Replacing Dodge and Defend

[hcobb]

Any figure that does a half move or less can choose the dodge option, engaged or not. The effect of a dodge is that they roll 4/DX for each attack (of any type) and if they tie or beat the attacker's to hit margin then they dodged that attack. Shields don't adjust DX for this roll for attacks from the front. Subtract one die from the dodge roll if the defender has either Acrobatics or Shield Expertise (if holding a shield and the attack is from the front.)

Dodging melee attacks from the rear is harder because the attacker gets +4 for facing and therefore has a larger margin of success for the defender to tie or better.

Any figure with weapon or shield in hand can choose the Defend option if they do a half-move or less. They defend against each attack by making a 3/DX roll and if they tie or better the attack's margin of success they negate either the max damage of their weapon or triple the usual hits of their shield from the attack. Adjust the number of dice needed on the success roll by difference in levels of weapon skill between attacker and defender. (Unskilled - Weapon talent - Weapon Expertise - Weapon Mastery.)

Example: ST 4 DX 14 Floppy the Halfling Master of Dagger does 1d+1 with his ordinary dagger, so max damage is 7.

He is attacked by a ST 40 DX 9 ogre using an unskilled club for 2d+4. The ogre rolls a five, exactly hitting Floppy (DX 9 minus 2 for Mastery and minus 2 for Halfling) and rolls 12 damage.

Floppy needs to roll zero dice (Mastery vs Unskilled) and so makes his defend roll by 14. He then subtracts his max damage of 7 from the rolled 12 and takes 5 hits of damage.