Quote:
Originally Posted by McAllister
Which begs the question, if you can stack setups, why would you ever waste the bonus by using a follow-up attack? The rule where each subsequent setup gives a stacking +1 bonus to defend helps defray this, but if I can reliably take -4 and still hit, then I can slowly whittle away my opponent's defense with full-strength attacks. Not sure what to do about that.
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Note that, with the way Setup Attacks are... well,
set up... anytime you successfully hit and the target doesn't defend well enough to negate the Setup,
the attack would have connected outright if you'd used Deceptive Attack. Setup Attacks only give a benefit if you use them to strike low-value locations, then once you have a good enough penalty you cash it in for a better strike. In the introductory story, between the high to-hit penalty and the necromancer emphasizing defense of the Heartstone, Indigo can't reliably hit it - so he goes after a target he
can reliably hit (the leg) with a Setup Attack, then uses that defense penalty to target the Heartstone. For potential numbers, let's say Indigo has something like Rapier-23 and the necromancer has Parry 12 for the Heartstone (and will likely use Feverish Defenses and Retreat, for 17), but only Parry 10 for the leg. Indigo takes a -2 for the leg and -8 for Setup (skill 13), and the necromancer gets a bad roll, so Indigo scores a hit and imposes a -4 on the next defense. He goes for broke (this is an all-or-nothing attempt) with All Out Attack (Determined) and has to take a -5 to hit the Heartstone; he combines that with a -10 for Deceptive, for Skill 12 against Parry 8.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DouglasCole
Yeah, that's the intent. I poke high, and then when your guard is up, slice yer belly. After that, I've used up that opening.
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While a Setup Attack involves more investment of time and energy than a Feint (because you're actually striking), I personally wouldn't have an issue with it leaving the same sort of opening as the latter. Of course, you may recall
my thread about revamping Feints using the Setup Attack mechanic, so I've got a bit of a bias.