Parry Mechanics?

[Palanan]

Apart from some of the ToB maneuvers, which I think are keyed to Concentration, are there any mechanics for direct parrying in 3.5 or Pathfinder?

I know there's a feat in Pathfinder called Shield of Swings (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/shield-of-swings-combat), which gives you an AC bonus with mild complications, but this is a dedicated feat. Are there any game rules for simply choosing to make a parry as a move action, or something like that? I can't find anything so far.

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[Nettlekid]

I think parrying is basically just like Combat Expertise, or fighting defensively. The increase to AC reflects your deflecting attacks.

Like you said, there are also some ToB maneuvers. I know some that are opposed attack rolls, not Concentration checks.

[Malak'ai]

I know there was an Off Handed Parry feat somewhere, maybe in Masters of the Wild, though I can't be 100% sure as I'm AFB at the moment.
Apart from that, I don't think so.

[Greenish]

Apart from some of the ToB maneuvers, which I think are keyed to Concentration, are there any mechanics for direct parrying in 3.5 or Pathfinder?Wall of Blades, the Iron Heart parry maneuver you're probably thinking of, is an opposed attack roll (concentration isn't even the key skill of Iron Heart, and Diamond Mind doesn't get anti-attack roll counters).

Also, not in official 3.5, as far as I know, and I haven't come across any that I'd recall in PF either.

Parry rules are on the top ten list of most popular homebrew topics, though, I believe.

[Mystral]

There is a parry skill in Neverwinter Nights. You could use that.

http://nwn2.wikia.com/wiki/Parry

[lsfreak]

I think parrying is basically just like Combat Expertise, or fighting defensively. The increase to AC reflects your deflecting attacks.

Basically this, in terms of actual game rules. The passive 10 AC you have would also be seen as a combination of parrying plus other methods of actively defending yourself; turning this into a d20 roll to see how well you parried/whatever is a possibility as well, turning attacks into opposed offense vs defense checks (as would switching it entirely, defense checks versus a static attack bonus).

Adding an armor equivalent to BAB could be seen as parrying. But in terms of actual in-game, RAW options for parrying, nothing short of maneuvers and maybe a few other equally-specialized actions.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Greenish
Wall of Blades, the Iron Heart parry maneuver you're probably thinking of, is an opposed attack roll (concentration isn't even the key skill of Iron Heart, and Diamond Mind doesn't get anti-attack roll counters).

Sure. Not really a ToB person myself, so I'll take your word for it.


Originally Posted by Mystral
There is a parry skill in Neverwinter Nights. You could use that.

That's actually pretty interesting, thanks. I know zilch about NWN, but this looks more or less compatible.

[Mystral]

AFAIK, it is seen as very underpowered, as you can't attack while being in "parry mode". Also, fighter types are already skillpoint starved (In NWN, there is no skill for climbing, jumping, swimming etc., so they aren't that bad of there)

There is also a feat Improved Parry, which gives +4 to the parry skill roll.

[Palanan]

Okay, thanks. So Parry is a distinct skill in NWN, like Diplomacy or Spellcraft?

Odd....

[Segev]

Combat Expertise, Fighting Defensively, Full Defense, and Defending Weapons are all methods of fluffing a parry capability.

[Hytheter]

Yeah I'm pretty sure parrying is accounted for in the general AC and attack rolls. Remember, characters aren't just standing still and alternating striking each other, they're dodging, ducking, slashing, feinting, parrying, thrusting, stepping.... etc. Parrying is just one of the many normal things that people do when fighting and is reflected in the possibility of not hitting your opponent. Giving it its own rules seems unnecessary and overcomplicated.

[Sephoris]

The PF Duelist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/core-rulebook/duelist) gets a parry ability. It lets you give up one attack from a full attack action to parry an attack against you or an adjacent ally. You oppose the attack roll with the bonus from the attack you gave up, and if you beat the attack roll it misses. Eventually a successful parry provokes an AoO too.

[IronFist]

Karmic Strike + Improved Disarm is pretty much like parrying.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Hytheter
Yeah I'm pretty sure parrying is accounted for in the general AC and attack rolls.

Yar, I think that's laid out somewhere in the PHB, but I was looking for something that lets you focus on parrying for a move or partial attack. In fact....


Originally Posted by Sephoris
The PF Duelist gets a parry ability.

Also very interesting, thanks. That's probably the closest I've seen to what I was looking for.