Iajutsu strike

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Plane

I guess the main issue is, you declare a retreat before you actually roll the defence, if failing by a certain amount means you didn't even try to defend, then why did your retreat get used?

Or even "I'm trying to avoid the sword with a teleport dodge, I spend 5 FP to teleport nearby", that could avoid a sword but if you fail too hard, you never tried to teleport?

That's why a perception to see if you get to defend at all (no defense against surprise) is best. It's already built into GURPS Powers against Shrinking chars (roll vision+10 minus their size modifier) and it could be adapted into anything.

The idea of throwing someone off balance AFTER they fail to defend (they didn't see it coming but they saw it leaving) is good though, that could penalize subsequent defenses, create a mental stun...

I didn't consider retreats and teleports and the like, but someone stumbling back or teleporting away in response to being struck would still work. The problem with Sense rolls is you either need to add another roll to every defense or you need to come up with specific situations in which the roll is called for... which is going to get you back to having problems when you want a character to move so fast targets fail to attempt a defense. For example, let's say perception rolls aren't required for defending during combat, so long as you were already aware of the opponent. Even during combat, the character in question should be able to intimidate foes (to convince them to stop trying to fight her) with her show of skill - say, slicing the button off of the target's jacket, catching it, then showing it to her foe.

[Tomsdad]

if it's not in combat a lack of defence could be done as part of a partial surprise situation.

assuming the attacker got all their quick draw rolls off OK so it was draw and attack in one action and did this as a deceptive attack I'd penalise the defenders surprise roll by the deceptive attack penalty to defence.


(caveat this might be a touch powerful as a general idea when not linked with another -10 to hit a cigarette, and I should say I tend to be quite free with initiative roll / partial surprise mods in my games!)

[Black Leviathan]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Yeah, how is this not cinematic?

You need Fast Draw at a really high level and the Quick-Sheath perk. Also Intimidation or Perk Skill Adaptation Intimidation (Fast Draw).

Yeah this is cinematic, but there's nothing wrong with that.

I pretty much agree with Refplace, it's basic quicksheath and Intimidation adaptation for either Fast Draw or Melee for you sword. The to-hit is probably not that horrible, a cigarette is about as long as the gap between a helm and breastplate. Maybe he's smoked it down a bit so -8? This isn't something you'd be doing to someone ready to fight you and there'd be no warning the strike was coming unless the target knew your draw technique so they'd be making a roll to avoid being surprised, and probably facing a penalty to get over mental stun after you lop their cigarette in two.