Questions about automatic parry

[Prince Cherico]

automatic parry doesnt help with energy and ranged attacks...

[Marcantony]

or being hit from behind.

[acreRake]

...Whippy has a friggin' +12 to parry while Speed only has a +1 to strike!!!!!!! So, in accordance to the rules...this supernaturally strong sonic speedster could basically be parried all day and all night...and well...all month by Whiplash...

Until SM rolls a natural 20. [which is bound to happen sooner or later with, from what i remember, is a large number of attacks]. So Whiplash (and a lot of other characters) is/(are) good at blocking things It's "one of [his] powers".

At any rate, knock-down rules could/should come into play here. "Speed" is delivering quite a bit of damage with each punch, right? Knock-down is used "even if the damage is successfully parried" (HU2 pg. 73) Sometimes, against powerful opponents, all the hero can do is keep the bad guy too busy to do anything else.

<uncle>One more thing:</uncle> This is one of the primary reasons why strategy is so important. Speedmetal is an idiot, true, so he might try this ham-fisted approach against such a clearly superior combatant. But any real hero is going to start using tactics that can't be parried.

[Comrade Corsarius]

I couldn't agree more. Speedmetal is both fast and bloody tough. He could use whiplash's own tactics against him.

While whippy is pretty good with the old dodge etc, I'm sure that if SM got in close and then simply got whiplash in a bear hug, then there is no parry involved. SM is quite fast enough to be able to do that, and Whiplash does not have the speed to run away. He then has to deal with superhuman strength crush/squeeze, which he can't do (because his own strength isn't up to it).

Speedmetal wins. QED.

Now Obelisk vs Whiplash (or just about anyone) is a different story. Stupidly high strength, SDC and armour rating. If he hits you, you're dead. Maybe 3-4 hits, but really, who's going to hang around and let him hammer you with that kind of damage? A kid on a bicycle can outrun him, and yes, you can parry even his ultra-blows from those enormous rocky fists all day and night.

In this case I'd rule that the 'parry' is more of a sidestep, using the leverage of his blow against him. Those who have done any form of martial arts (except, possibly, Bob Jones' Zen Do Kai) will know that parrying a blow doesn't mean standing in the one place with your arms moving up-and-down (or wax-on-wax-off). It involves arms, legs, and body moving in fluid motion to push the blow in the direction you want it to go (requiring surprisingly little force) and get yourself out of the way and into position for a counterstrike. That's why a high PP works so well for the big parry bonuses.

[NMI]

Keep in mind, even if though it says "Automatic", you still have to roll the D20. As far as combat moves in Palladium is concerned, the term "Automatic" merely means that you dont have to spend an attack but you do still have to roll the D20.

[Gomen_Nagai]

if you're referring to Whiplash from VU, whiplash has invulernability and thus , speedmetal is deadmeat.

[Cardiac]

if you're referring to Whiplash from VU, whiplash has invulernability and thus , speedmetal is deadmeat.

You're thinking of Fullbore - Whiplash is the speedster with adhesion and the penchant to break your neck.

As for the original question:

1) Parrying is not necessarily a straight blocking maneuver - it is often more a deflection or a combo of deflection and evasion.

2) Automatic Parry still has to be rolled against, meaning even someone with very high bonuses will eventually get hit with a lucky strike.

3) You can only parry attacks you are aware of.

4) Knockdown rules still apply to parries (so even if the defender successfully parries, he may still be knocked down/back, losing an attack as he regains his footing/balance).

[The Artist Formerly]

Plus Speed, with his monsterously high NAR could simply simo-attack Whiplash. Even if Whippy is getting past Kyle's NAR, the kid still has WAY more SDC. He can eat the hit and he inflicts WAY more damage.

[Gomen_Nagai]

Anyone can parry. those without HTH skills must use an attack
Anyone who Just did a paired action must use an attack to parry afterwards.
Anyone who wishes to parry something he can not see must use a parry.
Automatic parry can only be used against X number of opponents ( in HU, it's anyone you can see, in Rifts/ BTS/ Splicers it's 4) before you have to expend actions. For example if 5 people attack you, You'll have to Use an attack to parry Under the New rules.

Circular parry allows you to parry any attack all around you.
Windmill Kata allows you to parry all attacks period

You will sustain damage on a parry unless you're made of the same material. ie , SDC vs MDC, or Energy vs low end SDC, or Vibro vs Low end Sdc, High Density SDC vs low end SDC.

[Guest]

Anyone can parry. those without HTH skills must use an attack

Not too mention someone with Pao Chih.

Anyone who Just did a paired action must use an attack to parry afterwards.
Anyone who wishes to parry something he can not see must use a parry.

Not true at all. Attacks out of your line of sight cannot (normally) be parried. There are exceptions, such as with Sixth Sense, Juicers, Zanshin, Circular Parry, etc.

Automatic parry can only be used against X number of opponents ( in HU, it's anyone you can see, in Rifts/ BTS/ Splicers it's 4) before you have to expend actions. For example if 5 people attack you, You'll have to Use an attack to parry Under the New rules.

Actually, you can only parry attacks from up to three attackers, unless you're using Paired Weapons, in which case you can only parry two attackers.

Circular parry allows you to parry any attack all around you.

Not quite any attack.

Windmill Kata allows you to parry all attacks period

No it doesn't, not even close. Windmill Kata allows you to parry, "all hand propelled projectiles, including arrows, thrown spears, darts and rocks..." You have to use one of your normal defensive actions to parry hand to hand attacks and the kata isn't effective against guns, explosions, or energy weapons.

You will sustain damage on a parry unless you're made of the same material. ie , SDC vs MDC, or Energy vs low end SDC, or Vibro vs Low end Sdc, High Density SDC vs low end SDC.

Not true either.

[acreRake]

Just incase this isn't clear yet...

Parry - Always free but the attack has to be melee and in your forward 180 degree arc.

No: A Parry uses an attack. Yes, you must be able to see the attack coming.

Auto-Parry - Also always free but you get to parry ANY melee attack no matter where it comes from?

Yes: an Automatic Parry does not use an attack. No: you still have to see it coming.

So it's Parry that is a complete waste of time. Unless you are untrained or have a (the?) form of Hand to Hand combat that doesn't grant an automatic parry (Pao Chih).

[Cardiac]

Let's get this straight...

Parry - Always free but the attack has to be melee and in your forward 180 degree arc.

Auto-Parry - Also always free but you get to parry ANY melee attack no matter where it comes from?

Is that correct?

If not then Auto-Parry is a total waste of time if you don't have a limit on your number of normal parries...

Nope -

Parry - must be able to see the attack coming and it costs an attack.

Auto Parry - must be able to see the attack coming but does NOT cost an attack.

just like Dodge (costs and attack) and Auto-Dodge (does NOT cost an attack).

And you are right - there is, at least in HU, no upper limit to the number of parries you can perform, but the conventional wisdom is you can only be the target of so many melee attacks anyway.

But I must point out - in HU "seeing the attack coming" can be simulated by many superpowers (Radar, Sonar, Heightened Sense of Awareness, Circular Vision, etc) allowing the super to parry attacks even from behind.

[Gomen_Nagai]

the Rules in HU Land are not the same as in Njss.
The rules I said are true, unlike your rules, which are like doom's based on literal interpreations


You won't find rules for Wood vs metal weapons in any main book

but in TD TMNT and YIN SLOTH JUNGLEs
the Rules on Energy, High Density, Vibro weapons vs everything else , are also in ... NOT in a main book, but in Aliens Unlimited.

incidentally you won't find rules on Stone vs Metal weapons in a HU book because it's not a common situation.


So k. SHAADAP

[Guest]

the Rules in HU Land are not the same as in Njss.

I never said they were.

The rules I said are true, unlike your rules, which are like doom's based on literal interpreations

Nope, I don't base anything on what Doom says, the corrections I posted are directly from the books.

You won't find rules for Wood vs metal weapons in any main book

Try Yin Sloth Jungles.

but in TD TMNT and YIN SLOTH JUNGLEs
the Rules on Energy, High Density, Vibro weapons vs everything else , are also in ... NOT in a main book, but in Aliens Unlimited.

Again, not true. You can't generalize when it comes to the rules. Besides, you said,

You will sustain damage on a parry unless you're made of the same material. ie , SDC vs MDC, or Energy vs low end SDC, or Vibro vs Low end Sdc, High Density SDC vs low end SDC.

Which isn't true, you don't take damage in all those situations on a parry, your weapon might take damage if you successfully parry in some of those instances, but you won't.

incidentally you won't find rules on Stone vs Metal weapons in a HU book because it's not a common situation.

But you just said you were using the rules from HU. Make up your mind, because you can't have it both ways.

So k. SHAADAP

Tell you what, get the facts straight the first time, then I won't have to follow around correcting things.

[Sir_Spirit]

Correct me (again) if I am wrong but doesn't it say somewhere that when you have used all your attacks up then all you can do is parry?

That would mean that parries cost when you have attacks and are free when you don't have attacks!

Even I realise that that cannot be corrrect!

Although it is Palladium, so...

NOpe!
YOu can still auto-dodge or auto-parry, and even if you don't have those situations, then some GM's will let you can still take an action from your next melee round and use it to dodge.

[acreRake]

Correct me (again) if I am wrong but doesn't it say somewhere that when you have used all your attacks up then all you can do is parry?

That would mean that parries cost when you have attacks and are free when you don't have attacks!

Even I realise that that cannot be corrrect!

Although it is Palladium, so...

It just means you can if you have the automatic parry. Technically, it should have said: "when all attack/actions have been used only automatic maneuvers are allowed." Because you could still auto-dodge, auto-flip/throw, auto-kick etc...

/that's a joke son.

[The Beast]

if you're referring to Whiplash from VU, whiplash has invulernability and thus , speedmetal is deadmeat.

You're thinking of Fullbore - Whiplash is the speedster with adhesion and the penchant to break your neck.

Whiplash tried that on one of my characters once. Too bad for him my guy had both Sonic Flight and Vibration.

[Sentinel]

Auto parry? Where in the heck is that from?

'Cause I've been playing HU for a LONG time, and don't recall an auto parry.

Automatic parry has been with us since...well, forever.
Characters with no HtH skill at all, cannot automatic parry.
Anyone with at least HtH Basic or better, has a Parry, Automatic Parry, and a Dodge.
The wording on Auto Parry in some of the earlier books could be misleading.

[Nekira Sudacne]

wait, wait, wait....


Auto parry? Where in the heck is that from?

'Cause I've been playing HU for a LONG time, and don't recall an auto parry.

Auto dodge showed up in the 2nd edition of HU.

Auto Parry has been in every book sinse day 1 of Palladium.

the thing is, except for pao shih, every hand to hand in the game gets automatic parry. and automatic parry functions exsactly the same as regular parry in every way except it dosn't cost an attack, and thus "parrying" has become synonomus with "auto parrying" because no one really specifies teh difference.