Playtest questions - Reactive parry vs Declared parry.

[dazzah]

We have been having a play test with RQ II rules. Basically just trying various fights rather than anything more creative.

One query I have is Combat Action Parry - The book says can be reactive but also declared before the attack in advance of an expected attack, by adopting a defensive stance. However once committed it cannot be used for anything else and is lost if the attacker does attack him before the next SR.

What benefit does they allow, it must offer something otherwise no one would ever use it and just use reactive Parry.

I just made a house rule up that it make more resistance to knockback and +10% to parry skill, but that was just made up by me on the spot. Id like to know the official rule

Thanks

[Mugen]

As far as I understand, if you don't act during your strike rank, you lose 1 CA.

Therefore, when you have to fight defensively, Declared parry is a good option.

[dazzah]

Sorry can you clarify that.

The way I understand it is
You can always reactive parry in responce to an attack provided you have CA left.
You can always delay your CA until SR reachs 0 ie everyone has acted. That costs nothing.
If you dont do anything you will lose that combat action.
Declared parry also loses a CA if you dont use it before your next SR, so how is it better than simply delaying your combat action if you wish to play defensively and then at least you will have a reactive parry to use against any attack. If SR reachs 0 and you havn`t been attacked you lose the CA, but that woul dbe the same on a declared parry.

do u see what i mean?

[Rurik]

Say you act first but face two foes. You may want to use all your CA's to parry in hopes of disarming one. So on your first action rather than attack you pre-declare a parry.

EDIT: and 'your next SR' could be much later than SR 0.