Some questions for parrying and riposte:
When determining damage for riposte, do you use the weapon base damage (e.g., DM+2 for Fencing Sword), or do you add Attack Specialist (another DM+2) as well?
What if your opponent has not enough successes to hit you, can you automatically parry and riposte, or does he need to hit you?
Thanks, Peter

Since Talent bonuses don't stack, I wouldn't think you could add your Attack Specialist DM bonus to Riposte.

But here is a wrinkle. Since Vicious Riposte is a trick, not a talent, you COULD add the Attack Specialist bonus to that maneuver, plus the Trick's +2 DM bonus (+4 DM total!). It costs you a wager though, so I can see where it wouldn't render the Talent obsolete. Plus, Vicious Riposte is a Heroic trick for Fencing Swords. Nasty, nasty, nasty!

Since Riposting requires you to beat your opponent's Damage roll with a Parry reaction, no riposting a failed attack. That makes sense, as otherwise when would you NOT riposte?

Granted, I'm not Eric. But those things seem clear to me.

Tom

But Riposte doesn't give you a bonus, just the normal weapon damage. So, not 100% sure on that one, maybe Eric, please?

Just to clarify, parrying goes against an opponent's damage pool, not his damage roll.

I'd say in the first case that Riposte is not providing a bonus to the weapon's DM, and therefore anything that gives a bonus to a weapon's DM would be included in Riposte.

I agree that you can't Riposte an attack which misses. There's the bit about "after your opponent determines his success" on page 116, which says that the opponent has to succeed for any of the rest to happen.

Well I'm sure Eric will clear things up. I think it's a really fine line to say "talents don't stack, except..." But I can see the logic in the contrary. But since Riposte allows a damage roll, not an action, I would think the no stacking rule still applies.

If it doesn't, I think we're going to have to comb through the talents list and find any other exceptions to the rule. Blah. All the more reason to say no.

Tom

I believe that the intent of the "bonuses do not stack" rule (on page 183, for reference) is to prevent someone from taking something like Expertise (Reflexes) and Incredible Reflexes for a total of +3 when dodging or parrying.

Riposte provides the opportunity for a damage roll which uses a weapon's DM; Attack Specialist modifies a weapon's DM. They are not providing bonuses to the same thing. Riposte is not a bonus at all.

The Parry Focus is rolled against a damage pool, so yes, it requires a successful attack to trigger the Reaction.

Riposte does not create a "bonus". It adds to nothing. Basically is just permits a damage roll in a specific instance - and that damage roll is smaller than most (no ability added to it)

Attack Specialist adds to the Damage Modifier.

There is no conflict about stacking bonuses to be found. This is not an exception in any form.