Topic: DB bonus & Adrenal Defense

[Syssiah]

Hello guys,

We are starting a game using the RMSS rules, and there is something unclear about the way DB bonuses and Adrenal Defenses bonus are used.
Say, you have a character that have a +15 bonus to DB coming from her Quickness. And an Adrenal Defense bonus of 65.
Does that mean this character has +80 DB bonus against every opponents, or is that bonus divided between the number of opponents ?

Secondly, can a character use his DB bonus to stop incoming attacks from flank and rear, case by case  if it's :
- DB bonus coming from QU
- DB bonus coming from an exceptionnal Armor (for example an AT 14(10))
- DB bonus coming from a shield
- DB bonus coming from Adrenal Defense

by advance thank you for your help and answers

[jdale]

You do get the full +15 +65 = +80 against all opponents in melee that you are aware of. It's not split. (The adrenal defense bonus is halved against missiles.)

Against flank and rear attacks, that full bonus does apply, if you are aware of the attacks. However the attacker gets the bonuses for attacking from the flank or rear. If you are not aware of the attack, adrenal defense doesn't apply. Quickness DB applies as long as you are able to move and "he is aware that he is in a combat situation", it does not specify you even need to be aware of the particular attack.

Adrenal Defense can't be used if you are wearing any armor, so it could not sum with a DB bonus coming from armor. Likewise for a shield. The skill description says: "In addition, the character must not be wearing any armor and cannot have a shield or large object in his hands."

I would treat DB from exceptional armor as always applying, even if you are surprised. The armor is always ready.

I'm not finding a rule that explicitly addresses shield and flank and rear attacks, but my assumption is that the shield will not protect you against attacks from the flank and rear. The shield DB applies only against a single foe, but it doesn't have to be the same one you are attacking (unlike your Parry).

[doktorjoy]

Dale sums it up well.

One of my campaigns has a lord-level High Warrior Monk and Adrenal Defence has to be played quite carefully to keep it from unbalancing her. It's tempting at lower levels to ignore the 'no armour' and 'no shield/object' limits but I advise against that. If a character wants to go the Adrenal Defence way, it IS brilliant - you must make sure they pay the penalties.

On shields - we allow a shield to work against a flank attack on the side that the shield is being carried. Shield can only function against one attack per round of course. If a shield has a normal or magical DB bonus on top of it's 'standard' DB modifier - we add that to the DB provided by the shield against the attack it is applied to - we don't add it to the character's general DB as a whole.

[Syssiah]

Thank you both for your answers !