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Attacking From Behind


xylden76

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Hello,

 

I seek to clarify some rules trouble at my table regarding attacking from behind.  I've done a search in three forums for "Behind" but came up nothing, so here goes...

 

At my table, as we've played in the past, anytime someone has a shot at your back, that PC/NPC is at half DCV to that attacker.

 

A player brought up a decent point that as of yet I cannot refute.  We cannot find any concrete description as to what behind means, and 6E2, 37 has the DCV modifier table listing 'attacked from behind' with the 'surprised' tag attached to it, but nothing indicating 'behind' as a standalone modifier.

 

Now enter my counter argument - enter Defense Maneuver I.  6E1, 74.  "No attacker is considered to be attacking from behind."  This statement leads me to believe that behind is at any point, 'surprised' notwithstanding.  To me it indicates that it's harder to avoid attacks originating from the rear as it's harder to perceive the attacks.  It also indicates to me that otherwise, Defense Maneuver I serves no purpose, as why would you spend a half phase action to activate this power IF it only prevents you from being surprised, which has it's own category of rules.

 

In addition, the first para of 6E1, 75 states "a character with Defense Maneuver (at any level) can still be Surprised.  Def Man eliminates the possibility of being attacked from behind, it does not make a character immune to being surprised.  I think this is the most concrete evidence there is to support my claim.  is there anything else out there that I'm missing, in support of either arguement?

 

lastly, what would the 'behind' scenario entail?  On a clock scale, would it be the 5-7 or 4-8?

 

thanks in advance!

 

 

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Defense Maneuver I, “no attacker is considered to be attacking “from behind””, refers to the Surprised Combat Modifier, which lists as its first possible example “when a character is attacked from behind[.]” All that means is that if a character who has Defense Maneuver I is using that Skill (which takes a Half Phase Action), someone who attacks him from behind is not considered for game rules purposes to be “attacking from behind” (i.e., with Surprise). It does not force the attacker to attack from the front or any other such thing. Defense Maneuver I simply means, “in this particular situation, where most characters would suffer a Surprise modifier, I do not.”

 

I’m not going to start establishing a “clock scale” or any other hard and fast rule to designate what qualifies as “behind.” That’s a question any gaming group should be able to solve by applying common sense and dramatic sense — or, if that fails, the ruling of a wise GM. ;)

 

I think that addresses all your issues — if I’ve missed something, please post a follow-up or PM me.

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