Official WFRP FAQ
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:32 am
Thanks for the heads-up!sx dwarf wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:32 am The FAQ is online!
https://www.cubicle7games.com/wfrp-faq/
More like "rules we forgot to include", amirite?
Since you forgot to actually write this rule into the rulebook, yes, it's "worth noting".If a Character’s Characteristics change permanently (due to Advancement, injury, etc.) then Wounds are recalculated to reflect that.
It’s worth noting that temporary changes to Characteristics don’t cause this recalculation
Why not simply say "you gain additional Wounds equal to your current permanent Toughness Bonus"? Oh right, they actually did in the rulebook. So this explanation is actually harder to understand than the rule it tries to explain.The Hardy Talent (WFRP, page 138) grants additional Wounds above the standard amount determined by a Character’s Size, equal to the Character’s Toughness Bonus.
Note how inelegant this is. You need to remember or write down that your 4% in Basket-Weaving isn't actually a skill you can advance.Do Species Skills count as Career Skills for Advancement?
No.
So why aren't they called Cultural Skills then?A Character’s Species Skills, listed on WFRP page 36, reflect the cultural upbringing of the Character.
I'm mainly thinking of how little it would impact gameplay to skip this step, seeing that players can still advance in skills by paying extra or using Endeavours... (I can't very well justify "basic wilderness safety" as a highly restricted skill you need a Tutor from Altdorf to learn, especially if you were brought up at the edge of the forest and all your relatives are presumably woodsmen! They make it sound like they're talking about Alchemy or Law... but species skills aren't like that!)Think of this like how, as a child growing up in a rural town, you would be likely to learn about basic wilderness safety — checking for leeches and ticks, how to test your footing when hiking, maybe which streams are safe to drink, etc.
For the Lance, indubitably. For the Cavalry Hammer, not so much.Can I use Cavalry Weapons when unmounted?
Yes, but it’s ill-advised
Huh. I would have thought the answer to be obvious: as many or few as the character purchases for XP. That is, at the outset of the game, nothing but Petty Spells.How many Spells does a Wizard’s Apprentice’s Grimoire contain?
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I call bullshit. On all of it.Whilst anyone can use a Shield, it’s still a wooden board strapped to your less dexterous arm. It’s cumbersome, and clumsy. However, if you are trained to use a Shield properly, these issues dissolve.
A simpler way to explain this is that the Wounds from the critical table is not a separate source of damage. Saying they "are in addition to other Damage caused" is perfect. Saying they're not modified is beside the point and only make it appear as if this is a source of damage that's somehow exceptional. Don't do it, simply say they're extra damage added to the incoming hit.Do I modify Wounds from Critical Wounds by my Toughness Bonus and Armour Points?
No. Wounds suffered due to Critical Wounds (WFRP, page 174) are in addition to other Damage caused. These Wounds are not modified by Toughness Bonus or Armour Points, are applied after the Critical Wound has been given, and cannot cause a further Critical Wound.
Additionally, these Wounds are suffered even if the Critical Wound is negated
This on the other hand means that you do get the shield bonus even if you're using Melee(Basic), provided you use your weapon to do the parrying.So, this means simply wielding a Shield activates the Defensive Quality, granting +1 SL to defend against attacks, even if you parry with a weapon in the other hand.
This is a very silly dialog. Nobody is asking "can I interpret Skill (Any) to mean Skill (all of them)?"When a Career lists a Grouped Skill but does not designate a specialisation — for example, Melee (Any) — could a Character revisit the Skill and pick up a different Specialisation?
No. You have to choose 1 Specialisation when Advancing a Skill where you have a choice (page 118), and that choice remains in place until you leave that Career level.
Let me suggest a better answer: "No, unless you get your GMs permission. There are few reasons to do so other than to cheese Career Specialisations, so you need to explain your circumstances and persuade your GM."So, could I leave a Career Level, and re-enter the same Career Level?
Yes. Though there are few reasons to do so other than to reset the Career Specialisations chosen, and that’s rarely reason enough to do so.
so wait, i can use a shield in my off hand to parry without penalty if i have the melee(parry) skill, but at the EXACT SAME TIME i can not take that skill, parry with the weapon in my main hand (at no noticable penalties) and gain the benefits of the shield's main advantage as if it was doing the parrying. why was this done this way? this may be the first truly byzantine rules system i've read.CapnZapp wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:39 pm You can't be serious. You mean you're supposed to generate the critical (determine a hit location*, make a d100 roll and do the table look-up) even when armour negates it?!?!?!?
*) you can skip this if the victim has uniform armor on all locations (such as "no armor").
Recall this decision immediately. It is a grave error and a huge mistake.
This on the other hand means that you do get the shield bonus even if you're using Melee(Basic), provided you use your weapon to do the parrying.So, this means simply wielding a Shield activates the Defensive Quality, granting +1 SL to defend against attacks, even if you parry with a weapon in the other hand.
While it is evidence of a very stupid and contorted set of rules that for no reason mean shields work best if you don't use them, it does mean the classic sword & board character can rely on that +1 SL on the defensive, which is all anyone could ask for.
You can parry with the weapon in your main hand and get the +1 SL bonus from Defensive, but not the bonus APs. If you’re lightly armoured you may want to eat the -20 penalty to get the APs for crit negation.Orin J. wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:01 pm the only way to explain some of these rulings is they don't actually understand their own game system, which i assume isn't true because My gods but then that leaves that they just don't want to explain things if they get complex.
so wait, i can use a shield in my off hand to parry without penalty if i have the melee(parry) skill, but at the EXACT SAME TIME i can not take that skill, parry with the weapon in my main hand (at no noticable penalties) and gain the benefits of the shield's main advantage as if it was doing the parrying. why was this done this way? this may be the first truly byzantine rules system i've read.CapnZapp wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:39 pm You can't be serious. You mean you're supposed to generate the critical (determine a hit location*, make a d100 roll and do the table look-up) even when armour negates it?!?!?!?
*) you can skip this if the victim has uniform armor on all locations (such as "no armor").
Recall this decision immediately. It is a grave error and a huge mistake.
This on the other hand means that you do get the shield bonus even if you're using Melee(Basic), provided you use your weapon to do the parrying.So, this means simply wielding a Shield activates the Defensive Quality, granting +1 SL to defend against attacks, even if you parry with a weapon in the other hand.
While it is evidence of a very stupid and contorted set of rules that for no reason mean shields work best if you don't use them, it does mean the classic sword & board character can rely on that +1 SL on the defensive, which is all anyone could ask for.
EDIT: this makes bucklers a much superior choice until you invest in several levels of both the parry skill and talents unless i'm missing something as the actual shield rating is less valuable than the defensive quality for actually mitigating damage.
Crits are brutal, personally I think you’d be a fool not to avail of the crit negation if you have a shield and no other armor. Wounds aren’t as important in 4ed as they were in older editions, it crits that will kill or cripple you.
since according to this same FAQ, crits inflict wounds even if you negate them that's not as much help as you're claiming since there's a very meaningful chance that the extra wounds from a crit will incapacitate you with the much higher general damage in 4th ed. Which means it's back to not using the shield to parry, but having it providing the bonus while you parry with the sword anyways.macd21 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:01 amCrits are brutal, personally I think you’d be a fool not to avail of the crit negation if you have a shield and no other armor. Wounds aren’t as important in 4ed as they were in older editions, it crits that will kill or cripple you.
A true sword-n-board fighter will pick up shields man and maybe ambidextrous as well, further increasing its utility.
I can see this as a good strategy maybe when you are at zero wounds and you have brought down to zero your armor AP in at least one location. But it’s not a fantastic strategy, you are increasing the odds of being hit by no small margin, meaning also you are giving more advantage to your opponent. I see it viable in desperate situations, for example when your opponent has so much advantage that he is going to hit anyway. If this is all shields have to offer when used to parry, it’s not much.macd21 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:46 amYou can parry with the weapon in your main hand and get the +1 SL bonus from Defensive, but not the bonus APs. If you’re lightly armoured you may want to eat the -20 penalty to get the APs for crit negation.Orin J. wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:01 pm the only way to explain some of these rulings is they don't actually understand their own game system, which i assume isn't true because My gods but then that leaves that they just don't want to explain things if they get complex.
so wait, i can use a shield in my off hand to parry without penalty if i have the melee(parry) skill, but at the EXACT SAME TIME i can not take that skill, parry with the weapon in my main hand (at no noticable penalties) and gain the benefits of the shield's main advantage as if it was doing the parrying. why was this done this way? this may be the first truly byzantine rules system i've read.CapnZapp wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:39 pm You can't be serious. You mean you're supposed to generate the critical (determine a hit location*, make a d100 roll and do the table look-up) even when armour negates it?!?!?!?
*) you can skip this if the victim has uniform armor on all locations (such as "no armor").
Recall this decision immediately. It is a grave error and a huge mistake.
This on the other hand means that you do get the shield bonus even if you're using Melee(Basic), provided you use your weapon to do the parrying.
While it is evidence of a very stupid and contorted set of rules that for no reason mean shields work best if you don't use them, it does mean the classic sword & board character can rely on that +1 SL on the defensive, which is all anyone could ask for.
EDIT: this makes bucklers a much superior choice until you invest in several levels of both the parry skill and talents unless i'm missing something as the actual shield rating is less valuable than the defensive quality for actually mitigating damage.
Why would it be good to use it when you are at zero wounds? At that point you're prone anyway. You use it when you're at full wounds, because that's when you worry about being killed or crippled by a lucky crit. It's when you're low on Wounds that you'd switch to parrying with your main weapon (supplemented by the shield).fluminor wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:23 am I can see this as a good strategy maybe when you are at zero wounds and you have brought down to zero your armor AP in at least one location. But it’s not a fantastic strategy, you are increasing the odds of being hit by no small margin, meaning also you are giving more advantage to your opponent. I see it viable in desperate situations, for example when your opponent has so much advantage that he is going to hit anyway. If this is all shields have to offer when used to parry, it’s not much.
To me, when for the average joe parrying with a shield is harder than parrying with a weapon, there is something wrong in the rules.
that's a generally bad choice because at full wounds giving your opponent bonus damage is still a real risk of getting taken down to no wounds in one blow with the level of damage variance in this game. that would only start being viable after a lot of advances to boot S/T/ the hardy talent.macd21 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 7:21 amWhy would it be good to use it when you are at zero wounds? At that point you're prone anyway. You use it when you're at full wounds, because that's when you worry about being killed or crippled by a lucky crit. It's when you're low on Wounds that you'd switch to parrying with your main weapon (supplemented by the shield).fluminor wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:23 am I can see this as a good strategy maybe when you are at zero wounds and you have brought down to zero your armor AP in at least one location. But it’s not a fantastic strategy, you are increasing the odds of being hit by no small margin, meaning also you are giving more advantage to your opponent. I see it viable in desperate situations, for example when your opponent has so much advantage that he is going to hit anyway. If this is all shields have to offer when used to parry, it’s not much.
To me, when for the average joe parrying with a shield is harder than parrying with a weapon, there is something wrong in the rules.
That has not been my experience at all. PCs can generally take a couple of hits from most opponents. It's the crits that get you.Orin J. wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:07 am that's a generally bad choice because at full wounds giving your opponent bonus damage is still a real risk of getting taken down to no wounds in one blow with the level of damage variance in this game. that would only start being viable after a lot of advances to boot S/T/ the hardy talent.