[GURPS concepts] Parry and Block

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by Mehmet

Hey mate,

I always felt that a "block" is something you do with a mobile "cover" :) I seem to remember reading something to that effect in some Kromm post or the FAQ, not sure, but it seems to me that the difference is that you can only block with things if those things can conceivably provide some cover to you or any limb/part thereof :) In the case of a cloak, I believe it is the "concealment" that makes it an instrument for blocking.

In other words, (1) you need to be able to make it awkward for your attacker to target you by means of cover / concealment and (ii) line up the said cover / concealment with an oncoming attack (i.e. block) for the active defence to count as a block.

Cheers...

That looks like quite a useful approach, it an objective criterion that doesn't conflict with anything else, it connects to existing crunch (cover), and may even work well with Kromm's forum musings on shields and cover.

[Mehmet]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That looks like quite a useful approach, it an objective criterion that doesn't conflict with anything else, it connects to existing crunch (cover), and may even work well with Kromm's forum musings on shields and cover.

Yeah, probably got it from our dear Dr. Kromm at some point. I always thought the divorce of shields from straight up cover rules was to help with "usual" gaming styles - you know, the old school gaming where a shield is something you'd consider for your character but cover and concealment is something vaguely mentioned in the depths of a game master's guide. Edit: although how to deal with the ability to move the cover with one of your limbs is something else, obviously, and this may be just one of the better reasons for it.

All these are abstractions. I sometimes think even the skills, for instance, represent - kind of "social" - abstractions (if that makes any sense) for the collection of tasks in question.

Cheers...

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

A Precognitive Parry deflects the bullets. However, only on a crit success can you deflect them where you want them deflected.

That's not what Martial Arts says.

On a simple success you only int6erpose your weapon (or limb) between you and the attack. The attack does damage to your weapon and if that damage takes your weapon down to -5x HP the excess is applied to _you_.

Only on a success by 5 (or a Critical Success) is the attack defected without damage.

Force Swords are given an ad hoc exception. There's a suggestion that if the intercepted object is too big for your Force Sword to destroy you take partial effect from the attack anyway.

So while Precognitive Parry is always called a "parry" it works a lot more like a Block if you don't have a Force Sword.

Nowhere in the Skill text does it even discuss deflecting attacks onto another target.

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

That's not what Martial Arts says.

On a simple success you only int6erpose your weapon (or limb) between you and the attack. The attack does damage to your weapon and if that damage takes your weapon down to -5x HP the excess is applied to _you_.

Only on a success by 5 (or a Critical Success) is the attack defected without damage.

Force Swords are given an ad hoc exception. There's a suggestion that if the intercepted object is too big for your Force Sword to destroy you take partial effect from the attack anyway.

So while Precognitive Parry is always called a "parry" it works a lot more like a Block if you don't have a Force Sword.

Nowhere in the Skill text does it even discuss deflecting attacks onto another target.

I stand corrected.

Where are the normal rules for damage to weapons and shields?

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

I stand corrected.

Where are the normal rules for damage to weapons and shields?

Damage to Objects B483–485