Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by AsenRG

I don't remember PF, but in 3e you have facing, which determines bonuses to hit like +2 from the sides and +4 from the back, and potentially stuff like sneak attack damage. Sneaking on unsuspecting enemies also lets you use their "flat-footed" AC, which is generally lower, and allows you attacks with improved damage.
PF is a clone of 3x, so I guess it's similar, but can't remember the exact rules due to lack of experience.

You have facing only when multiple opponents come into play. A single figure cannot flank another figure. This is the direct opposite of earlier editions.

Originally Posted by Baron

Hi Chirine, thought I'd pose this question here for all to enjoy. In working on my Kashi adventure, I've been giving the Silver Suits a bit more thought. OK, per the lore they were Space Marines, got it. And they have a Doc Smith / Lensman connection. But my Kashi is isolated from the Humanspace Empire, and populated with descendants of the original base personnel. They have lost significant knowledge, and their facilities are aging badly. I propose that actual Silver Suits are from current Humanspace, and are here in the bethorm on various exploratory or research missions. These are the guys you see floating around the Pylons. On the other hand, Kashi and the Southern Polar Base have space marines, but they are the relatively ignorant descendants of greatness. What do you think?

Sounds good to me. I play the Siver Suits the way you do, and I have a strong suspicion that that's what Phil had in mind. We never had the chance to question one - they have a nasty habit of blowing up when you try to open the suits - so we don't know. He left no notes on this behind, either.

Never saw any living beings in either Kashi or the South Polar base, but that doesn't mean anything. If I lived there, and a bunch of weird strangers showed up, I'd hide and wait them out too...

Originally Posted by Hrugga

Hello All,

Quick question for anyone. Have any of you read S.M. Stirling’s In the Courts of the Crimson Kings and The Sky People?
I just learned about them now. All I know is that they are pastiche of ERB, Leigh Brackett, and others. What do you think? I will not read them for awhile yet. Just wondering if they are worth the time. First I have to finish ERB's Mars books(three more to go) and move onto the Venus series...Thanks

H:0)

I have, and found them great fun. Lots of 'sideways thinking' from the author.

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

You have facing only when multiple opponents come into play. A single figure cannot flank another figure. This is the direct opposite of earlier editions.

Huh? Run that one past me again? No more dry-gulching orcs, or what?

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

You have facing only when multiple opponents come into play. A single figure cannot flank another figure. This is the direct opposite of earlier editions.

Huh, you're right. It seems the facing rule was a houserule we'd adopted across multiple groups.
Granted, it mostly done in order to reflect surprise attacks where the attacked can't turn fast enough to react, and in order to be consistent in awarding the bonuses for position.

That said, "not being able to flank unless you have surprise or teamwork" makes sense to me. People tend to turn the front of their stances towards you rather quickly when attacked from the side or back, unless something like surprise is preventing them from doing so. So I must admit that I haven't seen anyone gaining the facing bonus in an older edition, either, unless the attack was using surprise or misdirection.

Interesting. I've always assumed that 'facing' applied, especially in the case of surprise or a melee, as that fits in with my own experiences. And being a miniatures player, that was probably reinforced by the kind of games I'm used to playing. The 'custom of the house', all these years, has been "Do I get a chance to face the thing?" followed by "Roll percentile dice, your dexterity of less." as we used to do in EPT. Other rule sets was a straight percentile dice roll, with the GM/referee making a counter roll for the attacker.

I dunno; I like 'facing', as it does provide an extra little bit to the combat, and rewards tactics and thinking. Old-fashioned, probably.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Interesting. I've always assumed that 'facing' applied, especially in the case of surprise or a melee, as that fits in with my own experiences. And being a miniatures player, that was probably reinforced by the kind of games I'm used to playing. The 'custom of the house', all these years, has been "Do I get a chance to face the thing?" followed by "Roll percentile dice, your dexterity of less." as we used to do in EPT. Other rule sets was a straight percentile dice roll, with the GM/referee making a counter roll for the attacker.

I dunno; I like 'facing', as it does provide an extra little bit to the combat, and rewards tactics and thinking. Old-fashioned, probably.

My point was that it doesn't make sense to track it when there's no surprise or other combatants to provide a distraction, Uncle. Generally, I find that if in a one-on-one fight someone can control your stance to the point that you don't get to face him, we're talking about you having already lost.
We do track facing when there's either surprise or multiple characters.

Invisibility, Displacement, Feinting, Quickling-like Speed, PC intentionally keeping facing for some other purpose, there's tons of reasons you might have flanking without Surprise or being Outnumbered, but it requires thinking of the situation happening in the world, not on a board, a headspace WotC has never been able to get into.

Originally Posted by CRKrueger

Invisibility, Displacement, Feinting, Quickling-like Speed, PC intentionally keeping facing for some other purpose, there's tons of reasons you might have flanking without Surprise or being Outnumbered, but it requires thinking of the situation happening in the world, not on a board, a headspace WotC has never been able to get into.

I disagree with feinting and Invisibility since Invisibility is definitely under Surprise, and feinting has its own rules. But yes, I should amend that to surprise, numbers, magic, or Reasons, though I lump most such Reasons under Surprise.

Still, most of them wouldn't happen in duels or one-on-one fights, which was my point.