Defense Bonus

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Maz

for instance take a super speedster with very high defences. He would always get CR first even though his character has never seen, let alone been in an actual fight. .

Not if he got Enhanced Time Sense. And ETS or Combat Reflexes are appropriate for super-speedsters with very high defences. They represent the ability to think as well as move fast.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Landwalker

Personally, I've never quite understood why there's that sort of gulf. It seems like Combat Reflexes is woefully underpriced, o

Ain't nothing woeful about it. Combat Reflexes being cheap is a good thing.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Ain't nothing woeful about it. Combat Reflexes being cheap is a good thing.

Until you reach the point where everyone takes it without needing to stop and think. But I don't think that's the case with GURPS 4E. It's cheap at 15 CP, but for many character concepts, there are other traits you want to buy first.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Until you reach the point where everyone takes it without needing to stop and think. But I don't think that's the case with GURPS 4E. It's cheap at 15 CP, but for many character concepts, there are other traits you want to buy first.

If the campaign is combat heavy they like SG-1 where even Daniel Jackson the sage of the party becomes a proficient combatant then all the PCs buying is a good thing and why it's cheap so it can be picked up in play.

so no even when it reach the point where everyone one takes it you don't need to stop to think when they taking it for the reason it exists, people who are comfortable reacting in crises situation... which is a good description of experienced PCs in a lot of campaigns, while they might not start like that they often become so

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Until you reach the point where everyone takes it without needing to stop and think. But I don't think that's the case with GURPS 4E. It's cheap at 15 CP, but for many character concepts, there are other traits you want to buy first.

Absolutely. In the campaigns I've played under 3e and 4e, it's a usual thing to take if combat is a major part of what the character does. But if not, it's hard to justify, and the points are more use in other things.

[Dustin]

I've seen a +1 defense bonus published (somewhere) as an Alternative Ability:

Enhanced Parry (All Weapons): 10pts Alt x 1/5 [2]
Enhanced Block: 5pts Alt x 1/5 [1]
Enhanced Dodge: 15pts Alt x 1 [15]
Total [18]

Can't find where at the moment, sorry.

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Dustin

I've seen a +1 defense bonus published (somewhere) as an Alternative Ability:

Enhanced Parry (All Weapons): 10pts Alt x 1/5 [2]
Enhanced Block: 5pts Alt x 1/5 [1]
Enhanced Dodge: 15pts Alt x 1 [15]
Total [18]

Can't find where at the moment, sorry.

I don't think that works, you have to use a ready maneuver to switch the options.

[Pmandrekar]

Originally Posted by ssveter

What would the cost of a defense bonus be if it were granted by an advantage. My thinking would be something like 30 points a level. Kinda along the lines of the cost of Enhanced Parry.

As a GM, it can be anything you want it to be that fits the campaign that you're running. If you're running low level PC's who are subject to a lot of danger, you could make the DB a uniform +3 , and extend to all PC's, which might fit a lot of action stories with really low level PC's who always seem to avoid injury but don't necessarily injure others. You're the GM (or, someone is), just decide that you're going to make the DB sufficiently high to protect your PC's from all of the arrows/gunfire/laserfire that the world around them is going to throw at them.

Most campaigns really do assume that the PC's survive due to luck (and being the heroes of the story). As long as your PC's continue to play the game as if they are trying to avoid danger, instead of being silly/bold and counting on the DB all the time (since, of course, the characters wouldn't know that there is a global +3 DB extended to them.. even if their players are).

It's a mechanic I've considered running with my PC's as I like to run low-level campaigns of 'peasant hero against a fantasy world'

This still allows for a lucky hit from a rampaging zombie... Which encourages some caution.

As the PC's increase in their own capability, you can rescind the DB slowly.

-P