Confused about combat

[Thatroubleshootah]

Read the first mission in the new mission book. How am I supposed to gm a PC hitting a pirate in the eye with a Mop? What is the difficulty Setting? How do I figure out difficulty settings for Combats? How do I go a NPC attacking a PC? If a pirate or the squid robot attacks a PC how do I determine attack success or failure if I'm not rolling Dice? How do I do hand to hand fighting if I'm not rolling Dice? If I'm not rolling dice there can't be an opposed roll check so what Gives?


Thanks

 

[Shai]

If rolling dice is that important to you, there are rules for GM rolls on page 18 in the GM's book.
On the other hand, here's how I see the way it should work (without dice):
As the GM, you decide the difficulty and the players will attempt to Strike (melee, ranged, or other) or Dodge (athletics in close combat). If they have more results than the difficulty then they succeed.
The difficulty that the GM decides is based on the situation (unstable ground), the player's actions (how difficult the action itself is) and NPC skills or powers (+2 athletics, for example, means that the player needs 2 more successes to hit in melee).
The solution to the NPCs attack the PCs problem goes down to two things:
1) Player reaction- initiative is considered "real time" if the GM gives the player the chance to react to an action, and the player doesn't react, he's hit. If he plays a reaction card or says what he does then he gets a chance to survive.
2) Athletics as a defensive skill- in melee combat you can use athletics to Dodge (the player rolls Dodge to the NPC attack- if the GM allows him.)
For a better understanding about the result of NPC actions, I'd suggest reading pages 14-20 in the GM's book.
(In summary: the idea is that the players are in control of their actions and rolling dice puts them in the spotlight. If the GM is attempting to harm the PCs they get a chance to react (as I've said before about initiative).)


The pirate question at the beginning as an example:
GM decides that the difficulty is just 1 success.
Tommy attempts to strike the pirate with the mop, he rolls and gets 2 success and a computer.
The GM decides it would be funny that Tommy strikes the pirate and the (jam filled) mop sticks to his face (Tommy looses his grip of the mop.) The pirate, turns to the captain and shouts for help. The GM says that it is an attack on Tommy, (the mop swings at his face). Tommy can either duck with an athletics roll or use the "wrong target" reaction card (and the pirate would hit the captain instead). Tommy takes to long to decide and is struck in the face and falls off the boat.

 

[Thatroubleshootah]

I reread the passage you pointed out and my understanding is that you pretty much just make stuff up. Am I reading this Right? I mean as far as how many successes are needed for attacks from PCS. As far as attacks from NPCs you just make up Whether they hit or not based on the situation and what you deem appropriate at the time. I'll try this out.

 

[Shai]

You got it.
Remember to "Always give the PCs a chance to react and avoid before you hurt or kill them" (page 16 in the GM's book).

 

[locarno24]

Exactly. A round of combat when exchanging laser-fire with some traitorous commie is two skill checks, both rolled by the player:
Roll to hit the other guy, and (if the GM decides he's shooting back) Roll to not be hit yourself.

You never actually roll for the NPC - if the GM decides he's a rubbish shot, then the number of successes to not be hit by him will be proportionately lower, whilst some fiendish sniper assassin will hit unless you get some ludicrous string of success (or pull out a well-timed card)

 

[sleepydude]

2) Athletics as a defensive skill- in melee combat you can use athletics to Dodge (the player rolls Dodge to the NPC attack- if the GM allows him.)

Exactly. A round of combat when exchanging laser-fire with some traitorous commie is two skill checks, both rolled by the player:
Roll to hit the other guy, and (if the GM decides he's shooting back) Roll to not be hit yourself.

Friend computer!!! TREASON!

Page 16 states: "Also, note there are no dodge rolls in Paranoia. Dodge rolls are a lazy player’s way to avoid thinking about what to do."

My interpretation is that a reaction both can and should be used (unless the player is faffing about), but something far more creative than a simple dodge. A dodge just has the player effectively just standing there, whereas (using an example from the book) slamming the door on the NPCs who are shooting complicates the next turn. Was the door they slammed the only route they needed to go? Are the NPCs ready on the other side now with an ambush the second the door opens? Same could be true for diving behind a table. Sure, you're out of harms way this round, but now you're pinned. In both examples the players were given the rope, and made their own noose. Granted, we're all free to tweak the rules to what we want, of course.

That said, I have a question about combat myself, though, I suspect I already have the answer. I had assumed that there was a card for the typical laser pistol, but since there isn't, am I correct in assuming it's just considered a basic action, violence+guns?

 

[Shai]

Indeed it is, any action that is done by a simple skill roll is a standard action. All the actions on the cards are either spetial actions or reactions.
I'd like to use this situation to report a treasonous act of ignoring the "Troubleshooting for Red Clones" in which it states:
"When two characters are in hand-to-hand combat, they get a chance to dodge or block their opponent’s attacks." (Page 40)
Of course, the "Violet Clearance Manual for Killing Stuff" takes precedence, yet it is up to the clone in charge of running the team to clarify that when it says "dodge" it is meant as a figurative action. And not show the red clearance clones that there is no dodge skill.

 

[sleepydude]

I'd like to use this situation to report a treasonous act of ignoring the "Troubleshooting for Red Clones" in which it states:
"When two characters are in hand-to-hand combat, they get a chance to dodge or block their opponent’s attacks." (Page 40)
Of course, the "Violet Clearance Manual for Killing Stuff" takes precedence, yet it is up to the clone in charge of running the team to clarify that when it says "dodge" it is meant as a figurative action. And not show the red clearance clones that there is no dodge skill.

Yup, though page 40 is player vs player combat, not the typical combat the OP was confused about. Wanted to be sure and clarify this, so they don't think they're supposed to be having the characters roll for a dodge each attack, but allowing them a creative reaction instead.