Full Defense + Blocks

[Mr. Death]

Should doing a Full Defense add the +2 to defensive blocks? Or should it just be defensive rolls?

[Haru]

Hmm, good question.

I view blocks as active defense. Which is why you do them upfront, not as a reaction to something.

Full defense is pretty much throwing yourself to the ground and hope you won't get hit. It's completely passive.

Now there are instances where you might end up being behind someone elses block. In that case, it doesn't really make sense that your doing nothing would increase the block, but at the same time, it should make you safer. So how about in cases like this (if it would make sense to cower behind the block), you get the +2 when determining whether or not you are hit (and by how much), but the block doesn't get the +2 when it comes to determine whether it breaks down or not. It's not a big area of application, but it seems to be exactly where it might count.

[Mr. Death]

What about in the case of enchanted defensive items?

Also, I interpret full defense less as "throw yourself down and hope you're not hit," and more as, "Do nothing but prepare for the attack, so you're extra ready to defend against it."

[bobjob]

What about in the case of enchanted defensive items?

Also, I interpret full defense less as "throw yourself down and hope you're not hit," and more as, "Do nothing but prepare for the attack, so you're extra ready to defend against it."

That all really depends on how you're attacked. Full Defense seems to only be linked with Athletics rolls (I'm not near a book, so I could very much be wrong). So if you're in a fist fight, sure. You can square off and go defensive waiting for a punch. If you're being shot at or someone is trying to fry you with lightning? I'm not as sure

[Haru]

What about in the case of enchanted defensive items?

Hmm, if you can use it defensively, sure.
I think my biggest issue would be cases where you set up a block in one exchange, and then your full defense could count from the time the next exchange starts, sort of overlapping two actions. I might be making more of it than it is, but it feels weird.

Also, I interpret full defense less as "throw yourself down and hope you're not hit," and more as, "Do nothing but prepare for the attack, so you're extra ready to defend against it."

Yes, but it's still rather passive, you're waiting for the other to act rather than acting yourself. That's my interpretation of the full defense rule, at least, I phrased it poorly above, I apologize.

[Sanctaphrax]

Pretty sure that by the RAW, blocks are not boosted by full defence actions.

[Taran]

Full defense boosts your passive parry/dodge rolls.  If you are full defense and have a defense block enchanted item, roll your passive dodge +2, then take the better result between your enchanted item or your passive defense roll.

[Tedronai]

Full defense boosts your passive parry/dodge rolls.  If you are full defense and have a defense block enchanted item, roll your passive dodge +2, then take the better result between your enchanted item or your passive defense roll.

This.

[solbergb]

Full defense is a trapping of Rapport seemingly only in social rolls (see "closing down" trapping which is obvious when you're doing full defense.  Other types of defense such as deceit or discipline applied to social attacks don't seem to have a full defense mode, they're already "active" I guess....)

For other kinds of defense, it is tied to making a "defense roll" against an attack or maneuver, which normally means Athletics (dodging), Discipline (mental defense), Fists (close combat defense), Weapons (melee defense).

The important thing (regardless of how social skill work) is even if some other skill is being attacked (like maybe a gravity based attack on might) you get a defense roll.  In a block, there is no defense roll, there is only the roll to establish the block strength.  So full defense is only useful in conjunction with a block if by doing so your defense roll is higher than the block strength, and the block strength is beaten by an incoming attack.

[killking72]

Should doing a Full Defense add the +2 to defensive blocks? Or should it just be defensive rolls?

I would say Full Defense would add +2 to any defensive roll, since you're readying yourself for an attack. If you think that's too good then you could have exclusive Full Defenses. Ex: I want a weapons full defense, athletics, fists, rapport, yadda yadda.

[solbergb]

Should doing a Full Defense add the +2 to defensive blocks? Or should it just be defensive rolls?

No.  Block difficulty is established by the person setting up the block.  It requires taking an action that is not full defense to set it up.

Full defense is a bonus to all defense rolls made until the next exchange.  It does not seem to be typed but the skill needs a defense trapping (athletics, fists, weapons, rapport, discipline, sometimes other skills and stunts can mix it up).  There are no defense rolls with blocks.  The defense outcome = block strength.

Magical blocks can be set up as armor instead of a block.  Armor-type blocks of course do stack with full defense (Dresden with his armor 3 duster on still removes 3 shifts from an attack that hits in spite of his full defense, as long as it is a physical attack, not social or mental)

[PatchR]

No.  Block difficulty is established by the person setting up the block.  It requires taking an action that is not full defense to set it up.

Full defense is a bonus to all defense rolls made until the next exchange.  It does not seem to be typed but the skill needs a defense trapping (athletics, fists, weapons, rapport, discipline, sometimes other skills and stunts can mix it up).  There are no defense rolls with blocks.  The defense outcome = block strength.

Magical blocks can be set up as armor instead of a block.  Armor-type blocks of course do stack with full defense (Dresden with his armor 3 duster on still removes 3 shifts from an attack that hits in spite of his full defense, as long as it is a physical attack, not social or mental)

This.

The Full Defense gives a +2 to your dodge/deflect roll. You use the higher of a block or your defense when seeing if something hits or how much stress gets through. Full Defense is a good option if you expect someone to break the Block.