Edge of Dreams
2013-11-18, 10:57 PM
I recently picked up Shard (http://www.shardrpg.com/) and I'm really looking forward to running/playing it. However, I'm a little confused by a couple things in the combat section and the official forums for the game isn't allowing new registrations for some reason...
So, first off, is there any limit to how many movement actions you can take in a round? I can't find a specific reference in the book, but it seems like you can just spend all your combat actions on movement if you want. Thus, a character with a standard 30-feet-per-round movement rate who happens to get 6 combat actions in the round could run (triple move speed, costs 2 actions) 30 x 3 x 3 = 270 feet in one 6-second round - equivalent to running at over 30 MPH. Is that right?
Secondly, I'm a little concerned by the line that says other characters can only react to a bundled action after all the actions are complete. Let's say my character walks into a small room containing a priceless crystal vase on a table and a single guard. The guard draws his sword to prevent me from taking the vase and the GM calls for initiative. I win the initiative roll, and get 4 or more actions, let's say. I declare for my turn that I'm taking the following bundled action:
Half move to the table (free)
Pick up the vase
Throw it on the ground, smashing it
Half move back to the doorway
So, since those are all easy actions, I might not even have to roll any dice, and by the time the guard is allowed to react I've already run in, smashed the vase, and retreated back to the doorway. I've even got an action (or more!) left over to defend myself against a vengeful guard.
Is there anything the guard could have done (besides win the initiative roll) to prevent this? Or is the only thing discouraging such tactics the fact that the guard can now use ALL his combat actions trying to skewer me?
The only thing I can thing of is that the GM might say that picking up the vase is an opposed roll against the guard's melee skill since the guard obviously wants to prevent me from getting to the vase. The problem I have with this is that it opens up all kinds of scenarios where a player might demand to be able to preemptively oppose another character's actions, whereas the reaction rules clearly state you can't prevent actions, just react to them after the fact.
So, first off, is there any limit to how many movement actions you can take in a round? I can't find a specific reference in the book, but it seems like you can just spend all your combat actions on movement if you want. Thus, a character with a standard 30-feet-per-round movement rate who happens to get 6 combat actions in the round could run (triple move speed, costs 2 actions) 30 x 3 x 3 = 270 feet in one 6-second round - equivalent to running at over 30 MPH. Is that right?
Secondly, I'm a little concerned by the line that says other characters can only react to a bundled action after all the actions are complete. Let's say my character walks into a small room containing a priceless crystal vase on a table and a single guard. The guard draws his sword to prevent me from taking the vase and the GM calls for initiative. I win the initiative roll, and get 4 or more actions, let's say. I declare for my turn that I'm taking the following bundled action:
Half move to the table (free)
Pick up the vase
Throw it on the ground, smashing it
Half move back to the doorway
So, since those are all easy actions, I might not even have to roll any dice, and by the time the guard is allowed to react I've already run in, smashed the vase, and retreated back to the doorway. I've even got an action (or more!) left over to defend myself against a vengeful guard.
Is there anything the guard could have done (besides win the initiative roll) to prevent this? Or is the only thing discouraging such tactics the fact that the guard can now use ALL his combat actions trying to skewer me?
The only thing I can thing of is that the GM might say that picking up the vase is an opposed roll against the guard's melee skill since the guard obviously wants to prevent me from getting to the vase. The problem I have with this is that it opens up all kinds of scenarios where a player might demand to be able to preemptively oppose another character's actions, whereas the reaction rules clearly state you can't prevent actions, just react to them after the fact.