Knights & Knaves Alehouse

Isn't there an entry in the DMG where you can forgo all attacks to get either a -2 or -4 to AC? I looked for threads and went through the DMG and just couldn't find it.

It's buried in the PH (of all places) - by forgoing your attack for the round you're able to apply your Strength-based "to hit" bonus to your AC. This is widely considered to be a pretty worthless tactic (totally worthless if your strength is less than 17) and I've never once seen it used in actual play, but it's there as an option. A house-rule I've seen suggested somewhere (DF?) is to use not just the strength bonus but the level-based bonus (i.e. the difference between the character's THAC0 and that of a 0-level Normal Man) as well (so a Hero with str 17 would get a +5 AC bonus (1 from Str, 4 from THAC0) when parrying). That would definitely make it a more attractive option.

Thanks T.

Yeah, that is a pretty worthless parry rule. The reason I ask is a guy in my campaign wants to use the 2e optional parrying rule and I thought there was a good one in 1e. Guess I was wrong!

I think I will let him use the one he wants, which isn't as powerful as your option.

What is the 2nd Ed optional parrying rule like?

vargr1105 wrote:What is the 2nd Ed optional parrying rule like?

Who cares?

It is half your level plus one if you are a fighter type.

One instance that I find parry may be useful, is to engage a creature you may not able to hit, or you may need a 20+ to hit. One reason you may not be able to strike a creature, is because you don't have the necessary plusses on your sword to affect the creature. If such is the case, and you're a fighter, you may still want to engage the creature in an attempt to spread around it's damage. The more targets the creature must engage, the more chances you give your spell casters to deal with it. Also, maybe there are fighters in the party that can harm the creature, and spreading out the damage still helps.

You say Parry and this is all I can think of

Doesn't Holmes Basic have a parry rule? Flat -2 or -4 to the opponents roll? Something like that, anyway.

Philotomy Jurament wrote:Doesn't Holmes Basic have a parry rule? Flat -2 or -4 to the opponents roll? Something like that, anyway.

Yes, as a matter of fact:

THE PARRY

A player may elect to have a character parry an attacker's blow. He must announce he is doing so before the opponent strikes. The parry subtracts 2 from the attacker's die roll. The person parrying does not get his next hit, using that part of the round for the parry. If
the attacker still makes his roll and gets exactly the number needed, the parrying weapon was broken but no damage inflicted. It takes one melee round to draw a new weapon, but one hanging free, or in the other hand, can be employed immediately.

And more or less the same as the Chain Mail man-to-man parry.

grodog wrote:

Philotomy Jurament wrote:Doesn't Holmes Basic have a parry rule? Flat -2 or -4 to the opponents roll? Something like that, anyway.

Yes, as a matter of fact:

THE PARRY

A player may elect to have a character parry an attacker's blow. He must announce he is doing so before the opponent strikes. The parry subtracts 2 from the attacker's die roll. The person parrying does not get his next hit, using that part of the round for the parry. If
the attacker still makes his roll and gets exactly the number needed, the parrying weapon was broken but no damage inflicted. It takes one melee round to draw a new weapon, but one hanging free, or in the other hand, can be employed immediately.

My initial thoughts are something like this. But this guy is always trying to come up with rules or spells and I shoot him down 90% of the time. I thought I would allow this as I see it as limited use. Especially because he cannot move and use the parry option, so he cannot use it to retreat himself. Who knows, it may prevent a PC from dying.

This is the By The Book board. Way too many appeals to house rules, 2e, Holmes, and Chainmail!

Going by-the-book:

Does the attack bonus gained from weapon specialization or for using a magical weapon not count for parrying rules?

No, there is no mention of that in the rule books, though the cavalier class as it originally appeared in Dragon had a nifty parry bonus.