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Old 01-18-2010, 11:42 AM   #31
Icelander
 
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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Originally Posted by Last Pawn View Post
Except that the technique can't exceed your base parry. So you'll be rolling against nothing better than what you would have rolled against with a normal parry. Although I suppose it does give you two shots at a critical...
Indeed. The 'two shots at a critical' was the part I was worried about.

In most cases, it changes the odds relatively little (Parry-5 is sucky-sucky), but for people who've bought up the Technique, it does mean that it's always statistically better to face opponents with the weapon sheathed than to have it out and ready.

Which fails my reality check.
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Old 01-18-2010, 11:46 AM   #32
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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Originally Posted by Icelander View Post
Indeed. The 'two shots at a critical' was the part I was worried about.

In most cases, it changes the odds relatively little (Parry-5 is sucky-sucky), but for people who've bought up the Technique, it does mean that it's always statistically better to face opponents with the weapon sheathed than to have it out and ready.

Which fails my reality check.
The easiest fix for that is to cap it at parry -1 or or even -2 instead of full parry. The logic would be the same as the cap on targeted attack: no matter how good you are it's always harder to do things the hard way.
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Old 01-18-2010, 11:48 AM   #33
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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Originally Posted by Icelander View Post
Indeed. The 'two shots at a critical' was the part I was worried about.

In most cases, it changes the odds relatively little (Parry-5 is sucky-sucky), but for people who've bought up the Technique, it does mean that it's always statistically better to face opponents with the weapon sheathed than to have it out and ready.

Which fails my reality check.
True, but in order to be rolling against a 16+, their parry has to be at 16+, which requires a weapon skill of 26, which is already off to the realms of cinematic any way.
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Old 01-18-2010, 11:59 AM   #34
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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True, but in order to be rolling against a 16+, their parry has to be at 16+, which requires a weapon skill of 26, which is already off to the realms of cinematic any way.
Wait, what?

If using a normal defence, the character rolls against his Parry. Let's say that he's a warrior type with DX 13 (not uncommon for PC warriors) and that he has weapon skill at DX+6 and Combat Reflexes. In that case, his Parry is 13. Against a sucessful Deceptive Attack from an equal foe, he would usually have it reduced to 10. That's a 50% chance of successful defence.

Let's say that because he's some sort of Iaijutsu master, he's also got this Technique maxed and he has spent 4 points on Fast-Draw (this comes to 10 points). Now, if he wants to defend against that same equal foe, he'd do much better to avoid having his weapon Ready.

Why?

Because in that case, he rolls against skill 16 to draw and if he gets 6 or below, he doesn't have to roll the Parry. That's a 9.3% chance of automatic defence at the cost of only a 0.5% chance of automatic failure to defend.

His final odds just improved from 50% to about 60%.
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Old 01-18-2010, 12:01 PM   #35
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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In Kromm's writeup, a critical success on a Fast-Draw roll translated into an automatic Parry.

I'm not sure I like that rule. As far as I know, a Critical Success on a normal Fast-Draw roll has no special benefit. It certainly doesn't translate into an automatic success for the next attack or parry.
You're right...missed that. I'd say that a critical success on the FD roll gives you a straight-up Parry roll at a bonus equal to how far you've improved the Technique past it's -5 Default.

Consequences of this:

Anyone with Fast Draw can attempt a FD roll, at no penalty, to get a weapon out of unready status to parry an attack. (this may need work; a penalty, say Bulk or something, to FD might be appropriate)

Normally, this roll is at Parry-5. It can be improved with the Technique up to base skill.

if you crit success the FD roll, you are at full unadjusted Parry (no -5 penalty).

My option says that (for example) if you've improved Draw Parry from -5 to -2 (a +3 improvement), you roll full Parry +3 on a critical success.

On the flip side perhaps the "on a crit, you get full Parry" is more than enough of a bonus for the fact by RAW right now, you're deeply screwed if your weapon is in a sheath when attacked.
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Old 01-18-2010, 12:02 PM   #36
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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Except that the technique can't exceed your base parry. So you'll be rolling against nothing better than what you would have rolled against with a normal parry. Although it does give you two shots at a critical success, it also gives you two chances at a critical failure.
Read the description again...I missed it the first time too. If you crit success the FD roll, you do not have to roll Parry. I agree with Icelander and the poster he reacted to that this is a problem.
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Old 01-18-2010, 12:08 PM   #37
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

Not really. A skill of 18 for 9 + 1(combat reflexes) +2(shield) +2(all out defense). That's 14 parry. A retreat, and you've got parry 17.
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Old 01-18-2010, 12:10 PM   #38
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

I would simply cap it at Parry -1 AND rule that a critical success results in an unpenalized parry at full skill.
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Old 01-18-2010, 12:12 PM   #39
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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On the flip side perhaps the "on a crit, you get full Parry" is more than enough of a bonus for the fact by RAW right now, you're deeply screwed if your weapon is in a sheath when attacked.
As you should be, in my opinion. Skill can compensate for lack of caution to some degree, but when facing equal opponents, it should be bad to be caught unprepared.

Certainly, my players would be pretty ticked off if they attacked a foe while he was eating with chopsticks and due to his Combat Reflexes and high Fast-Draw, he not only defended successfully, but did so at odds better than if he'd been standing ready with sword in hand.

If I allowed this Technique in my games, I'd replace the rule about automatic success on a critical Fast-Draw roll with one that instead allowed a normal Parry without the penalties for this Technique. And I'd rule that only half the -5 penalty could be bought off, with the justification aesir23 pointed out.

*Which I'm not sure about, since I see no reason why Fast-Drawing into a Parry, while possible in real life, could not happen in seperate turns in GURPS. That is, the character does something during his turn and then finishes by Fast-Drawing his weapon. In his opponent's turn, he then defends with it.
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Old 01-18-2010, 12:15 PM   #40
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Default Re: Fast-Draw Parry

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*Which I'm not sure about, since I see no reason why Fast-Drawing into a Parry, while possible in real life, could not happen in seperate turns in GURPS. That is, the character does something during his turn and then finishes by Fast-Drawing his weapon. In his opponent's turn, he then defends with it.
This is as good a rationale as any as to why this technique would be allowed. But you're right, it should never produce better odds than standing there weapon in hand.
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