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TornMoon
10/03/2010, 12:22
Perplex is one of those versital powers that when used properly can change the game. It can be used in so many ways it is difficult to know how to use it to its fullness. I would like to focus on when to use it to up your attack, down your opponents def, or up your damage.

Lowering defender's def
If possible (when your opponent's fig is not stealthed and in the perplexers line of fire) lower their defense. This has the same statistical effect as uping your attack, and also gives your other characters a better chance of hitting if you miss.

Raising your attack
Raise your attack only if you cannot lower the defenders def.

Raising your damage
When going against a damage reducer, increasing your damage dealt may be necessary to do any damage, and if so, do it. If you are already going to do at least one damage, it the question arises wheither to increase your chance to hit or increase your damage.

Chance to hit
Wheither you are increasing your attack or lower the defender's def, the result is statistically the same: reducing the result needed on the dice.

What follows is a success rate for the result needed, and change in the chance to hit

12- 2.8%
11- 8.3% +5.6%
10- 16.7% +8.3%
9- 27.8% +11.1%
8- 41.7% +13.9%
7- 58.3% +16.7%
6- 72.2% +13.9%
5- 83.3% +11.1%
4- 91.7% +8.3%
3- 97.2% +5.6%


Using perplex to go from a result needed of 8 to a 7 is your best increase. I wouldn't use perplex to go under a result needed of 5. At times, perplexing may change your result needed from a 12 to a 12 (when your attack is really low and the defender's def is really high). Obviously, perplex the damage in these cases.

pokolo
10/03/2010, 13:04
what about raising YOUR defense!

gfishfunk
10/03/2010, 13:44
Behold the power of MATH!

Also: movement, defense, and range.

Range is great: a lot of folks don't see that coming.

Movement is nice for chargers. The best use in this case is when you have a character push into perplex, then on the same turn perplex movement up to make a charge. Generally, it catches completely by surprise.

For Defense, that same chart would come in handy. The best use of perplex would be to up the defense value so that instead of a 7, and 8 would be needed to hit. However, if you are upping defense it is probably because either no characters who were perplexable could attack, or because your combat values do not need the bump, and perplexing damage would be a waste ("Ha! Five damage on Mary Jane!"). There are other scenarios, too, I guess.

EDIT: rep to Tornmoon. Great analysis.