Deceptive Attack and Blocking Spells

[lachimba]

Does Deceptive Attack affect

A) blocking spells that act as an active defense?

And B) all other blocking spells as well?

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by lachimba

Does Deceptive Attack affect

A) blocking spells that act as an active defense?

And B) all other blocking spells as well?

I couldn't find an explicit answer in either Exploits or Spells, though I may have missed something. My inclination is that yes, deceptive attacks penalize blocking spells of either sort. The caster may not recognize the attack for what it is in time.

[ArchonShiva]

A Blocking spell is a defense (DFS14), not defined as active, and Deceptive Attack affects active defense rolls. Being the magical equivalent if so something doesn’t make it that thing — You can’t Retreating Blink for +3.

So by a very strict reading of RAW, no.

However, I’m almost certain this is errata. Active Defense is a GURPS Third Edition concept, and a Deceptive Attack is often described as “not giving you time to react”, so there’s really no reason it shouldn’t.

[Expy]

This is an old thread, I know but since I haven't found any specific rules regarding necromancy I hope that you will bear with me.

Deceptive Attacks do not whatsoever affect Blocking Spells. Blocking Spells have their own set of skill modifiers to contend with, from ambient mana and somatic/ verbal components to funky mushroom spores or naked barbarian ladies standing too close affecting the wizards ability to concentrate. Spells don't get the benefit of the Runaround Attack rule (which specifies active defenses) either, which prevents cheeky speedsters from hopping over your head and putting a knife in your back-- any attempt by the wizard to block something like that would be at -5 to -10 for not being able to see the attacker (idhmbwm). You also have to abandon any spell you are currently working on to cast a Blocking Spell.

Swords and shields also skip magics nasty habit of suddenly not working because the arrow you're blocking just so happens to be made of meteoric iron.

- Expy

[ArchonShiva]

Originally Posted by Expy

This is an old thread, I know but since I haven't found any specific rules regarding necromancy I hope that you will bear with me.

DFRPG Spells p.59.

[Expy]

Originally Posted by ArchonShiva

DFRPG Spells p.59.

lol! Can't see any mention of the Raise Thread spell though. Maybe in a pyramid article? :p

WoG soutce for my interpretation by the way, took me a few minutes to find:
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...06&postcount=7