New Action: INTERCEPT

[cyl]

As it became clear to me that Defend Other was useful, I'm in a game in a situation where I have to protect people from being attacked by a Warstrider... and the mechanism of the game don't allow me defend them... while it should, because it's a 1vs1 scenario.


So I thought of this.


New Action: INTERCEPT:


Without Charms, intercepting another individual is a Speed 5, DV -1 Miscellaneous action.


It requires that the character be within (Dexterity) yards of his target, and allows him to interpose his Parry DV against attacks made by the individual


he is intercepting. If the attacker bypasses the character’s Parry DV, she has the option of either letting the attack continue on to her initial target (in which case the attack will need to use its remaining successes to also beat the target’s DVs), or she may simply let the attack strike the interceptor himself. Parry-based perfect defenses such as Heavenly Guardian Defense may be used to automatically intercept attacks, while dodge-based perfect


defenses such as Seven Shadow Evasion do not impede attacks. Several intercept actions may be placed in a flurry if the targets are all within range.


If multiple characters attempt to intercept a single target, one interceptor (generally the individual with the highest Parry DV) becomes the leader of the guard, who actually applies his DV against attacks. Each additional character intercepting the same attacker raises the leader’s Parry DV by 1 when intercepting the attacker. Up to five characters may simultaneously intercept one attacker on open ground.


It's basically the same system as per Defend Other, but reversed, and flurry-ok.

 

[Kyeudo]

I never understood why Defend Other wasn't usable in a flurry. This action seems perfectly usable. Heck, I'm stealing it for when I get around to revising the combat section.

 

[cyl]

Yeah it's the first of a long lines of ideas I'm gonna post in the coming months. :mrgreen:

 

[Cryoseraph]

A strange but worthwhile thing to think about for intercept, Dodge has a strong feeling on getting into harm's way in time as well as out of it, so maybe one could use their dodge DV to absorb such an attack against another person, but then suffer the damage themselves. If they have to take a Dodge DV of 0 and/or even take damage on a perfect dodge defense for it to work, that might add a lot of flavor to it. After that, it's up to you whether they could then try to parry or if they'd just have to take it. But jumping into the line of fire, especially against a ranged attack, seems properly heroic for Exalted.

 

[cyl]

Dodging is the art of "not getting hit", most of the time you move away from attacks. So I understand your logic, but it doesn't make any sense, one could only use DDV to get into the way of an attack, but it would result only in the character getting hit... which is totally the opposite mechanism of dodge.


I don't think you can or should use your Perfect Dodge to be voluntarily harmed. It's completely contrary to the purpose of the ability.


Plus I tread carefully, you must be close to the attacker to intercept his attack. Unless perhaps your ST accepts a stunt extending the "intercepting area" you can't intercept ranged attacks, unless you are within the limits of said area (and you need a stunt to use PDV with ranged attacks anyway).


If you want to protect someone, you use Defend Other. If you want to stop someone from attacking, you use Intercept.

 

[Lord Kamina]

What the hell?


1) I could swear "Defend Other" can be used in a flurry (only once per flurry, though, I think)


2) I don't see the difference between this and "Defend Other"

 

[cyl]

2) I don't see the difference between this and "Defend Other"

You don't ?


It is simple.


Defend other focuses on one person you defend from all the attacks targeted at him.


Intercept focuses on one target, and you defend others against all this target's attacks.


It's the opposite action of Defend Other.


With DO you use your PDV to block all attacks coming towards the designated target (your ward), and with I you do the opposite, using PDV to block all attacks coming from the designated target (the attacker).


Intercept is not necessarily more interesting than Defend Other, because it focuses on one attacker but it allows you to protect more people against the attack from only one attacker.


Since you can do one, there was no reason for me not to be able to do the other.


Let's take an example:


5 solars (mike bob john molly and sarah) vs 1 fae cataphractoi + a band of 20 gobs.


Mike is the dawn and has a decent pdv, but he knows the other are not as good as him, john is a sorcerer, and sarah a healer and those two can't really stand a fight against Hazards 3 like the fae cataphractoi but can reasonably handle the gobs.


Mike could defend either john OR sarah from all the attacks aimed at one of them with the Defend Other action, or, and this is the difference, he could focus his PDV on the fae cataphractoi trying to block all the fae's attacks (with his blade or body).

 

[Lord Kamina]

Okay, I got it now.


Still, I don't like it.


While I can see the mechanical need for it, I picture it in my mind and I cannot make it not look stupid...


And, what I said about DO and flurries stands. You can put it in a flurry, but only once per flurry... which sort of makes sense.

 

[cyl]

I don't see how you think it looks stupid, unless you don't like Swashbuckler films or chineese martial arts films... but then you wouldn't be interested in Exalted at all ! :mrgreen:

 

[Lord Kamina]

Protecting someone is heroic and cool, but when I try to picture a group of guys blocking the attacker... I'm sorry, but I end up with a football or basketball match, so sue me.

 

[cyl]

I'm in a game in a situation where I have to protect people from being attacked by a Warstrider...

Don't think it gets more epic than this :wink:


Plus the possible use for lesser opponents are increased.


The goons can protect their boss ! (of course with a charm or a stunt you can easily bypass them).

 

[Josh the Aspie]

Well the goons can already protect their boss with defend other.


Let me give another situation.


Throgar the Lunar has set himself between a rampaging abyssal and a group of three cowering children. The abyssal furiously presses his assault. But to the horror of Throgar he targets not Throgar himself, but the children, in an attempt to create an opening!


Throgar furiously lashes out to intercept each strike that the Abyssal hurls at the three individual children. Throgar is far more skilled at dodging than at parrying, but it is imperative that he protect the innocent!


Throgar manages to fend off two of the three strikes, however, as the Abyssal calculated, his last spear-thrust strikes home, skewering Throgar in his side. Throgar lets out a bellow of pain, but even as blood drips from his mouth, he twists his jaw in to an expression half grimace, half grin. For the Abyssal was not the only one who succeeded. The children, fleeing from behind Throgar, shall live to see another day.


-----


The above assumes Throgar is able to use his intercept action before the Abyssal reaches the children to Strike, but then you have similar problems with the guard action.


-----


Edit: Besides, "Guard Other" is far more football of an action than this new "Intercept" is. All of those line-backers are obviously taking the "Guard Other" action for the Quarterback and receivers.

 

[Kyeudo]

Anyone know why you can only put one Guard Other action in a flurry?

 

[cyl]

I already have a developer's answer for you... because ! :lol:


There's no good explanation to this limit.


It's not like everyone could abuse it, only solars have DV stabilizers like Bulwark Stance.

 

[Lord Kamina]

I figure it's the same reason you can jump only once, for example.

 

[chalicier]

TBH, both of the examples you present seem tailor-made for Blockade Movement actions. Although that won't prevent Thrown or Archery attacks, I'd suggest that someone deliberately Blockading your attacker from you probably counts as pretty heavy cover.

 

[cyl]

Blockade movement is useful when you want to stop "a person / a bunch of people" from chasing someone else.


Doesn't block ranged attacks, or melee for that matter. It's a simple Gandalf / Balrog stand.


Intercept is more like a "take him on" action. You engage your target in close combat, and use your skills to block and deviate all the attacks he will try to make against anyone. You block his "line of fire".


2 examples of useful Intercept actions:


- Archer vs your circle: you're caught in a battle in a street, soldiers on the ground archers on the roof, you're with your circle, and they can handle the small fry, but there is one exalted archer who's proven to be very dangerous above, you can't protect all of the circle and he's likely to severely wound / kill one of them if you do nothing.


So you jump in front of the archer, get into the range of the Intercept action, and try to block any attempt at shooting at your pals.


- Big guy vs your circle: you're fighting an abyssal swinging a grand grimcleaver with your circle. The guy is a monster and is famous for having never lost a fight. He can cut any one of your circle mates in half with his weapon, and only you stand a serious chance against him. So you decide to take him on, and engage him to protect the others, while hopefully your mates will deal him some damage. As long as he stays in range and doesn't beat your PDV, he won't be able to hurt anyone.


However, there is a limit: if you can't keep up with the target (remain within Dex Yards of him) he will be able to attack others because he moves faster than you do. and this is where you can use Blockade Movement in a flurry with Intercept. :wink:


That limit also exists with Defend Other, but it's not like you would voluntarily leave your ward... :roll:

 

[Revoke]

If you can block all attacks incoming to a single person, it seems just as reasonable that you can block all outgoing attacks from a single person. Seems fine to me. And very straightforward.