Combat clarifications

[torgock]

I'm new here so please bear with me if my question has already been answered elsewhere.

We've been playing the 4th edition of WFRP for a few weeks now and have been really enjoying it. Its been over 15 years since we lasted played together as a group. Last night we got into combat with a group of mutants and there were a few rules we weren't sure about.

1. Can I cause a critical if I fail my roll but still have more success levels than my opponent. I was being attacked by a mutant (so I'm the defender) and he ended up with -2 success levels whereas I had -1. However, I rolled a double and because I had fewer negative success levels I won the opposed test. Does this mean I cause a critical?

2. How exactly does Dodge work? Does it cost an action to use? If I am getting attacked and choose to dodge does that mean I sacrifice my attack for that round?

[Orin J.]

1: if you fail the test and roll doubles (which is normally a fumble) but the other guy still somehow does worse, you hit and have to roll on the oops table. that's page 160.

2: no a dodge isn't an action. well, unless it's s special case by the GM's judgement i guess. it's the same as defending with your melee skill or otherwise, so defending against an attack doesn't cost you an action regardless of the skill you use (normally). it's on page 159.

[adambeyoncelowe]

You can do 'full defence' instead, which does use up your action, but it lets you use Dodge against everyone on your turn at +20. Otherwise, just use it like Melee in an Opposed Test.

[torgock]

1: if you fail the test and roll doubles (which is normally a fumble) but the other guy still somehow does worse, you hit and have to roll on the oops table. that's page 160.

2: no a dodge isn't an action. well, unless it's s special case by the GM's judgement i guess. it's the same as defending with your melee skill or otherwise, so defending against an attack doesn't cost you an action regardless of the skill you use (normally). it's on page 159.

Thanks. Makes perfect sense when you put it like that.

[torgock]

You can do 'full defence' instead, which does use up your action, but it lets you use Dodge against everyone on your turn at +20. Otherwise, just use it like Melee in an Opposed Test.

This is good to know. Thanks

[Orin J.]

1: if you fail the test and roll doubles (which is normally a fumble) but the other guy still somehow does worse, you hit and have to roll on the oops table. that's page 160.

2: no a dodge isn't an action. well, unless it's s special case by the GM's judgement i guess. it's the same as defending with your melee skill or otherwise, so defending against an attack doesn't cost you an action regardless of the skill you use (normally). it's on page 159.

Thanks. Makes perfect sense when you put it like that.

Yeah, it's not your fault. Yhe way the book is laid out is kind of confusing in places. Have fun.

[adambeyoncelowe]

The other big reason to use Dodge is against bigger enemies. For every step larger than you, your opponent inflicts a -2 SL penalty on Opposed Melee Tests because they're harder to engage with. If you're a Human going against an Ogre, that's one step up in size, so you take -2 SL If you were playing a Halfling, it's two steps, so -4 SLs.

However, if you simply use Dodge, you don't take that penalty. This is because it's easier to evade a big monster altogether than to go toe-to-toe against their geater brawn.