> > 1. Is it just an ability roll? (A simple contest with resistance
> > based on how negative your AP are might be better.)
See below for changes in HQ
> That depends on the action. The 'Tough' roll to ALLOW you the action
> is, I'd say, a simple Ability test (modified by current
> wounded/injured state, and any other suitable modifiers). I'm going
> to be VERY lenient on what ability is allowed here, after realising
> how few characters actually have 'Tough'...
The Tough roll isn't to allow you an action, it *is* the action. The example about Kallai and Rurik is badly written when it says "Even with the modifiers the roll is successful and Kallai may perform an action". The round he performs the FA he doesn't do anything else - he is getting back in the game. He may use his Worship Storm Pantheon in the *next* round.
Per the FAQ:
Q: The rules say that a Final Action is part of a Group Contest. Is this
the case, or can it be used in any extended contest?
A: Final Actions occur only in Group Extended contests. This is because
defeat in a (two person) Extended Contest happens as soon as one person
drops to 0 AP. He is no longer able to make any action to continue the
contest. In a Group Extended contest, the victorious fighter may turn to
attack someone else, ignoring his "defeated" opponent. Thus we have the
following restrictions on a Final Action:
1. He must be unengaged for a round.
2. He must make an appropriate roll to gain his breath, collect his
thoughts, or otherwise get back to positive AP.
If you want to be sure that your defeated opponent stays down, either keep
an eye on him or perform a Coup de Gr�ce.
Note that #2 is the "Tough" roll to get back to positive AP.
"Tough" is just one ability used as an example. The key wording is "Relevant Ability" - note that in the example of Final Action, the contest is a debate, not combat, and the ability used is "Bravery" (with a -5, 'cause it's not as relevant as other abilities). "Hate" or "Love" can be powerful motivators ("Kiiirrrrrk! From the depths of Hell I spit at thee..."), etc.
> > 2. When do you roll? (possible answer: When your turn to act comes
> > around, in normal AP order, the next time after you ran out of AP.)
>
> At the start of the round where you will attempt an action, I'd ask
> for the 'Tough' roll (If I remember, otherwise when the actual action
> is due). Since the character will be at zero or negative AP, he'll
> act last if at all.
I'd ask for the roll at the character's normal action (0AP). For one thing, this allows the player to know if he is free of attention before committing his FA...
Note that you don't need to use the FA immediately after defeat - you can wait a round or two until no-one is watching. Of course, the downside is that your buddies might be defeated and the contest ended if you wait too long...
> > 3. Is it for PCs only?
>
> Depends how I feel... I had a perfectly ordinary horse use it once, I
> felt sorry for it.
Like a lot of rules, the Final action rule is *meant* for Heroes, though major villains might be allowed to do it to fall on a detonator switch or fall off the High Cliff into a Raging Waterfall that No-one Could Survive(tm).
Use it when it seems narratively appropriate. If the Heroes are cleaning up the villains too easily in what was supposed to be a climactic battle, you might want to give even the grunts the FA ability. Skeletons and other undead are especially good for this, as their severed body parts come to life and disjointed hands start grabbing the hero's feet...
> > 4. Does the character have to have been ignored by opposing contest
> > participants to have a chance?
>
> Maybe not IGNORED, but they shouldn't have had to make a roll for a
> round in reply to enemy action.
The wording is "Free from attention" - if victorious Bob says "I'll keep an eye on Joe to make sure he doesn't have anything up his sleeve", then Joe isn't free from attention. It is assumed that Bob can act to prevent Joe from doing whatever he was about to do, because he has the drop on him. If, however, Bob says "Okay, Joe is down, I'll go help Frank", then Joe *is* free from attention.
Basically, to keep people from using a Final Action, you need to spend an action "keeping an eye on him". I might allow a single person to "keep an eye on" two or three defeated foes, assuming they were together in a group, not spread out where he'd have to keep moving his eyes/head to "cover" them (that's a situation used in a lot of movies - our hero waits until he guard is looking elsewhere to make his bid for freedom).
The reason for this part of the rule is that you need time and effort to perform the final action, and if someone is making sure to keep an eye on you, then you won't have the opportunity. War movies often have the scene where the bad guys are wiped out by grenades/submachinegun fire in a close assault. The victorious squad sweeps into the room, and sets up a command post/starts looting the bodies/relax after the tension of combat - when a "dead" soldier opens up with a grenade/submachinegun of his own, wiping out the Best Friend of the central character. Had the soldiers taken the precaution of administering the coup de grace (a bullet to the head for everyone), or policed up the room immediately, the "dead" guy wouldn't have had a chance. Another example is the "surrendering prisoners with a gun/grenade" scenario, where a minor victory is marred by death and destruction (the prisoners usually end up shot - many times...). This is usually accomplished because the winning side is lax in their security precautions.
> > 5. If the character is an animist and they deploy a new spirit with
> > their action (after they made the ability roll) they might end up
> > with positive AP, and hence be back in the contest. (I think this
> is
> > OK.)
>
> I would certainly allow that (I intend to use it, many, many
> times...), in fact the whole idea is to use some - any - ability to
> regain positive AP. No idea what the HQ Animist rules will change
> though.
Popping a fetish to get AP is a perfect use of a Final Action.
Note that a final action doesn't have to just be used to get you back into the contest - using a FA to save the life of another at the expense of your own is a Narratively Good use, as is pushing "The Button" to cancel the Final Countdown, or leaping into the half-formed interdimensional rift to disrupt the ritual....
> > 6. Does it change in HQ?
In the Convulsion-era draft of the rules, the differences are: 1) that the resistance to the "relevant ability" is the negative AP of the hero. (it's a lot easier to accomplish an FA if your only winded, than if you're dieing) 2) The results can range from gain 2x the AP of the relevant ability (on a complete success) to drop to the next level of defeat (complete failure). Ties & Marginals are "no effect".
Again, use what is Narratively Good - if Joe says "I'll use my final action to crawl over to the chalked summoning circle and erase part of a line so the Demon can't form up, then die" you might decide to not bother with a roll - *if* Joe's sacrifice is Narratively Good - by which I mean that the rest of the heroes are not likely to get to the summoning circle, and Joes action comes late enough in the contest that *everyone has had a good time* and everyone is likely to cheer when he does it. If its only the second round of the contest, and it is the climactic battle, and Joe did something incredibly stupid (to be down to dying in the first round has to have been either remarkably bold and heroic but doomed by bad die rolls, or incredibly stupid...), and it would mess up your fight with the multi-headed demon with a weak spot that Bill has the answer to, then make him roll, or say "The weasel-faced apprentice smiles at you, daring you to do something..." (or coup de grace the hero, but that's a rather extreme action, and only to be used by complete psychos or against really annoying players...)
RR
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