How does it feel to get cut by a sword or getting shoot?

[Jang]

Actually, I am running an Exalted game so still White Wolf but far from WoD But thanks for the description and thanks for the charts. I am sure they'll be worth plenty of inspiration once I finally get my ass in gear and read through them properly =)

I dont want to tell you what system to play and I've only had a small amount of experience from Exalted but if you want a visceral game, I wouldn't advise that system, its one thats great for high powered games but that usually results in the video game combat style. Dark Heresy is one example of that kind of game where combat is brutal pain is intense and your characters a running for their lives. Things also like CoC, WoD, WFR and a bunch of other systems are better with that kind of stuff. I hope you get what your looking for and create a great game.

I intend for the players to be mortal this time around, and thus a lot more squishy than their lethal soaking, perfect defending, shiny, celestial superiors, so while for the most part, yes, Exalted is about high-power the game does lend itself towards a more low-down and dirty game. Though, I understand your concern

 

[Jang]

Oh, well good then! I know of Exalted, yeah. Haven't played it, but I guess it's kind of a different beast to my usual fare. Still, if you want to make combat seem less appealing, do emphasize the brutality, the chaos, the ugliness of it. There's some very simple reasons why real people in real life don't want to get down and dirty unless they have to, and that's the fact you quite literally live by, die by and live with the direct consequences of your actions. Just a tiny little mistake and it could be all over. There's so many other ways that could be so much better.
If you're brutal enough, hammer them down hard a few times if they're too eager to fight. That always works. Hit them and make it hurt. They'll start looking at combat as a more serious thing.

Thanks. That is exactly what I am trying to achieve with this experiment =)

And since this is Exalted, I guess being shot at with arrows is actually relevant! And I've been shot with an arrow (which had to do with a neighborhood bow hunter, the really overkill draw strenght requirements of any bow used to hunt even small game and me being where I really shouldn't have been).
The thing about arrows is, when one hits you, it will punch. A lot. Bullets, at least certain bullets, don't discharge all their energy on you on impact (some are designed to, for stopping power), they go through you and much less kinetic force hits you than is retained by the bullet. But when an arrow hits you, it will punch. The shaft, shaking every which way, will actually enhance that. There's a very strong impact. And there's a certain interesting aspect to it, too.
You see, a strong bow hits with so much force it won't just incapacitate a certain part of you. It will incapacitate you as a whole. Getting hit by a properly loosed arrow will make you fall, unless you take it in the arm or somesuch. The force of impact will simply make your muscles stop functioning for a bit. You'll fall over, even if the shot shouldn't have made you drop. Unless you're freakishly tough or something, I guess. It just feels like this really strong, really painful impact on your body, and suddenly you're toppling down. It makes getting shot with an arrow even more distressing, really.

I am getting more and more surprised by the replies to this thread! I was thinking when I made the thread that "Naaaaaaaah, no way anyone has been shot by an arrow," but there you goQ =P
Thanks again! I'll be sure to put this to use