From: "Kevin Wilson" Subject: Re: [7thSea] Re: Parry, Balance (the knack) and (game design) Balance Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 23:40:15 -0700 > So, let's see if I can sum this up, and perhaps help put an end to one part > of a long-running thread - though I have more questions, I'm afraid.. ;-) > > --Some people were concerned that, given you can use Footwork most anywhere, > there's no reason to invest in Parry. > --The "missing" rule (oughta go on the Web page as errata, 'cause the rules > right now virtually contradict it) is that Parry, unlike Footwork, can > basically be used in *any* situation. I.e., if you're on a ship moving at a > reasonable speed, you normally *must* use Balance (*can't* use Footwork). > If you've got Parry, though, you can choose to use that instead. > --So the reason to invest in Parry is that it's much more versatile. This > is something a GM could always enforce ("Dead end corridor! No way to use> your Footwork here - the Eisen pursuing you is flexing his > panzerhand-encased fist as he advances. What, no other Defensive Knacks? > He smiles, and swings. You have time for one quick thought - 'So that's > what dracheneisen feels like' - before you collapse, unconcious...") but the > rules were in fact intended to support this. KEVIN WILSON -->Right. > Sounds good to me. I've got a question, though, that might bear on this - > the rules state that an Active Defence must use the same Knack as the > Passive Defence used vs. the attack... why? I can't come up with any > terrible abuse that happens if, say, a Hero uses Footwork for the passive, > then decides to use Roll as a desperate evasion when his Footwork proves to> be insufficient. KEVIN WILSON -->You can ignore this rule if you like. It just makes things easier to deal with. > Another thought in this area of Defence knacks - while the rules say (e.g.)> *must* use Balance when fighting on an unstable surface, I'll be > interpretting that as "no Defensive Knack may grant dice greater than what > the Hero has in Balance". For example, if my Hero has Balance 1, Leaping 3,> and is fighting on top of a moving carriage, he can use Leaping, but only at > level 1. I want as much variety in combat action as I can get out of this> game...:-) KEVIN WILSON -->Cool. Same effect, more colorful combat. Very nice tweak. -Kevin Wilson -- Contents Copyright (C) 1997,98,99 by ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.