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Old 08-19-2022, 02:42 PM   #1
johndallman
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Default [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

Peripheral Vision [15] is a mundane physical advantage. It gives you a wider arc of vision than normal, illustrated on p. B74. This is valuable if the game will spend a lot of time doing tactical combat on a hex map; in more abstract games, it may not be worth the points. It appeared, like many melee combat advantages, in GURPS 1e.

The biggest benefit of this advantage is to defences: you can defend against attacks from your rear at -2, and against attacks from your side hexes at no penalty. You can also make melee attacks into your side hexes at no penalty. However, attacks to your rear, and on the opposite side to the hand you’re using are Wild Swings.

There’s an optional special limitation for this advantage: Easy to Hit means you have very large eyes, or they’re on stalks or otherwise easy to target. Opponents’ penalty to attack them from within your arc of vision is only -6. The Restricted Vision disadvantage has reverse effects, and you can’t have both. Sadly, many helms, gas masks and night-vision goggles impose Restricted Vision, and override personal Peripheral Vision.

Out of combat, this advantage gives you +3 to rolls to detect shadowing attempts and ambushes from behind. The GM will also roll your Vision to detect other dangers behind you. Camels, dolphins, equines and elephants all have Peripheral Vision, as do many animals that rely on fleeing from predators.

In GURPS supplements, this advantage is a common option for skilled combatants, scouts and wanderers. Bio-Tech can provide it at TL10, and DF Ninja can learn it. Some Furries have it, and Gun-Fu has a Technique that partially substitutes. Magic has an Animal spell that can grant this advantage, and MH4: Sidekicks points out that it’s useful to avoid visibly staring at something you’re watching. Powers: Enhanced Senses clarifies many details and adds an Extreme version of this advantage; Totems and Nature Spirits has several ways to acquire it. Tactical Shooting has a rule about not getting to use Peripheral Vision while making shots, and Ultra-Tech has a helmet that provides this advantage.

I’ve never used this advantage, or seen it in action, but I have rarely played mapped combat, until quite recently. Is it worth its price in campaigns where that’s common?
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Old 08-20-2022, 04:46 AM   #2
RogerBW
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

I'm also nearly exclusively mapless, but even there, if two combatants can gang up on one enemy, it's reasonable to assume that they can take opposite positions - so the foe has to choose which one's in their side hex. A foe with PV can avoid the -2 side hex defence penalty, without simply having excessively high defences.
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Old 08-22-2022, 07:27 PM   #3
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
I’ve never used this advantage, or seen it in action, but I have rarely played mapped combat, until quite recently. Is it worth its price in campaigns where that’s common?
I've never once seen it taken outside of a Racial Template.

Even reduced to 5 points, my Players still shun it.
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Old 08-24-2022, 06:33 PM   #4
SydneyFreedberg
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

Yeah, I've only ever been tempted to use this on Racial Templates -- and even then, 360 Vision seems a lot more points-effective.
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Old 08-24-2022, 07:33 PM   #5
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

Its combat effect is to change being surrounded from "Incredibly bad, avoid having it happen" to "Bad, avoid having it happen". As being surrounded is pretty easy to avoid unless you're by yourself and facing opponents who are faster than you, it's also rarely relevant for PCs though it's a useful trait to add to solo boss monsters.

All of which boils down to "not worth 15 points in a typical campaign".
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Old 08-25-2022, 03:48 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

I've used it a few times, but yeah mostly its not worth the points.
The bonus against Shadowing probably comes up as much as the combat benefit if that tells you anything.
Still its good for fights with a lot of high mobility foes or if the character is outnumbered and slow or needs to watch a lot of area..
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Old 08-25-2022, 07:20 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

I guess it boils down to style of play & personalities.

One of my players always takes it. We use maps online using Maptools.
He's very aggressive and moves out to attack the enemy. For him it's very useful, For the other players it's still useful especially in a DF campaign or any campaign where enemies might flank you, ambush from the rear (while engaged against the front) or catch you in a crossfire.

While I try to save my points & use tactics to not need PV, it's a very good advantage to have & depending on the style/character of your fellow players it may be more (or less) valuable.
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Old 08-25-2022, 07:39 PM   #8
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

I've never taken it myself though I had one player take it in the 90's for a character, Sparhawk, who had a strong bird motif. I don't think it came up much. I think at 5 points it would be more popular but not game breaking.
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Old 08-27-2022, 12:54 AM   #9
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

Our fights often result in attempts at flanking. Since you can't do a 180 turn on a step action it is pretty easy to end up with an opponent hitting you from the back hex if you're engaged in combat with more than one opponent. I often have enemies take full move actions or AoD:Dodge to position themselves so they can hit one of the three back hexes.

The advantage is probably quite worth it in my campaigns.
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Old 08-27-2022, 01:23 AM   #10
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week: Peripheral Vision

Quote:
Originally Posted by RedMattis View Post
Our fights often result in attempts at flanking. Since you can't do a 180 turn on a step action
Yes you can; "You can turn freely before of after your movement."
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