FASA Games, Inc.

Does anyone else think that attacking to stun is overpowered? It's used in pretty much every fight in my game just now and I can't understand why anyone would fight any other way (unless the opponent was somehow immune to stun).

One good hit with stun damage and the opponent is pretty much toast since they can't do anything except defensive actions (with the action test penalty from stun) and move 1 hex. Subsequent attacks to stun cause more stun rounds, and knock-down, thus reducing your opponent's defence considerably.

Attacking to do normal damage seems pretty pointless since it's easier to bludgeon your opponent a few times and then take them out at your leisure.

Yes, I have had problems with attack to stun. When either side outnumbers the other, attacking to stun is a pretty powerful tactic. I instituted a two-step penalty on attacking to stun. We kicked around the idea of making the attack take strain as well. Then people stopped attacking to stun.

At higher circles I think the potency of the attack is reduced. There are usually larger number of enemies, and stacking up wounds has a potent enough effect that it is worth going for raw damage. It will be interesting to see if they amend it in 4th edition.

The problem is not so much the option to attack to stun, but rather the penalty that results from a "Wound" dealt with stun damage in ED3 (that is, the "Stunned" effect). It is, in some ways, more severe than the penalty for being knocked down, because while you are knocked down you can still take standard actions, and there is the option to jump up.

In terms of ED4, the "stunned" status is not going to be kept. Attacking to stun will still be an option (for non-lethal damage), but the status is going away.

It would be nice to have a mechanic to play out the stealthy one-hit knockout of the lone guard like we see in the movies and stories. There's not really a good way to do that.

I know . . . has anyone seen this used in play? For some reason I really want this to happen in one of my games. But we've never really had a thief.

I ruled that you could make a Willpower Test to break the stun in my games on your turn. DN = 6. Its the only action you can perform in the first round, but if successful at least breaks the stun effect from things like kiai that have multiple turns. This is a lot like Kip Up/Jump Up and incurs no Action Test penalty from the -2 Stun Penalty.

I have in the past used the rule, but find it to be too easily abused. I eventually ruled that you need some sort of weapon that is appropriate to the task like a sap or a club of some type.

And not everyone does in fact possess the ability to knock someone out like they do in the movies. If you run a game thats cinematic like mine, its okay. But if you run something grittier or more true to physics and anatomy then its a far toss from that.

If I wanted realism, I would make my players fight for twinkies.