Dodge idea / brainstorm

[Lloyd Dupont]

First, I start with how I deconstructed the rules in my mind:

I guess the dodge / parry skill have 2 approaches. One is simplicity, roll attack skill and defend with defense skill.

But then one adds "realism concerns" and "gaming concerns"
The realism is that one cannot dodge bullets and perhaps cannot dodge arrows either. And also, all those parries should damage the weapons.

Now, when we game that, we want to incentivize parry (so we can do the fun weapon damage) and we want to add some rules it's hard to cope with arrows. And that gives us the simple in practice but somewhat convoluted missile rule in combat.

Now come the additions I am thinking to make, what do you think:

I am thinking dodges should inflict a flat (no need to accumulate it, unlike reaction penalty, for simplicity sake) -20% to later attack skills. i.e. if I have to move it's hard to attack. Plus it fits well with my imaginary fight where one use a spear to hold an opponent at bay. Whoever dodge that spear has trouble closing the gap, i.e. an attack penalty.

Also I am thinking to have magic missile. My initial thought was they are fast like arrow but bright and shiny hence easy to spot. Perhaps they could be parried normally and dodge at hard difficulty (i.e. skill%/2). But then I look at current spell Fire, Cold.. (from BRP Magic), they are the opposite, cannot be parried, but evaded at normal difficulty. And I am suddenly undecided. Maybe the magic bold can be defended normally after all?

[RosenMcStern]

With shields yes, with weapons I doubt.

[Lloyd Dupont]

You seem to agree with my approach against magic bolt! 🙂

[Joerg]

Looks a bit like you're re-inventing RQ2 defense rules.

[Lloyd Dupont]

3 hours ago, Joerg said:

Looks a bit like you're re-inventing RQ2 defense rules.

I wouldn't know! ^_^