Christer EnforsJul 20, 2023

A question about how active defenses (read: using a skill to actively parry, block, or dodge an attack) works in #GURPS:

When defending, does the skill of the attacker matter at all? As in, is it harder to defend against a good attack than a bad one?

Show threadCher Tailor

@enfors Typically, the skill of the attacker doesn't affect defense skill, but, if you want get really fancy I'd recommend using Feints, which can lower an enemy's defense for the next attack.

(Campaigns p.365, Martial Arts p.73)

https://gurps.fandom.com/wiki/Feint_(technique)

#GURPS #feints

Feint (technique)

Feint allows you to “fake” a melee attack normally done with DX or a combat skill or weapon skill. It can be bought up as a technique Default: Prerequisite skill Prerequisite: Any unarmed or melee weapon skill* Maximum: Cannot exceed prerequisite skill+4 * Some Style Perks allow one to use a non-combat skill, such as Acrobatics or Dancing. Like most techniques, Technique Mastery perk would allow an even higher maximum! In this case, Prerequisite Skill+6. Kromm wrote in May 2007 about Feint being

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Jul 20, 2023 at 11:47pmWeb
Show threadCher TailorJul 20, 2023

@enfors Likewise, if you're looking to emulate the effect of "creature is so strong it knocks their weapon off balance", try Beats! :D

https://gurps.fandom.com/wiki/Beat

Beat

Beats are a variant on Feint where they can be based on ST instead of DX. They are limited in that they target a specific limb or weapon, but have added utility in that they do not just inhibit defenses against the beater/feinter but affect that type of defense against anybody."Skilled teams can pull off some really powerful moves when working together. A bruiser can beat down a big bad's defense so a speedy attacker can hit them somewhere vital. You see this tactic in high-adventure worldlines

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Show threadChrister EnforsJul 21, 2023
@Cher Interesting, thanks!
Show threadChrister EnforsJul 21, 2023
@Cher I see, thank you. Then I guess feints is the answer to what my next question was going to be - "if attacker's skill doesn't matter, don't combats take forever if the enemy has good defense so you miss all the time".
Show threadLizardJul 21, 2023

@enfors @Cher

This is one reason I recall Passive Defense was dropped… it was relatively easy to get a PD of 10+.

Show thread🌈 🌈 WoefulHC 🌈 🌈Jul 24, 2023
@enfors @Cher
The other approaches I've seen are using a weapon heavy enough the defender cannot parry (can't parry a weapon more than 3x as heavy as yours) or "deceptive attack" where the attacker takes a -2 on their attack roll to inflict a -1 on the defense. The deceptive attack and hitting targets such as arms, legs, vitals or eyes are the primary drivers for skills higher than 16.
Show threadCher TailorJul 24, 2023

@woefulhc @enfors Deceptive attack is another good one, and can represent super rapid attacks that high-DX fighters can make!

Now there's technically the heavy weapon rule (3x weight of your weapon), but that's for weapon breakage. It's niche enough to make sense against enemies (it's more dramatic to destroy the weapon than to smash the enemy when they fail to parry)

There is a maximum weapon weight that you can parry in total, but as it's based on your Basic Lift (see Basic Set, p.376), it's SO HIGH that you're unlikely to ever get hit with something heavy enough to trigger it. Even the mighty Gada is 15 lbs right off the rack..