Good FAQ, covers most grey areas well. I disagree with parts of the ruling on evasion however, as it contradicts the published rules (p72 Core Rulebook, re: Javelins. You need to be able to see an incoming attack, or the point of origin, to have a chance to evade it).

Also, I’d say that Mystic Blast is visible, as the text specifically used the word ‘form’ to describe it (form being the visible shape of something). As mystics make no sound when casting, any warning to the victim would need to come from the effect itself. Unless revised to be noisy, it would potentially be a silent, invisible attack. Though this isn’t a problem if Evasion is considered to be a passive ability that makes characters hurl themselves aside even though they have no awareness of the incoming attack… 😉

Let me explain a bit of the thinking behind these answers, but before I do, let me just point out that the real answer to any rules question is that the correct interpretation is what the GM says it is. The GM is the one who can take into account particular individual circumstances that may apply in any specific case. The rules cannot handle every single situation. Personally I think one of the strengths of the Dragon Warriors system is that it doesn’t try to have rules for every single situation unlike some games. But the FAQ has been written in response to some people apparently wanting some sort of more official rulings on particular questions and that’s what we’ve tried to come up with.

One of the most important things we looked at (from what I can remember – this was a process that took weeks of backwards and forwards emails) when it came to the EVASION question, was the fact that the current rules only give us two real situation where EVASION is at 0. The first of these (I will come to the second in a moment) is the Assassin’s Shock Attack. Under certain precise circumstances, EVASION is 0 when a Shock Attack is successful. The ability to shock attack is one of the defining characteristics of the Assassin – indeed, in many ways it’s what justifies the name of Assassin. We decided that EVASION would apply in most cases even if a person was unaware of a specific attack, otherwise it’s too easy for any character to attack somebody suddenly and get the advantage that the Assassin has to specifically get with 3 metres of the enemy unobserved to even have a one in three chance of achieving.

It is quite correct that the rules also say that a javelin can be evaded only if the person knows it is coming and the FAQ answer does, to an extent, go against that. But people need to remember that Dragon Warriors was originally released as six books (1-3 at the same time, 4, 5, and 6 gradually afterwards), and the basic rules on EVASION (which includes the javelin comment) comes from Book 1, while the Shock Attack rules only came into existence later with Book 4. Later rules don’t always match earlier rules perfectly. We had to try and resolve this.

Also bear in mind that the FAQ only clarifies and amplifies the original rules and needs to be read in light of the original rules. On page 72 of the hardback, the other situation in which an EVASION of 0 might happen is described. There are two important statements there:

“It is very important to visualize the situation when a character has to evade an attack. Do not simply make the roll without considering what it represents.”

It’s up to the GM to decide whether or not there is a specific reason in this case why EVASION should not apply. If you as GM believe that somebody throwing a knife or a javelin silently should negate somebody’s EVASION the rules give you permission (as if you needed it) to make that ruling. But I’d suggest you need to consider two things. The first is that the paragraph on page 72 gives two examples of EVASION equalling zero, and both of these involve a character who is fully aware they are being attacked, but cannot move. Neither involves a situation where a character is unaware that they are being attacked. If the authors had wanted EVASION not to apply in the case of an unaware character they could have said so. Instead we have the second statement I think is important:

“EVASION scores only apply when it is physically possible to evade.”

The second thing I suggest you need to consider is the point mentioned above – if you decide a character attacking silently with a knife or a javelin benefits from their victim having an EVASION of 0, you are given them a ‘free’ advantage that allows them to do something, even the Assassin only has a 1 in 3 chance of doing if he succeeds in sneaking right up on someone.

As for ‘Mystic Blast’, the term “form” has multiple meanings. The one I’d use in this case is “The essence of something, the mode in which a thing exists, acts, or manifests itself.” For ‘Mystic Blast’, this is “the form of a psychic force bolt.” At least that’s my interpretation.

I don’t think allowing sudden, unnoticed evasion based attacks significantly reduces the advantages of the assassin Shock Attack ability – they are still very difficult to pull off, as only a mystic or someone using an artifact can possibly trigger a spell silently (and even then only if the spell itself resolves without sound).

Regular attacks (both melee and missile) do not use Evasion, so are unaffected – indeed, an assassin cannot actually take advantage of his own shock attack insofar as evasion is concerned, unless he has a magical item that triggers an evasion based effect. I presume the evasion penalty in these cases is more for the benefit of magical cohorts waiting nearby to blast the hapless victim.

Great work on the FAQ indeed!

I must echo the disagreement about the EVASION rule however.

No matter the Shock Attack thing, even looking at the original Book 1, something must be pointed out.

An attack with a Javelin is first resolved with an Attack Roll, taking distance, movement and light into consideration.

A Speed is only given because the Javelin can be evaded IF the target can see it coming (as described). This already reduces the javelin’s efficiency compared to a Bow or Crossbow. However the Bow has a lesser Armor Bypass dice and the Crossbow takes longer to be able to shoot again, so it balances out.

If you make Javelins evadable no matter what, the Javelin becomes significantly less desirable/useful as a weapon due to having to do both an Attack Roll and hope the target fails his Evasion roll.

So, Shock Attack aside, I feel this not only goes against the rules as they were originally written, but also kind of breaks the Javelin as a weapon, to a degree.

Lastly, while it is true that the 0 EVASION examples given are cases in which the character is aware but unable to evade, why would an unaware but able character evade anything?

I would refer you to the example of EVASION use where the rules for it are explained, with the triggered trap and the player stating he would jump aside to avoid the falling block. The GM then declares the block’s SPEED and asks for the player’s EVASION. This example points out to me that EVASION is in fact a conscious reaction to a perceived danger. It is an introduction to the EVASION rule whereas the to 0 EVASION examples are pointed out as exceptions.

I of course say this with respect for the work put into the FAQ and the improvement of the game, but as a great Dragon Warriors enthusiasm, I had to speak my mind.

I’m not that crazy about the DTRPG POD method of getting books back into print since AFAIK, they’ll then be printed in and sent from across the pond incurring large postage costs and potentially custom fees as well. Has Mongoose stopped doing their Flaming Cobra thing?

Actually DTRPG POD has a printer in the UK and so postage costs are local…around £2.50 from what I remember.

Is there any update on when the new Players books (and all) will be released?

Hi Dean,
No firm update on release date as yet. We’re taking our time getting things together. Thanks for your continuing patience: We’re a small operation (a tiny operation in fact) and all busy freelancers in the day job, so it’s a case of baby steps towards the finish line.

Marius: Dragon Warriors was published by Magnum Opus via Mongoose’s Flaming Cobra imprint. When Magnum Opus folded the line we took the decision to not continue with Flaming Cobra.

Thanks!

all seems very quiet round here…:(

Haven’t seen any news here for a while, I hope you guys didn’t run into any major problem?