Arena: Minicore vs. Otyugh

Arena: Minicore vs. Otyugh

In this installment, the arena's contestants are monstrous, but without any supernatural qualities - a minicore and an otyugh. The fight didn't last for 33 seconds, like the last one, but was nonetheless fun.

TURN 1

Minicore: Minicore's Basic Speed is higher then the otyugh's, so it goes first, moving 5 yards forward to set up a pounce later.

Otyugh: Otyugh, being neither Bestial nor Hidebound, has access to more creative tactics. It uses the Wait maneuver to hit the minicore with a tentacle as it pounces (Stop Hit, GURPS Martial Arts, p. 108).

TURN 2

Minicore: The minicore pounces. As soon as the distance to the otyugh becomes 3 yards, the stop hit is triggered - the otyugh rolls Brawling to hit. (Rolls 15 vs 10). The pounce proceeds as expected and the minicore lands in the otyugh's space. The minicore rolls against Jumping+4 to hit. (Rolls 10 vs 18). The otyugh, despite failing the stop hit, still can defend. It decides to parry. (Rolls 9 vs 9). It swats away the feline assailant.

Otyugh: The otyugh decides to bite the minicore and rolls Brawling to hit. (Rolls 13 vs 10). Tough luck! The otyugh steps back.

TURN 3

Minicore: The minicore has SM+1 and Born Biter 2, so it can bite as it were an SM+3 creature (equal to the otyugh). Thus, it decides to bite at a tendon in the otyugh's leg. That's -2 for hit location, -3 for targeting a tendon, and +2 for SM difference. (Rolls 9 vs 12). The otyugh parries. (Rolls 7 vs 9). The minicore's attempt at an attack was once again thwarted.

Otyugh: The otyugh changes tactics, because grappling seems to be a better option when you're larger than the opponent. It makes a deceptive attack (-4 to skill, -2 to the opponent's defense) and grapples the minicore's torso with both tentacles (+2). It rolls against Wrestling to hit. (Rolls 12 vs 12). The minicore tries to dodge. (Rolls 10 vs 8). The minicore is now grappled.

TURN 4

Minicore: Despite being grappled, the minicore tries to use its most powerful weapon - the stinger. Being grappled, it takes -4 penalty to hit. It rolls against Brawling. (Rolls 8 vs 13). The otyugh tries to dodge. (Rolls 10 vs 8). The minicore rolls damage. (Rolls 11 on 3d-1). That's 11 impaling damage to the torso. The otyugh has DR 3, so 8 damage transform into 16 points on injury. That's a major wound. The otyugh rolls against HT to avoid knockdown. (Rolls 12 vs 12). That's a success, so no knockdown ensues and the combat continues.

Otyugh: The otyugh is suffering from shock penalties and has lost a lot of HP. After long considerations, the otyugh decided to perform an All-Out Attack (Double) to do a takedown and a pin immediately after that. The otyugh rolls its part of the Quick Contest of ST. (Rolls 8 vs 21). The minicore does the same. (Rolls 13 vs 20). The takedown was successful. Pinning is a Regular Contest. Since the effective levels for the otyugh and the minicore are 27 and 20, respectively, it was decided to scale them down to 17 and 10 (as suggested in the Basic Set). The otyugh rolls ST. (Rolls 11 vs 17). The minicore rolls ST. (Rolls 12 vs 10). The pin is immediately resolved - the otyugh succeeds.

TURN 5

Minicore: The minicore tries to break free. The minicore rolls against ST. (Rolls 9 vs 20). The otyugh rolls against ST with some huge bonuses. (Rolls 7 vs 31). The minicore fails to break free and is pinned for the next 10 seconds.

Otyugh: The otyugh starts constricting, biting, and otherwise finishing off the helpless minicore. It actually survives for 2 more seconds, but the fight can be considered over here.

CONCLUSION

Again, despite different body morphologies, this fight was a symmetrical one - relatively mundane monsters. This fight showcases the importance of SM differences in combat, especially in grappling. The fight had an additional fun factor for me, because otyughs and manticore-like monsters are among my favorite D&D creatures.