Rally Comrades

[Lorimez]

Can I ask the esteemed Loremasters, is there a limit to how many times this can be sued in a combat please?

Into about session 8 now and my players have started going down the "Defensive" stance route when fighting a mass of goblins (Good tactic) and then when they have thinned them out, they start rotating using Rally Comrades to get back as much Endurance as possible (From only that fight to be fair)

Is this working as intended or should it have a limit to it?

[bluejay]

No that seems how it's supposed to be used I think. The only thing to ensure is that they are in an Open Stance when performing Rally Comrades.

[Valarian]

It can be used as many times as the players are willing to sacrifice their attack action for. Combat actions are instead of an attack, not as well as. Perhaps have the ones in Defensive stance protect the guy in Open doing the Rally Comrades.

[Rich H]

Is this working as intended or should it have a limit to it?

As other have said there is no limit to the number of uses as per the RAW; even if a PC has previously failed at it.

My players do limit themselves with this and also other actions like Intimidate Foe based on if they've previously failed and the like. Nothing written down or adhered to by myself (the LM for their game), it's purely what they feel makes sense in the game for their PCs.

[Falenthal]

Just today I LMed an introductory session of TOR to a group of newbies to the game.
When combat arrived, they faced a large group of Goblin Archers. They asked about the Combat Actions and wanted to try "Intimidate Foe". When the first Goblins fled the battle (just 1 point of Hate and Craven ability), they all jumped next turn to Forward Stance and performed "Intimidate Foe". The battle was over in no time, nearly without bloodshed on both parts.
It was a suprise for me, but also a nice way to see how the mechanics work and can be exploited, but nothing that doesn't add to the fun of the game.

Next time, I'll throw in a pair of Cave Trolls...

[Woodclaw]

Just today I LMed an introductory session of TOR to a group of newbies to the game.
When combat arrived, they faced a large group of Goblin Archers. They asked about the Combat Actions and wanted to try "Intimidate Foe". When the first Goblins fled the battle (just 1 point of Hate and Craven ability), they all jumped next turn to Forward Stance and performed "Intimidate Foe". The battle was over in no time, nearly without bloodshed on both parts.
It was a suprise for me, but also a nice way to see how the mechanics work and can be exploited, but nothing that doesn't add to the fun of the game.

Next time, I'll throw in a pair of Cave Trolls...

This is something I've tried to have my players do for a while, but Combat Tasks never appealed to thm much. I don't know if it's a result of too much D&D 3ed or what, but they don't seem able to consider a combat over until each and every opponent is face down in the dirt.

[Andrew]

If this becomes a problem for your group, don't forget to use some of the Powerful Adversary options from Rivendell. Deadly Elusiveness or Wicked Cunning will winkle them out of defensive stance soon enough.

[Woodclaw]

If this becomes a problem for your group, don't forget to use some of the Powerful Adversary options from Rivendell. Deadly Elusiveness or Wicked Cunning will winkle them out of defensive stance soon enough.

Will do.

[killianred]

I have a question for all the esteemed LM's, that kind of follows this. I have a guy who wants to basically play a bard, and sing to rally the troops and boost their morale while they fight and he hides in the back. But there aren't a lot of options for special things a person can do with singing (except rally). Any ideas of other things he might be able to attempt? I don't want to discourage the player from coming up with things for his character to do, but I don't want to break the game either

[Rocmistro]

Killian:

This is what I call re-skinning a power.
Ok so let's say he wants to play a "Bard". There is the obvious benefit (Song used to Rally Comrades). But apart from that, just reinterpret whatever else is in his character's repertoire to make it Bardy.

For example, if he makes a Beorning "Bard"
-Twice Baked Honey Cakes could become "Travelling Canticle" (hell, in my opinion it works better as a song than a muffin, anyway).
-Night Goer could be renamed "Spirit Dance" or some such mystical thing..
-Skin Coat could become "Battle Cry"

Intimidate Foe would still be an Awe check, sure, but it could still be delivered via some kind of Song.

Etc.