Getting the Drop on Someone

Games Discussion Feng Shui
1

I'm looking for a rule that would allow for that classic stunt "Getting the Drop on Someone"; that is, pointing a gun at someone to intimidate them into not doing anything you wouldn't like. Why? It's in every movie ever. (Even Bambi had guns pointed at the little forest creatures).

I'm running a Tarantino/Desperado/Gangster-style game, and pointing guns at people to get them to "freeze" is quite cinematic, and good for building tension. Also, it saves on the cost of bullets.

So I'm looking for house rules, or practical applications of the present rules.

Some thoughts:
Intimidation seems to be a Charisma-based skill, and more of a social-standing sort of angle.

Intimidation by itself MIGHT work, except staring down the barrel of a gun makes it seem so much more interesting. What about people who aren't intimidating, yet are taking a stand with a firearm? Just a simple +3 Bonus to Intimidation?

Most named characters can actually TAKE a round or two to the chest, even if I rule that the gunman gets a +3 for aiming. It's not very intimidating to be shot point blank, in other words.

My current idea:
"Getting the Drop" is a stunt. It requires that the gunman make their intentions clear (target must see or hear a deadly weapon brought to bear on them). It is a Guns or Will vs. the target's Will. If successful, the target is successfully intimidated to the point of dropping his/her gun, raising hands, etc. The target may resist every sequence thereafter using Will vs. Will. If successful, they are no longer intimidated and may act (although there is no indication to the gunman. The target may be "playing along" for an opportune moment). The gunman retains a +3 unless they are distracted.

Help me think this through.

2

I don't think this is very useful but what you're describing, if you want something less of a plain intimidation roll, sounds much like a schtick.

Maybe you should work something from the Masked Avenger schtick - which isn't exactly what you're looking for but does give a bonus to mooks.

Otherwise, if you're really wanting it as a stunt in a fight, then I'd give the -2 to your MA AV (or perhaps off intimidation if it's higher) and if you succeed then the mook etc loses a shot or two in the shot sequence.

3

I would solve it with roleplay only. Gun vs Will would be an automatic "kill" - since guns is normally way higher than will.

In my game: If the NPC/PC has his shot, he can declare his intention like "I yell: "drop it punk or you are fucking dead"" and roll intimidation and the time freezes. Depending on the result of the intimidation roll I describe the effect on the other chars like "he seems to bluff" or "he is serious business" - after that the players decide the action of their characters (and I decide the action for my NPCs). After that time unfreezes again and everyone act in the normal shot order. Of course, the person he did nothing but yell in his shot can have an "automatic" 3 shot action to act if the other characters act against his command.

Remember: targets who don´t move have a dodge of 0 (together with cover, movement and range modifiers).

SYL