Defending the Helpless

Posted: Apr. 27, 2006

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One of the more popular house rules from my Glory's Warriors campaign allowed one character to Actively Defend another- to block blows or shots aimed at the second character. This represents, for example, a swordsman parrying blows that are being aimed at a helpless child or other similar situations.

The defender makes an Active Defense total. Any attacks aimed at the character he is defending automatically hit him (and he takes damage as normal), unless they exceed his Active Defense total, in which case they hit the target he is defending.

Any attacks aimed at him target his Passive, not Active Defense, but his defense is penalized as if he were taking a Multi-Action (as defending himself and another is effectively two actions). A character cannot Actively Defend himself and another, nor can he Actively Defend himself and Passively Defend another.