striking something (or someone) accidentally or overshooting the target entirely.Failure: The object misses its mark or simply does not make it as far as intended.
Success: Your character hits his intended target. In the case of a thrown weapon, each success inflicts one point of damage.
Exceptional Success: The object hits the target with great accuracy and/or force.
Suggested Equipment: See the Damage ratings of thrown weapons in the Combat Chapter, p. 150.
Possible Penalties: Slippery conditions (-1), strong wind (-2), bad weather (-1 to -3)
Dice Pool: Dexterity + Athletics + equipment
Action: Instant
If an object is thrown to a receiver with the intent to be caught, Dexterity + Athletics is rolled for the receiver. The receiver's roll gets a number of bonus dice equal to the number of successes achieved in the thrower's roll. Thus, if Bill throws a football to Owens and three successes are rolled for Bill, Owens' Dexterity + Athletics roll to catch the ball gets a +3 bonus. If the throwerÕs roll fails to earn any successes, the target is missed. The intended receiver cannot catch the item at all.
If an object is thrown at a target (probably with the intent to hit and hurt him), and the target is unaware of the object's approach, the object can't be caught. Indeed, the target gets no Defense. He is essentially surprised (see p. 151). Successes achieved in the throw inflict points of damage to the target. (Damage might also be done to an intended receiver of an object if the roll for his catch suffers a dramatic failure. Points of damage equal the successes achieved in the throw.)
The Storyteller may allow an unaware target to recognize an incoming object before he's hit. The target's player makes a reflexive perception roll (see p. 45). If it fails, the attack proceeds as discussed above. If the Wits + Composure roll succeeds, the target can try to get out of the way (his Defense applies normally), or he can try to catch the object.
If he tries to catch it, he loses his Defense against the attack (after all, he tries to put himself in the object's path). A contested Dexterity + Athletics roll is then made against the thrower's roll. If the thrower gets more successes, the target is still hit and those successes are inflicted as damage. If the target gets more successes, he catches the item. In the case of a tie, the wouldbe catcher is hit and the thrower's successes are inflicted as damage. The Storyteller may rule that catching a blunt object such as a rock might be done completely without harm, but catching a sharp object such as a knife might still inflict a point of lethal damage. The receiver cuts open his hand. Perhaps an exceptional success (five or more) achieved on a catching roll negates damage from even a sharp item.
Of course, ranged attacks made from guns or bows cannot normally be caught unless the target has some kind of supernatural power that allows him to see and react to such fast-moving objects.
Action: Instant
Catching Thrown Objects
An object thrown to or at a target could be caught by him. Obviously, the distance between thrower and target cannot be greater than the range to which the object can be thrown. The thrower's accuracy is also a factor in whether an intended receiver can successfully catch the item.If an object is thrown to a receiver with the intent to be caught, Dexterity + Athletics is rolled for the receiver. The receiver's roll gets a number of bonus dice equal to the number of successes achieved in the thrower's roll. Thus, if Bill throws a football to Owens and three successes are rolled for Bill, Owens' Dexterity + Athletics roll to catch the ball gets a +3 bonus. If the throwerÕs roll fails to earn any successes, the target is missed. The intended receiver cannot catch the item at all.
If an object is thrown at a target (probably with the intent to hit and hurt him), and the target is unaware of the object's approach, the object can't be caught. Indeed, the target gets no Defense. He is essentially surprised (see p. 151). Successes achieved in the throw inflict points of damage to the target. (Damage might also be done to an intended receiver of an object if the roll for his catch suffers a dramatic failure. Points of damage equal the successes achieved in the throw.)
The Storyteller may allow an unaware target to recognize an incoming object before he's hit. The target's player makes a reflexive perception roll (see p. 45). If it fails, the attack proceeds as discussed above. If the Wits + Composure roll succeeds, the target can try to get out of the way (his Defense applies normally), or he can try to catch the object.
If he tries to catch it, he loses his Defense against the attack (after all, he tries to put himself in the object's path). A contested Dexterity + Athletics roll is then made against the thrower's roll. If the thrower gets more successes, the target is still hit and those successes are inflicted as damage. If the target gets more successes, he catches the item. In the case of a tie, the wouldbe catcher is hit and the thrower's successes are inflicted as damage. The Storyteller may rule that catching a blunt object such as a rock might be done completely without harm, but catching a sharp object such as a knife might still inflict a point of lethal damage. The receiver cuts open his hand. Perhaps an exceptional success (five or more) achieved on a catching roll negates damage from even a sharp item.
Of course, ranged attacks made from guns or bows cannot normally be caught unless the target has some kind of supernatural power that allows him to see and react to such fast-moving objects.