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Vibro weapons.. Do they always make a noise??
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:36 pm    Post subject: Vibro weapons.. Do they always make a noise?? Reply with quote

Was going back through a # of my older threads, and came across this gem, in the weapons/ships/tech area, about the Jengardin double edged vibro-blade..

https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2989


Who here has it where when powered up/unsheathed, Vibro-weapons make a discernible noise?
IF so, how loud is it? What modifiers would someone have, to sneak skills or per checks, while using one?
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Whill
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Bren at the bottom of the linked thread. No free lunch. You get the added damage of it being "vibro" so it should have a hum and you can't so easily sneak up on someone with it. But I do think that you should be able to use vibro weapons as normal weapons without turning them on. If you really want to sneak, then don't turn it on until you've lost the element of surprise so you just want the added damage.
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Laserhone Vibrorapier and Vibrodagger (see pg. 42 of Pirates & Privateers) answer most of your questions. Most vibroblade weapons have an audible hum, but some (particularly the Laserhones, but potentially some others, as well) have been tuned so that their hum is in the ultrasonic range, and thus outside the hearing range of normal humans (alien species noted for good natural hearing, or cyborgs/power armor equipped with hearing enhancement may be an exception to this). Exactly what form that advantage takes isn't noted, but the biggest example that comes to mind is sneak attacks; a vibro-blade with an audible hum will make it a lot easier to detect someone trying to sneak up and stab them in the back (Easy or Very Easy Perception/Search roll). The Laserhone-type weapons would be more expensive, but would also not have the audible hum, and thus not be as prone to detection on sneak attacks.
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Last edited by CRMcNeill on Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:16 pm; edited 1 time in total
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which is why i was wondering, is it generally NOT something that's silent, and as such, shouldn't there not just be sneak penalties, but other issues.. Such as while active, you yourself, can't hear that good.. Much like those using power tools, often can't hear people.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 2:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think sneaking up and backstabbing someone is so not Star Wars. If you really must do that, you can do it without the vibro being turned on and still kill someone.

They are rare in my game anyway, but I'm just giving all vibro weapons all a hum and being done with it.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
Which is why i was wondering, is it generally NOT something that's silent, and as such, shouldn't there not just be sneak penalties, but other issues.. Such as while active, you yourself, can't hear that good.. Much like those using power tools, often can't hear people.

Why would they be that loud? The only description we get of a vibro-blade in use is in Han Solo's Revenge, where it's said to make "an ominous buzzing". The only time we see a vibro-blade on film (assuming the blades on the polearms wielded by Jabba's guards at the Sarlacc Pit are vibro-axes), there's no such loud noise. Certainly not louder than a lightsaber.

Isn't it enough of a penalty that you can't Sneak while wielding an active vibro-blade? Why does it need to be more severe than that?
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am not advocating FOR harsher penalties, i am just wondering, ARE THERE penalties?
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
I am not advocating FOR harsher penalties, i am just wondering, ARE THERE penalties?

I've never seen anything official; even the idea that there would be a penalty to Sneak when holding an active vibro-blade is an extrapolation on my part.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
I am not advocating FOR harsher penalties, i am just wondering, ARE THERE penalties?

I don't see the need for a codified penalty because it would vary by circumstance. In a crowded marketplace or active factory with machines running, it might be hard for someone to hear the hum of a vibro-weapon behind them. If it is in a quiet room, it would be easier to hear. GMs can just wing it based on circumstances.
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Darklighter79
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In Bad Batch vibro-knife was often used - no any special sound.

My guess is it depends on a particular type or model.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whill wrote:
I don't see the need for a codified penalty because it would vary by circumstance. In a crowded marketplace or active factory with machines running, it might be hard for someone to hear the hum of a vibro-weapon behind them. If it is in a quiet room, it would be easier to hear. GMs can just wing it based on circumstances.

Just give it a -1D penalty to Sneak / +1D to Perception/Search depending on who is doing what, just like basically every other stat out there. The "silent" vibroblades won't have that penalty, but will be more expensive.
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Dr. Bidlo
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like it!
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CRMcNeill wrote:
garhkal wrote:
I am not advocating FOR harsher penalties, i am just wondering, ARE THERE penalties?

I've never seen anything official; even the idea that there would be a penalty to Sneak when holding an active vibro-blade is an extrapolation on my part.


I know.. The Talon dagger, was noted as "being silent" hence why it was loved by infiltrators. Thus it makes you wonder, what (IF any) penalty to sneak Other vibro weapons had.. BUT i see noting what so ever in ANY book on it.. NOT even any mention in novels, other than "it hummed"...
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, it wouldn’t be the first time WEG published a stat that included useless fluff with no clear way to apply it.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2022 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

True that.. Though it makes you wonder, why then, did they DO that fluff, if they were not intending to GIVE in game effects from it..
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