11-07-2019, 12:29 PM | #11 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
It's what the advantage is actually for. CR in 2e was 10 points and had all the benefits except +1 to active defenses, I'm not sure why it changed in 3e.
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11-07-2019, 12:44 PM | #12 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ft Collins, CO
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
My GM broke it into three separate levels.
Combat Awareness [5] - You never “freeze” in a surprise situation, and get +6 on all IQ rolls to wake up, or to recover from surprise or mental “stun.” You get +2 to all Fright Checks. Combat Quickness [5] - You get +1 on initiative rolls. You get +1 to all Fast Draw skills. (leveled part of Combat Reflexes) Combat Reflexes [5] - Combined with Combat Awareness and Combat Quickness to make the full Combat Reflexes bonus. Gives +1 to all active defenses. As many players griped at suffering under the "Surprise" rules, the first level was very popular. Combat-types went quickly to level three if they could (or just started with it) |
11-07-2019, 12:58 PM | #13 |
Join Date: Sep 2018
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
We view Combat reflexes as a form of PTSD, constantly expecting danger, always in fight-or-flight. Most of our templates pair it with Light sleeper or nightmares because there's a logical toll there. Even in Dungeon Fantasy it's not a very popular advantage at our table. I could certainly see an adventure where most of the characters are constantly keyed up and expecting danger but I wouldn't want to force a player into that role if they didn't want to roleplay it.
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11-07-2019, 01:04 PM | #14 | |
Join Date: Mar 2016
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
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11-07-2019, 02:08 PM | #15 | |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
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I would have PTSD being a -15 CP disadvantage with a self-control number triggered by anger, fear, suprise, etc. When you fail, you see everyone around you as an enemy for 4d minutes and react according to your capabilities and situation (running away or begging and pleading if you are defenseless or attacking without hesitation if you have a weapon). At the end of the PTSD episode, make a Fright Check, at a -1 for 15-, -2 for 12-, -3 for 9-, or -4 for 6-, and suffer the normal consequences. |
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11-07-2019, 02:25 PM | #16 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
CR really represents no ability actually possessed by humans. The actual ability people have is that they train for particular situations. 'Freezing' in combat is caused by confusion, and if you can match the situation you're in to something you've trained for, you aren't confused so you don't freeze.
The drawback is that the situations you train for either have to be quite generic (in which case your trained response is likely to trigger in situations that are inappropriate but close enough to match the generic) or have gaps (in which case you'll still be confused if it's an unfamiliar situation). This can be somewhat hybridized by having a generic action that's safe (e.g. taking cover instead of returning fire), as diving for cover in response to a backfire may be embarrassing but is unlikely to actually hurt anyone. |
11-07-2019, 04:27 PM | #17 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
On the point of it being a baseline, I think that's more appropriate choice to make on a game-by-game basis. I've certainly started games with a list of 'have these ads/disads' that represent the minimum value, as it were, of the PCs. Skills too. It's a good way to have a baseline that you can build your challenges off of without having to worry about a weird hole in abilities. Point-wise, I treat it as either a template without choices or as unlisted points. Either way, the unspent points are the player's to use.
Clearly not quite as applicable for dungeon fantasy, which already has a really tight character template. I've seen that combat reflexes in DF isn't always chosen not because it's not good, but because it's competing with other good and important advantages you might want your muscle wizard to have. Everyone's already built to be fight-capable, so the difference between a knight w/CR and a knight w/o CR isn't as wild as a game with a fight-man w/CR and a librarian. |
11-07-2019, 05:47 PM | #18 | |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
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11-07-2019, 05:59 PM | #19 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
Combat reflexes is a generic extreme resistance to surprise, without bothering to care what the surprise is or what the rational response to the surprising event is. The human brain doesn't work that way.
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11-07-2019, 06:24 PM | #20 | |
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Snoopy's basement
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Re: Changes to Combat Reflexes [Basic]
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