Blocking/Parrying In D&D

[Henrix]

But be aware that it will make those with high attack bonuses, who probably have a good chunk of hit points as well, harder to kill!

 

[Laslo Tremaine]

HP area passive way to look at Parrying. Most people like the idea of a more active way. It will slow down copmbat, but it makes some people happy.

I completely agree!

But after years of playing RuneQuest, where combat consists of; roll to hit, roll to defend, roll hit location, roll damage (and your hitpoints never really change). I find 3e to be fairly refreshing by halving the number of combat rolls.

 

[Crothian]

I completely agree!

But after years of playing RuneQuest, where combat consists of; roll to hit, roll to defend, roll hit location, roll damage (and your hitpoints never really change). I find 3e to be fairly refreshing by halving the number of combat rolls.

I don't use parry rolls myself anymore. Slowed down combat a little too much. Plus trying to figure out of you can block a Dragon's Claw or a giant's club made it difficult. I've gone to the simplier way of d20, plus I run less combat then I used too.

 

[Crothian]

But be aware that it will make those with high attack bonuses, who probably have a good chunk of hit points as well, harder to kill!

Yes, but at higher levels you are also fighting things with higher BAB. So, it stays even. Anyone can parry from the Fighter, to the giant, to the Dragon. And Parry only works for Melee, so ranged attacks and spells can still be quite effective.

 

[Henrix]

But after years of playing RuneQuest, where combat consists of; roll to hit, roll to defend, roll hit location, roll damage (and your hitpoints never really change). I find 3e to be fairly refreshing by halving the number of combat rolls.

Oh, another old RQer! Nice!
Yeah, RQ fights could (can) take forever!
That, and the fact that sometimes limbs were getting chopped off both to the left and right (thank Chalana for that Heal 6 spell!), is what stops me from going back!

 

[Henrix]

Yes, but at higher levels you are also fighting things with higher BAB. So, it stays even. Anyone can parry from the Fighter, to the giant, to the Dragon.

Except for the poor bastards who don't have as good a BAB advancement!

But let me rephrase myself.

It will make those with lower attack bonuses, who probably are hit point challanged as well, easier to kill!

It will make uneven fights more uneven.

And there's nothing inherently bad with that! But don't be surprised when it hits you! (Or rather the poor mage.)

 

[Crothian]

Just another reason for the Mage to not be in melee combat. I don't see that as a downfall. There are a reason why fighters are the melle expert. Parrying just makes that more true. So, yes, it makes the melee fighters a little bit more difficult to take down. On the flip side they are using their attacks for defense, so you aren't being attacked as many times.

 

[Victim]

I think the problem is more along the lines of more attacks versus more powerful attacks with parrying, rather than high base attack/HP versus low base attack/HP.

With an active parry rule in place, extra attacks become much more powerful. Give up the extra attacks to have a little less than a 50% chance to completely negate your opponent's best attack.

Also, I think parrying is reflected in the fighting defensively, expertise, and HP rules.

 

[Ace]

HPs are a very generic way to look at a lot of different factors.

My advise is to just use opposed rolls. You make a defensive strike instead of an offensive one with your attacks. It's nice and simple and works for everyone. Make larger creatures hardier to parry.

I like to use opposed rolls too with one small change. Defense rolls are on 2d10 instead of 1d20, it makes defense a little more steady and has the effect of raising Ac by 1 pt or so

 

[kreynolds]

I like to use opposed rolls too with one small change. Defense rolls are on 2d10 instead of 1d20, it makes defense a little more steady and has the effect of raising Ac by 1 pt or so

Wierd...but...ok...to each his own, eh?