It also removes one of the fun parts of the game - using an attack cleverly to circumvent the opponent's principal defence. A player did that in my game - unable to hurt a certain massive fish thing, happening to have a weapon which could deliver electric shocks, he zapped the beastie - what is it's resistance to electric shock? a lot lower than its close combat.
The game benefits from players being rewarded for lateral thinking. If opponents cannot do the same, the players feel a lot more secure than they should. Otherwise, it becomes a Tunnels & Trolls accumulation of d6's - 20d6 plays 14d6. Powergaming etc.
While I understand the Tea Ceremony school of thought - a master of the Tea ceremony could resist an attack with an axe with his tea ceremony 14W3 or whatever, ducking elegantly at the right moment - I would not allow that as a Narrator, you could find an excuse for anything and have immensely one-dimensional characters. I'd not fancy it much as a player either.
Pip pip!
Sam.
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