Knowledge: Fencing and Finesse Fighting?

[flatscan]

One of my players has an interest in the skill from p. 58 of the Player's Guide, Knowledge: Fencing. He's playing a Scholar who plans on investing a lot of skill points into it to make him more dangerous in armed combat. The Scholar is a Finesse Fighter and it would seem that this would work well with Knowledge: Fencing, but there are sentences in the rules such as this one from Masterful Point Control, "Some warriors can even beat through armour by attacking the same spot over and over until the armour is breached." This does not read like Finesse Fighting at all.

So, is Knowledge: Fencing compatible with Finesse Fighting? Is it an exception to Finesse Fightings attempting to bypass armor rather than beat your way through it?

 

[VincentDarlage]

I think it is compatible, as hitting the same spot over and over and over again takes some pretty good point control - which takes hand-eye coordination, not strength. Back in my days when I was fencing, I remember fencing epee with this one man who constantly hit the same spot on my arm no matter what I did. Despite the padding, I always came away from a day of fencing with him with a heavy bruise in that one spot. He didn't strike hard - he struck with repeated precision.

Yes, Knowledge (Fencing) is compatible with finesse fighting.

 

[flatscan]

Yes, Knowledge (Fencing) is compatible with finesse fighting.

Sweet! Thanks.

I do have another question about Knowledge: Fencing though. A lot of the manuevers a PC can use the skill for states what type of Action it is to make the Skill check. Some (like Masterful Point Control) do not, however. I was planning on ruling that it would take a Move Equivalent Action to use Masterful Point Control. Is this correct? My fear is of unbalancing the skill and it's already adding dice rolls to combat. :?

 

[Demetrio]

I though Masterful Point Control needed a roll. In fact, having checked, both Zingaran and Aquilonian styles use a roll to gain the benefit. it's in the (longish) skill description.

Mastery of the Measures, Unwavering Focus, Clarity and a few others need no roll but they give reasonably minor benefits.

 

[flatscan]

I though Masterful Point Control needed a roll. In fact, having checked, both Zingaran and Aquilonian styles use a roll to gain the benefit. it's in the (longish) skill description.

Yes, it needs a roll, but what type of Action is that roll? For instance the SRD states that Skill Checks are:

Using a skill might take a round, take no time, or take several rounds or even longer. Most skill uses are standard actions, move actions, or full-round actions. Types of actions define how long activities take to perform within the framework of a combat round (6 seconds) and how movement is treated with respect to the activity. Some skill checks are instant and represent reactions to an event, or are included as part of an action.

These skill checks are not actions. Other skill checks represent part of movement.

Which one of those (Standard, Move, Full-round, Immediate) is the the Skill Check roll for Masterful Point Control?

 

[Demetrio]

Ah, gotcha, I see what you mean now. I'd assume it's a free (immediate) action as getting to make the roll is dependent upon the attack success. It wouldn't make sense, in my view, for there to be the 'penalty' of making it a move action, either from a 'realism' perspective or from a game mechanics one.

 

[VincentDarlage]

I would use it as a free action, but if you find it unbalancing, then make it a move action.

 

[flatscan]

I would use it as a free action, but if you find it unbalancing, then make it a move action.

Cool, that'll make the interested player happy. What about Mastery of the Guards and Mastery of the Counterguards? Are those Free or Immediate Actions as well?

 

[VincentDarlage]

Unless you find it unbalancing, yes.