Assault

This page is about the crime. For other uses, see Assault (Disambiguation).

Basic Information

In US Law, an Assault is an attempt to commit Battery (crime). In others, any unlawful attempt to commit physical harm to another person, regardless of whether or not you succeed. In some states and jurisidictions, threatening physical harm also qualifies as assault. The legal definition may vary a bit in other countries.

See also:

• Assault and Battery
• Aggravated Assault
• Aggravated Battery
• Aggravated sexual assault
• Assault causing bodily harm
• Assault causing harm
• Assault occasioning actual bodily harm
• Assault with intent to commit buggery
• Assault with intent to commit felony
• Assault with intent to rape]
• Assault with intent to resist arrest
• Assault with intent to rob
• Deadly Weapon
• Indecent assault
• Sexual assault

Penalties for assault and similar violent crimes are typically some of the oldest known to man - it is hard to form a society if people are free to inflict random violence on one another and most social groups move to suppress, control or channel the use of force very early on.
That said, in a society that accepts legal duelling - or even Private Warfare - laws around assault may be significantly different and some cultures will have a fairly generous view of what constitutes acceptable violence, possibly only intervening if one of the parties is severely injured and seeks justice from someone more powerful.

Sources

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia

Game and Story Use

• This is the crime PCs or NPCs commit by just using the Intimidation skill - but it's also a charge that might be leveled on just about any attack roll. Once the attack rolls start generating critical hits, you're probably looking at attempted murder.
  • There's very few games where hitting the PCs with assault charges would be appropriate.
    • Cinematic Heroism requires flexing your muscles from time to time, so overlooking it falls under Acceptable Breaks From Reality.
    • However, there may scenes or NPCs where such would be appropriate - like after the PCs threaten some powerful Corrupt Corporate Executive or other character who fights by pulling strings and manipulating bureaucracy and the legal system.
    • This would also be appropriate if they are violent towards innocent parties or law enforcement and/or insist on brawling in taverns when you don't want them to.
• In general, your PCs will need to be clear on what sort of game you're running - or what sort of an area they're working in as to what level of violence is acceptable.