Enchanted Items and the Riposte Stunt?

[citadel97501]

Hello all,

I was wondering whether it seems reasonable to allow someone with the Riposte stunt to apply an enchanted items power to the automatically successful attack?

Lets use a Wizard's staff as an example, using his Enchanted Staff to block an attack and then blasting his opponent with the Weapon 6 effect it can create?

I assume that this is fine as long as you normally use the Weapon skill to direct the attack?

(PS. I do understand that this is probably less optimized than just relying on defensive enchantments.)

[DFJunkie]

I don't see why not, but you'll probably get pushback from people who don't like seeing magicy types stepping on areas where pure mortals are usually superior. 

[Tedronai]

Is it allowable under a strict reading of the RAW?  Probably not.
Is it narratively plausible?  Certainly.
Is it likely to single-handedly break the mechanical balance of your game?  Far from it.

So, basically, treat it like any other relatively benign house-rule.  Suggest it to your gaming group, and if no one objects, then go for it (and if they do, discuss why, and maybe come to some compromise).

[Mr. Death]

Yeah, I would say that enchanted items are more or less kosher (particularly if you'd normally use the Weapons skill to use it anyway), but evocations, probably not.

Edit: Actually, yeah, that would have to be the caveat: It would still have to be a defense rolled with Weapons. So no wizarding up a Block for your defense and using that to set off the stunt.

[Sanctaphrax]

By RAW, I don't know. But it seems reasonable, so I'd allow it.

[DFJunkie]

See, this is one of those times when, as a GM, I’d let coolness trump RAW in a hot second.

Player:  Nice.  I duck under the ghoul’s claws and then, while he’s overbalanced, trigger my force rings, sending him sailing into the other ship.  Can I use riposte for that?

Me: Why not.  Awesome.  How much damage?  Okay, you shatter most of his bigger bones.  His broken corpse sinks beneath the waters, leaving nothing but a greasy splotch to mark his passing.  Now…

That said I get that you’re handing the PC a bigger advantage than Riposte is supposed to confer, so I probably wouldn’t make a habit of it.

[Mr. Death]

I think you would mitigate the advantage of it by requiring that the defense roll be a Weapons defense--that way it'd still be the purview of dedicated fighters, rather than something your average evocation-based wizard could easily pull off.

[Sanctaphrax]

I think you would mitigate the advantage of it by requiring that the defense roll be a Weapons defense--that way it'd still be the purview of dedicated fighters, rather than something your average evocation-based wizard could easily pull off.

Do you really need to specify that? It's in the stunt description.

Anyway, I'd be inclined to throw a bone to any caster who uses Weapons. They're handicapping themselves, so a little perk would not go amiss.

It's significantly more powerful if the Riposte user and the Enchanted Item maker are not the same guy, but then it's an example of good teamwork and therefore ought to be encouraged.