Taunt Question

Post by **GM-Mike** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 6:01 pm

I guess besides the cave example Reid brought up (which is an excellent way of using the skill) I feel its main use is during disorganized combat where you can more likely draw a person away and beat them down away from most of the chaos. The idea of it being used in organized combat, ie to draw a mage out from behind an army is so far removed from reality that it becomes funny to me.

"Hey mage, your mother is ugly!"

Little mage then flushed with anger pushes his way through armored soldiers yelling "OOhh, just you wait a minute you big meanie, I'm going to get you with my fists instead of my weapons of mass destruction spell I was in the middle of casting."

Soldiers just watch him go, trying to figure out what would happen had it been a really good insult.

No army or any organized group of more than ten people is going to let a mage out of there nor would they let them run in terror. Now if we're just talking about disrupting the casting, I might be able to get behind that. Anyway, I guess my little secret about having problems with the taunt skill is out of the bag

Post by **GM-Mike** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 6:02 pm

Another good use of the skill by Dallid who posted while I was ranting

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:10 pm

Well, good warriors wouldn't let the mage past them. They merely have to poke him to get him out of it. If the warriors are stupid though well, sucks to be the mage. If someone taunted eli while I was in front of him there is no way he would be getting past me. The mechanics for that instance are already built into the skill.

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 9:15 pm

Point:

How many of us when enraged really think about throwing something (accurately) or concentrating for a while on what to do.

Counterpoint:

How many of us are truly trained and disciplined adventurers/warriors/accomplished mages...

I agree many modern people would react in irrational anger, and take unfocused actions. However IN GAME the skill is generally going to be used on trained warriors, focused monks and mages, and calculating and patient assassins and rogues when it is used on an intelligent humanoid.

Malphus · Post by **Malphus** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 9:19 pm

much love to the monk.

Thay should have immunity to Taunt. ideally...

dosen't work in abalanced game tho. So...never mind

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 9:22 pm

I support that immunity if a rep req was the Pc shaving thier head and lifting a cauldron of hot coals like our hero Carradine....

Malphus · Post by **Malphus** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 9:34 pm

I am equal parts dragon and tiger....hence the scars

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:00 pm

Yeah but i was reffering to the cauldron with the sloth and the platypus....

McEwan · Post by **McEwan** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 1:39 am

Question: Would a taunt disrupt an Empath's boomer charge?

Example: "12...13...14...Wait, he said I do what to goats? Darn it. 1...2...3..."

Lambic · Post by **Lambic** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 6:16 am

I have always taken Taunt as being trained/experienced in the art of the insult. Which goes waaay beyond "Your mother wears combat boots." (which mine does btw). So yes when someone somehow hits on your inner most self doubt it will disrupt any thought no matter how deep. Everyone has insecurities and these are almost always visible to someone trained to see them, if they are looking, those that have no insecurities won't be phased.

So therefore I would say that Taunt does make you loose your count and go after the person or run. Now if I was a mage (of wait I am) and a warrior taunted me and I didn't have companions there who I knew would stop me from making a deadly mistake, then I would run.

So it :

1) Distrupts any count you are in the middle of but not that you have finished.

2) Make you either attack them with melee or run away

3) Does not allow them to charge until the initial taunt has been taken care of.

Now I do have to admit that this seems be a bit powerful for a first level ability even if it only becomes useful after you've gained a few more levels and taking into consideration that I believe that there is only one resist in the game for it, ie Driud.

Peace420 · Post by **Peace420** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:07 am

You cant say taunt a person and then lead them around like mike said so the thieves can back stab..that is stupid

That's cause you don't like Rogues,:lol: Sneaky tactical fighters do this all the time. You always seem to end up chasing me around the battle and I always run you into somone buffer than I am or past another rogue.

If I were playing a squishy swashbuckler that's exactly how I'd use the skill. Get one person away from their friendlies and knee deep in mine. A full swasbuckler is gonna have light armor and be taking crush if they choose to do vorpal so they aren't normally going to be the buffest kickass fighters. They are the rabbit in the wolf packs ambush of the lone bear.

1) Distrupts any count you are in the middle of but not that you have finished.

Don't really like this because it causes you to have to remember that taunt is different than all the other skills in the book where charged skills are concerned. Hence why I say you should be able to charge after you've been taunted and you lose any charge you are currently charging. If you're an arcane and you sit down to cast a 15 minute spell then the taunt has done it's job, you're out of the current melee until you're interrupted again.

Dallid · Post by **Dallid** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:45 am

I can certainly see a taunted mage having to restart his spell. However, having the tauntee change target and lose his charge may be too powerful for a first level ability. Having the taunt prevent charging is definitely overpowered.

Kidwynn · Post by **Kidwynn** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:49 am

Before this goes back and forth anylonger since now there is going to be confusion of how this works at the event would like Chris or Wayne please give a final ruling on this for Friday.

I've known it as it does disrupt a charge for it's hard to concentrate when someone is insulting you, throwing rocks at your, or getting your goat that you loose foccus.

AND if a swashbuckler is smart they are not THAT squishy.

Post by **WayneO42** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 12:21 pm

Level 1: Taunt

This skill makes a person attack you if they have a weapon. If they do not have a weapon they run away as if they were hit with a fear (though it is not resistable via resist fear). An affected target may drop their weapon if they so choose. To use this ability, you must hit the person with a weapon or packet and yell “taunt.” There is no armor restriction for this skill

Wow...That is sort of vague isnt it

How about for this event we play it as:

Level 1: Taunt
This skill makes the target attack you and only you. The target must direct all actions towards the swashbuckler until the target is struck by another character, the swashbuckler dies, or the swashbuckler using the skill leaves the line of sight of the target. If the target does not have a weapon they may chose to run away as if they were hit with a fear effect (though it is not resistable via resist fear). An affected target may drop their weapon if they so choose. To use this ability, you must hit the person with a weapon or packet and yell “taunt.” There is no armor restriction for this skill.

Just need another GM to second it and we have a temp ruling.

Kidwynn · Post by **Kidwynn** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 12:22 pm

Question 1:

What if said target were in the middle of charging something, would that be broken?

Taunt Question

taunt

Kain