Defence only viable stance for experienced characters

[Rich H]

I feel it works perfectly: there is, after all, a 1/12 chance of getting an eye so it can't be too dire. But as the rule is written you have a 1/12 chance of "Next turn, your opponent will probably miss you entirely, but if he hits you you're screwed."

As I said in my little anecdote, this happened to me, already with one wound, and I had to use a point of Hope to avoid dying. (Even then, it was a close shave: invoking an attribute bonus got me exactly to my TN with nothing to spare.)

Yeah, I think I'm biased because not one of my adversary called shots has ever hit. So as a LM I'm left thinking "these goblins would never dream of attempting a called shot if they could choose to do so because they just don't stand a decent chance" and therefore feel that the EYE result is not that dangerous for the PC in question. I'm sure my attitude would be completely different if some of them hand succeeded; and so would my players!

[artaxerxes]

I like the Eye = Called shot, though our Loremaster only added called shots as a specific option last session. It gives players participation in their possible undoing as I presume the enemy can't normally volunteer a called shot? It's always at least a 1/36 chance they succeed (1/eye x 1/6). And that breaks a shield, disarms a sword et cetera... exciting stuff.

[Yusei]

No "automatic" called shot has ever worked in my games

One question, though: how do you handle a called shot that breaks a shield, if that shield is a reward? Break the handle, so that it can be repaired later? Break it and then replace it during the next Fellowship Phase?

[Woodclaw]

I like the Eye = Called shot, though our Loremaster only added called shots as a specific option last session. It gives players participation in their possible undoing as I presume the enemy can't normally volunteer a called shot? It's always at least a 1/36 chance they succeed (1/eye x 1/6). And that breaks a shield, disarms a sword et cetera... exciting stuff.

I know I'm probably a minority here, but I'm not too keen on the Called Shot mechanic. I think that some of those options (mostly disarming) shouldn't be restricted to such a specific situation. In my eyes it dulls the combat down, which is a pity in a narrative-heavy system like TOR, because it makes anything but doing damage less appealing. In many ways it's the same problem I have with D&D 3.something and the fact that you suffer a opportunity attack every time you try something other than doing damage.

No "automatic" called shot has ever worked in my games

One question, though: how do you handle a called shot that breaks a shield, if that shield is a reward? Break the handle, so that it can be repaired later? Break it and then replace it during the next Fellowship Phase?

In theory nothing should happen, if you prefer you can rul that the shield is disarmed but not broken.

[Glorelendil]

The other thing I like about the eye mechanic: the player gets to narrate how he screwed up in a way that invites the opponent to make a called shot. It's sort of like a drinking game: "You rolled the Eye; your penalty is you have to tell us a story."

[James Harrison]

One question, though: how do you handle a called shot that breaks a shield, if that shield is a reward? Break the handle, so that it can be repaired later? Break it and then replace it during the next Fellowship Phase?

Some options:
Have it wrenched from the targets hand and flung across the clearing...
...have the hit be so powerful that a lesser shield would have shattered but this shield stands firm...
...as above, but additionally the blow was so numbing that the character cannot fully use their shield arm losing the shield bonus until they get to rest.
Have fun with it, but I wouldn't lose the character their shield for long.

[artaxerxes]

Reinforced shields are specifically unbreakable, any other 'enhanced' shield remains fair game as far as I can tell. You would be shieldless till the next reasonable place you could gather one... Possibly from your fallen foes?

[Robin Smallburrow]

Although they are not in my 'house rules' doc as I'm still tinkering with them, i basically give characters in Forward stance more 'attack options' (including multiple attacks) and Defensive stance more defensive options, treating Open as the 'mean or average'.

And I already house rule that a rolled Eye mean Possible bad consequences, I don't use the auto called shot rule: why would an intelligent Adversary use it unless it benefited them in the combat? (Ie only if it makes story sense)

Robin S

[Corvo]

Although they are not in my 'house rules' doc as I'm still tinkering with them, i basically give characters in Forward stance more 'attack options' (including multiple attacks) and Defensive stance more defensive options, treating Open as the 'mean or average'.
(...)

Hi Robin!
Just a note: if you give more options to forward and defensive stance, you are (comparatively) weakening the open stance (less options, less bonus, less useful). If the open stance has to be the "average or mean", you should give some malus to the other stances ("you got this bonus BUT at the price of that malus...")
Well, probably you are already aware of this, but that was the first problem I encountered when devising my house-rules

[Glorelendil]

Although they are not in my 'house rules' doc as I'm still tinkering with them, i basically give characters in Forward stance more 'attack options' (including multiple attacks) and Defensive stance more defensive options, treating Open as the 'mean or average'.
(...)

Hi Robin!
Just a note: if you give more options to forward and defensive stance, you are (comparatively) weakening the open stance (less options, less bonus, less useful). If the open stance has to be the "average or mean", you should give some malus to the other stances ("you got this bonus BUT at the price of that malus...")
Well, probably you are already aware of this, but that was the first problem I encountered when devising my house-rules

That's why I like the house rule about max tengwars (1 in def, 2 in open, 3 in def). Until higher levels you rarely get more than one anyway, so it doesn't really kick in until the stance problem does.