parrying a natural attack with a weapon

[NickD]

I have a question that i can't find the answer to.

If a creature attacks with a natural weapon (or even a brawl) and this attack is parried by a character with a weapon, does the attacker take damage from the parrying weapon? The brawl skill description says that if you parry a weapon with a brawl you will take minimum weapon damage, but this isn't quite the same.

Nick

[rust]

This would probably depend on the type of creature and natural weapon, I

see it as something the referee has to decide according to the specific si-

tuation.

[Merak Gren]

I would not normally allow a weapon parry to avoid a natural weapon attack. In the first instance, these are normally delivered at close range requiring Closing rules. Also, normal weapon parry evolved from trying to parry a weapon, usually a blade. Natural weapons are rarely the 'right' shape.

I'd normally encourage Dodge or a Block with a shield if appropriate.

An unarmed Grapple or Brawl may work since it is a more natural response to a natural attack.

[PhilHibbs]

I would suggest moving away from a literal interpretation that a parry has to be physically blocking an incoming swing. I think that if someone is coming at you with fists, and you hold up a knife in the way and they think "hang on, this is going to hurt", that could be considered a successful "psychological parry". I don't know if this is a BRP rule but there's an AHRQ rule that says that a failed attacking weapon takes damage from a successful parry. More than one Scorpion Man has lost its stinger to my character's dual-wield broadswords under that rule.