Parry skill

Skill 'parry'.

• Group: 'defensive'.
• Costs: moves 1.
• This is a passive skill, it works automatically.
• Available to classes: anti-paladin 5, cleric 25, druid 26, paladin 2, ranger 3, samurai 1, thief 19, vampire 22, warrior 1

The skill of blocking the opponent's attacks. Players can block only with primary or secondary weapons, while other characters can use different body parts for this purpose.

Game classes use different techniques for blocking: samurais and rogues deftly deflect the opponent's weapon, while others parry firmly or knock aside -- this sometimes damages the weapon.

The chance of success depends on skill level, archetype, blocking technique, size, strength and dexterity of fighters, terrain, types of weapons, and many other factors. Parry attempts consume steps depending on block complexity. When steps run out, the skill doesn't work.

Whips and flails are usually not parried, but skilled warriors can sometimes handle them. Ghostly weapons can be blocked only with holy weapons.

A staff wielded alone, with nothing on the shield arm, nothing held and no second weapon, is held in both hands: it parries better, tires you less and is harder to knock out of your hands. Then anyone who knows the staff can guard with the staff skill itself, even without parry, and a rare critical parry can sweep the attacker off their feet.

In rare cases, the skill can lead to a critical outcome:

• Critical Success: samurais counterattack an armed opponent or dismember an attacking limb of an unarmed one, warriors disarm or throw the opponent to the ground
• Critical Failure: a hard block stuns you and you might drop your weapon This critical result, of course, does not work on lucky hobbits and followers of Godiva.

Samurais in rare cases can deflect a flying projectile. A samurai who knows kaeshi may answer a successful parry with a return cut.