Do you need to roll to-hit to dispel on incoming attack/effect?

[Demonsong]

Do you need to roll to-hit to dispel on incoming attack/effect?

 

In my fantasy campaign I allow mages to abort to dispel, just like a dodge or dive for cover. This encourages really interesting mage battles. Any way I have always required a to-hit roll to target the mage or the hex of the spell effect in case of persistent powers. Is this the correct way to do this? Would you or do you do something else in your game?

 

As a side not for propose of figuring DCV for a dispel attacks I do not count normal shields.

 

That do you think?

[Chris Goodwin]

I would say you don't need to roll to hit a Power that has already rolled to hit you. OTOH, you could require this, treating it as if it were a Block (and in fact, some fantasy literature seems to treat magical battles almost as if wizards get a Magical Block maneuver -- hmmm...)

[TheEmerged]

I *thought* that was pretty spelled out (pun intended) in the rules...

 

FREd pg 99, column B. 2nd paragraph.

To use Dispel, the character must make an Attack Roll.

 

However, this is obviously overridden later in the description.

 

4th paragraph

A character can use Dispel to protect himself from incoming Powers, but he must have a Held Action to do this. Assuming the Dispel applies to the attack, he uses his Held Action to "attack" the incoming Power with his Dispel. He rolls his Dispel dice (no Attack Roll is needed. The attack is Dispelled if the total of the Dispel dice exceeds the Active Points in the attack.

 

So no, you don't need to make an attack roll to dispel defensively. However, under the official rules you can't abort to it -- insert "Your house, your rules" crack here.

[Chris Goodwin]

Just to be difficult You make an Attack Roll to Block, too, and you can Abort to it.

[austenandrews]

Mechanics-wise, I'd treat it as a Block (or a Missile Deflection, I suppose would be the more appropriate analogy). I probably wouldn't allow more than one Dispel per action (no cumulative -2 OCV) though it could make for some interesting battles. Dispel would suddenly become extremely cost-effective.

 

-AA

[Dust Raven]

Originally posted by austenandrews

Mechanics-wise, I'd treat it as a Block (or a Missile Deflection, I suppose would be the more appropriate analogy). I probably wouldn't allow more than one Dispel per action (no cumulative -2 OCV) though it could make for some interesting battles. Dispel would suddenly become extremely cost-effective.

 

-AA

 

More cost-effective than Missile Deflection? For only 20 points you can deflect any ranged attack (thought not usually AE, Explosions and Engangles). You can abort to it, and can continue to deflect (at -2 cumulative) until you miss a roll. It also deflects the attack, regardless of Active Points; 20 points of Missile Deflecton will stop a 20d6 EB just as easily as it will a 4d6 EB.

 

Depending on the campaign, I might allow characters to abort to Dispel. In most campaigns I wouldn't though, and just have the characters hold an action to use it against incoming attacks.

[NuSoardGraphite]

I might allow a character to "abort" to Dispel. In which case, I'd treat it exactly like a block or Missile Deflection attempt (except for the rolling of the Dispel dice, of course)

[austenandrews]

Originally posted by Dust Raven

More cost-effective than Missile Deflection?

 

No, more cost-effective than it had been.

 

-AA

[Farkling]

I think we had a big debate about this months ago..I remember discussing it before.

 

I allow abort to Dispel, and it IS rolled as a Block.

 

It is less abusive than Missile Deflection/Reflection.

[Dust Raven]

Originally posted by Farkling

I think we had a big debate about this months ago..I remember discussing it before.

 

I allow abort to Dispel, and it IS rolled as a Block.

 

It is less abusive than Missile Deflection/Reflection.

 

I was thinking about this at work today, and I'm almost willing to allow aborting to Dispel. The idea behind it seems rational, in that you can use it to block an incoming attack. I might try this at my next game to see how it goes (fortunately there's a player character with a Dispel power).