Exalted 2ed - I heard a nasty rumor

[Silence In Daylight]

No, AC and proper wuxia doesn't really fit...but even if PD is equivalent to AC, reality may need to take a back seat to playability if each combat round involving lots of Essence wielders doesn't take hours.


 I'd still like to recommend the Weapons of the Gods system to people who like bonafide wuxia systems; yes, Bergstrom wrote a great deal of the color, but Brad Elliott was responsible for the mechanics--and they work out fine for the most part.

 

[memesis]

See, here's what confuses me.


First, a preface.  I have a BIG FUCKING SHELF LOADED WITH ANIME AND KUNG FU MOVIES.  Shaw Brothers, CTHD, Hero, Sonny Chiba, whatever, I like it all.


Now here's what I have noticed about fights in such series.  Generally, the unworthy fighter is distinguished by the fact that he can't hit the hero.  Like, at all.  His skill is such that lesser foes simply don't touch him, while he must work harder to deflect the attacks of greater foes.


Watch ANY FIGHTING ANIME EVER for examples of this.  Watch Iron Monkey.  Look at when people evade, and when they parry.


When people say "OH NOES ARMOR CLASS!!!!!11!!!!ONE!', it's not clear that they understand the intent.  It's not that you suddenly have a Defense Value and don't have to move around to avoid being hit.  What it DOES mean is that whatever evasive skill you have has been flattened out on the probability curve - if you're likely to dodge, you're always likely to dodge, rather than being the epitome of grace for one split-second and then botching the next.  This does not seem like a criminal betrayal of the genre to me.


I mean, maybe you like to throw dice around.  Come back and talk to me about that after you run a tabletop-style game online (like, not play-by-post, which is slower than shit no matter what).


And maybe you think that because there's a number instead of a dicepool that you are no longer allowed to stunt?  What you're allowed to stunt is the ST's decision, and I for one have no problem saying something like "good dodge description, +2 DV", and we'll see if the book talks about it or not.

 

[Persell]

See, here's what confuses me.
First, a preface.  I have a BIG FUCKING SHELF LOADED WITH ANIME AND KUNG FU MOVIES.  Shaw Brothers, CTHD, Hero, Sonny Chiba, whatever, I like it all.


Now here's what I have noticed about fights in such series.  Generally, the unworthy fighter is distinguished by the fact that he can't hit the hero.  Like, at all.  His skill is such that lesser foes simply don't touch him, while he must work harder to deflect the attacks of greater foes.


Watch ANY FIGHTING ANIME EVER for examples of this.  Watch Iron Monkey.  Look at when people evade, and when they parry.


When people say "OH NOES ARMOR CLASS!!!!!11!!!!ONE!', it's not clear that they understand the intent.  It's not that you suddenly have a Defense Value and don't have to move around to avoid being hit.  What it DOES mean is that whatever evasive skill you have has been flattened out on the probability curve - if you're likely to dodge, you're always likely to dodge, rather than being the epitome of grace for one split-second and then botching the next.  This does not seem like a criminal betrayal of the genre to me.


I mean, maybe you like to throw dice around.  Come back and talk to me about that after you run a tabletop-style game online (like, not play-by-post, which is slower than shit no matter what).


And maybe you think that because there's a number instead of a dicepool that you are no longer allowed to stunt?  What you're allowed to stunt is the ST's decision, and I for one have no problem saying something like "good dodge description, +2 DV", and we'll see if the book talks about it or not.

I second this. At the end of the day it is only a game mechanic anyway and as long as it does its job I have no objection. I would use carved bones instead of dice if it would work better.


I do trust the guys at white wolf enough to think that they can introduce a defense value without fucking the game up. And quite honestly, objectively the D&D system is not bad.

 

[Silence In Daylight]

Besides, a DV isn't the be-all, end-all of getting hit--even if the attacker beats the DV.


 Auto dodge and parry charms, perfect dodge and parry charms, resistance charms, and so on come to mind, just for starters.