About Disengaging and Closing

[KPhan2121]

So one of my players is using a dagger (Since he impaled a dude and couldn't retrieve the weapon). Another man (enemy) wants to move in with his spear and hit the player. He says he opposes the closing. Is that possible? I thought the Closing and Disengage rules were meant to be used by short weapon users to move inside a long weapon's effective range. 

 

So the question is, can you use the Closing and Disengage rules to stay out of an opponent's longer reach until you find an opportunity to strike?

[Baragei]

I honestly don't remember Legend's wording and rulings here, but I've allowed RQ-players to deny an opponent the possibility to close using the Open/Close and Outmanouevre-mechanics. Basicly making an opponent chase you.

Looking at it from a perhaps situational POV, it makes perfect sense to allow it.

[K Peterson]

I don't recall the wording either, but the situation doesn't make much sense to me.

 

In this case, the spear-man is not "closing"; he is performing a regular attack with a medium- to long-reach weapon. He doesn't need to physically close in within reach of the dagger to hit the defender, even if ridiculously 'choked-up' on the spear. The defender still has the option to Parry or Evade the attack. And Evading could result in the situation where the attacker 'chases' the defender around the battlefield.

[Baragei]

I read "closing" as "moving to engage". 

[K Peterson]

Well in Legend, I don't think that there's anything a defender can do in response to an attacker who is 'Moving and Attacking' besides the standard reactions of parrying or evading the attack. The attacker spends his combat action, moves up to his movement allowance and attacks. The defender can spend a combat action in response only to parry, evade, or cast a spell. He cannot 'Change Distance' as a reaction. If he wants to 'oppose the attack' he must Evade.

 

"Closing" is specifically defined in Legend's mechanics as dealing with an opponent's weapon reach. And it can only be performed on your turn at the cost of a combat action. 

 

So the question is, can you use the Closing and Disengage rules to stay out of an opponent's longer reach until you find an opportunity to strike?

 

To answer the question: according to the Legend rules, no you can't. If you want to avoid the attacker's longer reach, in this situation, the defender must Evade the attack. The defender's opportunity to strike will occur on their turn when they decide to Close with the attacker.

[soltakss]

So one of my players is using a dagger (Since he impaled a dude and couldn't retrieve the weapon). Another man (enemy) wants to move in with his spear and hit the player. He says he opposes the closing. Is that possible? I thought the Closing and Disengage rules were meant to be used by short weapon users to move inside a long weapon's effective range. 

 

 

Of course it is possible. If you can do it in real life then you should be able to do it in Legend ...

 

 

Whether it is an option in the rules is another thing entirely.

 

I am a big, big fan of houseruling all rules. If something isn't stated explicitly in the rules and you have found a good way of doing it, then add that to houserules and allow it.