Bypass parry.

[Old timer]

After re reading the MRQ11 rule book, in preperation for a new campaign, i noticed that under combat manoeuvres the bypass parry manoeuvre is stackable, but i cant think of any situation in which that would apply. As RAW, the only difference you get between an attack and a parry is one success, either you succseed and your opponent fails, hence no need for bypass parry, or you critical, and your opponent succeeds, and you can use bypass parry to reduce the size of the parry weapon.
Has anyone found a situation in which a bypass parry has been stacked, or have i misunderstood how this works?

 

[PhilHibbs]

Has anyone found a situation in which a bypass parry has been stacked, or have i misunderstood how this works?

If you get a free Bypass Parry CM for any reason, such as a Heroic Ability or a spell, then you might crit your attack against a successful parry, and stack another Bypass on top. Rare, but possible.
*Update* I've searched the main rulebook and the Cults book, and there don't seem to be any documented mechanisms for getting a free Bypass Parry CM as such. Great Parry (Cults of Glorantha p21) is effectively the same thing though, and Deflecting Parry heroic ability increases the effective size by two steps which is like having two Enhance Parry CMs, and presumably would stack with an earned CM so you if you had that, the spell, and a crit, you could parry a tree trunk with a fruit knife.
*Update* I suppose you could invent a Nature Spirit that grants a free Enhance Parry CM as well.

 

[sdavies2720]

After re reading the MRQ11 rule book, in preperation for a new campaign, i noticed that under combat manoeuvres the bypass parry manoeuvre is stackable, but i cant think of any situation in which that would apply. As RAW, the only difference you get between an attack and a parry is one success, either you succseed and your opponent fails, hence no need for bypass parry, or you critical, and your opponent succeeds, and you can use bypass parry to reduce the size of the parry weapon.
Has anyone found a situation in which a bypass parry has been stacked, or have i misunderstood how this works?

Since Bypass Parry only reduces the parrying weapon by one effective size, stacking Bypass Parrys does make sense if you're fighting an opponent with a parrying weapon that is the same size or larger than your attacking weapon.

For instance, if your opponent parried with the same size weapon, using Bypass Parry once reduces its size by 1, so 1/2 your attack gets through. If you used 2 Bypass Parrys, all of the damage would get through.

Steve

 

[PhilHibbs]

Bypass Parrys does make sense if you're fighting an opponent with a parrying weapon that is the same size or larger than your attacking weapon.

The question (which I think I have more-or-less answered) was, under what circumstances is it possible to have two CMs to stack against a successful parry? Yes it makes sense to stack them if you can get them, but how do you get them?

 

[Old timer]

Thank you PhilHibbs, my question was how you would be able to stack them, and you answered it nicely.

 

[sdavies2720]

The question (which I think I have more-or-less answered) was, under what circumstances is it possible to have two CMs to stack against a successful parry? Yes it makes sense to stack them if you can get them, but how do you get them?

Ah, misunderstood the focus of the question. At least this way we have all sides of the issue addressed in one place

Steve

 

[cerebro]

Same question here.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

Has anyone found a situation in which a bypass parry has been stacked, or have i misunderstood how this works?

As it stands an extra level of Bypass Parry could be obtained as Phil postulated via...

A nature spirit (for example a goring boar spirit)
A magical weapon (following the magical weapons as presented in Vikings which add CMs to a successful blow)
A Heroic Feat (as evidenced by Mighty Blow)
A new creature Trait (say, whiplash arms for instance)
Or a spell (although admittedly I have yet to write one which specifically gives one auto CM for its duration, but I will do at some point)

As always the rules are designed to allow further expandability in whatever way is called for by a setting or GM.