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In our experience, when players roll an eye in combat and the enemy takes it's next attack as a called shot against the player, it usually comes out much better for the player because the called shot almost always misses, meaning the entire attack fails. It is especially true if the called shot attack doesn't apply, like a "break shield" against someone with no shield. So we decided to instead give the monster a choice between making a called shot and having an extra d6 to roll for a normal attack, showing that it has an advantage of some sort because of the player's bad luck

The way we've been doing it is to have the enemy succeed at the Called Shot whenever they'd succeed at a normal attack.

In short, the necessity of rolling a Tengwar is replaced with the necessity of a PC having rolled an Eye. Which seems fair enough, since they only make Called Shots when someone rolls an Eye.

This has worked out pretty well, and makes us legitimately concerned about rolling an Eye in combat. I'm pretty sure it just started as a misreading of the rules, but I, at least, am very happy with it anyway. I mean, it's still only 1 in 12 PC attacks that provoke this, so it happens only a couple of times per combat...that's hardly debilitating for the PCs.

I like that way, we may try it next week and see how it goes

This is definitely one of those mechanics that doesn't seem to work as well as it should. With the RAW, it means players are like "Yeah, I rolled an Eye! I practically have immunity for the next attack!"

Deadmanwalking, I'm not sure I follow your proposed change. If one player rolls an Eye, does that mean that all future attacks (by that minion) hit when they roll a tengwar? Or just the next attack (just like the regular rules), but that not rolling a tengwar still results in a hit (if the minion otherwise would have)?

Majestic wrote:This is definitely one of those mechanics that doesn't seem to work as well as it should. With the RAW, it means players are like "Yeah, I rolled an Eye! I practically have immunity for the next attack!"

Yeah, it's a problem.

Majestic wrote:Deadmanwalking, I'm not sure I follow your proposed change. If one player rolls an Eye, does that mean that all future attacks (by that minion) hit when they roll a tengwar? Or just the next attack (just like the regular rules), but that not rolling a tengwar still results in a hit (if the minion otherwise would have)?

You misunderstand. What I meant was, with the House Rule I suggest, if you roll an Eye, the enemy's next attack will have the effect of a Called Shot if it hits regardless of rolling Tengwars or any other factors. This still only applies for one hit, and only if they hit...but if they hit with an 8 on the Feat Die, plus a 4 and a 5, they still get their Called Shot.

It makes rolling Eyes legitimately dangerous, but since enemies aren't allowed to make Called Shots unless you roll an Eye, I don't feel it's overly harsh. We've certainly been managing okay with it.

Deadmanwalking wrote: It makes rolling Eyes legitimately dangerous, but since enemies aren't allowed to make Called Shots unless you roll an Eye,

Are you sure about that bald statement?

Hermes Serpent wrote:

Deadmanwalking wrote: It makes rolling Eyes legitimately dangerous, but since enemies aren't allowed to make Called Shots unless you roll an Eye,

Are you sure about that bald statement?

I think that's easily defensible as both:

A) a reasonable interpretation of the rules as written.

B) a good fit for this house rule, in order to mitigate the potential damage.

Hermes Serpent wrote:

Deadmanwalking wrote: It makes rolling Eyes legitimately dangerous, but since enemies aren't allowed to make Called Shots unless you roll an Eye,

Are you sure about that bald statement?

That it's RAW? No I'm not now that you mention it (and I re-read that rules section), though that was certainly the impression I was left with after reading the rules the first time.

Still, as zedturtle notes, even if that isn't how it works officially, making it work that way synchronizes very nicely with the House Rule I'm suggesting. So...yeah, I recommend doing it that way.

Deadmanwalking wrote:

Majestic wrote:Deadmanwalking, I'm not sure I follow your proposed change. If one player rolls an Eye, does that mean that all future attacks (by that minion) hit when they roll a tengwar? Or just the next attack (just like the regular rules), but that not rolling a tengwar still results in a hit (if the minion otherwise would have)?

You misunderstand. What I meant was, with the House Rule I suggest, if you roll an Eye, the enemy's next attack will have the effect of a Called Shot if it hits regardless of rolling Tengwars or any other factors. This still only applies for one hit, and only if they hit...but if they hit with an 8 on the Feat Die, plus a 4 and a 5, they still get their Called Shot.

It makes rolling Eyes legitimately dangerous, but since enemies aren't allowed to make Called Shots unless you roll an Eye, I don't feel it's overly harsh. We've certainly been managing okay with it.

So it was the second of the two methods I suggested. That actually sounds like a decent way of doing things; I might consider adopting this house rule (which would be the first in my game), as it would actually make rolling an Eye in combat something players actually groan about (and cause them to sweat a little). Nicely done!

Majestic wrote:So it was the second of the two methods I suggested. That actually sounds like a decent way of doing things; I might consider adopting this house rule (which would be the first in my game), as it would actually make rolling an Eye in combat something players actually groan about (and cause them to sweat a little). Nicely done!

Well, I can't take credit. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it started as a rules misunderstanding, and it wasn't even my rules misunderstanding!

That said, it does indeed make rolling an Eye a legitimate problem, and is a very solid, simple, rules variation that I quite enjoy myself.