Question about the Delay Action

[Rurik]

The text for the Delay action reads:

The Adventurer may pause to assess the tactical situation. This changes his Strike Rank to the number when he finally does act. If no action is taken before Strike Rank reaches zero, then the Combat Action is lost.

Does this mean that the adventurer's SR is changed to when he finally acts for the rest of the combat or just for that one action?

Thanks!

 

[Vatras]

The Delay action should change his strike rank permanently for this battle.

 

[Raegenhere (Huscarl)]

The Delay action should change his strike rank permanently for this battle.

I can see the arguments for that.

But I can also see those against it. If the PC roll results in an extremely high initiative that he / she waits to assess the situation AND / OR see the movement of friend or foe, because he/she has done that, they are committed to the SR that the delayed to act on for the rest of the combat.

A highly tactical perceptive combatant would seem to be penalized to act at lower SRs for all subsequent combat rounds because he / she chose to assess the battle on the first round.

Doesn't seem quite right, seems to be missing something...

 

[ThatGuy]

Seems to me like it would be for one turn (possibly one round), otherwise, what's the point?

Would you really want to give up initiative for an entire battle just to gain some insight on what an opponent is planning to do on their turn once.

Nothing beats sheathing your sword (or spear, or halberd, or whatever- even though I know they don't all use sheaths) in an opponent before they have a chance to do anything. You hit, they miss, game over. Who want's to give up that advantage for a whole battle ?

To me, the rule only makes sense if the character gets to return to their SR the next go round, otherwise, what's the advantage of getting initiative? If you are faster, but can't adjust to your opponents attack, except to attack after him for the rest of the battle- well then you really weren't that fast to begin with. You were, but now you are just a step behind. Forever.

I can see limiting the uses of this to avoid meta-gaming advantages (ie. A sword and shield guy waiting for the same SR as a two handed opponent so that the 2H guy can't parry), but if higher initiative is punished for delaying, initiative becomes a disadvantage, especially when considering combat movement. IMHO

 

[Mongoose Pete]

Does this mean that the adventurer's SR is changed to when he finally acts for the rest of the combat or just for that one action?

It is supposed to be for the one action.

Of course you can make it a permanent change for the rest of the combat if that floats your boat, but that wasn't the original intent.

 

[Denalor]

I’m still somewhat concerned about the implications though.
But I guess it just comes down to yet another facet of tactical combat.

It all comes down to being able to strike twice in a row. I assumed that was only possible with the Riposte (and that really is the only and big advantage of that manoeuvre).
If you have the higher initiative you first delay and then – since your initiative resets – you may strike again. If you were able to put your opponent at a disadvantage (as with a successful Trip or Bash) you can benefit a lot there from two successive attacks.

 

[Mikko Leho]

If you have the higher initiative you first delay and then – since your initiative resets – you may strike again.

No, you can spend only one Combat Action during your turn. You can think it like the Initiative is a clock running backward. If you delay your action from 22 to 13 your initiative would reset to 22 but because the clock has already moved past 22 you can do something at 22 of the next cycle.

 

[Denalor]

Sorry for not being clear, but that's exactly waht I meant... you delay until SR01, then it cycles again from highest to lowest initiative and then that SR22 can act immediately again.

But actually I just realized that this (i.e. acting twice in a row) happens all the time whenever one combatant has more CAs than the other.

A:
Initiative 20, 4 CAs

B:
Initiative 15, 3CAs

Round 01
SR20 A acts
SR15 B acts

recycle

SR20 A acts
SR15 B acts

recycle
SR20 A acts
SR15 B acts, B out of CAs

recycle
SR20 A acts

Round 02
SR20 A acts
SR15 B acts

so... just forget my qualms :lol: