Noob Q: Defense and Vision

[Brandy]

This actually came up in our last session.

As others have indicated, I don't think the answer is in the rules.

Defending in low-light situation should be at a penalty, IMO. From a realism standpoint, it seems to me that defending in low-light deserves a larger penalty than attacking. There is always the possibility that you just won't see the blow coming.

There are a couple of ways that one might adjudicate it.

1) Give defense penalties equal to the attack penalty for the light level.
2) Give a defense penalty of half of the attack penalty.
3) Give a full defense roll, but require some kind of perception roll to see the weapon to get to use an active defense at all. Some possible mods for this roll: [*]Range: 0 (+2 to Per)[*]Light: (-1 to -9)

I'd also be inclined to give this roll a +4 if you're facing only a single combatant. This reduces the roll to 16- in daylight against a single foe, so it could be ignored in daylight as a nuisance roll. (A factor not considered in the above is the size and speed of the weapon.)

In the Arena situation of the OP, this would mean a Per +2 -3 +4, so a net of Per+3 roll to get a full active defense against the attack when facing a single opponent.

Yes, that's all house rules and suggestions, but I think the rules are somewhat silent on the specific point raised in the OP. By RAW, I think the ruling would be full defense, no matter the darkness penalty as long as the foe could be seen at all.

Anyone else think that the Per-roll-followed-by-Active-Defense is a potentially useful mechanic? Among other things, it would clear up when one would be able to dodge against a missile weapon attack.

[Anthony]

Darkness is listed as a modifier on attack rolls, and is not listed as a modifier on defense rolls; thus, it only applies. Alternately, darkness is a modifier on DX or Per rolls, and a defense roll is neither one.

Realistically, you should probably apply half the darkness penalty to your block and parry, thus making it pretty much a wash unless one party or the other has night vision.

[Mcoorlim]

I would very much like even an unofficial answer from any of the system gurus, given how often poor lighting conditions pop up.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Realistically, you should probably apply half the darkness penalty to your block and parry, thus making it pretty much a wash unless one party or the other has night vision.

That would be my take on the situation. Darkness penalties amount to DX and Per penalties for tasks with a vision component, and DX penalties affect DX-based skills. Thus, if you're at -N to DX, you have -N to combat skills, which means -N/2 to defenses. I'd also apply this to Dodge, for consistency's sake.

[Henquist]

How would darkness affect an acrobatic dodge? would the -3 visibility penalty count twice? once against your dodge and as a DX penalty vs your acrobatics?

[Mcoorlim]

That's an interesting question. I could see it go either way, given the way that the acrobatics roll modifies your defense.

You pass the acrobatics roll? You flipped well in regards to the attack you're facing. You twisted your body the right way to help your dodge.

Fail? You flipped in a way that actually made it harder to dodge the attack.

Both of the above imply that the acrobatics maneuver is made in relation to the attack coming at you. Does visibility affect this? I would assume so (but I might be wrong about how acro dodges actually work or what they mean).

[Henquist]

Acrobatics skill is a performance skill. You dont need to see the attack coming IMO otherwise it would suffice as a dodge skill in of itself, or dodge might be derived from acrobatics. All the acrobatics roll is for is to see if your fancy manuever is successful or not. Once you roll you modifiy your dodge by the success or failure result. Now is the time to worry about what your see and what you dont, during your dodge roll.

Thats my take on it. Would love to hear more opinions.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Henquist

How would darkness affect an acrobatic dodge? would the -3 visibility penalty count twice? once against your dodge and as a DX penalty vs your acrobatics?

Sure, they're different classes of penalty. This assumes darkness penalties affect the acrobatics roll in the first place, plenty of acrobatic moves can be done blind.

[Mcoorlim]

Originally Posted by Anthony

This assumes darkness penalties affect the acrobatics roll in the first place, plenty of acrobatic moves can be done blind.

With the +6 (or whatever) bonus for routine tasks there's a lot of things you can do blind.

But combat's that's the question here. Does the acrobatic move part of an acrobatic dodge get its own vision penalty?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by stilleon

I'm talking about say a -3 penalty for low light, not the mods on p. 394. Like you would give to an attack.

No. Darkness makes it harder to hit, not easier.