Backbreaker

Hard

Defaults: ST-3 or Wrestling-3; cannot exceed ST+3 or
Wrestling+3.
Some cinematic wrestlers – and strongmen in general –
can pick up an opponent and break his spine over their
knee. To attempt this, you must first grapple your foe with
two hands around the torso. Resolve this as an ordinary
grapple.
shoulders, and then pull his leg and arm (or neck) to snap
his spine. While not difficult, this procedure is slow and
requires great strength. For a rapid, cinematic spine-
snapper, see Backbreaker (see below).
Wrench Spine takes several turns to execute. On your
first turn, you must grapple your opponent with two hands
around the torso. Resolve this as a normal grapple.
If your victim fails to break free on his turn, roll against
Wrench Spine on your next turn to hoist him into position.
Success means you lift him up and swing him over your
shoulders. Any failure means you fall down with your foe
on top of you and take thrust damage to your own neck. If
your opponent’s weight exceeds your BL¥4, you simply
can’t pick him up; your attempt fails but you don’t fall or
hurt yourself.
On later turns, roll a Quick Contest of Wrench Spine vs.
the higher of your victim’s ST+4 or HT+4. If you win, you
inflict swing crushing damage. The target is the spine.
There’s no wounding multiplier for this location but suffi-
cient injury can mean severe and possibly permanent crip-
pling; see New Hit Locations (p. 137). Even if the GM isn’t
using the spine hit location in general, he should use those
rules for Wrench Spine.
The target’s rigid DR protects normally. Flexible armor,
including natural DR with the Flexible or Tough Skin limi-
tation, has no effect. The spine’s own DR doesn’t help,
either – you’re not striking the spine but applying continu-
ous pressure to break it.
You may make repeated attempts on later turns. Your
opponent may attack you or attempt to break free during
this time, subject to the usual limitations of being grappled.
If your opponent fails to break free on his turn, roll
against Backbreaker on your next turn. Success means you
lift up your victim, drop to one knee, and smash his back
across your other knee. Failure means you drop him; he
ends up face-up on the ground and you end up kneeling, but
neither of you suffers damage. If his weight exceeds your
BL¥4, you simply aren’t strong enough to pick him up – you
waste a turn trying to lift him and can’t proceed with the
technique.
A successful Backbreaker does swing crushing damage
to the spine. This location has no special wounding multi-
plier but sufficient injury can do serious harm; see New Hit
Locations (p. 137). Even if the GM isn’t using the spine hit
location, he should use those rules for Backbreaker.
The target’s rigid DR protects normally. Flexible armor,
including natural DR with the Flexible or Tough Skin limi-
tation, has no effect. The spine’s DR does apply, as this is a
direct blow to the spine.