Im directing a game, and Im confused as hell about how to interpretate speed in combat.
The thing is, that we take a timeframe of 3 seconds, during those 3 seconds all actions take place at the same time but end in different time according of the initiative order(if you start soon you end soon), so the thing that I don't understand is how to deal with speed because according to the manual a character with speed 2 can do 2 quick actions during one phase turn and END them in that same phase and the do another 2 quick actions and end them again in the same phase turn.
So I have a crazy anarchist trying to attack one of the characters, his action is already declared run to the character(one quick action) and then punch him as hard as he can(with another quick action) the other characters are trying to stop him, and one of the has speed 2, and will probably try to shoot the anarchist, so that means that in 1.5 he can shoot the anarchist and in the next 1.5 seconds he can shoot him again.
But he anarchist still needs to end his action WHILE getting shot, probably while triying to get in range with the character.
So, when a character has more speed why roll initiative? His first action turn will always end before his opponent actions end giving him an absurd advantage of completly interrupt the opponets turn and never has to roll initiative because his actions will always have priority.
Its pretty confusing and the example of the manual only covers characters with speed 1, can someone help?
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Eclipse phase speed and combat
Mon, 2015-03-30 11:01
#1
templariomaster
Eclipse phase speed and combat
Mon, 2015-03-30 11:40
#2
Jim_Callahan
Your issue
Well, for one thing, attacking is a complex action, not a quick action. That means the guy shooting generally only gets one quick action in any phase he's shooting, not three. Three is for when they're ONLY taking quick actions, when also shooting anything past 1 is a GM call (e.g. "sure, you can insult his mother while pulling the trigger, why not")
The thing I think you're missing in your specific example is that your puncher isn't actually punching on the first phase, he's delaying his complex action until his movement gets him to his target at whatever rate (usually 5m/phase running). You've declared that he's moving, but he can still de facto change his complex action before the punch lands (to, y'know, total defense, or going with all quick actions instead and changing direction). He doesn't HAVE to end his turn punching still.
As for what he gains by winning initiative... well, he'll go first on whatever phase he reaches his target, which might let him get a shot in before taking a wound. It's also worth noting that if the guy didn't have to move (say, he just pulled a gun and shot instead) his action would resolve in phase 1, before anyone else acted. Your NPC is mostly getting owned because he did something really dumb, which it sounds like you intentionally designed him to do... right? Bum-rushing a superior force and getting gunned down is a pretty solid Roleplay interaction, at least.
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Sounds legit.
Mon, 2015-03-30 12:17
#3
templariomaster
The anarchist lost a loved
The anarchist lost a loved one in that part of the history in front of his eyes while seeing him suffer a painfull death(well, its not exactly dead but Im not going into details) while he could do nothing but ask for help(the characters helped but they failed the dice misserably), he is just overreacting dont judge him :)
So if I understand, he is still getting shot while he is running, but he can interrupt his action in phase two and take full defense(he has higher initiative) but if the character with speed 2 had higher initiative he couldn't do that... am I right?
Mon, 2015-03-30 12:45
#4
Jim_Callahan
When you're delaying, you can
When you're delaying, you can technically even interrupt other people's action like a rude guy on a forum spamming 'first' in a new thread.
So the player could declare he's shooting and the puncher could declare he's swapping to full defense before the first shot even lands. Albeit tactically I'd probably eat the one bullet and just swap my movement to diving behind cover the next phase instead if I were punch-man, but he _could_.
Just make sure you're declaring the delay at least implicitly so you're not pulling GM arbitrariness on them. e.g. instead of saying "He runs at you and punches you," keep in mind that you have speed 2+ players and only narrate what's going down in phase 1:
"He's running at you, cocking his fist back."
"Is he gonna punch me?"
"It's a mystery, it'll take him two phases to get there. But, y'know, the finely-tuned senses you've developed regarding crazy-eyed people running at you with their fists up hints at 'yes'."
Or, if you're just really frustrated by your high-speed player doing things like this, make him burn a fast action on active perception to discern who the puncher is targeting, then point out that with that and drawing the gun he's at two quick actions this phase and will have to wait for the next to shoot. (Albeit, that's a bit of a dick move, I'd save that for if he's intentionally annoying you.)
Another thing you might want to think about (since you're talking about an NPC making a nonlethal attack for roleplay value, not potentially one-hit-killing your players with it) is the Surprise rules (p 204 of the current printing). Have them roll Kinesics to see it coming that the guy's about to snap, and if they fail call it an ambush and they don't get to act at all first phase. Again, you want to limit flexing rules like that to situations where you're not going to screw over the players to a knockout degree, but it makes sense in context.
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Sounds legit.
Mon, 2015-03-30 14:14
#5
templariomaster
Well thanks for the help, I
Well thanks for the help, I understand now.