Re: Re: (TFT) Unarmed Combat Question

[srydzews@ix.netcom.com]

"Patrick Keleher" <patkeleher@hotmail.com> wrote:
>  (Actually, I think the criticals for higher number of die
>   cover more than just the two highest possible rolls.  

Yes, they do.  Things would get strange if they just used the top 
three numbers in the range as the threshold of automatic failure.  
For instance, someone with a 22 Dex would fail a 3d6 roll 4% of 
the time (roll of 16+), but would fail a 4d6 roll only 1% of the
time (roll of 22+).  The "true" threshold of automatic failure 
with 4+ die rolls is summarized on the GM tables, and is in the 
AM rules somewhere.

The threshold for automatic success, OTOH, is always the bottom
three numbers of the range (if I remember the tables correctly)
which makes it pretty much an academic proposition for a 4+ die
roll.  

  Daniel's original question, though, contains a simpler
method of resolving critical success/failure on 4+ die rolls.
Always make sure that three of the 4+ dice are the same color 
and just reference those three for determining auto success, etc.
This would keep the chances of both auto-success and failure 
the same, no matter how many dice were involved.  (And yes, I
know that it's the intent of the original system to make auto
success on 4+ die rolls super-rare, but I think it's kind of 
silly to do so.)  

...but about unarmed combat, here's my take on all this:

>According to TFT:ITL p. 16, if a character has Unarmed Combat V:
>
>"..An attacker must roll FOUR dice to hit this figure in normal 
> combat - SIX if he his dodging, SEVEN if he is defending."
>
>Does this mean that EVERY attack made against such a character is
>rolled with four dice (or more) rather than the usual three?  

I'd say that's the intent of the rule.  It seems a bit of a 
stretch to think that they intended there to be exceptions
without mentioning them at this point.  (Now I'm not saying
that there shouldn't be some exceptions, mind you, I'm just
talking about the rules as written.)

>Does this include magical attacks?  

Well, most magic attacks don't roll to hit.  But yes, I don't 
see why it wouldn't be effective against magic fist and the 
like.  They are treated as missile fire for just about all 
other purposes.

> (This seems to be a VERY POWERFUL Talent, by the way!)

Oh, indeed.  Don't over-rate the difficulty of those 4d rolls,
though.  It's like having -4 to hit.  Sure, giants and typical 
32 point clods with 10 DX are going to have a tough time hitting
you, but someone with a 15 or 16 DX will have a reasonable shot. 
You're likely talking about a 40+ point character to have this 
skill, so a lot of your opponents are probably going to have 
that kind of DX.  MA's are definitely the bane of low-DX, high-ST
oafs, though.


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