Tail Attack

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Bonhumm
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Tail Attack

Post by Bonhumm » Mon Oct 08, 2018 4:46 pm

I was surprised and disappointed to see how vague the rules about Tail Attack was at page 386:


The character makes an additional attack in close combat using his tail. The character makes an Unarmed Combat test, and suffers a –2 penalty to all tests that round. The character makes a Damage test using his Strength Step.

Since it's an 'additional' attack, does it mean the -2 penalty to all tests that round only applies to what happen AFTER the attack (so that the 'first' attack is not affected by it)?

How does it stack with talents like Second Attack, Second Weapon and Riposte?

Also, that '-2 penalty to all tests' seems to imply that therefore there is no defense penalty since those are not 'a test'.

Your thoughts please.

Panda
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Re: Tail Attack

Post by Panda » Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:24 pm

The penalty applies to all actions and Tail Attack is declared before the Initiative test (ED4PG p. 382, iirc).

I don't know what "stacking" constitutes in this context.

There are no penalties to Defenses.

Bonhumm
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Re: Tail Attack

Post by Bonhumm » Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:50 pm

Panda wrote:
Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:24 pm
The penalty applies to all actions and Tail Attack is declared before the Initiative test (ED4PG p. 382, iirc).

I don't know what "stacking" constitutes in this context.

There are no penalties to Defenses.
I had forgotten to take into account that the description was in the 'combat option' section and thus was under the same rule (i.e. declaration) as the other options. Thank you for pointing it to my lazy brain.

The question about stacking was also related to the fact that I was seeing this as a talent/skill instead of a combat rule so I was wondering if I could add a tail attack to all of those actions in the same round. I understand now that it is not the case, the attack is added to the 'round', not to any specific actions.

Since the Claw Shape Talent specifically states that it changed the hands, this would not apply to the tails right?

Thank you.

Slimcreeper
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Re: Tail Attack

Post by Slimcreeper » Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:29 pm

I just read in my shiny new Companion that you can get a Knack that lets you apply it to any limb!

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Mataxes
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Re: Tail Attack

Post by Mataxes » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:48 pm

Using the "tail attack" option as described in the PG is for when you use it in addition to an otherwise normal attack (e.g. using it to get "multiple" attacks).

If you just want to make a single attack, but with your tail, it would use normal Unarmed Combat rules.

Interaction with Second Weapon/Second Attack/Riposte is... troublesome.
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Tellim-Tor
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Re: Tail Attack

Post by Tellim-Tor » Mon Mar 30, 2020 9:22 am

Just found this Post as i searched "Tail Attack Combat Option and Spellcasting. "

Would the Combat Option allow me to Cast a Spell (-2 to all Tests) and Attack with the Tail in the Same round?

Thanks

ChrisDDickey
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Re: Tail Attack

Post by ChrisDDickey » Mon Mar 30, 2020 1:35 pm

I would think so. "The character makes an additional attack in close combat using his tail."
I can see how some might argue that "additional" means that you already must be doing at least one close combat attack, but I would argue that zero, add one, is one.
Declare it at the top of the round, then on your action take any one standard action plus one tail attack.

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