In reply to Nightmare (msg # 924):
did you apply a evasion to the mind control attack?
This message was last edited by the player at 07:52, Sun 06 Apr 2014.

Actually, Nightmare hasn't done anything but position himself.

I see this as a couple different issues.  Here we go:

1) rolling a 1 on a hit is an auto-hit.  It's in tha book.  Done.

2) a saved action can be used to interrupt someone's action.  It's in tha book.  Done.

3) in a F2F scenario, player would say "I'm going to attack X" and GM/NPC would say "I interrupt your attack and interpose the NPC between you" and players would figure something out.  BUT in a 'play by post', it's very hard to interrupt anyone's action *before they post it.

So...

I have mixed feelings.

BUT DOES IT MATTER?

OK so here is what I have decided after looking over a number of things and seeing numerous thoughts on the issue.

Using a held action allows one to intercept another's attack if one is close enough. However, since a 1 is a perfect hit, the intercept is not 100% perfectly timed so the damage is split between the original target and the person intercepting the attack. Otherwise the person intercepting the attack takes on all the damage.

I am adjusting the posts to reflect that both Usurper and Backlash took 10 damage.

Quick comment:

Since this is a collective game, maybe we can all vote?

Adding a rules mechanic that you can INTERRUPT an attack which has hit is an entirely new mechanic in V&V, no?

This IS a democracy, no?

Woops, sorry -- RPG's are not democracies!!
Sorry, was in an alternative universe for a sec there.

Sounds reasonable to me. Thank you for clarifying and spending so much energy reflecting on it.

Still waiting on Oscillator's action... ;)

In reply to Sword of Damocles (msg # 931):
Glad you made an adjustment. For the future I think developing a mechanic would be a good idea.

In reply to Master Sgt Patrick Muldoon (msg # 932):

I think we just did develop a mechanic. ;)

One difficulty is that short of sitting down at length and playing out combat scenarios (which I don't have time for) it is hard to see what situations need to be adjudicated ahead of time. So unfortunately, sometimes things will happen on a case-by-case basis because the situation hadn't come up so far and the rules as written are unclear about that issue.

In reply to Sword of Damocles (msg # 933):

So if a character is attacked another character can use a held action and intercept the attack? The only way to by pass it is to roll a one. The abilities, size and movement are irrelivent as long as the blocking character can reach?

Well they would have to be able to reach, which is one reason I like having movement be on a continuum as opposed to here one instant, there the next. So in Poco's case Backlash was able to determine he was going to attack Usurper and since he was 5" away to Poco's 30" away he was easily able to get in the path of the attack. Now if Poco was closer than Backlash it would have been likely Backlash could not have arrived in time (based on movement per phase increment). So yes, movement is relevant and relative.

Abilities can make a difference such as a non-corporeal character couldn't block an attack unless becoming solid. Obviously size could make a difference on a case-by-case basis but all things being equal a person can intercept an attack as long as they have a held action. The whole point of having a held action is to be able to go at anytime, including interrupting another's action (as is written in the book). I am curious as to what *specifically* you mean by abilities, size, and movement however so some examples on your part may help me to clarify.

I *think* I know what questions you have here but feel free to give your own examples. You are wondering about abilities (powers?) and movement and the answer will vary.

If the opponent is advancing to melee attack the target and you have either greater speed or significantly closer distance to the target you can get in the way. When it comes to thrown weapons (spears, daggers, etc.) or bows/crossbows you would need to be *very* close to the target. For effectively hitscan powers (power blast, light control, lightning control) and firearms you would need to be right next to the target *and* have to make an Agility save to be able to interpose yourself an instant *before* the power or firearm is fired otherwise it is just too fast to get in position.

Is the above the kind of information you were thinking about?

The Inhuman has stretching and can alter his shape so that he can easily reach characters and form himself to block them. Would that give him a benefit to block a shot? Count as a plus to his agility roll?

Well, your advantage is you don't have to move all of yourself to block a shot. So with a melee attack you would be able to stretch there to intercept while still remaining where you are. I figure you can stretch a part of yourself up to your maximum range of 66" each action. The same thing would apply for thrown and propelled weapons, stretching a part of yourself there. In both instances you would take the attack on the part of you that you stretched over with no roll needed.

With the hitscan/firearms you would still have to have a part of you next to the target and make the Agility save. Because of the speed of those attacks the Agility save is not to beat the attack there but to be there at the last instant before the attack is fired. So the fact that you can stretch doesn't affect the Agility save because whether you have to move all of your body or stretching a part of it you still have to time it just right, thus the Agility save.

I know it doesn't sound like a difference but the fact that you don't have to move all of yourself is a significant advantage over any other player that can't be in two places at once (so to speak).

Also, an important thing to remember is that a person intercepting an attack is basically acting as a big parrying object so unless the attacker rolls a complete miss the blocking person automatically takes the hit.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:41, Mon 07 Apr 2014.

Was going to post Osc's action, but have a PM for GM.

Seems like the attacker should apply their roll versus the blocking characters defense.

A flame character jumping in front of a flame attack ect.

The attacker does not need to roll vs. the blocking character's defense as they are specifically throwing themselves in front of the attack to spare the other person. They are not trying to use any defense against the attack to prevent a chance of it getting past them. It is not unlike throwing yourself on a grenade, a self-sacrificing gesture.

Aside from that, MAN the dice roller is being funky! All three blasters roll 20's on their attacks while Poco has rolled a pair of 1's. Figure the odds of that!

Yes. As one of the three blasters, I am not amused.

I prayed for too many 20's in old D&D games.
:D

SO ...
Now that we have this new 'body parry'/interception rule...
and Osc has Absorption (altho largely unused / untested) ...
and Osc flies *REALLY* fast (not as fast as Vosper, obv)...

--> Can Osc hold his first action and then fly into a melee,
blocking a hit & absorbing it?

Is that ALL Osc needs to do to 'suck up the damage'?

Ooooooooh....  FUN!

As long as your movement per phase exceeds the melee attacker who is approaching the target that is no problem at all. If the target and the attacker are already engaged in melee it is trickier because you have to get between two people jockeying for position 2-3 feet apart. It *can* be done, but it is not as simple as getting in the path of an oncoming attacker.

That'd be really hard ... except Osc can 'vibra-fly' through people.
:D

You are correct sir, but you would have to drop the vibratory defense once in front of the attacker otherwise you don't block anything. It doesn't say but I figure you can drop a power during your action as part of movement. Of course then the next turn you would have to use an action to turn it back on if you wanted it. Just something to keep in mind.

Also, I am wondering how far from Usurper everyone is. I know Inhuman is still 60" away, Poco is in melee, Amaranth is frozen probably 20" away. I am unclear of how far Nightmare is as well as Onyx, Oscillator, and Vosper. Remember that if you are not within 30" you will take a -1 penalty to ranged attacks. This information is important for the last actions of the villains so as fast as I get the information I can update the result of Poco's attack and the actions of Mindwrack and Backlash.

I believe I said Onyx flew to be about 100 feet (20") from her before he opened up with his wildly inaccurate attack.

If I neglected to put that in, that was his intent.

I was moving up the valley wall towards the opponent's flank. Assuming a 45 degree angle and 20" of movement, I am seventy feet closer than the arrival point (46" away), and will be seventy more feet closer at the end of the turn (32" away).
The terrain may affect this. If the side of the valley is more or less than seventy feet, the angle would be more or less acute. That one has to be GM fiat.