Evasion, Attack, and Sorcery

[Alan]

Somewhere I got the idea that it was possible to allocate dice to Duck & Weave or Dodge even when you're attacking.  Is this true?

Also, can you cast an offensive spell while doing a defensive maneuver or evasion?

What would be the point of both Blocking _and_ Evading?

Is there a mechanical reason why evasion options are presented separately from other defensive maneuvers?

[Jake Norwood]

Somewhere I got the idea that it was possible to allocate dice to Duck & Weave or Dodge even when you're attacking.  Is this true?

Nope, though I suppose you could house-rule it in. Might work. Evasive Attack would get you further for less, though.

Also, can you cast an offensive spell while doing a defensive maneuver or evasion?

Hmm. I'd have to get the book for that one. Yeah, yeah, I know..."Jake doesn't have the book memorized..."

That's why I wrote it down!

What would be the point of both Blocking _and_ Evading?

Um, you can't do them both, so no point, I suppose.

Is there a mechanical reason why evasion options are presented separately from other defensive maneuvers?

Yes, although in retrospect I could have put them in the Defensive maneuver section without much problem. They're in there because unlike the Maneuvers, they require no weapon proficiency whatsoever, nor do they even require a combat pool in certain situations (such as dodging missile fire when not in a melee). There was another reason, but I forgot it. Oh well.

Jake

[Ashren Va'Hale]

you got the idea of duck and weave/partial evade in mid combat from the missile weapons rule, or specifically dodging said missiles. theres threads galore on that here you could search and dig up (but don't resurrect dead threads etc).

[Alan]

Hey Jake,

Thanks for clearing that up.

I'm making a procedure summary for myself and going through the combat rules with a fine tooth comb, so I'm coming up with questions.

Some related questions about Wound results.

KNOCKDOWN
Page 81 says the TN is the unmodified Shock for the wound, but how do I apply the + or -  listed in the wound tables?  

For example, from page 235 Cut to Zone I compare Knee Wound level 3 and 4:

Knee Wound Level 3: "Shock 8, Roll knockdown"
I take this to mean the victim would roll KD at TN 8.

But Knee Wound Level 4: "Shock 10, Roll knockdown at -5"
Does this mean roll KD at TN 5? Or does it mean roll (KD-5 dice) at TN 10?


DROPPING THINGS
When a wound says "may drop held item," what's the trait and TN?  (Knockout has a base TN of 7, so I suspect Drop might be WP at TN 7, but I can't find the rule.)

[Brian Leybourne]

Alan,

Modifiers to knockdown/out rolls are always modifiers to the die pool, not the TN.

For (not) dropping held things, use knockdown. We're going to put something about this in TFOB since it's not specified in the main book.

Brian.