Questions about fencing and two-weapons skills

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

Now this may start an interesting conversation. ;-)

I take this "non-missile" to include thrown weapons. So I would not allow this to parry thrown weapons. The same way the rules say facing does not affect missile weapons, I take that to mean it affects both missile weapons and thrown weapons (and yes if you look you will find a topic here where I argued the opposite based strickly on the rules... but after reflection, this is where I ended).

So, no parrying dragon fire. Shields still help though. (Let's see what others say)

There have been times I've puzzled over whether "missile" sometimes includes "thrown". I've decided it doesn't.

I can totally see an advantage for thrown weapons when one's back is turned. They can't reflexively dodge what they can't see (whereas a missile weapon is too fast to reflexively dodge).

I'm a little less sure that knowing two-weapons would allow you to parry a thrown dagger, but maybe so.

The whole set of rules for defending and parrying are a bit ad hoc, with "defend" using the notion of parrying in a different mechanic than two-weapon does.

In any case, were a player to ask me why they can't parry flame breath when the literal rules suggest otherwise (on my interpretation), the answer is clearly, "Because it is flame breath." And I agree that shields still help, of course.

[hcobb]

As Missile weapons are noted as following the Thrown Weapons rules on ITL 115 this means that Thrown Weapons are subject to the same defenses as Missile Weapons and the errata about page 117 applies: https://thefantasytrip.game/resources/errata/

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by phiwum

The whole set of rules for defending and parrying are a bit ad hoc, with "defend" using the notion of parrying in a different mechanic than two-weapon does.

In any case, were a player to ask me why they can't parry flame breath when the literal rules suggest otherwise (on my interpretation), the answer is clearly, "Because it is flame breath." And I agree that shields still help, of course.

If I had to quote a rule, I would quote ITL pg 117 "Dodging is effective only against missile spells (and thrown and missile weapons). It is no good against other spells or attacks.
Defending is effective only against non-missile spells and attacks."

And site that the Two Weapons talent has parrying as related to defending, not to dodging.

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

If I had to quote a rule, I would quote ITL pg 117 "Dodging is effective only against missile spells (and thrown and missile weapons). It is no good against other spells or attacks.
Defending is effective only against non-missile spells and attacks."

And site that the Two Weapons talent has parrying as related to defending, not to dodging.

I think it's totally reasonable to say that parrying isn't intended to be used against thrown weapons (and neither is defending), though it would be nice if the rules said so explicitly. I hadn't realized that the rules as written actually are consistent with Defend and Dodge both applying to thrown. Dodge is effective against thrown weapons and Defend is effective only against non-missile spells and attacks.

I'm gonna presume that's unintentional.

[Skarg]

Why would anyone think that fire breath could be parried?

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Skarg

Why would anyone think that fire breath could be parried?

I was just trying to see the consequences of the rules as written.

I do think that the literal text suggests that one can parry thrown attacks, but I also agree that this suggestion was unintentional.