Expanded Cloak Rules (Scythe House)

Using a Cloak Defensively

Cloaks always provide their DR to your back, (Legs, arms, neck, torso and head if you don the hood as well) but they do not always provide you with a DB bonus. The implication in the GURPS manual with cloaks under shields for equipment etc is that they work like shields. And for the most part they do. If you have a cloak readied and in hand it will function as a shield. (1 block and DB bonus).

During combat though a cloak may also obscure your body. This is easily covered simply by the randomness of dice but it may work to your benefit as well providing you an obscurement bonus when dodging incoming attacks. In order to benefit from this obscurement bonus to dodge the cloak must be a billowing cloth cloak. (Any type of flowing cloth will do) Either cloak in GURPS: Characters will do.

This conditional bonus to dodge can be used to aid you versus an incoming attack from only 1 opponent per round and only opponents in your front facing or to your cloak facing. A cloak will obscure some of your body during typical movement during a combat but it is not enough to make any meaningful difference if your not actively using it. If you have a free hand you could easily use it to possibly get the DB bonus of a cloak to your dodge only. (And you do not have to declare I am using my cloak, you just have to have a free hand)

In order benefit from the FULL DB value of a cloak you need the cloak skill. Without the cloak skill you can still benefit from half of a cloaks DB but it will only affect your dodge and it will need to be a heavy cloth cloak and it will need to be in hand. If you rely heavily on the cloak for an extra boost to your dodge its a good idea to invest in the cloak skill. Not only will this allow you to block, parry and attack with a cloak but it will also allow you to benefit fully from the versatility of a cloak.

Examples:

Light Cloth Cloak

• If the Cloak is being wielded (It is readied and in hand) and you have the cloak skill You get the full DB to your front and cloak side. (2 Facings) +1 to DB. (Works with any kind of cloak)
• If you have the cloak skill but the cloak is not IN HAND, You may use the cloak to get a +1 obscurement bonus to your dodge only from attacks originating from your front or cloak side. (2 Facings)
• If you didn't have the cloak skill you get no bonus with a light cloak whether its in hand or not.

Heavy Cloth Cloak

• If the Cloak is being wielded (It is readied and in hand) and you have the cloak skill You get the full DB to your front and cloak side. (2 Facings) +2 to DB. (Works with any kind of cloak)
• If you have the cloak skill but the cloak is not IN HAND, You may use the cloak to get a +2 obscurement bonus to your dodge only from attacks originating from your front or cloak side. (2 Facings)
• If you don't have the cloak skill but the cloak is IN HAND You may use the cloak to get a +1 obscurement bonus to your dodge only from attacks originating from your front or cloak side. (2 Facings)
• If the you don't have the cloak skill and the cloak is not in hand then you get no bonus to DB.

Additional Cloaks:
Leather Cloak DR 2 HP 10 DB 2 Cost $120 Weight 12 (Can not provide an obscurement dodge bonus)
Chain Cloak DR 4/2 HP 20 DB 2 Cost $300 Weight 35 (Can not provide an obscurement dodge bonus)

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Here the character has the cloak skill and has a light cloth cloak in hand. He will get the full DB bonus against either of the goblins that attack him this round and may even use the cloak to block. If the cloak was not in hand and he had a free hand he could still get a +1 obscurement bonus to his dodge vrs one of the goblins. If he didn't have the cloak skill he would get no bonus vrs the goblins whether the light cloak was in hand or not.

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This character is wearing a cloak strictly for the DR. With both hands occupied he will get no bonus whether he has the cloak skill or not.