Hi there!

I was wondering how I should handle dodging of area of effect weapons, when the targets are involved in melee.

As they are not technically disengaging, do both get a free attack if they successfully dodge?

What if one dodges, the other one doesn't?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

No clue, I'd suggest:

- If both characters attempt to dodge there is no free attack as they were both busy. Just remember that, unless the effect was centred on them, both would head for the same point (nearest edge of the AOE) if they both succeed and thus still be in melee afterwards.

- If character A succeeds on his dodge while character B doesn't attempt one, character B gets his free attack as A is leaving the combat without using disengage.

- If character A fails a dodge attempt while B doesn't make an attempt, there is no free attack as A remains in the melee.

Or if the GM allows slightly silly and dramatic stuff, I would attempt a grapple of my opponent and throw him on the grenade with me on top of him.

This does not work nearly as well for flamers...

Dramatic tradition seems to state that both guys look at the armed grenade and then leap away in slow motion. Then they likely exchange some one liner comment on how big assholes superiors and friends always are and then they may continue fighting if the fancy strikes them.

Slightly less idiotic Hollywood buddy movie would be to use the AOE as a trick to let one part leap the opposite way from the grenade/blast and then dissappear in the smoke and confusion. This is great for the instances where the GM wants one party to escape to fight again another day.

Technically I would allow both to dodge without any attacks. Idiots or Fearless/Frenzy people I would allow to attack as the other dodge.

And I would certainly allow the grapple move at least once in my campaign, if it was a PC against a mook or a henchman that I have decided can die here anyway.

You can only dodge Blast (x) if your Ag Bonus is higher than X

Santiago said:

I suppose this only means if you are at the center of explosion, I.E. that the grenade hits you directly or within one meter.

If it scatters only within 1 meter of the blast I guess you could dodge Blast (4) with AB 3.