Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

[prestidigitator]

For your enjoyment, use, and/or critique:

 

Cover the Eyes/Ears

 

This maneuver is similar to Choke. It involves grabbing the head rather than other limbs, but instead of inflicting damage the attacker covers the target's sensory organs (either eyes or ears; the GM may allow a Multiple Attack for covering both, just like grabbing more than two limbs normally). The target loses the use of the associated senses until the attacker's next Phase (or until the attacker chooses to Abort or Hold a Phase in the event he doesn't take his next Phase at the usual time).

 

Like Choke, Cover the Eyes/Ears is not a Constant attack. While the attacker may maintain the Grab from Phase to Phase, he must make attack rolls each Phase he wishes to deprive the target of his sense(s). If the target chooses to try to uncover his eyes/ears early without breaking completely free of the Grab, he may make Contortionist rolls with a +1 bonus and gets +5 Str for the purposes of breaking out of that portion of the Grab.

 

At the GM's discretion, this maneuver may not work against characters with unusual senses (e.g. N-Ray Vision or a Sense with an unusual or mobile point of origin) or large/unusual sensory organs (e.g. a large spider or a giant), without the attacker using appropriate powers or circumstances to overcome the differences (e.g. holding a lead armband over Superman's eyes, or wrapping a cloak around a giant spider's head).

 

The modifiers for the maneuver are -2 OCV and -2 DCV for the attacker unless and until it succeeds, in which case the attacker still suffers -2 OCV to attack rolls for continuing/renewing the sensory deprivation but standard penalties for characters in a Grab apply otherwise.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

I like the structure of it. I use 'grab' generally, when I want to accomplish something like this on that basis that if one of the limbs 'grabbed' is the head you can control the eyes and ears (and teeth) 'immobilising' them, as you would a limb.

[mattingly]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

Actually, I'd like to see a "covering my own eyes/ears" maneuver to prevent Flash attacks or NNDs based on Flash Defense.

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

I like the idea that it's possible, but how easy should it be, to blind, deafen or blind and deafen another character in this manner, even temporarily?

I like the classic, standard -2 penalties, but have you also considered another attack roll, where the first is for the regular grab and the second would be covering the eyes/other effect?

IMO, clasping ears should be either/or that or clasping the eyes, not both necessarily, but depending on what's doing the covering.

 

I'd also like to see the special effect of 'screaming into the ears'.

work that in and I'll be amazed that you've thought of everything,

while I'm wondering if your joking or not!

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

I like the idea that it's possible, but how easy should it be, to blind, deafen or blind and deafen another character in this manner, even temporarily?

I like the classic, standard -2 penalties, but have you also considered another attack roll, where the first is for the regular grab and the second would be covering the eyes/other effect?

IMO, clasping ears should be either/or that or clasping the eyes, not both necessarily, but depending on what's doing the covering.

 

I'd also like to see the special effect of 'screaming into the ears'.

work that in and I'll be amazed that you've thought of everything,

while I'm wondering if your joking or not!

I'd say "screaming into the ears" would be a small hearing group flash. Probably small enough that virtually any Flash Defense would stop it. Like, maybe 1d6.

EDIT: I believe there's precedent for this with the “poke in the eye” Flash Martial Maneuver.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

Eyes and ears are either-or the way I wrote it up. You have to do a Multiple Attack (or Sweep in 5E) to get both. A second attack roll could work, but I thought this would be more consistent with Choke. If you can wrap you hands around someone's neck and cause NND damage with one attack, why not cover some sensory organs and cause no damage?

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

yes, I certainly read the description wrong!

It must be me reading and my mind "filling in" the rest!

My misconception began with the title, was 'confirmed' in the first line

and 'totally ignored' the first 2/3rds of the second line!

 

IMO, it's very hard to completely block the senses, especially to 'clasp' the eyes and ears at the same time with one's hands/arms/wrangling body parts.

Perhaps a minor or major penalty to perception rolls, in addition to blocking special effect attacks?

But then why do this 'everyman' maneuver, if all it is is a perception roll modifier?

why, to block special effect attacks, of course!

I like the simple mechanics, but to put it another way, 'one's head' would have a higher DCV, 'one's eyes' would have an even higher DCV. much seems contingent on a grab.

it is unlike a choke; the neck doesn't dodge and weave as much as the head.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

I imagine most GMs would probably require some Extra Limbs or some kind of other power or object to perform the Multiple Attack/Sweep necessary to block both the eyes and ears.

 

I'd say it would be just as difficult to position yourself in a way that you can effectively choke someone as to cover their eyes or ears. Once you grab someone it's pretty easy to navigate across their body by touch. But I suppose it would be reasonable for a GM to only allow the maneuver if you're taking the target by surprise, or impose a penalty that makes it difficult unless they are surprised perhaps. Of course, if you're going to impose such a restriction/penalty on this, it seems like it would be approriate to do the same thing with Choke. But YMMV.

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

What does YMMV mean? also, IIRC?

Anyhow, grappling actually involves much 'getting behind/on top of' the other; Surprise is very helpful for this.

Most maneuvers aren't limited to relative positions, they just take standard modifiers for rear attack, surprise, having moved, etc.

are these 'rear' attacks i.e. majorly penalized if used as a 'frontal attack'? that is, an additional rear attack bonus?

that portion of the grab? uh, what else are you grabbing?

[Greywind]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

Your Mileage May Vary

 

If I Recall Correctly

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

Sidekick lists under MARTIAL MANEUVERS:

Choke Hold: 1/2 phase -2 OCV +0 DCV EFFECTS: Grab, 2d6 NND (see text): This maneuver allows the character to Grab an opponent's head and neck and inflict NND damage (HE CAN ALSO KEEP THE VICTIM FROM SPEAKING). The defenses against this NND is having rigid armor on the neck, a PD Force Field or LS (Self-Contained Breathing).

Costs are in a sidebar under Skills, obviously enough, and Choke Hold is listed first once again. Cost 4.

Will this maneuver require special training? I hope not; my suggestion would be to base it more on Grab, which is an everyman maneuver. But then you'll want to retain Choke Hold. Why? That tri-colon of intolerance, SPEAK NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL!

[prestidigitator]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

6E has Choke as an optional (non-martial) maneuver (-2 OCV, -2 DCV, 1d6 NND), and Choke Hold as a martial maneuver (-2 OCV, -0 DCV, 2d6 NND). Both of them require that you make an attack roll each Phase you cause the NND damage (except the first Phase when you establish the Grab, which already requires an attack roll). Even if you fail a roll in a successive Phase, you can maintain the Grab; you just don't get the damage.

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

?? :joint:

Grabbing the Eyes/Ears would make a lousy name for this opt. maneuver.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

I don't think he's "almost presuming" anything. Choke is a Grab maneuver in 5E, and I assume it still is in 6E. He compares it to a Grab in the OP. Do we all need to keep calling it a Grab every post, or can we assume everyone who has read the OP knows we are talking about a Grab maneuver and move on? “6E has Choke as an optional (non-martial) maneuver (-2 OCV, -2 DCV, 1d6 NND), and Choke Hold as a martial maneuver (-2 OCV, -0 DCV, 2d6 NND).” This describes the optional maneuver that those of us without 6E may not be familiar with, and shows how it differs from the Martial Maneuver. We all know it’s a “Grab” move already, so he didn’t waste space typing it. Heck, the MM even has the word “Hold” in the name, which, if I remember correctly, is only used for Grab moves. Anyway, having said all that, what are you actually asking? What difference does the difference make in the conversation?

 

Also, what does VBTN mean?

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

??

Grabbing the Eyes/Ears would make a lousy name for this opt. maneuver.

[the fox]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

[prestidigitator]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

Why You Need an Editor (or at Least a Proofreader!)...

Err...okay. What exactly was the point of those posts, and in what way were they not totally and completely off-topic?

[mattingly]

Re: Cover the Eyes/Ears Maneuver

 

Perhaps the vacation author was covering his eyes while writing...?