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sorry if this has been addressed for 4th ed but couldn't find it

Aggressive Attack p382 states

he pays less attention to attacks directed against him and suffers a –3 penalty to his Physical and Mystic Defense that round.

So I'm assuming it should mean until that player's next turn? because as I read it, if you're at the bottom of the initiative, you can use this without worrying since once you roll init again, it's a new round?

thanks

No, Aggressive or Defensive Stances need to be declared at the start of the round, before initiative is rolled, and they are in effect through every-bodies turns that round.

If you look on pages 371-372 of the players guide, each combat round has 4 steps.

1. Declare Intentions
2. Determine Initiative
3. Declare and Resolve Actions
4. Begin a New Round

Declare Intentions
All characters declare the general type of action they intend to perform during the round, along with any combat options (see p. 382) they intend to use. This doesn’t need to be overly formal. Combat options need to be chosen before Initiative is rolled because many combat options have effects that last the entire round, such as raising or lowering defense ratings.

So you declare your stance before you know whether you will be going first or last, and it lasts the entire round, from the first characters action to the last, and you can't change it until the next round.

so does that mean if you declare aggressive or defensive you take the penalty/bonus before your turn in the initiative?

Michael wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 24, 2019 12:30 am

so does that mean if you declare aggressive or defensive you take the penalty/bonus before your turn in the initiative?

Yes. Before AND after your initiative.
The effects of your declared combat options last until the next time you would be able to declare combat options.

also-
I learned a thing!

A character who is knocked down cannot use a combat option until he
is standing.

- 4ED Players Guide pg.382

I did not know this ^

Although.. "Jump Up" is listed a Combat Option lol

good to know, thanks

Scherme wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 24, 2019 3:11 pm

Although.. "Jump Up" is listed a Combat Option lol

I think this is the exception from the rule.