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<blockquote data-quote="malebode" data-source="post: 1611898" data-attributes="member: 20256">I have been experimenting with a way to incorporate active defense in a balanced way.&nbsp; What I want to accomplish is differentiation of parrying, blocking with a shield, and dodging out of the way.&nbsp; I have been using the old Grim ‘n’ Gritty system in my current game, and I am sure I will use some form of “Armor as DR” system in this new game.&nbsp; Therefore, armor is a passive defense.I browsed through a Sword &amp; Sorcery “Advanced Player’s Guide” and found a variant rule that makes an attempt at this.&nbsp; The implementation had some features that I like, and I’ve basically stolen them to get a start here.So far, I have the following set down: Block actions are performed with a shield and can be used to avoid melee and ranged attacks. Parry actions are performed with a weapon and can be used only against melee attacks. Dodge actions can be used to avoid any attack, even if a parry or block was used and failed.Dodge will be based on either a class defense bonus or some combination of reflex save and BAB.&nbsp; Block and parry are solely based on attack bonus.&nbsp; As many dodge actions can be taken as needed, but there is a –2 cumulative penalty for each dodge action taken.The problem is with figuring out how many block and parry actions can be taken and how.&nbsp; It seems intuitive that you could take a block for each attack with the shield bonus added to the BAB, and maybe dex.&nbsp; The problem is with parries.&nbsp; One option is to use a “conversion method” where attacks are reserved as parry actions.&nbsp; However, at a BAB of +11, a fighter with shield would get 3 blocks and 3 attacks while a dual wielding fighter would get 4 attacks and no parries (or 2 attacks and 2 parries, etc).&nbsp; The two-weapon fighter gets screwed because he gets fewer and fewer actions as the BAB goes up (not to mention dual-wielding penalties), and he spent two feats to do it!&nbsp; Another option is to allow a parry for each attack or for each attack beyond the first, but it still breaks down at higher level, because according to my analysis a shield user is always on top.&nbsp; Has anybody found a balanced way of integrating parrying into defense?&nbsp; Can anybody make a suggestion for my parry variant?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="malebode, post: 1611898, member: 20256"] I have been experimenting with a way to incorporate active defense in a balanced way. What I want to accomplish is differentiation of parrying, blocking with a shield, and dodging out of the way. I have been using the old Grim ‘n’ Gritty system in my current game, and I am sure I will use some form of “Armor as DR” system in this new game. Therefore, armor is a passive defense. I browsed through a Sword & Sorcery “Advanced Player’s Guide” and found a variant rule that makes an attempt at this. The implementation had some features that I like, and I’ve basically stolen them to get a start here. So far, I have the following set down:  Block actions are performed with a shield and can be used to avoid melee and ranged attacks.  Parry actions are performed with a weapon and can be used only against melee attacks.  Dodge actions can be used to avoid any attack, even if a parry or block was used and failed. Dodge will be based on either a class defense bonus or some combination of reflex save and BAB. Block and parry are solely based on attack bonus. As many dodge actions can be taken as needed, but there is a –2 cumulative penalty for each dodge action taken. The problem is with figuring out how many block and parry actions can be taken and how. It seems intuitive that you could take a block for each attack with the shield bonus added to the BAB, and maybe dex. The problem is with parries. One option is to use a “conversion method” where attacks are reserved as parry actions. However, at a BAB of +11, a fighter with shield would get 3 blocks and 3 attacks while a dual wielding fighter would get 4 attacks and no parries (or 2 attacks and 2 parries, etc). The two-weapon fighter gets screwed because he gets fewer and fewer actions as the BAB goes up (not to mention dual-wielding penalties), and he spent two feats to do it! Another option is to allow a parry for each attack or for each attack beyond the first, but it still breaks down at higher level, because according to my analysis a shield user is always on top. Has anybody found a balanced way of integrating parrying into defense? Can anybody make a suggestion for my parry variant? [/QUOTE]

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