Quote:
Originally Posted by Polydamas
Your interpretation makes Focused Defense (deny right) an even worse choice for a gladiator with gladius and scutum, because now he has to enter Close Combat to strike where he is at -4 to use his gladius and can't block with his scutum.
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Anyone intending to fight like this (that is, without changing stances when attacking) should invest in the Close Combat Technique, reducing that penalty to -2. Additionally, even if you maintain a shield's Reach 1 (as I stated upthread, I don't think most shields should have this), it should still be able to bash/block at Reach C at -4 to skill (thus -2 to Block), and shoves with it should probably be unpenalized.
I'd also say that striking with a denied gladius
while entering or exiting Close Combat should be unpenalized. This could result in an interesting tactic - a Dual Weapon Attack consisting of a shove with the shield and a stab with the gladius (as the enemy is being forced out of CC). I'd imagine the crowd would love it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter V. Dell'Orto
You could probably replace that Reach penalty with a -2 to hit (no matter what the reach of the weapon) and get a "close enough" effect.
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If I ever decide to incorporate the Deny options, I'd probably go with this. Well, I'd replace the -2 to hit with a +1 to enemy defense, but that's pretty much the same thing.