Partial parry

[khorboth]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

You can also do Power Blocks, using the sword to brace the shield, rolling another cinematic skill to empower a shield; say the Power Blow* or Breaking Blow† using unarmed fighter picks up a table to block a blast of fire.


Honestly I'd either allow cinematic Skills to act as Power Parry and Power Block (even Power Dodge with say Flying Leap or Lizard Climb‡) or I'd allow for Power Defenses as an Extra Effort In Combat choice¶.

The first limits the Power Defenses to characters that have cinematic skills which often require an Unusual Background cost and costs FP§, or I'd just make it an Extra Effort setting switch which would mean anyone could attempt a Power Defense (best for high wuxia content campaigns where everyone is a martial artist).

Also all good points. I hadn't even considered shields as they don't feature strongly in Avatar. In final world-building, it will be important to decide if I want to throw the switch toward everyone being a martial artist or toward major characters all being trained by masters, but mooks being plentiful. It bears some throught.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by khorboth

Also all good points. I hadn't even considered shields as they don't feature strongly in Avatar. In final world-building, it will be important to decide if I want to throw the switch toward everyone being a martial artist or toward major characters all being trained by masters, but mooks being plentiful. It bears some throught.

I'd lean away from "PCs are TBaM" unless you want them to get all the perks that TBaM implies.

In my ACTION! games (which face it, all of my games are to some degree) Mooks don't spend FP for Extra Effort. That's part of what makes them Mooks. Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains can, and of course the Big Boss is treated like a full PC for all intents and and purposes of rules.

[khorboth]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I'd lean away from "PCs are TBaM" unless you want them to get all the perks that TBaM implies.

In my ACTION! games (which face it, all of my games are to some degree) Mooks don't spend FP for Extra Effort. That's part of what makes them Mooks. Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains can, and of course the Big Boss is treated like a full PC for all intents and and purposes of rules.

For the high-skilled individuals seen contending with the high-powered benders in Avatar, I think TBaM is appropriate. Many of the top-end characters such as Zuko and Iro probaby have both. And maybe Weapon master as well. The point value is a little staggering, actually. The question is about the second-tier. And for that, I'll need to decide just how much crazy ninja stuff I want in the game. If/when it ever materializes.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Hellboy

Is there some kind of "I deflected it but it hit me somewhere else" sort of thing?

Like for example, you deflect something aimed at your torso but it still tags you in the shoulder?

No, but it could be doable. Make it a defense option, called "Spoiled Aim" or somesuch. It gives a +1 to any defense, but with MoS 0 or 1, instead of the defense stopping the attack from connecting, it requires a roll on the Random Hit Location Table. Optionally, if it says they still hit the same location, roll again. Note that, depending on where the enemy initially aimed, this can actually make things worse.