Count Dooku uses his action during his turn to use the Force to hurl a large hunk of something to crush the helpless Obi-Wan and Anakin. He used the Force to do it so it is obvious that he was using his action during the NPC initiative slot that was up in the initiative order.

The next initiative slot is for the PCs and Yoda uses it to activate a Force power and catch the large hunk of something thereby saving his friends. He activates his Force power so it was an Action and it had to be done during the PC initiative slot that fell next in the order.

The only problem with this is that it can’t be done within the RAW of the FFG Star Wars RPG system. By the time that Yoda uses an Action to activate his Force power the attack that Count Dooku has launched will have already happened. You can’t make that claim that the PC group used a destiny point to make Dooku fail in his attack, because if that was the case Yoda would not have activated his Force power and used an Action to do so.

How does one resolve situations like this in a game mechanic that makes no allowance for character reacting, or interrupting, another character action?

Yoda used Protect in his previous turn maybe.

Well of course the RAW has problems with it. The sad truth is that no matter how good the RAW is it will never be able to 100% replicate what we see in the movies. So how would I deal with this? I wouldn't even create the situation in the first place. And I'd also understand that the mechanics will never be able to 100% do what we see on the screen. Some actions just occur due to narrative nature.

In this case both Yoda and Dooku are NPC's. So I wouldn't even bother with rolls and would just narrate the entire scene as Dooku escapes.

It could have been GM and Player using cool narrative to describe the effect of Yoda using the Force Power 'Suppress' as an out of turn Incidental as per one of the Control upgrades. Yoda sucked The Force out of Count Dooku's attack.

Or its an as yet unpublished Signature Ability that allows an out of turn Incidental to use a Force Power, Or an Improved 'The Force is my Ally'.

Suppress as an out of turn incidental generating automatic failures on Dooku's attack.

Also, prequels are kind of bull.

Son, I got your back. . . . .

Anakin and Obiwan vs Dooku, round one!

Round 1) Kenobi and Anakin run into meet Dooku and Anakin goes to attack - but Dooku rolled really well on the initiative and gets to go first, zapping him with his lightning. He gets a crit, but rolls pretty wussie (a 34) and Anakin is staggered until his next turn. Dooku's second blast of lightning that Kenobi blocks should be a second attack, but you cant do that - so why don't we call just that narrative posturing. Kenobi wasn't really bothered by the attack and Dooku wasn't really trying - so it was the Nemesis just showing off how badass he was.

Kenobi attacks Dooku, but with no advantage or despairs.

Round 2) Dooku rolls well and gets a crit - and gets an Overpowered result. Two blows, arm and leg with the same dice pool. Anakin, recovered from his staggered, jumps in the way of the two, spends his maneuver picking up a second saber (by way of Kenobi) and attacks. Unfortunately he gets a despair, allowing Dooku to cut his new saber in half. He spends some advantage cutting the power cable, turning out the lights.

Round 3) Because it's all dark and sparky, everyone gets a black die to their attacks. Anakin rolls average, getting no advantage or despair, while Dooku gets another crit. Arm gone and Anakin is out of the fight. (Kenobi's player, meanwhile is really getting annoyed at being sidelined like this.)

Round 4) Yoda shows up and the two throw barbs back and forth while throwing debris back and forth. Dooku's lightning attack could be another round, but since it was as useful as it was the first time, I might call it Narrative License again.

Round 5) Yoda leads off the attack with a pretty average roll, inflicting some strain and wounds. Dooku, realizing that he's running dangerously close to his wound threshold, spends the advantage from his attack to execute his "Get the hell away" tactic, knocking over that really big (yet slowly falling) pillar forcing Yoda to spend next round saving his friends while the bad guy gets away.

Unmatched heroism signature ability would allow it.

It is an out of turn incidental and allows you to switch the target from your friends to yourself. Then that protect you have in effect can allow you to catch it.

Son, I got your back. . . . .

Anakin and Obiwan vs Dooku, round one!

Round 1) Kenobi and Anakin run into meet Dooku and Anakin goes to attack - but Dooku rolled really well on the initiative and gets to go first, zapping him with his lightning. He gets a crit, but rolls pretty wussie (a 34) and Anakin is staggered until his next turn. Dooku's second blast of lightning that Kenobi blocks should be a second attack, but you cant do that - so why don't we call just that narrative posturing. Kenobi wasn't really bothered by the attack and Dooku wasn't really trying - so it was the Nemesis just showing off how badass he was.

I would rule it a uses of reflect. since that has been proven to be possible through the movies.

Son, I got your back. . . . .

Anakin and Obiwan vs Dooku, round one!

Round 1) Kenobi and Anakin run into meet Dooku and Anakin goes to attack - but Dooku rolled really well on the initiative and gets to go first, zapping him with his lightning. He gets a crit, but rolls pretty wussie (a 34) and Anakin is staggered until his next turn. Dooku's second blast of lightning that Kenobi blocks should be a second attack, but you cant do that - so why don't we call just that narrative posturing. Kenobi wasn't really bothered by the attack and Dooku wasn't really trying - so it was the Nemesis just showing off how badass he was.

I would rule it a uses of reflect. since that has been proven to be possible through the movies.

did not have a active lightsaber. so can't be reflect. I could see there being a talent in the seer career book allowing an out of turn incidental force power use as a signature ability. Seers already can do a force power as a maneuver.

Son, I got your back. . . . .

Anakin and Obiwan vs Dooku, round one!

Round 1) Kenobi and Anakin run into meet Dooku and Anakin goes to attack - but Dooku rolled really well on the initiative and gets to go first, zapping him with his lightning. He gets a crit, but rolls pretty wussie (a 34) and Anakin is staggered until his next turn. Dooku's second blast of lightning that Kenobi blocks should be a second attack, but you cant do that - so why don't we call just that narrative posturing. Kenobi wasn't really bothered by the attack and Dooku wasn't really trying - so it was the Nemesis just showing off how badass he was.

I would rule it a uses of reflect. since that has been proven to be possible through the movies.

did not have a active lightsaber. so can't be reflect. I could see there being a talent in the seer career book allowing an out of turn incidental force power use as a signature ability. Seers already can do a force power as a maneuver.

If were talking about the same fight from AOTC then he did have his lightsaber out and active when he blocked the force lighting

also with the proper Control talent a darksider can use unleash as a maneuver.

That is Obi wan... we are talking about Yoda.

the scene at 4.33

That is Obi wan... we are talking about Yoda.

take a look again the part we where talking about in the post you quote was Anakin and Obiwan vs Dooku, round one!

That is Obi wan... we are talking about Yoda.

take a look again the part we where talking about in the post you quote was Anakin and Obiwan vs Dooku, round one!

Which is irrelevant to the OP's post which is regarding Dooku and Yoda. Not round one. They are asking about Yoda preventing Anakin and Obi-wan from being crushed. Desslok's Post is not answering the part of the combat that the OP is asking about.

Seeing as they both are using the same power to battle for the control of the same object, how about an opposed check and to make it fair yoda has to forgo his action for the turn. Not sure if entirely RAW, but I think it represents the situation pretty well.

The only problem with this is that it can’t be done within the RAW of the FFG Star Wars RPG system. By the time that Yoda uses an Action to activate his Force power the attack that Count Dooku has launched will have already happened.

Dooku crushed the base of a large tank of some kind, setting it up to fall. He didn't throw it at the guys on the floor, he just set the stage. Note that like a tree being cut down, it takes a bit to get going, plenty of room for dramatics.

The GM says "The giant tank starts tip, it's going to fall on your friends. Yoda, what do you do?"

"I save my friends. I drop my lightsaber, reach out with both hands, and struggle like crazy with this giant Sil3 object."

"It's huge and heavy, it's going to take you a bit*. Dooku sees his opportunity and bails."

--–-------------

* that's the part RAW handles poorly, they struggle way more with large objects than RAW allows

* that's the part RAW handles poorly, they struggle way more with large objects than RAW allows

Even with Yoda's skills of Move and probably silly Force Rating, that giant column would be at least silhouette 2 (being about the size a 74-z speeder bike). This would require an additional FP to activate Strength upgrades and at least 2 strength upgrades. Yoda could have always pulled a bunch of DSP, on the roll, and had to flip and get conflict to use one. This is where the exertion and struggle Yoda shows comes from - not from the size of the object directly, but rather the struggle to avoid fear and panic (the Dark Side) that is reflective of the Conflict.

The GM (George Lucas in this case) could have ruled that stopping the falling object was one use of Move, but after gaining control it would require a second use of Move to get it out of the way so it could be dropped safely. This would give Dooku the additional round to bust a manuever and get away.

How about it just being the narrative effect of a triumph `gramt the charactera significant advantage` He distracted Yoda for 1 round giving him a chance to get away.

How about it just being the narrative effect of a triumph `gramt the charactera significant advantage` He distracted Yoda for 1 round giving him a chance to get away.

That's probably the easiest answer.

Plus, it was largely a contest between two NPCs, with Kenobi's player already being bored after being taken out so quickly and Anakin's player getting antsy.

Count Dooku uses his action during his turn to use the Force to hurl a large hunk of something to crush the helpless Obi-Wan and Anakin. He used the Force to do it so it is obvious that he was using his action during the NPC initiative slot that was up in the initiative order.

The next initiative slot is for the PCs and Yoda uses it to activate a Force power and catch the large hunk of something thereby saving his friends. He activates his Force power so it was an Action and it had to be done during the PC initiative slot that fell next in the order.

The only problem with this is that it can’t be done within the RAW of the FFG Star Wars RPG system. By the time that Yoda uses an Action to activate his Force power the attack that Count Dooku has launched will have already happened. You can’t make that claim that the PC group used a destiny point to make Dooku fail in his attack, because if that was the case Yoda would not have activated his Force power and used an Action to do so.

How does one resolve situations like this in a game mechanic that makes no allowance for character reacting, or interrupting, another character action?

EASY!

Count Cuckoo: I am going to use Move to toss something at Yogurt, Oobi-doo and Orphan Anni! Either by tossing a huge thing, or by tossing a bunch of small things...

Obi-wan: I see him try it and use Reflect.

Count Cuckoo: Quiet, you're unconscious remember, no reflecting.

Obi-wan: Right...

Yoda: Ok... A ranged attack that must be!

Count Cuckoo: Um... yeah... and you don't have to use the voice out of character Frank, it's annoying.

Yoda: Spend a destiny point to upgrade the attack difficulty I will. In addition to the Sense power defense bonus that will be.

Count Cuckoo: Right... *roll roll* Failure with 3 Advantage and.... 3 Dark Pips

Yoda: Catch the Sil 2 condenser I do! Strong am I with the Force!

Count Cuckoo: Yeah ok, 3 Advantage makes you drop your saber to do that, and I'll use my maneuver to board my ship, which is now ready to fly. Later losers!

Yoda: Spend a Destiny to introduce a fact I will. Upper-deckered the ships head I did.

Count Cuckoo: What? No... I'm overruling that one. Also that's gross, and stop with the voice. Seriously it's stupid.

Anakin: I think it's great.

Obi-wan: Are we out of combat? Can I recover strain?

This has been a very enlightening conversation that I started. I have enjoyed seeing the different methods that other GMs would employ. Thanks for all the response this has received.

Also, prequels are kind of bull.

Speak for yourself! A lot of people quite like them.

Didn't Force and Destiny suggest giving tougher adversaries an extra initiative action somewhere? I would've thought Dooku might've had something like that.