From:	Mongoose m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject:	Improvised weaponry
Date:	Mon, 8 Mar 1999 13:44:36 -0600

:You know how the pre-gen adept in the SR3 has those billiard balls that
do,
:I think (Str)L damage when thrown? Well, I've got a troll adept in my
group
:now...and he wants something similar. A bowling ball. What do you think
:the damage code on a hurled bowling ball would be? Would he be able to
:throw the thing through the average building wall, do you think? He's
:trying to come up with intimidation techniques (as if being 10 feet tall
and
:weighin in excess of a ton isn't intimidating enough).

How much do billiard balls weigh? I'm sure there is a standard
weight, and its probably less than 1/10 that of bowling balls. Unless
your troll is 10 times as strong, his throws won't be as fast, far, or
accurate. Also, at 5-10 kilos each, they will ad to encumbrance pretty
quickly.
I'd say the damage is str M stun (same as a head-butt or kick), but
range would be short (s= 1/2 str meters, m=str meters, l=strx2 meters,
x=strx3 meters). I might also add a flat +2 TN when throwing them, since
they are NOT designed for throwing. Maybe only +1 for trolls, as they
have bigger hands.
Shot put balls, on the other hand, ARE designed for throwing- or at
least, are small enough to fit the hand easily, and even those would be
awkward weapons.

As for going though walls- isn't that what the barrier rules are for?
Depending on how strong the guy is, yeah, they could go though walls.
Admittedly, a smaller object, thrown faster, would go through easier
(again, the shot put...), but SR's barrier rules are not that, um,
sophisticated.

Hell, most HUMANS can throw a bowling ball though drywall. Trolls
should be able to manage maybe cinderblock, or normally framed exterior
walls.