Can a terrain roll (which I think is used to represent any footwork a character has to do while moving) be used to evade an attack, particularly during a charge in a red/red scenario? Take the following example:

Characters A and B are charging at each other from across a battlefield, swords ready. As they close A raises his blade in preperation for a downward slash at B's head. Suddenly B executes a rapid sidestep, pivots so that he is now facing A's exposed flank, and brings his sword down in a rapid slash that cuts through A's achilles tendon. B gracefully recovers from his turn as A colapses in a heap, helplessly watching B's sword descend for the final blow....

OK, so how would that actually play out? I see several possibilities, all starting from the point of each fighter throwing red and begining the charge:

1) Both characters execute a terrain roll for the charage, A rolls an attack and B rolls an evade, B is successful and on the next exchange attacks, hitting A in the leg. This doesn't seem to reflect the speed or skill on B's part that such an action would require. It also breaks the flow of the charage as both fighters would have to redeclare following the evasion.

2) The characters charge with no terrain roll, B executes one to see if he can successfully complete his sidestep/pivot maneuver. This also takes him out of line of A's strike, effectively acting as an evasion but not ending the exchange. B then attacks with his remaining CP (A could probably defend, or use a terrain roll of his own to redirect his charge out of B's reach). This last example feels more correct to me, since it is almost like B is feinting with his charge, then changing direction at the last possible moment to execute an attack.

Are either of these accurate or is there an additional step (such as stealing initiative) that I'm missing?

What happened sounds like a successful duck or evasive attack to me.

Duck and weave: A misses his attack, in the follow up B cuts against his lower legs.

Evasive attack: B attacks lower legs, A fails his attack because his TN became so high. B succeeds his attack well enough to cut As achilleus tendon off.

If it is a red/red, it would have to be evasive attack.

But yeah, I'd say that Kap's call is right on the money.. Cool scene though. It's nice to think of cool scenarios that can be handily simulated by the system as-is.

So there actually is such a thing as an evasive attack? How does that work? Is it like Block/Attack with a shield? What about a terrain roll, does either character need to make one?

This exact scenario actually happened to me the first time I attended a LARP. About a dozen players running across the field at each other, one guy and I made eye contact during the charge. I went for an overheard strike and BAM!

One second he was there, the next I was starring at grass and something hit my the back of my calf really, really hard. It definately would have been a crippling hit in real life. It was a sobering expirience seeing how quick he was able to vanish from my sight and "kill" me before I ever realized what happed.

Sounds like the drive-pivot move from my basketball days.. not so effective against really experienced street basketballers but quite effective in pick-up games with people you don't know.. except with a sword... and blood... and pain...

Jason K.

I would do the above combat scene simply as B gaining initiative over A in a red/red situation (by just being faster or by buying init). Maybe add in evasive attack if your proficiency level is high enough (IIRC you need a 5). The rest is really flavor text. What really happens is just: B is faster than A and hits, so A loses his CP and life. While it may sound like a feint, there is no purpose in feinting if your opponent doesn't defend.

Actually allowing B to both attack and evade would go against the grain of the combat system, making initiative pointless.

Rules for Evasive attack are on page 61.

Essentially, it's an attack where you make a specific effort to avoid the opponent's attack. Typically this is depicted as moving backward while making a strike, but it would cover this scenario as well. It makes it more difficult for your opponent to hit you, but it also makes it more difficult for you to hit your opponent. If used at the proper time, it can be a devastatingly effective maneuver.. As your own experience demonstrates.

Wolfen wrote: Rules for Evasive attack are on page 61.

Tash wrote: So there actually is such a thing as an evasive attack? How does that work? Is it like Block/Attack with a shield? What about a terrain roll, does either character need to make one?

This exact scenario actually happened to me the first time I attended a LARP. About a dozen players running across the field at each other, one guy and I made eye contact during the charge. I went for an overheard strike and BAM!

One second he was there, the next I was starring at grass and something hit my the back of my calf really, really hard. It definately would have been a crippling hit in real life. It was a sobering expirience seeing how quick he was able to vanish from my sight and "kill" me before I ever realized what happed.