Dodge, Dive, Dip, Duck, Defend - a Primer on staying alive.
Jun 30, 2021 21:20:23 GMT -5
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Post by sullo on Jun 30, 2021 21:20:23 GMT -5
Hello Again, it's your friendly Keeper, WetBlanket and if you are super lucky and moderately smart, you'll never need this primer.
For the rest of you that think the dice gods love you in particular and hate the other person, please read on.
So, you have found your self in combat and you'd like to see the end of initiative alive rather than dead-dead.
No problem, we don't need to discuss actions, delaying, declaring and the like in this one. That's a different Primer.
Let's talk about the Primary three ways of not getting hit, then we can discuss what happens when you do get hit. (Reference P. 344 - DAV)
DODGE: The age old standard, just don't get hit. The roll is Dexterity + Athletics
BLOCK: All right, get hit but not take like all of it. The roll is Dexterity + Brawl
- You can only Block bashing damage unless you have on Armor or at least a dot of Fortitude, then you can Block Lethal and Aggravated
PARRY: Let's get a weapon in the way of the attack. The roll is Dexterity + Melee
- Parrying an unarmed attack with a weapon allows any overage dice to be applied as an attack against the attacker.
Now let talk about how you can get harder to hit, there are just a few ways.
SHIELDS: Carrying a Large Shield gives your opponents a +1 difficulty to attack you, a Small Shield instead give you a Difficulty 4 to Parry.
- If you aren't using a two handed weapon or fighting with a weapon in your off hand, you should absolutely be wearing a shield.
LONG WEAPONS: Being able to use a weapon longer than your opponents reach will inconvinience them when attacking you.
- A Halberd gives any approaching attacker a +1 difficulty to hit you, a Sword gives the same bonus against an un armed foe.
Aww shucks, you got hit? Well then lets try to keep you alive.
STAMINA: Lets begin with the basics. The higher your Stamina, the more dice you can roll to soak. Except against fire and sunlight.
FORTITUDE: The tough Discipline. Each dot give you more soak dice. Spending a Blood Point turns your dots into Auto Successes
ARMOR: Are there 5 types of Armor, of course there are, but only 3 really matter.
- Padded Armor: One extra soak dice, no Dexterity pool penalty, so not bad. Except if you take 2 levels of health damage its ruined until fixed
- Composite: The gold standard. 3 extra soak dice, a Dex pool penalty of -1. Pretty good. If you take 6 levels of damage its broken and so are you.
- Knights Plate: For the biggest and baddest tank, 5 soak dice extra, but a -3 to your Dex pool. Rules as written, you'll be dead or in torpor and your armor is fine
Original Post: 6/30/2021
Updated Last: 6/30/2021
For the rest of you that think the dice gods love you in particular and hate the other person, please read on.
So, you have found your self in combat and you'd like to see the end of initiative alive rather than dead-dead.
No problem, we don't need to discuss actions, delaying, declaring and the like in this one. That's a different Primer.
Let's talk about the Primary three ways of not getting hit, then we can discuss what happens when you do get hit. (Reference P. 344 - DAV)
DODGE: The age old standard, just don't get hit. The roll is Dexterity + Athletics
BLOCK: All right, get hit but not take like all of it. The roll is Dexterity + Brawl
- You can only Block bashing damage unless you have on Armor or at least a dot of Fortitude, then you can Block Lethal and Aggravated
PARRY: Let's get a weapon in the way of the attack. The roll is Dexterity + Melee
- Parrying an unarmed attack with a weapon allows any overage dice to be applied as an attack against the attacker.
Now let talk about how you can get harder to hit, there are just a few ways.
SHIELDS: Carrying a Large Shield gives your opponents a +1 difficulty to attack you, a Small Shield instead give you a Difficulty 4 to Parry.
- If you aren't using a two handed weapon or fighting with a weapon in your off hand, you should absolutely be wearing a shield.
LONG WEAPONS: Being able to use a weapon longer than your opponents reach will inconvinience them when attacking you.
- A Halberd gives any approaching attacker a +1 difficulty to hit you, a Sword gives the same bonus against an un armed foe.
Aww shucks, you got hit? Well then lets try to keep you alive.
STAMINA: Lets begin with the basics. The higher your Stamina, the more dice you can roll to soak. Except against fire and sunlight.
FORTITUDE: The tough Discipline. Each dot give you more soak dice. Spending a Blood Point turns your dots into Auto Successes
ARMOR: Are there 5 types of Armor, of course there are, but only 3 really matter.
- Padded Armor: One extra soak dice, no Dexterity pool penalty, so not bad. Except if you take 2 levels of health damage its ruined until fixed
- Composite: The gold standard. 3 extra soak dice, a Dex pool penalty of -1. Pretty good. If you take 6 levels of damage its broken and so are you.
- Knights Plate: For the biggest and baddest tank, 5 soak dice extra, but a -3 to your Dex pool. Rules as written, you'll be dead or in torpor and your armor is fine
I'll be adding to this primer in the manners of the old D+D class guides. Pm me WetBlanket if you have something to add for the betterment of the game.
Original Post: 6/30/2021
Updated Last: 6/30/2021