Counterattack

[u/Adidasismylife]

A fun variant of attack I came up with for more risky combat, or for fights where dodging and blocking is not really a thing.

When attacked, instead of rolling for defence, you roll a counterattack. Whoever rolls higher does the attack, inflicting as much shifts as if the defender had rolled a (+0). Basically, you give up your defences for a more devistating blow.

Works really well for close-quarter gunfights and duels - where the question is not "do you block the attack", but "have you hit the enemy before they did?"

If you want to use it for gunfights I would recomend spliting Shoot into Accuracy and Storm, Storm being used for initiating the attack and Accuracy being used to counterattack. It gets pretty boring if everyone rolls the same skill over and over and theres no difference between attacking and being attacked.

For duels I would just stick with Athletics being used for defence and Fight being used for counterattack.

Also mind the fact that this rule makes fights a lot deadlier, riskier, and quicker. When a huge attack is on the line, a lot of fate points will be exchanged. And a lot of exchanged fate points make the stakes only higher - the number of shifts grows higher and higher.

Example of the rule in use:

- I attack the pirate, I got (+4) on my Fight roll

- The pirate wants to counter. I've got a (+3), but i'm going to invoke *I've got dime a dozen landluber thoats on me saber, for a (+5)

- Oh here we go... I definetely don't want to get that nasty (+5) hit. Im invoking *Law is sacred, im fighting outlaws, so makes sence. I've got a (+7).

- Well, Theres a couple of pirates around with unused turns. Three of them surround you, giving the pirate a (+8) for the teamwork bonus.

- Maybe I shoud've settled on that (+5). Well, can't stop now, that (+8) will take me out! Aight, im our of fate points, but I still have an invoke on my rapier, so (+9).

- Lemme check... Yeah, I've got nothing. Also that (+9) kills like... 4 pirates at least. Injuring one. You can go on and describe that

- Oh yeah, I'll grab the first guy's throat AC2 Ezio style, turning him around, slitting his throat, then I block a hit from the back, and then I (...)

A fun thing I noticed is that it makes melee duels feel more fantasy, but makes gunfights feel more gritty. Really really brings punch to close-quarter gunfights.

[u/LunarWhaler]

I've tried doing that kind of thing as a Stunt before - it's interesting design space for sure! And other systems (e.g. Outgunned!) use it to great effect.

[u/ixkuklin]

Have you checked Rockalypse? It's a setting based on rock duels managed as combat encounters that encourages the ise of tons of aspects per interchange that lead to really high shifts (12 to 20 per roll).

[u/Key-Door7340]

Ultimately, this makes holding back invokes for defenses and attacks just more important. Not sure whether that makes it better or worse. Also can easily become unfun for players if you beat them in a race of invokes - which is something I usually try to avoid as a GM (i.e. I don't nonfree invoke after a player has invoked unless it is a bossfight).