Topic: Modified adrenal defense

[Usdrothek]

I have started a new RMSS campaign in which one of my players has generated a warrior monk. He has taken the talent " martial arts training" allowing him to develop a rather substantial skill in Adrenal defense.

We are not using the rules from the MAC as no-one in my group owns a copy, despite playing RM since the late 80s, however I wanted to adopt the 40% activity penalty for using Adrenal defense (AD) as I thought it a good way to keep the skill in check.

I ran through the rules with him for use of AD and all was well....except for the activity penalty of -40. His view was not that he minded the -40 penalty to actions/OB, but the fact that using AD precluded him from "press & attack" and "react & melee" actions.

My question to the board is: Are people's impressions of using AD that it should restrict such actions?

The player suggested a compromise house rule where AD could be used either with the 40% activity penalty and full AD bonus or with a 20% activity penalty and half the AD bonus, thus allowing for "press &attack" and "react & melee" actions. I am inclined to allow this. Do people think this is unbalanced or may cause any issues at a later stage?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice,

Usdro

[markc]

 I can not give you an answer to your diect answer to you queation besides that I think you need restrictions for AD.
MDC

[yammahoper]

Are people's impressions of using AD that it should restrict such actions?

No, but rather an exception to the rule.  I have had no negative impact from using the 40% rule and allowing press and attack, react and melee or two weapon combat (wheich technically requires 100% activity albeit from an old rule).

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

In the MAC, Adrenal Defense is listed as requiring 40% activity as its base.

However, Martial Arts Styles can incorporate Lesser or Greater Adrenal Defense into their styles. You can adapt these to be additional talents that he can take (i.e. they require the "Martial Arts Training" talent to be taken)

Lesser Adrenal Defense [10 points] - Character can ignore the item in hand limitations for weapons associated with his martial arts style (would suggest only 2 weapons), and AD requires only 30% activity, and it does not count against the 3 actions per round limit (but does count against the "no more than 100% activity limit").

Greater Adrenal Defense [20 points] - As Lesser Adrenal Defense, except may have 2 weapons, plus one weapon every 10 ranks  that may be used as kata weapons, which ignore the "no large objects" rule. Also, only requires 10% activity to maintain each round.

By giving him these options, you are putting the choice back into his hands, and offering a way to allow what he wants without unbalancing things unduly.

[yammahoper]

I have found that greater adrenal defense is a very powerful option that will swing balance in favor of those who have the talent.  If you want superhuman martial artist, it is a great option.

[Usdrothek]

Thanks everyone, I'll make sure the AD activity penalty stays. It seems way too easy for it to get out of hand.

Rasyr: Great suggestions about buying lesser/greater AD as talents. My player has also bought the "dissavowed weapons" flaw, so is unlikely to see the benefit of being able to have greater freedom with katas. However I will put them in as available talents for later in the campaign.

Cheers!

Usdrothek

[DavidKlecker]

I play a Shoalin Monk and have the Greater Adrenal Defense option on. I tend to do the following with the MAC rules and it seems to work well.

1) I do not under any circumstances allow a player to use AD and yield a weapon unless they take a weapon kata regardless of what MAC states. This is the only way you can use both.
2) I also state the player needs to know the attack is coming. For foe in facing hexes no roll or penalty is needed. For flank a roll is required which is a Situational Awareness at +10. For rear a roll is required which is a Situation Awareness at +0. Both are modified by sense ambush. For archers Sit. Awareness at +0 modified by Sense Ambush. If the player fails the roll they cannot use Adrenal Defense. All around Defense can be used to remove the -10 penalty but that is all.
3) using AD uses up .5 exaustion points per round, so 3 EP per minute. So your average character with a 60 EP can use AD for 20 minutes.

I think the important factor is AD is make sure you know how it works and that the player using knows how it works and that you are making sure the player keeps to the rules of AD.

An optional rule for which I'm thinking of using is restrict AD keeping the ranks up to the player's level. For example a level 5 character can have only 5 ranks in AD. A level 15 character can have 15 ranks and so on.

I agree with the AD being rather unbalancing. My shaolin monk character also has defensive spells which add a +50 to his DB and can even do this for 4 attackers. So now with a DB 136 I can have a DB of 176 against 4 attacks (potentially without using restrictions). That's pretty damn high. But again each form of defense has restrictions and even the spell forces the player to know the attack is coming, so rear shots are not effected by the spell and ambush shots are not effected.

I don't agree with restricting to 40% always because Warrior Monks at a low level are sitting ducks. They have no shield, no armor, and a potential DB of 25 or 30. Their AD is about 30 at level 3 and with 40% they must take a -40 to their attacks which are probably around 60 to 70 at level 3. So they attack with a 20 to 30 and defend with a 40 to 50. Fighters will mop up the floor with them. The MAC styles are about the only thing keeping them alive in the beginning. However once they reach level 10, they are a bitch to deal with.