Ducking

[Doctor_Rob]

Just wondering how people handle the ducking rules in combat (Director's Guide p49)...

a) Targets (characters/NPCs) must decide whether or not to duck before the attack roll is made.

Or...

b) Targets can choose to duck after the attack roll has been made.

I suspect that (a) is the better option, but the rules seem to me a bit vague on this point.

 

[aramis]

For simplicity, I allowed after.

However, if you want to make it more cinematic, require ducks after the roll to be a task, say difficult, athletics, dex, unskilled OK, instant. If enemy using a laser sight, task is routine.

Note that athletics is not a core rules skill...

 

[epicenter00]

Players get to choose if they want to duck or not. Cover must be within 5m of where they're standing to get an effect. Otherwise you may drop prone or otherwise take advantage of less optimal cover (increases to-hit difficult by one task level). Ducking must be declared after the shot on a player has been declared but before I roll the die to determine if the shot hits or not.

NPCs must roll under their Coolness Under Fire to make the "right" decision - to duck when under fire. Otherwise they try and Rambo and shoot back or panic and freeze out in the open.

 

[twawaddell]

I always made it a mandatory roll to see if they ducked. The characters hated it until it saved their skin. Treat it as an involuntary response. For reference watch a group of just returned soldiers when they hear a loud bang.