Enhance Parry? Is it any use?

[dazzah]

Forgive me if I wrong but how is Enhance parry any use as a CM?

If you successfully parry and get a CM your opponent must have missed, so the only use would be if you got a critical parry against a successful attack, which makes it a critical only CM really and even then blind opponent (cant attack 1D3 CA) or pin weapon would surely be used above Enhance parry everytime?

Am I missing something?

 

[Mongoose Pete]

It depends on what is hitting you. There are situations where it is better to avoid (or half) the damage rather than blinding or pinning.

There could also be situations where magic, heroic abilities or items can modify the success levels or replicate the CM.

 

[dazzah]

I can see your point although it still makes it a very limited CM in my eyes. Another problem I have is it also states that the manoeuvre is stackable, meaning 2 levels of difference (eg a critical parry and failed attack) would mean the parrying weapon is treated as 2 steps larger.

This must mean it persists during combat against that attack and weapon, otherwise how does the stackage aspect work.
Do others read it like that?? I cannot see how else to apply it otherwise.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Sorry, I have leant out my copy of the rulebook...

However, could it work in unarmed Martial Arts situations?

 

[K Peterson]

It's a pretty valuable CM if you are parrying with a substantially smaller weapon than what you are being struck by.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

This must mean it persists during combat against that attack and weapon, otherwise how does the stackage aspect work.
Do others read it like that?? I cannot see how else to apply it otherwise.

No. As I wrote above there are situations where spells, heroic abilities or special weapons might already be granting you a level of Enhance Parry.

For example a character with the Turtle spirit of A'Tuin, who has the Great Parry spell cast on him, and invokes the Deflect Nasty Blow heroic ability - each of which granting a level of Enhance Parry - could also roll a critical parry against his opponent's successful attack! Thus stacking four levels of Enhance Parry and be able to deflect a giant's club with his rapier.

Does that make it clearer?

 

[dazzah]

I think you missed my point.

If it is stackable and you get 2 or 3 CM to stack into this manouevre, you must have a critical parry against a failed or fumbled attack, but you wern`t going to get any damage anyway so why would u ever select this let alone stack it if your opponent failed their attack roll.

Unless of course this isn`t a CM that last only that attack but lasts for as long as the fight goes on. Now that would make it a decent CM as it would effectively upgrade your weapon for the rest of the fight.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

I think you missed my point.

If it is stackable and you get 2 or 3 CM to stack into this manouevre, you must have a critical parry against a failed or fumbled attack, but you wern`t going to get any damage anyway so why would u ever select this let alone stack it if your opponent failed their attack roll.

Unless of course this isn`t a CM that last only that attack but lasts for as long as the fight goes on. Now that would make it a decent CM as it would effectively upgrade your weapon for the rest of the fight.

Umm, perhaps I wasn't clear.

I designed the combat system so that CMs could be introduced from other aspects of the game. Enhance Parry was specifically crafted to be stackable from equipment, magic or superhuman training, so that unarmed or short weapon users could hold their own against bigger weapons.

Additionally there are potential ways of increasing your success level beyond a critical success. For example, with the right sorcery spell or Zen trance you might increase your level of success by one step.

The rules were written to be flexible for other settings and genres, so that for example, martial artists in an RQ2 wushu game could parry greatswords with their alchemically toughened forearms or invoke a ki ability.

I didn't intend for the Enhance Parry CM won in the parry roll to last beyond that roll. Of course in your RQ game you can do what you feel works best for you. YRQMV

 

[Helmgard]

Enhance Parry was specifically crafted to be stackable from equipment, magic or superhuman training, so that unarmed or short weapon users could hold their own against bigger weapons.

Sounds cool. Are there examples of such equipment included in the A&E?