Neverwinter Nights Parry Skill and Improved Parry Feat. Use it in your D&D game?

[Kaelynna]

Neverwinter Nights has a parry skill and improved parry feat.

Below I swiped the skill and feat descriptions from a NWN fansite.

Have any of you tried using the NWN parry rules in your pen and paper D&D games? The parry rules seem interesting.

For those of you that have used these rules, is "Parry Mode" (as noted below) considered to be the total defense standard action?

Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

- Kae.


Parry

ABILITY: Dexterity
CLASSES as CLASS SKILLS: All except Sorcerer and Wizard
CLASS RESTRICTIONS: None
TRAINING: No. This skill can be used regardless of ranks.
ARMOR CHECK SKILL: Yes. See individual armors and shields for how they affect the skill check.
DESCRIPTION: The Parry skill helps the character avoid incoming melee attacks and sometimes even results in an impressive counterstrike (Riposte).
USE: The character enters into Parry Mode and thereafter, the character automatically uses the Parry skill against any melee attack.
The DC is equal to the incoming Attack Roll. A successful result means that the strike misses regardless of whether or not the attack roll itself would have resulted in a hit normally.
The character can only Parry as many attacks against them as they have normally themselves.
SPECIAL: If the Parry check succeeds by 10 or more, the character immediately attempts a Riposte attack against the foe successfully Parried.
ANALYSIS: This skill will prove to be a very useful one for lightly armored front line character when confronting a difficult opponent. It won't offer much while alone, against multiple foes, or in heavy armor (+ shield) most of the time, though, so that should be kept in mind. However, in a well made group, a difficult foe that would normally tear up any front line warrior might be effectively parried, allowing that character to survive longer while other characters try to weaken or kill it at range. The skill will probably be an all or nothing one, though. Either a character wants it to be kept at maximum ranks or they should skip taking it at all. Rogues and light armor warriors will be the ones who should consider this skill most.

Improved Parry

PREREQUISITES: Intelligence of 13+
REQUIRED FOR: Nothing
BONUS FEAT FOR: None
DESCRIPTION: This Feat improves the Parry by +4 ability of a character.
USE: Automatic when the Character enters into Parry Mode in combat.
ANALYSIS: If you develop a duelist/parry type of character, this Feat is a must. +4 to Parry will make the character a lot harder to hit and improve the chances to Riposte accordingly. A strong Parry character will offer an extra dimension to those lightly armored characters who develop it to its fullest and I believe it will prove to be a very valid strategy in group settings where one character draws fire and tries to hold off a tough foe with Parry while others pepper it out of danger.

 

[Kaelynna]

No responses?

I guess no one uses these rules then....

 

[Ravellion]

Hmmm... 1st level 16 dex human fighter wearing MW studded leather + MW Buckler. AC 17. Feats: The two parry feats + skill focus parry (+3 in most games isn't it?).

A total of +14 to his parry skill. Next 11 levels take rogue, and take skill mastery parry, raising your dex each level increase, and get gloves of dex+4... always roll 38 on your
parry OUCH!

And this isn't really the worst case scenario.


Rav

 

[Kaelynna]

Sound pretty powerful!

Hmmm... 1st level 16 dex human fighter wearing MW studded leather + MW Buckler. AC 17. Feats: The two parry feats + skill focus parry (+3 in most games isn't it?).

A total of +14 to his parry skill. Next 11 levels take rogue, and take skill mastery parry, raising your dex each level increase, and get gloves of dex+4... always roll 38 on your
parry OUCH!

And this isn't really the worst case scenario.


Rav

So you're basically saying that the NWN mechanic is broken Seems like it. I guess I would have to play test it.

 

[Kaelynna]

Rav, I came up with this feat before seeing the NWN rules.

Is this feat better for balance?

Thanks,
- Kae.

Parry [General]

You have learned to evade an opponent's strike and deliver a counter strike when your opponent is most vulnerable: at the same instant your opponent attempts to strike you. This feat is also known by other names such as Riposte, Parry All, and the Yagovan Defense.

Prerequisites: Int 13+, Expertise, Dex 13+, Dodge, base attack bonus of +8 or higher.

Benefit: You can deliver a counter strike as a melee attack against an opponent that misses you in melee. You take the total defense standard action in exchange for the ability to make a counter strike against any creature that misses you with a melee attack roll or melee touch attack roll. If the creature attacks you multiple times, you may deliver a counter strike each time the creature misses you. All counter strikes are made at your normal base attack bonus. You specify on your turn that you are activating this feat, and the change to your Armor Class (for total defense) and your ability to make these special attacks last until your next turn. This feat does not grant you more attacks than you are normally allowed in a round.

For example: a 20th level fighter with the following base attack bonuses +20/+15/+10/+5 wielding a rapier can counter strike four times in a round. The same fighter with Improved Two Weapon Fighting wielding a rapier and a dagger can counter strike six times in a round. All attack roll penalties for fighting with two weapons still apply.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

The real problem with the NWN parry skill (discipline, taunt, and concentration too) is that it adds a skill to the list which is essential for fighting effectively in certain styles. However, skills are an innappropriate mechanic for this. Fighters don't have enough skill points to be good at any of them so you end up with people who want to play fighters playing rogues.

If you want something to playtest, I'd suggest doing the following:

Parry action: standard or full round. You may make opposed attack rolls to negate one attack for each attack you would ordinarily be able to make. (At the normal iterative penalty).

When attempting to parry a larger weapon with a smaller one, you suffer a -4 penalty for each size category of difference between the weapons. (This makes it difficult to parry a dagger with a greatsword--as it should be but has the side effect of making double weapons like the double-sword very good for parrying).

You also apply any armor check penalty to the opposed attack roll.

 

[Terraism]

When attempting to parry a larger weapon with a smaller one, you suffer a -4 penalty for each size category of difference between the weapons. (This makes it difficult to parry a dagger with a greatsword--as it should be but has the side effect of making double weapons like the double-sword very good for parrying).

Not to nitpick, Basilisk, but I like the idea quite a bit and I'm curious whether I'm understanding it correctly - are you suggesting it's only difficult to block a large weapon with a small one, a small with a large, or both? I'm guessing both, because it makes more sense, but... [Whoops - that seems like it's probably more House Rules but, hey, i'ts already here. ]