Blind Oppopent Combat Manouevre vs Blind

[Titus]

I am working on an RQ/Legend guide for my players. While looking at the Combat Manouevres and then the Close Combat Situational Modifiers table on the same page, it occurred to me that I will have to deal with this some time because I know my players well.
+ + +
A successful Blind Opponent combat manouevre stops the victim from attacking for their next 1d3 CAs.

An opponent has a -60% combat modifier when fighting while blind.

So now my character's SR is up, and I attack him. His parry attempt is at -60% because he is blind.
+ + + :roll:

I don't think that is what was intended, but maybe it is. The description of the Blind Opponent CM says in part:
"It could be kicked sand or dust, thrown clothes, sunlight glancing off the shield, or some other manoeuvre that manages to blur the attacker’s vision."
The "fighting while blind" modifier is in the same category as pitch black.

Of course, why blurred vision would prevent attacking, but allow a full parry skill roll will probably come up.

Has this situation arisen for anyone?
Do you apply the fighting while blind penalty if they are the victim of a Blind Opponent CM?
Do you apply any penalty for the blurred vision?

I am tempted to impose a fighting in partial darkness (-20%) penalty to the parry to represent the blurred or obstructed vision.

 

[Loz]

Blind Opponent is intended as purely situational, split-second thing; not a longer term distraction. The -60% penalty isn't meant to apply in this case. Its a quick, advantage-gaining distraction rather than a long-lasting effect.

 

[Titus]

Thanks, Loz.

That is what I thought was the case, but it is nice to have the designer's take on it.

As I said, I am trying to put together a player's guide and some things like this are jumping out at me. I have been playing games with some of these friends for 40+ years and I know how they think. I am recognizing some things I better have a confident answer to.

 

[sdavies2720]

I take 'blind opponent' as 'visually distract opponent': Dirt in the eye that they are wiping out, reflecting sunlight into their face, etc. They can still see, they can still react to incoming attacks and parry, they just can't see enough to mount an attack.

Steve