Mechanik’s Union

Step one

Appraise your foe (a.k.a. the is it worth it? stage). Sometimes there is a formal challenge; sometimes it is just a rising tension in the air. Either way, when a duel is about to go down the duelists will look each other over and size up their opponent. The Appraise roll is a BAB + Wis check. There are three things you can determine:

• The opponents Base Attack bonus
• Dexterity (and, hence, Initiative and ranged attack bonus)
• Weapon familiarity (how many feats has he dedicated to using his weapon in addition to basic proficiency)

The DC for this check is:

• 10 to learn one thing
• 15 for two
• 20 for all three

If the opponent knows they are being appraised and can roll a Bluff check higher than your Appraise roll, he may adjust one of the qualities you determine up or down by as much as his Charisma bonus.

For example, Renald decides he wants to know Sherrons BAB and Dexterity before accepting her challenge and rolls an 18 on his Appraise check. He will have a pretty good idea what they are, unless Sherron rolled a 19 or higher on her Bluff check. If she did roll higher, she could use her Charisma bonus of +3 to make Renald think her BAB or Dexterity was three points higher or lower than it really is. It is at this stage that most duelists will decide they are out of their league and yield (or run like cowardly dogs) or decide that they can win and accept the duel.

Step two

The battle of wills: a.k.a. the Evil Eye stage. If neither duelist backs down, or if backing down isnt an option, they proceed to the stare down. This is the part where duelists ask each other if they feel lucky and exchange steely-eyed glares.

Use the Intimidate skill to demoralize an opponent. Your Intimidate check is opposed by the targets modified level check (1d20 + character level + targets modifiers on saves vs. fear). A character immune to fear cant be intimidated, nor can non-intelligent creatures.

If you have the Persuasive feat, you get a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks. If you have 5 or more ranks in Bluff, you get a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks. In duelling situations, this check can be performed up to a range of 30 feet. It imposes the Shaken condition on the loser, which gives -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Step three

Fire! Both duelists are considered flat-footed – however see note about sneak attack below – during the first round of the duel, even if they have Uncanny Dodge or a similar ability. If you just want to start diving for cover and shooting and bobbing and weaving, then youre not fighting a duel, youre having a gunfight (for which the normal combat rules should be sufficient).

From this point there are two styles of duels; Judged and non-Judged.

• Each opponent is considered to be flat-footed, no matter what feats/abilities he or she possesses.
• Sneak attack damage is not added to successful shots (because then it models the situation of the dirtiest, sneakiest fighter being the best pistol duelist).
• Shots are considered to happen simultaneously in a judged duels, in order of initiative roll in non-judged duels.
• Successful shots are assumed to do normal damage, and critical hits do maximum critical damage.
• If the roll to confirm a critical is within the critical threat range of the weapon, roll to confirm again – confirming this time means the victim is reduced to -1 hp automatically and begins bleeding out.
• In a non-judged duel, if pistols are holstered at the beginning (so its more of a western showdown), the Quickdraw feat grants its possessor a +4 bonus to Init that stacks with Improved Init.