Running away from combat or away from melee

Discussion on game mastering Earthdawn. May contain spoilers; caution is recommended!
Avanti
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Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Avanti » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:51 pm

Hi All!

First post here, straight to the issue:
How do you handle a combat situation (similar to) that involves two guards in front of a key target. Lets say the PC and his enemies are in a room that does not offer enough room to circle around the guards without coming in "arms reach". PC has to strike at the key target to win the encounter.
My thoughts are:
1. If the PC wins initiative - he will just walk past the guards and strike at the key target. The guards do not have any means of stopping him.
2. The PC looses initiative the guards approach the PC and attack in order to time him up in combat. PC just walks out of combat and proceeds to strike at the key target...
3. The guards make reserved action for when the PC approaches. The PC tries to get through, tanks two hits (assuming no knockdown) and proceeds to go past and strike at the key target.

So this seems pretty weak. In real situation you could just block someone's way with your body, moving to where he wants to move, much easier when there are two people doing the same. This would force the person who needs to pass to either push you away - in game terms - need to attack you, hence loosing his action for that turn.

Am I missing something or Reserving action is the only way you can _attempt_ to stop someone from passing? Attack to knockdown along with reserved action seems the best option. If you have any cool house rules - share!

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etherial
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by etherial » Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:24 pm

Avanti wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:51 pm
Hi All!

First post here, straight to the issue:
How do you handle a combat situation (similar to) that involves two guards in front of a key target. Lets say the PC and his enemies are in a room that does not offer enough room to circle around the guards without coming in "arms reach". PC has to strike at the key target to win the encounter.
My thoughts are:
1. If the PC wins initiative - he will just walk past the guards and strike at the key target. The guards do not have any means of stopping him.
2. The PC looses initiative the guards approach the PC and attack in order to time him up in combat. PC just walks out of combat and proceeds to strike at the key target...
3. The guards make reserved action for when the PC approaches. The PC tries to get through, tanks two hits (assuming no knockdown) and proceeds to go past and strike at the key target.

So this seems pretty weak. In real situation you could just block someone's way with your body, moving to where he wants to move, much easier when there are two people doing the same. This would force the person who needs to pass to either push you away - in game terms - need to attack you, hence loosing his action for that turn.

Am I missing something or Reserving action is the only way you can _attempt_ to stop someone from passing? Attack to knockdown along with reserved action seems the best option. If you have any cool house rules - share!
You'll have to define your situation a little bit. Here are some questions I have.

A. Is there a reason the Guards might not already have reserved Guard Actions before the Combat begins?

B. Are the guards standing close enough to the Key Target that magically fast invisible ninjas could not possibly get through?

C. Is the Key Target as familiar with the game mechanics as the PCs?

D. Do the PCs play by relatively reasonable rules of engagement?

E. What is the terrain like?

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The Undying
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by The Undying » Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:32 pm

I'd suggest reading some of the old material on this topic, just to get some prior perpsective.

The Optional Rules for Companion thread that moved into this topic:
http://www.fasagames.com/forum/viewtopi ... rt=50#p929

A thread that, as a whole, covers much of this:
http://www.fasagames.com/forum/viewtopi ... t=movement

Slimcreeper
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Slimcreeper » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:40 am

Welcome Avanti!

You are correct, rules as written. A lot of us have felt that aspect is ripe for an optional rule/house rule.

Lars Gottlieb
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Lars Gottlieb » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:37 pm

Some options:
- I'm fairly sure there's a Bodyguard Discipline somewhere that fullfils the role you seem to want - crunchies taking the hits for the squishies. [edit: There is, it's in the 1ed adventure Path of Deception, on p110. I do not know if this is updated to Fourth somewhere. ]
- A group pattern on the bad guys with threads to Physical Defense and / or Durability could make that squishy less so
- A talent Knack could easily be made for the same purpose, if it doesn't already exist.

Slimcreeper
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Slimcreeper » Wed Mar 15, 2017 11:37 am

Paths was 2nd, wasn't it?

Lars Gottlieb
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Lars Gottlieb » Wed Mar 15, 2017 11:56 am

It's a 1st edition book, but written by Living Room Games, the guys who later made 2ed.

Slimcreeper
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Slimcreeper » Wed Mar 15, 2017 4:56 pm

Gotcha.

Avanti
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Avanti » Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:34 pm

Sorry for keeping quiet in my own thread... been away for a week.

Anyways, my scenario is just a thought exercise, so to that end I was assuming all characters in the scene are of equal skill and the target... well it can be a glass statue that needs smashing, does not matter honestly. The point was to explore how, dynamically, can a character stop someone in combat from just moving past.

But I think I have my answer - rules as written, the only reliable option is to reserve an action and attack to knockdown (or grapple).

I'm not looking for a specific discipline as well - rather a general rule or a combat option.

So any cool house-rules that could address that?

Telarus
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Re: Running away from combat or away from melee

Post by Telarus » Fri Mar 17, 2017 7:03 pm

These are what I use currently:

- Moving 1 yard costs 1 point off of your Initiative (but see below - Light Movement Impairment doubles this, Heavy triples it).
- The 3 hexes in front of a character are considered "Hazardous Terrain", and apply the Heavy Movement Impairment rules. Moving through these spaces is at triple the usual movement & initiative cost (instead of reducing the movement rate by a flat 10). Make a Dexterity test versus the controlling character's Physical Defense when you enter a threatened hex, failure stops all movement.
- Characters may threaten up to 2 hexes (4 yards) from their position with a pole-arm or weapon over 5 feet.

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