WFRP3e NPC actions

By Xerlox, in WFRP Rules Questions

Hi there,

Me again, next question :)

How is the amount of action cards defined which NPCs can get?

Basic action cards (if usable)

+

one or more action card(s) following the symbol(s) on the creature card (example: a chaos warrior gets two melee action cards for two sword symbols)

Right?

Regards,

Xerl

Hi there,

Additional question.

First Aids/Immediate Healing:

Is this action possible to be done during the ongoing combat (Like Player A says: "Instead of attacking an enemy I will heal my mate now" or just during the rally points between combat-acts?

I would certainly allow it in combat, as an action. Of course not if either person was engaged with the enemy. I think that's pushing the narrative a bit. When playing this game, make like you are reading a book. Plenty of times characters go down in the novels and someone is desperately trying to save them.

Thanks for your advice :)

Hey buddy, there is an action for performing first aid in combat, "Splints and Bandages" I'm not sure that it's in the core set or not, but it's a once a per combat action. And hell, maybe you could allow for a first aid roll in the middle of combat, while you are all engaged with a load of enemies, but do you know how many challenge dice that involves?

More than whatever you are rolling to try and heal them, that's for certain.

If you allow first aid checks during the combat it will make action card splints and babdages useless. Mabe make a copy of this card and allow more then one pc to acces it. If you want to heal during combat, pay for it.

If you allow first aid checks during the combat it will make action card splints and babdages useless. Mabe make a copy of this card and allow more then one pc to acces it. If you want to heal during combat, pay for it.

I'm with you Valhalla. Kind of negate the usefulness of Splints and Bandages if all can heal in combat. Nobody's ever been foolish enough to try and heal mid combat in any of the games I GM in. Probably because they know I'd treat them harshly for doing so. I'm surprised to see rules stating you can. Players would have to show exceptional circumstances for how they're managing to perform first aid without taking a blow to the back of the head from that Wargor's rusty sword :)

Well, I disagree with Splint and Bandages becoming useless if First Aids are allowed. S&B is a better card: first aid gives the player the option to heal wounds or temporarily ignore a critical. S&B has a decent chance of doing both. It can also heal more wounds than a basic first aid skill check with three or more hammers.

. Comparing the two somethings strike me right away:

  • S&B is an action card. Unless I'm mistaken, that means only one character would be able to have it equipped as there is but one card in the set. If limiting combat heals solely to S&B, a group has only that action as an option. An action that can only be used once per encounter by one specific person. Also, if it's the only healing available in combat, someone in the group would be compelled to take it, burning an action at creation or xp at advancement.
  • If First aid is accessible to everyone in combat (rules as written), I can't see anyone getting to use it often unless off the front lines and not engaged.That in itself limits it's use and if anything gives non-combatants something interesting to do without walking into the slaughter. Even if allowing for its use while engaged with severe increased difficulty I don't see it being a huge game changer. An average Intelligence, untrained, at easy difficulty is going to heal one to three (possibly four for stance) wounds, if successful. Not a huge amount. As well it is clearly stated a player can benefit only once a day from a specific source of healing. The First Aid roles can't be used to grind out a combat indefinitely.
  • S&B immediately becomes more useful because of above, as it's a different source of healing from first aid, and outside of draughts, the only non-spellcaster way to heal a person that day in an encounter that may have already had first aid used.

And I agree Noely, performing first aid while engaged would require exceptional narration to allow. Other examples would be: trying to pick a lock, read a tome, or any other involved skill. If attempting while engaged, Crazy A pointed out a couple more purples and the loss of parry/block will get the difficulty across. That said, I'd have no problems with players using first aid (or pick a lock, read a tome, etc) if not engaged with an enemy but in a combat encounter. There are plenty of fictional/non-fictional stories and movies of characters being tending to or trying some other task while fighting is going on around them.

I'm with kidkraken on this one. In my group S&B was very much appreciated since it provides a different source of healing (meaning our group healer, a barber surgeon) could help a player character to recover wound twice in a single day.

Furthermore, S&B generally heals far more wounds than First Aid and it allows you to ignore criticals with boons. First Aid lets you recover wound or ignore a critical wound. Plus, S&B lets you ignore a critical for 24 hours while First Aid only lets you ignore it for the rest of the day.

So in total, having S&B is much better than only First aid. :)

Lastly, the Player's Guide clearly states that the First Aid skill can be used in combat. Page 88: "[...] sometimes more immediate attention is required, such as tending to a bleeding wound in the middle of combat, or setting a broken arm after a nasty fall. Immediate care relies on the First Aid skill."