Re: [BNW] Goliath vs. Speedster, hope for the speedster?

["Steve Crow" <crow_steve@hotmail.com>]

> >Sounds good to me. I agree that (barring good rolls) the Goliath should 
>not
> >be able to tag a dodging speedster on the average. Also, the Speedster
> >should stay out of the reach of the Goliath, but that's tactics. Breaking
> >down to just hard numbers, I think you found the fix.
>
>
>Actually, AFAIK, Dodge only applies to rolls to avoid bullets. You use
>fighting skill to avoid hand to hand, and the way it works is something
>like this:
>

Actually, this is not correct.  Assuming that the rules are correct, Page 
154 is _very - specific on this.  The first sentence states, "Your hero 
doesn't have to just stand there and take it when someone's shooting at him 
OR TRYING TO PUNCH HIM OUT." (my emphasis)

Granted, as others have noted, it's not very cost-effective to use Dodging 
rather than relying on your HTH skill _if_ you're a decent HTH fighter. 
However, the rules do permit you to dodge HTH attacks.  You probably 
shouldn't...but at least it is permited by the printed rules.

As I've noted, this was not the case for Deadlands or Hell on Earth.

>Goliath rolls 5d6+5 str+ 5 fighting vs a TN of 15. If the speeder actively
>tries to get out of his way, the Goliath has to roll against whatever the
>speedster makes on his fightin' roll. Note that tricks are applied for
>every extra success over the base TN.
>

This is not correct, either.  The _only_ skill that can be used to dodge out 
of the way either is...well, Dodge.

The speedster can't "actively" get out of the way using anything but 
dodging.  There is no way based on printed rules to "actively" use HTH 
skills to avoid a dodge.

A Guide may, of course, implement whatever house-type Parrying rules he 
wishes to create.  However, I was under the impression we were discussing 
what's actually in the BNW rulebook.

>Say the speedster gets a good rollover...and gets 11+5 Spd+ 5 martial arts.
>So the Goliath's TN to beat is instead 21 instead of 15.
>
>

Again, this is not correct.  It's not even inherently correct given the 
original premise of a "parrying" ability.  Why is the Speedster getting his 
+5 Speedster bonus for Martial Arts?  He only gets it for Initiative and 
Dodging, and the example above involves neither.

If a Speedster elects not to dodge, then his _only_ defense or contribution 
to his own defense is the fact that his skill level in whatever HTH skill he 
is using at that time add to the TN of his opponent to hit him (as per page 
152 of the rules).

And again...any Guide who feels this is unreasonable may implement whatever 
active-defense/"parrying" type rules they like, naturally.  But let's not 
confuse things by claiming such rules are part of the game-as-printed.

>Phil


---

Steve Crow

"Worm Can Opener Extraordinare"

Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/

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