New Combat Task Ideas

[Glorelendil]

"Taunt"
Befuddle, ridicule, and confuse an adversary who is attacking somebody other than you. Roll Riddle against a TN of 10 + Attribute Level of target. If successful, the adversary will switch to attacking you for 2 turns per success (e.g. 6 turns on an Extraordinary Success.) On a failure with an Eye the adversary gains a point of Hate. Requires Defensive or Open stance.

"Hinder"
Forego your own attack to harass and hamper an opponent, upsetting their attacks and weakening their defenses. Until your next turn, the adversary is considered "Moderately Hindered" (+2 TN to hit, -2 TN to be hit.) Requires Open or Forward stance.

Thoughts?

[zedturtle]

I like Taunt, I think it's nicely balanced. Hinder, I'm less certain on...

[Glorelendil]

I like Taunt, I think it's nicely balanced. Hinder, I'm less certain on...

What's your worry about Hinder? I'm actually worried that it's underpowered...not worth giving up an attack for that +2/-2. The only time I could see it being very useful is if it's the whole Fellowship against one big adversary. Maybe all those -2's to TNs adding up is too much?

[zedturtle]

What's your worry about Hinder? I'm actually worried that it's underpowered...not worth giving up an attack for that +2/-2. The only time I could see it being very useful is if it's the whole Fellowship against one big adversary. Maybe all those -2's to TNs adding up is too much?

Oh yeah, it's more about it being too weak/too mechanical than any sort of hidden broken-ness lurking. Maybe something to do with denying the opportunity for the hindered enemy to make Called Shots?

[Glorelendil]

What's your worry about Hinder? I'm actually worried that it's underpowered...not worth giving up an attack for that +2/-2. The only time I could see it being very useful is if it's the whole Fellowship against one big adversary. Maybe all those -2's to TNs adding up is too much?

Oh yeah, it's more about it being too weak/too mechanical than any sort of hidden broken-ness lurking. Maybe something to do with denying the opportunity for the hindered enemy to make Called Shots?

I thought we determined that we want Adversaries to make called shots.

But I'm with you there. Hinder isn't as "interesting" (which may just mean unpredictable) as Taunt. "Ho-hum, turn on Hinder for +2."

Maybe you still take your attack: on a miss you miss, but on a hit instead of doing damage you impose +2/-2 for each success? And on a failure with an Eye you drop your own weapon or fall prone or something.

Where something like this would be useful is if you've already got a powerful adversary with Great Strength down to zero endurance and you're just trying to score Wounds; with one Hero Hindering you're both protecting your companions from massive hits, and giving them a better chance of getting Pierces (nothing worse than rolling Edge but missing anyway...)

[Rich H]

I take it "Taunt" is used instead of making an attack?

"Hinder" is a bit like the Hound of Mirkwood's 'Harass Enemy' ability, which makes an opponent Weary, so I think the combat option needs to be weaker than the hound's ability, which it currently is. I like Zed's idea of just making it restrict the use of Called Shots. If using the RAW this would be pretty cool; "I rolled a Sauron, quick someone Hinder the Troll before it's next attack"! I really like that kind of meta-play.

[Hermes Serpent]

The issue I see with Taunt is the 2 turns/rounds per degree of success. How long are most LM's combats? Generally unless it's a really nasty adversary,say AL 5+, I find most combats are over in two or three rounds. Either the enemy are all defeated/killed or enough are that the rest flee. Maybe I'm not playing the enemy as suicidal enough to keep attacking under the very last one is eliminated.

[Robin Smallburrow]

I think these are good ideas, in fact I have already allowed a player to use a version of 'Taunt' after they scored an Xtraordinary Success in combat

Basically anytime a character scores an Xtra success in combat, I look to reward any ingenious ideas on the part of the player (such as Taunt, Hinder etc.)

Robin S.

[Dunheved]

I like both these ideas because they are options to be used when facing a big adversary and where the PCs outnumber the opposition: specially those nasty big animals that need a Wound to finish them off.
It rewards a team thinking about how to kill these monsters and gives the team a way to improve their chances of getting that kill.

Good ideas.

If the +2/-2 TN effect is a bit 'ho-hum' perhaps 'Hinder' could reduce by one the number of Success Dice used by the adversary for that round?

[Rocmistro]

Taunt:
I would shift it down to 1 round per success. However I would make Taunt a Persuade check. Also, keep Taunt in Open stance.*

Hinder:
Now Hinder I would make a Riddle test (10+Att Level), and I would keep the Moderately Hindered malus, but also add in that the foe may not spend any hate for the next turn. Hinder would be Forward stance.*

* Only going this way because the default meta seems to be 1 stance for each action. While we're at it, why not have a combat option in Defensive stance? Having now some experience with the game, I think it needs something like "Turtle" (Defensive stance only): Give up your attack to add your Valor rating to your parry this round.