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Hi folks,

Brand new user of the Forums!

I am GM in an After the Bomb campaign, where I am mixing elements of Chaos Earth and Beyond the Supernatural. A couple of the characters, including myself, have animals with supernatural strength (ie Crushing Strength animal power). Can someone please elaborate on these questions and, if you have references for the responses, that'd help a lot! (ya know how players are - demanding the GM *proves* why their favourite things doesn't work... )

1) Can characters with supernatural strength harm all supernatural creatures that can't be harmed by "manmade weapons"? I assume this is the case, but wanting some clarification. Obviously some powers harm supernaturals, but is this the same as supernatural strength?
So, a wolverine with crushing strength, for example, could penetrate the thick hide of a demon.

2) If you are wielding a melee weapon, which damage do you inflict? According to BtS2 page 135, "a supernatural being" inflicts either the weapon's damage + PS bonus, or their basic hand to hand damage + PS damage bonus. The problem is it refers to supernatural *creatures*, not *creatures with supernatural strength*. A wolverine may have supernatural strength, but still be as mortal as anyone else. So, what damage would he inflict?

3) Finally, what exactly counts as a "hand weapon"? I haven't seen anything to clarify that. If it distinguished between "melee weapons" and "ranged weapons", that'd be fine. Am I correct in assuming that "hand weapons" are basically anything that is given strength by your hands (so, obviously a sword or axe where a stronger person would be able to wield it with more force, *but also* throwing axes or long bows, where a stronger combatant could throw it with more force)? So, it's more like the old distinction between "ancient weapons" and "modern weapons"? I ask this, continuing on from the previous question, as this could potentially make the hypothetical crushing strength wolverine do 4D6 damage with a throwing axe, for example. That's personally how I think it *should* be, but I'm still looking for clarification.

Thank you.

Regards,

RD (also known as Rainbow Devil, Ravenous Devil, and whatever else I choose the R to stand for )

1 ) Since it's effectively supernatural strength it should be damaging creatures vulnerable to damage from supernatural strength.

2 ) Unfortunately that kind of thing is wonky because Palladium wanted to nerf supernatural strength+weapons, making weapons pretty much worthless for a supernatural creature to use. Going by just those restrictions they'd do whichever deals greater damage so likely it would be the barehanded+PS bonus damage as that would most likely exceed the weapon+PS bonus damage. They should really combine though (weapon damage+barehanded+PS Bonus) given the incredible levels of damage the character can inflict.

3 ) More than likely by 'hand weapon' they refer to Melee weapons since I don't think they ever included bows that could gain PS bonuses due to being built for greater strength, although I'd say it also applies to thrown weapons like axes or spears as well. So not anything that PS is irrelevant to like a crossbow or gun.

Thanks Nightmask.

RD