2-Action Moves and Interruption

[narcissus]

It seems that I've been running my games with the "old" rules, where dodging uses your next attack, rather than just an attack. I've also been running where a 2 action move completes on the second action, and can be interrupted.

I'd like to move to the "new" rules where dodging just uses an attack, and also to where 2 action moves complete immediately. I feel this will make combat go faster and simplify bookkeeping. I have a problem with some inconsistencies though, which I'm hoping to get some opinions on / hear how others handle these.

A spell specifically says it can be interrupted - so if a caster is casting Call Lightning which takes 2 actions, if they get shot or have to dodge after the first action, the spell fizzles. However, there is no mention of other 2 action moves being interrupted - Power Punch, Leap Kick, Aimed Shot, Called Shot. So how do people handle these? If a spell caster can be interrupted, then so should a sniper. If someone is leap kicking, they probably can't be interrupted, but they probably also can't dodge or defend themselves in the middle of it. It seems that depending on the type of attack, what happens in the middle of it could vary.

How do others handle these moves?

[Killer Cyborg]

I handle two-action moves the same way two-action spells are handled, using the same interruption criteria.
Not just for things like Power Punch, but also for things like Aimed Shots under the current rule where you effectively spend one action aiming, and another action firing. So if a character spends an attack Aiming, but then takes damage, or gets knocked down, or becomes "under heavy fire," then they're not going to get that shot off, and their Aiming action is wasted.

[Axelmania]

maybe we should actually ditch 2-action stuff and instead define single action things like "Aim Gun" or "Big Windup"

[Killer Cyborg]

maybe we should actually ditch 2-action stuff and instead define single action things like "Aim Gun" or "Big Windup"

That'd make more sense.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Yup. That is what the 2 APM cost is suppose to mean.

[Nuristas]

It seems that I've been running my games with the "old" rules, where dodging uses your next attack, rather than just an attack. I've also been running where a 2 action move completes on the second action, and can be interrupted.

I'd like to move to the "new" rules where dodging just uses an attack, and also to where 2 action moves complete immediately. I feel this will make combat go faster and simplify bookkeeping. I have a problem with some inconsistencies though, which I'm hoping to get some opinions on / hear how others handle these.

A spell specifically says it can be interrupted - so if a caster is casting Call Lightning which takes 2 actions, if they get shot or have to dodge after the first action, the spell fizzles. However, there is no mention of other 2 action moves being interrupted - Power Punch, Leap Kick, Aimed Shot, Called Shot. So how do people handle these? If a spell caster can be interrupted, then so should a sniper. If someone is leap kicking, they probably can't be interrupted, but they probably also can't dodge or defend themselves in the middle of it. It seems that depending on the type of attack, what happens in the middle of it could vary.

How do others handle these moves?

We also play an action per person per round and if you get interrupted you get the penalty for being interrupted (wasted aim action, wasted spell action, ...). The one exception we often use is power attack since that uses up 2 attacks, does less damage than 2 attacks and speeds combat by a lot....

[Shark_Force]

I would say that practically speaking, not all 2-action moves are the same. many actions that require 2 attacks will be something that requires windup time, for lack of a better term. some could require recovery time instead, and those would logically activate on the first action and not be particularly subject to interruption.

for example, in the RUE modern weapon proficiency section, we find that there are submachine guns which can fire a "long burst" of 6 rounds, costing 2 actions. the notion that it takes an SMG something along the lines of 6 seconds to fire 6 rounds is frankly laughable to anyone who knows anything on the subject... I don't think I've ever even heard of one that would take more than *one* second to fire that many rounds (and most that I'm aware of would fire a lot more than 6 rounds if you actually held down the trigger for a full second... basically all of them would empty the magazine if you actually held the trigger for 5-6 seconds). it likewise doesn't make sense that you'd be able to interrupt it particularly effectively, there's no logical requirement to especially take extra time to aim in advance, etc, so a 1-action windup does not make *any* sense at all.

(a 1-action recovery also doesn't make a lot of sense, but it sounds *less* absurd to me at least).

[Borast]

Think about it this way... For many 2 action moves, there is a legitimate additional duration.
A haymaker/spin-kick does a lot of damage compared to a jab/snap-kick, but you can more easily avoid it, than you can a jab/snap. (And Helen Keller could see that telegraph!)
A sniper *has* to take a few seconds to aim...quick-scoping doesn't work.

As for the dodging issue...I have had players use attacks from the following melee round. So, they *are* using "a" melee attack...their next attack.

For interrupting your spell, you have to make a save to succeed in casting.
Interrupting a physical attack...again make an appropriate save to make the attack. Think about it, you wind-up for a haymaker, and I snap kick you in the nards...if you're Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris, you're probably still going to hit me. Anyone else, the punch fails.
Interrupting a sniper...I see you raise your weapon and take careful aim, I take a snap shot at you, the impact of the round will prevent you from sniping, and even if you do shoot, it's likely a wild shot unlikely to hit anything.

Mind, for spells, I'm still thinking you can only do 2 per melee round max. I could be wrong, it's been a long time since I read the relevant sections of the core books.

[Axelmania]

al alternate take on a power punch rather than "big windup" might be "overextended" in which case I could see having them take effect immediately then leaving you recovering the next action

would certainly make it a more attractive option