Rules Questions

[Butters]

Just a quick one, during an All out Attack can you split the attack? for example if the player is holding a dagger in one hand whilst the other holds his sword could he stab N.P.C 1 with the dagger whilst slashing N.P.C 2 with the sword? The description says its a frenzied attack so I'm thinking its both attacks on one target but just to make sure.

Many thanks

[Butters]

Any ideas on this guys?

Edited January 29, 2018 by Butters

[Julich1610]

I don't see anything definitive in the rules for splitting an all-out attack.  My interpretation would be based on the following from Renaissance Deluxe:

"A character with over 100% can split his skill to perform multiple attacks and Parries or Dodges."

This implies it is rather a skilled character who can split his/her attacks among defenders.  From my own slight experience with rapier, it is very difficult to deal with more than one opponent at a time!  An all-out attack with multiple opponents seems a bit dangerous, even foolhardy to me.  A great deal of skill is called for to pull it off (more than I have!), so my house rule here is consistent with what is said in Renaissance Deluxe about this situation:

"Numbers count. If you are facing off against multiple opponents, even weak and unskilled ones, you are quickly going to run out of attacks and Reactions. In practical terms, this means that your Adventurer may, at best, reduce the number of attackers by one per round, while only being able to protect themselves against one of several incoming
attacks."

This certainly suggests, in the case of multiple opponents, that you will only be able to take out one of them in any given round, hence the average bloke won't be able to focus on more than a single opponent in a round, even with an all-out attack  That said, whatever feels right in the context of your game is probably the "right" answer.

   

 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Julich1610

[Butters]

Thank you, that does help a lot I had missed the 100+  skill entry. It hasn't been a problem yet it just seemed a little vague and I didn't want to have any potential arguments about it later.

Edited December 31, 2017 by Butters

[doomedpc]

I always think of an all out attack as against one target - it isn't subtle and thought through, it is a desperate discharging of pistols or reckless hacking where the attacker hopes to win through sheer brute force and frenzied violence.

[Butters]

On 10/04/2017 at 2:54 PM, doomedpc said:

I always think of an all out attack as against one target - it isn't subtle and thought through, it is a desperate discharging of pistols or reckless hacking where the attacker hopes to win through sheer brute force and frenzied violence.

Thanks for the reply its helped to clear things up.  

Edited January 29, 2018 by Butters

[Xorgrim]

For me, it feels like common sense that the all out attack would focus one opponent. The name already sounds reckless. So you use it, when it's now or never.

You are outnumbered, so kill one quick and even the playing field.

Or: The warlock is chanting, he has to die now.

[DavetheLost]

My limited fencing experience says All Out Attack would be against one opponent. The wording that  the second attack occurs "straight after" the first attack, rather than at half Dex suggests to me that it is against the same opponent. 

Where it gets complicated is dual weapons and/or skill over 100%. I would rule that either weapon of a dual weapon pair, assuming appropriate skill, could be used for either of the attacks from an all out attack. I would allow a character with skill over 100% to divide their skill as normal, and also allow them the advantage of being able to split the attacks over multiple foes. They still would lose the option to perform a Defensive action though.