Couple questions after my first ever session tonight

[daddystabz]

Finally, after many cancellations, we began our MRQII campaign tonight. It went pretty well but a question or 2 about the rules did pop up during combat.

My character had a situation where our group was being attacked by a bandit group on a road. I was pretty far away from the baddies and being a 2 handed greatsword wielder with no Common Magic that can strike at range made things paramount that I get within melee range. During round 2 when my SR came up I decided to sprint toward the bad guys and stop just short so I can easily get in range of my greatsword. However, the GM thought I couldn't do this without that being declared as a charge. I was not trying to perform a charge at all. I simply wanted to run up close to them so I could get in range to fight. Another player agreed this should be possible even though the GM at first thought it wasn't, thinking this would have to be considered a charge. I gave the example of the double move from d20. He ruled he would allow me to sprint to close the distance but that I'd take a decent penalty to evade or parry any attacks that come my way, especially since the baddies were wielding shortspears (medium length). He didn't realize my greatsword is bigger than their shortspears, having a large reach.

What do you all think?

 

[DamonJynx]

IMO if you ran and decided to stop short, there is no issue. If you decide not to attack, it's not a charge, simply a sprint (MOV x 5 - AP I believe). For it to be considered a Charge you must attack as part of the action (probably on you last CA for the round).

Regarding reach, according to the Core rules both weapons have the same reach, so neither of you have to close to attack.

As your weapon is 1 size category larger on a successful parry you negate all damage, when your foe parries, he only negates half damage.

Hope that a) helps and b) is correct.

 

[Mixster]

Damon is right. Some GMs do play that you cannot use any skill at a value higher than your athletics when you are sprinting though.

Ranged enemies would even suffer penalties to hit you, if you look to page 93, you'd see that enemies would suffer a -20% penalty on hitting you with ranged attacks.

EDIT: Shortspear have long reach, and so does greatsword, there are no reach problems there.

 

[DamonJynx]

Hey Daddystabz,

Did this help you and your GM out?