Thread: Parry & co

Sorry if this question has already been answered, but I haven't found any thread about this: the BGB says p. 191 : "If your character is armed with a weapon or shield that could parry an attack, he or she may roll against the relevant weapon skill to parry the blow." And p. 69 about the "melee weapon skill" : "Your character can use his or her weapon skill to parry attacks, making a skill roll to block an incoming attack." And there is the "shield" skill as well.

So what is the purpose of the "parry" skill ??? Is it made for those who want to separate the attack skill from the parry skill ? In this case, does this mean that during the character creation, skill points have to be spent for both, or only once for "melee weapon" and count for both attack and parry?

Yes, I think it's all part of the confusion over whether Attack/Parry are separate skills, or two uses of the one weapon skill. Which is one of the many option-choices in BRP.

I assume that, if you use separate Attack & Parry skills (which I don't), then you'd have to pay for each separately if you use skill points.

I guess it depends on the setting and wether you use the option of splitting Attacks and Parries. Generally I would use the weapon skill to parry the incoming blow in most post-1800 games. In medieval or High Fantasy settings I would split Attacks and Parries (p 191 BGB) and this is where the Parry skill comes in. Otherwise it is ignored.

Originally Posted by Zit

So what is the purpose of the "parry" skill ??? Is it made for those who want to separate the attack skill from the parry skill ?

Yes. You see originally RQ and BRP used separate Attack and Parry skills for each weapon. But in more recent BRP derivatives (i.e. Elric!) a single skill was used.

In this case, does this mean that during the character creation, skill points have to be spent for both, or only once for "melee weapon" and count for both attack and parry?

If you use both A&P skills then each is raised seperately during creation (and later, too).

Originally Posted by Zit

Sorry if this question has already been answered, but I haven't found any thread about this: the BGB says p. 191 : "If your character is armed with a weapon or shield that could parry an attack, he or she may roll against the relevant weapon skill to parry the blow." And p. 69 about the "melee weapon skill" : "Your character can use his or her weapon skill to parry attacks, making a skill roll to block an incoming attack." And there is the "shield" skill as well.

So what is the purpose of the "parry" skill ??? Is it made for those who want to separate the attack skill from the parry skill ? In this case, does this mean that during the character creation, skill points have to be spent for both, or only once for "melee weapon" and count for both attack and parry?

The default rule is you have a weapon skill which may be used to attack and parry with. That is what p.191 and p.69 are referring to. A single skill covers both.

There is an optional rule that allows you to have separate attack and parry skills with each weapon, so that you can have balanced combatants, more capable attackers, or better defenders.

Ian