[Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

Hi,

Every once in a while someone asks how to do Passive Defense in 4e. The usual response is "All Enhanced Defenses added together." But what about using Affliction (Disadvantage, Skill -1 [-4]) instead? Would that work?

My initial thoughts are that it would need Time-Spanning, Past-Only and Reflexive. Plus it would need some way to cover *all* attack skills. Is there something about that in Power-Ups?

Any other thoughts?

Thank you,
Jerander.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

The only way to ensure you get a blanket -1 to all attack skills is to hit them with -1 DX and -1 IQ.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

You can't afflict skills. You can afflict Dexterity.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

Obscure (Anti-Targeting*, -20%; Defensive, +50%) [2.6/level] will penalize all attacks that use the affected sense by -1 per level, with no resistance allowed, like a blur effect.

Given the rules for hitting invisible foes, I think it maxes out at -6.


* GURPS Psionic Powers, p. 16. Obscure already affects attacks, this just limits the effect to attacks.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

To match PD / Enhanced Defense, you would have to Afflict not one attacker, but all attackers. If ranged weapons are involved, it'd be a huge AE.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

I suppose you could try to build something that penalized your opponents' attack rolls.

But that wouldn't be emulating PD, since PD was a bonus to the defender's active defenses, not a penalty to the attackers' attack rolls.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

Good point.

Does the Total Enhanced Defenses method offer protection against attacks you can't defend against?

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

Only if you add a Cosmic effect to them.

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

Just to be clear, what I meant was that (if I remember correctly) PD used to allow a person a roll even if they didn't Dodge, Block, or Parry. It'd only be against the 1-6 they had in PD, but that's still better than nothing. Does Total Enhanced Defenses allow that roll?

Re: [Powers] Using Affliction (Skill -1) for Passive Defense?
 

Unless you place a 50% Cosmic to allow it, no.