Topic: Optional rules; critical modification

[yammahoper]

When a target is stunned, criticals delivered to foe may be modified by half ranks in weapon.

When target is stun no parry, criticals may be modified by ranks in weapon.

Would this make a better talent than core rule?

[Winterknight]

My personal opinion...way overpowered.  It's effectively free Ambush, and by the time you're 15th level, you're modifying criticals by 15 for stunned foes, and 30 for stun no parry. 

If the goal is to significantly reduce combat time, then the rule would work for that purpose. 

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Being "stunned no parry" is from my experience deadly enough not to need a rule making it deadlier.

[markc]

 I guess it would depend on the other talents and power level in your game. As per a core rule I think it is a little powerful and I would have it be a 50 point talent. But if every player suddenly takes it then it is to cheap and the price needs to go up.
 If you 1/2 the ability then I would make it a 30 point talent as IMO it is still very potent. Again see note above on cost.

MDC

[Arioch]

Would this make a better talent than core rule?

Are you referring to a specific talent? I cannot remember anything like that in the core rules (save for precision maybe).

[chook]

Stunned and no parry is a quasi death sentence as is.  I don't really think that there needs to be further penalty to the poor soul that finds himself in that situation.

When stunned there is also a -50 menalty to all MM and SM as well plus I have a feeling that there is a penalty to your OB which reduces your ability to parry (but can't remember it right now) so again I think that there is enough of a penalty happening.

In answer to the original question I say neither; it would make for an overpowered option.

[providence13]

I believe that it would make a better curse!

Major Flaw, Wrath of Gods, whatever you want to call it: Whenever character is stunned, crits may be mod'd by 1/2 opponents ranks in weapon.
Whenever character is stun no parry, crits may be mod'd by opponents ranks in weapon.

This is better than an instant kill or even Lycanthropy. You are a walking dead man with a huge target on their chest..
Now, the task is to "cure" or lift the curse before you get into combat! A real fix for people who... get outta hand....

[Ecthelion]

The core rules IIRC contain a (quite expensive) Talent that allows for modifying the critical by +-1 (but not only when the opponent is stunned). Modifying the critical by half or even the full number of ranks in the weapon seems to be quite overpowered.

[Nders]

Yamaha: Go Combat companion! I think it would solve your problem as well as create a good deal of ne ones It's a great addendum that has a lot of good suggestions on handling combat.

[Marc R]

Seems a trifle high end to me. . .but.

Yamma, are you looking at this as the hi/lo problem? i.e. that say You and I are fighting, you SNP me for 1 round, then your next attack while I'm counting stars at low DB is one of those 40EK results. . .followed by a low crit roll for +5 hits?

45 hits in one shot is nothing to sneeze at, but it cn be really frustrating to finally get a tough opponant where you want them, follow it up with a 150+ attack table result, then roll a 3 on the crit.

Is that the situation you're trying to fix here?

[yammahoper]

Seems a trifle high end to me. . .but.

Yamma, are you looking at this as the hi/lo problem? i.e. that say You and I are fighting, you SNP me for 1 round, then your next attack while I'm counting stars at low DB is one of those 40EK results. . .followed by a low crit roll for +5 hits?

45 hits in one shot is nothing to sneeze at, but it cn be really frustrating to finally get a tough opponant where you want them, follow it up with a 150+ attack table result, then roll a 3 on the crit.

Is that the situation you're trying to fix here?

To a degree, yes.

Note: I dont use the set phases, but an intiative mod for each action (+10 for snap actions, +0 from normal actions and -10 for deliberate).

The purpose is to make combat more cinimatic and to portray a stronger advantage to stunning a foe.  I have played with the rule set several times now, including penalties to the modification based on foes AT (representing the reduced ability to place a lethal shot against a well armored foe).  It has worked.  The players like it. 

I should also note that I don't use stun mnv as a skill in my game anymore, even though I always run a game that focuses on pleasing the players (my philosophy is it cost me nothing to have happy players and happy players make good stories that I can enjoy, and hey, on some level it's all about me, lol).

I'm just playing with the mechanics cuz...well, i can.  Been at this a long time and new stuff or new twist is engaging.

[Marc R]

You refer to a talent in the core. . .do you mean precision?

[Ecthelion]

You refer to a talent in the core. . .do you mean precision?

Yes, that I think that is the name of the talent.

[Temujin]

So basically, you get 1 round of stun no parry, and you're dead.  1 round of regular stun and you're at risk of dying.  Considering the availability of stuns in the regular system, I consider that quite over the top.  Modifying it by 1/10 rank and 1/5 rank respectively would be more balanced, imho, maybe low but still significant.  Its not hard to get 20 ranks in a weapon.