Question about Ancient Close Fitting

[Morgoth]

Ancient Close Fitting:

This Quality enhances the Protection rating of an item by +3. Additionally, if your Valour score is 4 or more, once per combat when your enemy scores a Piercing Blow it misses instead (you do not roll for Protection).

(emphasis mine)

So does the entire attack miss? Or does the attack still hit, but it's not a piercing blow?

[Pangea]

True, the wording is not super precise.
My feeling is that it is the second option you stated that occurs: the attack still hits, but it's not a piercing blow.
Since the bonus to the Armor is enhanced Protection (nothing about Parry), and, although it states that it "misses", the explanation is that you do not roll for Protection (and nothing about not losing Endurance).

[Morgoth]

That was my thoughts too, but I wasn't sure.

[Glorelendil]

I read it the other way. "Misses" would be a strange synonym for "not a pierce".

[Morgoth]

I read it the other way. "Misses" would be a strange synonym for "not a pierce".

Very true, but the clarification "you do not roll a protection test" would be a strange synonym for "the attack misses you entirely." If it wasn't for the stuff in the parenthesis, I'd agree with you.

Also, if the attack missed you altogether, this would kind of outshine Superior Reinforced's similar ability. But maybe it's supposed to?

[Dunkelbrink]

I have never read this in another way than that the attack misses completely. So I am with Elfcrusher on this one. Maybe not super clear wording, but there's not really any room for reading it like "misses, but still hits" if you ask me.

[zedturtle]

I would treat the parentheses as a clarification of the sentence: it misses so you do not need to roll a protection test. Since damage in this game is not dependent on any action of the defender, there is no need to discuss it in the parentheses.

[Otaku-sempai]

I don't recognize this; is it in RAW? What is an Ancient Close? And how do you fit it? Very odd wording.

[Dunkelbrink]

It's from Rivendell, enchanted qualities of magic items. Ancient Close fitting is a better version of the armour quality "close fitting" from the original rulebook.

[Otaku-sempai]

It's from Rivendell, enchanted qualities of magic items. Ancient Close fitting is a better version of the armour quality "close fitting" from the original rulebook.

I see. Thanks for the clarification.