Resist Calls

General Maximus · Post by **General Maximus** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:27 am

Can a line be added to the rule book stating when you resist an effect via a skill, item, immunity that a person needs to say that it is being resisted out loud. This lets everyone know the effect / attack did not hurt the person. A very obivous thing. Also, it would stop people from wondering how X person did such thing, did they not hear the call, do they have a resist, are they cheating, etc...

Post by **WayneO42** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:56 pm

I disagree whole heartedly. The clue that the attack didnt work is in the behavior of the target. Calling "No Effect" out load prohibits people from playing possum or acting their way out of a situation. As far as the other reasons, "Also, it would stop people from wondering how X person did such thing, did they not hear the call, do they have a resist, are they cheating, etc..." the best cure for that is to go with the flow and dont assume people are cheating. The game is based on the honor system. If you suspect someone of cheating, let us know and we will watch them closely or, after the combat when things have quieted down just ask the other person politely if they took the hit from X attack. Most people will own up to it. If they should have taken the attack but just missed it, oh well. That happens once in a while. If it happens all the time with the same person that is a problem but most people will own up to it.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:58 pm

I agree with wayne . Part of the fun (particular when a creature is immune) is for you to discover this immunity, and then remedy it.

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:08 pm

See on creatures (esp immunities), I think we need to have some feedback and we do for the most part. I mean if I'm whacking a troll with a sword and he's immune to normal damage, my character would probably notice and most npcs will say something of this attack does nothing. Like if I press a monster, I'm either expecting a verbal resist call or I'm telling them where to move. But these are rare instances. Most combat stuff, I'll call if I remember but I won't be able to verbalize all of them.

I think it should be strongly suggested as a good faith gesture, but not mandatory as everyone gets tongue tied from time to time.

General Maximus · Post by **General Maximus** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:09 pm

I disagree with you Wayne,

Most resist are very noticable when being used. You get hit by a 30 boom and resist it. Very easy to tell if a person took the damge (their armor would be shreded and or fallen over dead). Same with resist fear, a person truely afraid is easier to spot than a person acting afraid. Just should be called becasue most resists are very obvious when used. The resit call should be used for PC's and NPC's. I'm getting tired of asking NPC's that I'm fighting if they are being effected by said attack. Instead they can say resist or nothing if it is having an obvious effect. That's all I'm saying. If it is obvious, than it should be called.

Tonia Glowski · Post by **Tonia Glowski** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:41 pm

I agree with Nelkie and Reid and think that both PCs and NPCs should announce whether something effected them or not. I don't care if it's a resist or immunity, but if something didn't effect a being (whether magic, damage or an effect call) we should be told so that we know it had no effect.

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:48 pm

Tonia Glowski wrote:I agree with Nelkie and Reid.

I think she's doing this just to throw me off.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:56 pm

and it worked.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:59 pm

I think you have let the GMs work with what they have.

If they have a plot that hinges upon you not knowing something is immune Then they will not call immune.

If they have a plot where it's important you know it's immune (think juggernaught), then they will call immune/no effect.

Here's deal.

If they say immune on PLOT B, players expect them to say immune on PLot C. (they did before.....why not....) even though the story for plot C is totally different.

Here's my suggestion
NPC's will repond in a manner directed to them by GM's.
PC's will assume the NPC are not cheating, and following the guidelines.
GMs will not make all creatures immune to everything and not tell you.

How's that sound?

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:29 pm

And PC's will do what versus other PCs?

That's where my idea of a strong suggestion comes from. NPCs can and will do what they do. Since it's always a new situation, the rules governing them always change (see the Lash topic for example). The PC vs. PC is where a resist becomes important. If you are hit with a 30 boom, the thrower is gonna know if you got hit full force or not.

It's like someone being hit with fear, resisting silently, and not taking a bunch of hits (as the attacker is assuming they are dealing crush). The attacker would be really annoyed. And PC vs. PC can't be surprise! it didn't work, it has to be overly blunt and straight forward to avoid resent and Out of Game bitterness as much as possible.

Post by **WayneO42** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:46 pm

You get hit by a 30 boom and resist it. Very easy to tell if a person took the damge (their armor would be shreded and or fallen over dead).

I agree. It is very easy to tell if they took the damage for the reasons you stated so why do they need to say "Resist"? If they are still running at you...they probably resisted or are a bad ass...either way you should run.

Same with resist fear, a person truely afraid is easier to spot than a person acting afraid.

What is the difference to you mechanically between a guy who is pretending to be feared and one who really is? Both are standing there taking the damage. The only difference is the crush. "If they were really afraid and not just acting then me beating on their shield instead of them would still damage them"...I call Shenanigans on that argument right off of the bat before it is even made.

I'm getting tired of asking NPC's that I'm fighting if they are being effected by said attack.

That corresponds nicely to your character taking a moment in combat to asses the health of your opponent. If you get no answer, then I guess you couldn't tell.

Tonia Glowski · Post by **Tonia Glowski** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:21 pm

dier_cire wrote:
Tonia Glowski wrote:I agree with Nelkie and Reid.
I think she's doing this just to throw me off.

LOL I'm sorry if my empassioned disagreement with you on the theory of roleplaying makes you think I don't think you're a smart guy who's right occasionally!

Hear me, Reid. I like you.

As far as the rest of this, I don't care if it's PC v. PC or PC v. NPC, if something isn't affected or damaged after an attack, spell or effect, we should be able to notice. You don't have to stop and raise red flags to their immunities, just casually respond to it in your defense calls.

I do it in good faith and encourage others to do so, too, even if the GMs don't require it.

Peace420 · Post by **Peace420** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:33 am

I really don't understand the point of NOT calling resists or atleast the defender saying no effect? It's utterly frustrating, like The Beast lately, when there are multiple people POUNDING on something and it takes a PC to ask whether any of the blows are affecting the target. If a plot hinges on whether or not the PC's find out that a certain NPC isn't affected by a certain call thats kinda lame. If every NPC or PC reacted like they were hurt when a shot that did damage landed then I could see not saying anything but that certainly doesn't happen. Now effects like fear, root, sleep and knockout are pretty obvious if they worked. If they didn't the people are still standing in front of you moving and probably fighting you, if fear did work they are not supposed to be fighting back at all. Until someone comes up with a way to squirt blood when an attack is affecting them and not when it doesn't there SHOULD be some sort of feedback.

Post by **WayneO42** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:43 am

Thats not a resist though. Damage not affecting a creature is usually a Creature specific immunity and those should be said aloud a few times so people get it.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:51 am

And the type of action taken is driven by what the story is attempting to accomplish.

Stone golem A is immune to non-magic damage. When magic hits him, he chips. Lack of damage is obvious. cool. The NPC calls no effect.

Tangled Vine monster is immune to magic damage. It is a pile of rolling vines. The attacks just smoosh it up more. The players don't seem to be affecting it. There is no obvious effect. that's just the way it is.

Sometimes in an encounter, the Gms will want the PC's to use their heads. If they pound on it for enough and nothing happens, guess what? The creature may be part of story. There is likely more going on, and further investigation is needed.

If every creature can be detected using the standard tactics of increasing calls till one works, what is the fun? where is the mystery?

I know of at least one creature at our event, that when it was stuck by a certain type of effect, it stepped back. No one noticed. This is a story, not beat every creature to death as hard and as fasty as you can.