You are absolutely correct. I just re-read it and saw "represents the effort of backing away and avoiding their opponent's attacks". Please disregard my previous comment, I will not be using that house rule

So how do you actually prevent a Rival or Nemesis disengaging the fight to Engage and Attack the Mage?

The answer lies in the Warden spec from Force and Destiny, there’s s tier 5 Talent called Grapple. It requires you to spend a manoeuvre, in doing so any engaged foes must spend 2 manoeuvres to disengage, until the beginning of your next turn.

Seems like a very easy talent to port across. Perhaps you could make it a Tier 3 to lock down one engaged opponent and a tier 5 Improved version to lock down all engaged opponents.

I'd say two things here -

1) Don't try and engineer D&D rules into Genesys. It's like adding a Ford badge to your Mercedes.

2) Think through what those fighters would do, and act it out as it would happen. Forget the usual rock'em sock'em robots approach of just standing there, or trying to position a rogue for backstab. What would actually happen .

Case in point - I just discovered the Witcher 3, 2 months ago, because of reasons. I'm not proud of these reasons but they're a thing I have to live with. In Blood and Wine , there are a few areas where you clear out bandit armies who occupy ruined castles (called Hanse bases, in game). Now, the game is obviously very actiony in combat so my point is more about how I handle 20 odd men who want to kill me.

Simple - I go for the archers first. I can parry the guy with the axe/sword/mace, and I can dodge or just magic or bombs to crowd control. What I can't do is do that as well as be a pin cushion. So, instead, I take them out so the threat is minimised.

If you're an orc, goblin, or whatever and there's someone attacking you from range, you'd absolutely go after them. Since it's a manoeuvre or 2 strain to disengage from melee, there's not much to stop them doing this so you should play to that.

Also, I would fully recommend people keep stepping back out of engaged to stop their enemy "aiming" a swing at them...

Sure it is important to think about what would actually happen. So I'll use example situations.

You are in a battle with the Orc Chief. The orc chief would have killed you be now except for your ally, a cleric using healing magic behind you. The Orc Chief has realized this and wants to kill you the cleric. You obviously would like that no to happen since without the cleric you would certainly die. What does the orc chief try to do the kill the cleric and what do you do to stop that from happening?

Currently the game plays more like your example in the Witcher where characters can dodge whoever they want and just go after the character they are interested in killing. That works well in settings where everybody being cool (Kung-fu stories for example) and doing their own thing is standard. But if you have role specialization then being able to protect people is important. (At least I feel so)

There are plenty of settings where talents that make characters more "sticky" are not appropriate. I plan on running a Western themed game where guns are king. Being able to keep a character in melee isn't really as appropriate as it would be in a sword and board fantasy setting.

21 minutes ago, Apophenia said:

Sure it is important to think about what would actually happen. So I'll use example situations.

You are in a battle with the Orc Chief. The orc chief would have killed you be now except for your ally, a cleric using healing magic behind you. The Orc Chief has realized this and wants to kill you the cleric. You obviously would like that no to happen since without the cleric you would certainly die. What does the orc chief try to do the kill the cleric and what do you do to stop that from happening?

Currently the game plays more like your example in the Witcher where characters can dodge whoever they want and just go after the character they are interested in killing. That works well in settings where everybody being cool (Kung-fu stories for example) and doing their own thing is standard. But if you have role specialization then being able to protect people is important. (At least I feel so)

There are plenty of settings where talents that make characters more "sticky" are not appropriate. I plan on running a Western themed game where guns are king. Being able to keep a character in melee isn't really as appropriate as it would be in a sword and board fantasy setting.

Yes but

What do you think the bandits do when I got for the archer? They follow me. I'm wearing Grandmaster Wolf Armour, so it's lighter than their breast plates, and I'm quicker but they still give pursuit.

So, your example:

Orc chieftain sees the healer, and ducks past you, the fighter, to go for them, the cleric. You don't stand there going "base me or take an AOP, coward!" You quote Will Smith with "Aw **** naw" and attempt to perform back surgery on him as he trundless off after your healbot. Only, the second you try and make orc kofta, he'll turn back at you. He can't ignore the threat of the healer, but he can't also ignore the threat of the man with the sharp stick so he has to try and deal with both. This complexity is not really a staple of D&D fights, which are about as deep as a wading pool.

Hence why Genesys might offer more narratively satisfying combat..?

Don't forget the Body Guard talent and its improved versions. Did that get ported over yet? It's in Star Wars and helps protect your squishier allies.

And Circle of Shelter for Parrying attacks on your allies

It's not as pretty or dangerous, but unarmed has the knockdown ability. That means it takes 2 maneuvers just disengage and get away from your scary visage. And if he doesn't get up, he's giving you a boost die. There are cheap weapons that have the ensnare ability and there is also the controversial "Wing Clip" feat for only 5xp. If you're worried about keeping him from moving towards the mage those are some ideas.

Just a basic question about engaging. Can I only engage one single opponent or could I engage multiple opponents with one maneuver if they stand next to each other?

As I read it you can only engage one target and have to disengage before engaging another one. The only way to get engaged with more than one target is if they all engage you.

Maybe with a talent?

I run it that you can engaged multiple opponents as long as those opponents are also engaged with one-another. Otherwise, the Blast effect gets even more confusing.

You can also engage with a Minion Group, which is technically multiple individuals, but only one target per the way the rules treats them.

Ah, right, forgot about minion groups.

Keep in mind that Genesys cares about the narrative. It‘s not a tactical game with precise battle rules.

Instead, use those advantages and triumphs. Spend 2 advantages so that the Nemesis can‘t move past you towards the mage until your next turn, or to block that narrow passage between the crates. That triumph can topple over a shelf so that ranged attacks are still possible, but it´s difficult terrain now, requiring two maneuvers to pass. Despair and threat on the bad guys side could achieve the same.

And dear Mage, keep moving. Use the elements of the scene. Climb up to get elevation, and then pull up the ladder. Duck for cover. Keep your distance to Sharp Pointy Sword Gal. Use advantages for extra maneuvers here, and so on.