Invalidating the Script

[Bill Cook]

In Action Reaction: Stump the Experts:

It is my understanding that though actions may oppose one another, potentially preventing the other's desired effect, they may not resolve to prevent the other's attempt.

Even so, in the case of sequential and continuous action sequences, I assert that resolution of opposition in the prior action segment may disqualify the script.

What is design position in handling this issue?

Yes. If an earlier action in a volley causes one of your later actions to become invalid, you hesitate.

Secondly, thx for the clean answer. Action segment resolution can invalidate the script, converting actions to Hesitate, a la forfeiture.

..

Thought I might sow for a bit of detail on this. Specifically, if you Push your opponent into a prone position, and during his two-action Get Up, you land a Strike or successfully Push (again), does that convert his action to Hesitate? Replace Get Up with (1) Draw Sword or (2) Set Axe (for a Great Strike) or (3) Nock Arrow - 3; same question. Are there other kinds of disrupting actions besides Strike and Push?

[Thor Olavsrud]

Thought I might sow for a bit of detail on this. Specifically, if you Push your opponent into a prone position, and during his two-action Get Up, you land a Strike or successfully Push (again), does that convert his action to Hesitate? Replace Get Up with (1) Draw Sword or (2) Set Axe (for a Great Strike) or (3) Nock Arrow - 3; same question. Are there other kinds of disrupting actions besides Strike and Push?

I think you're making this way more complicated than it needs to be. Actions are only converted to Hesitate if you 1) fail a Steel test, 2) Charge unsuccessfully and have to regain your footing, or 3) CHOOSE to Hesitate.

If your opponent successfully Pushes you off your feet, that doesn't stop your scripted actions. If you have Strike scripted for the next volley, you still get to Strike (assuming you're still in Striking Distance), you just have to pay the Obstacle penalty for being prone.

OR, assuming you have actions remaining, you can choose to sacrifice actions (Hesitate) from the end of the Script to change your next action to Get Up.

Just to be clear, Get Up is a Physical Action. In other words, in a script, it costs two actions. It is NOT a tandem action (like movement).

So let's go back to your example. Here's the scripts:

Opponent:
Volley 1: Push
Volley 2: Strike, Block
Volley 3: Push

You:
Volley 1: Feint
Volley 2: Avoid
Volley 3: Strike, Block

So in the first volley, let's say your opponent succeeds in the Push test and knocks you to the ground. He's completely outscripted your Feint, so you don't get to test it.

Suspecting your opponent plans a Strike at this point, you decide to leave your Avoid intact. It'll be harder than it would normally be, as you try to roll out of the way of the blow. But you figure that the Strike in Volley 3 is going to be too hard for you to pull off with the Obstacle penalty for being prone, so you Sacrifice your last action (Block) in order to change the Strike to the first part of the Get Up action.

However, your opponent has another Push scripted. If your Natural Defenses trump his Push, you manage to get to your knees. If not, your opponent pushes you back to the ground.

[Luke]

what Thor said.

also,

However, your opponent has another Push scripted. If your Natural Defenses trump his Push, you manage to get to your knees. If not, your opponent pushes you back to the ground.

ND from the ground are at a +2 Ob. So defending against that Push as you are getting up is going to be very hard.

-L

[Bill Cook]

Boy, that was a good example. To be thorough, can preparatory actions (e.g. setting for a great strike, loading a crossbow) be interrupted?

Clearly, casting spells can.

[Luke]

Boy, that was a good example. To be thorough, can preparatory actions (e.g. setting for a great strike, loading a crossbow) be interrupted?

Only by causing the target to hesitate or change his mind -- ie, forfeit and script something else. Otherwise, the action goes off under the new conditions at the current obstacle penalty.

Spells have their own, special, interruption rules.

-L