Timing of Shift and Defend Option

Brazen Hussey · 10-07-2019, 10:06 PM

My understanding of the TFT rules is that the action half of a character's turn always goes off in order of adjDX. For me that works fine with all the other options, but I'm not sure about Defend.

Here's the real life example that prompted this post!

B has a one point higher adjDX than A.
round one
B Attacks and misses A
A Attacks, hits and does 5 points of damage to B
B now has -2 to their DX

round two
B feels like the odds are against them and would like to Defend
A points out that their Attack will go off prior to B's Defend and so it will be pointless

This made me realize that IF Defend goes off in adjDX order, and IF the Defend action does not extend until the next time the defending character chooses an action on the next round, then a lower adjDX character will never choose to Defend. Which I don't like because it removes an interesting choice: do I play it safe and Defend? Or do I go for an Attack and hope to get lucky?

So, is my interpretation of the rule wrong?

If my interpretation is correct, then which is probably the best way to house-rule it for maximum happiness in this house? Either Defend could activate at the start of the round or it could extend into the following round until the defending character comes up in order again.

I expect everyone will either think I'm nuts and making a mountain from a mole hill or that my interpretation is wrong and no one else ever had this problem.

Cheers!

10-07-2019, 10:06 PM	#1
Brazen Hussey Join Date: Sep 2019	Timing of Shift and Defend Option My understanding of the TFT rules is that the action half of a character's turn always goes off in order of adjDX. For me that works fine with all the other options, but I'm not sure about Defend. Here's the real life example that prompted this post! B has a one point higher adjDX than A. round one B Attacks and misses A A Attacks, hits and does 5 points of damage to B B now has -2 to their DX round two B feels like the odds are against them and would like to Defend A points out that their Attack will go off prior to B's Defend and so it will be pointless This made me realize that IF Defend goes off in adjDX order, and IF the Defend action does not extend until the next time the defending character chooses an action on the next round, then a lower adjDX character will never choose to Defend. Which I don't like because it removes an interesting choice: do I play it safe and Defend? Or do I go for an Attack and hope to get lucky? So, is my interpretation of the rule wrong? If my interpretation is correct, then which is probably the best way to house-rule it for maximum happiness in this house? Either Defend could activate at the start of the round or it could extend into the following round until the defending character comes up in order again. I expect everyone will either think I'm nuts and making a mountain from a mole hill or that my interpretation is wrong and no one else ever had this problem. Cheers!