Fria Ligans forum

While the rules state that Kids shouldn't be armed with guns, I think there should be some details on improvised weapons and the like. When up against strange animals, robots, or some unknown threat, it's just natural for Kids to bring something. Some of the items listed are things that I know I and my friends would've brought if investigating a Mystery.

Hunting knife
Small axe
Nunchakus or shuriken (made in wood shop)
Hockey stick
Baseball bat
Fist-sized stone
Pointed stick
Tape-wrapped firecracker
Air rifle

At the discretion of the GM, more powerful items like a Klorex-55 pipe bomb, a Molotov cocktail or a shotgun "loaned" from the Hick Kid's father could be added.

The players will want to feel that they have improved their odds, and therefore it would be good to know how improvised weapons affects play. They could have a combat bonus and an intimidation value,.making the mere threat of using them a way of dealing with conflicts.

we made bows and arrows, we glued the pointed end of a dart onto a flowerstick (blomsterpinne?) and used electrical tubes (VP rör) for bow. Great fun and rather painful when hit by one of those arrows

What about fireworks? Bottle rockets, cherry bombs, M80s. Me and my friends used to fire roman candles at each other as we ran around the woods. Ah, those were the days.

Fireworks could work as a distraction or to scare off critters like dinosaurs.

Add to the list: Slingshots. I remember my cousin made one and we used to fling rocks in the yard.

I learned to use a bow and arrow as a kid in the 80s. My dad bought me my own compound bow and quiver of arrows. I also had my own gun to use on hunting trips. Region might have some differences on what was available, maybe? Rural kids in America certainly would have a few things rural Swedish kids didn't. and vice versa, right? Same could probably be said for city kids.

From the UK i remember 

Potato gun, small piece of spud to the eye ball was always a fear.
Lawn darts, what looney thought those up !
Catapult, the legendary blackwidow lol......
Golf ball, hard as adamantium 

Would you want it to work differently from a normal Item bonus?

Would you want it to work differently from a normal Item bonus?

As there's no hit point system, I guess the item bonus system would work. Weapons aren't just something to inflict damage with, but they have an intimidating effect that varies depending on type of weapon and target. For example, a dinosaur wouldn't be overly impressed by a spear, but a burning flare would probably scare it off. Meanwhile, an adult wouldn't feel as intimidated by a Kid brandishing an air rifle, while another kid would feel fear. I guess much is left at GM discretion.

I would have it negate special attributes, and give bonus to a wider array of circumstances