I want to make sure I'm understanding disengage correctly.

On pg 209 of the F&D Core Rulebook it says: "If the character is engaged with an opponent or adversary, he must perform a maneuver to disengage with that opponent before moving to any other location. This only changes his range relative to his opponent from "engaged" to "short" and represents the effort of backing away and avoiding his opponent's attacks," and it goes on to say this doesn't apply when engaged with friends.

With that description in mind, let's say jedi Chuck Norris is in a duel with sith lord Jack Bauer. Lord Bauer executes a perfect Sum Djem and disarms Chuck Norris, sending his lightsaber rolling on the floor to within short range. (I know it's impossible for anyone to disarm Chuck Norris, but stay with me here). On Chuck's next turn, in order to retrieve his lightsaber, he first makes a maneuver to disengage Jack Bauer. This does not get him any closer to his lightsaber because he has only changed his relative position to his enemy, so Chuck suffers two strain to move from short to engaged with his lightsaber. Luckily Chuck Norris had planned for this and had previously installed a 'Magnetic Weapon Tether' in his saber allowing him to pick up his lightsaber as an incidental and then attacks Lord Bauer with Saber Throw at short range.

Would that interpretation be correct?

let's say jedi Chuck Norris is in a duel with sith lord Jack Bauer.

In your example, time and space would implode as soon as they engaged each other, creating a galaxy-devouring singularity, and thusly rendering your rules question obsolete.

In all seriousness, the above example is probably how I'd run it.

But I have been known to let players "engage" with a weapon and pick it up with an action. Like Coordination or Athletics to roll or slide, grab the item, and then land on your feet. So it'd be a maneuver to disengage, and then an action to go grab it. That's how I would present it to my players.

But that assumes a flat surface like duracrete or a space station's metal tiles. If you're in tall grass, muddy fields, on a catwalk, or on any surface with plenty of debris (I like debris), all bets are off. You'll have to burn an action to find the lightsaber, probably a Perception check, and then spend your maneuvers to go and get it.

You're better off just using the Move power at that point...

However, I find a maneuver to pick up equipment can get kinda fiddly; like requiring two maneuvers to draw and use a stimpack. But if I were trying to interpret the rules faithfully and running the game with experienced players, then yeah a maneuver to pick up a weapon (since it's also a maneuver to draw a weapon) makes perfect sense.

Generally, it would be correct to require two separate maneuvers in that instance, one to disengage from whatever adversaries you're currently engaged with, and then another to engage a specific object so that you can pick it up.

Of course, if a PC with allies nearby was willing to forgo the opportunity to attack, he could probably just disengage as one maneuver and then use Move to grab the saber as his action (and only needing a single Force Point), leaving his allies free to open fire on the bad guy without having to worry about shooting into a melee.

Up until right now i have run it that it would only take a single maneuver, but i think i have changed my mind on that thanks to this thread.

As a slight sidetrack how would you guys manage a situation where a PC wants to move from Engaged with an NPC to engaged with a PC(for medical help as an example) who is at short range?

Would it be:

1 Maneuver to Disengage and move to the PC since being engaged with a PC doesn't require a Maneuver?

or

1 Maneuver to disengage and a second maneuver to Engage the PC?

It's one maneuver to engage with anything, or anyone, from which you are at short range.

It's really the purview of the GM to rule where you end up after disengaging from an enemy. Perhaps your friend is close enough to be considered "engaged." But I'd count on having to perform two maneuvers: one to disengage with your opponent, one to engage with your ally.

this is why you buy force leap so you can just jump around like a pogo stick on crack.

I use the Serve Restraining Order and Divorce Papers two actions to disengage.

It's one maneuver to engage with anything, or anyone, from which you are at short range.

It's really the purview of the GM to rule where you end up after disengaging from an enemy. Perhaps your friend is close enough to be considered "engaged." But I'd count on having to perform two maneuvers: one to disengage with your opponent, one to engage with your ally.

My thoughts as well, especially if the player wants to spend their action to in some way affect the person they want to move into engaged with, be it clonk them over the head with a melee weapon or provide emergency medical aid.

Thank you all for the replies.

But I have been known to let players "engage" with a weapon and pick it up with an action. Like Coordination or Athletics to roll or slide, grab the item, and then land on your feet. So it'd be a maneuver to disengage, and then an action to go grab it. That's how I would present it to my players.

But that assumes a flat surface like duracrete or a space station's metal tiles. If you're in tall grass, muddy fields, on a catwalk, or on any surface with plenty of debris (I like debris), all bets are off. You'll have to burn an action to find the lightsaber, probably a Perception check, and then spend your maneuvers to go and get it.

I really like both of those, I'm going to include them in my campaign.

Up until right now i have run it that it would only take a single maneuver, but i think i have changed my mind on that thanks to this thread.

I have as well. I've played with a bunch of GM's and have GM'd a few myself and until recently I missed the distinction between disengaging from friends and enemies.

this is why you buy force leap so you can just jump around like a pogo stick on crack.

I get to be a PC in only one game currently, and I just earned the option to use leap as a maneuver. Holy ****, it's powerful and fun!

This is why I run miniatures and grid combat for my games. The group can visually see what is going on, instead of everyone applying their own take on it. Applying FFG's rules to it is easy, especially with the narrative dice.

This is why I run miniatures and grid combat for my games. The group can visually see what is going on, instead of everyone applying their own take on it. Applying FFG's rules to it is easy, especially with the narrative dice.

We do too, but i had always taken that Disengage moved you from Engaged with an NPC to anywhere within short range, which included engaging with any other thing that was within short range. Obviously i should have been seeing it as moving from Engaged to anywhere in short, but not engaged with anything.

I would also allow if the player has enhance force leap bought up to using it as a manuever i would allow them to forceleap to their dropped lightsaber. If they have quick draw picking it up would be an incidental Then force leap to the other side of their opponant and attack. Ataru for the win... And we know Chuck is an Ataru Striker....

No its force leap to light saber. Quick draw to retrieve light saber, Hawkbat Swoop to attack.

Of course Niman does this:

Spend 1 Destiny point preemptive avoidance no disarm or attack as they are no longer engaged followed up with draw closer to attack.

No its force leap to light saber. Quick draw to retrieve light saber, Hawkbat Swoop to attack.

I had a player do something like this, it was disengage, grab the lightsaber, and then hawkbat swoop. I allowed it cuz it was awesome.

Of course Niman does this:

Spend 1 Destiny point preemptive avoidance no disarm or attack as they are no longer engaged followed up with draw closer to attack.

Or just take Makashi Duelists' Resist Disarm talent and you won't even have to worry about it

Or just take Makashi Duelists' Resist Disarm talent and you won't even have to worry about it

I have definitely taken Makashi Duelist only for Resist Disarm and Parry on my Marauder. No one's sundering my Czerhander!