The Ultimate Block Sacrifice Arms' Option Expansion

[Tor]

Back in RMBp42 the 'Special Missile Defense Tactic' the option was allowed to cover with both arms to take a missile instead of the body. TBH I was not entirely sure how that worked... do you definitely need 2 since it was mentioned plurally, or would 1 be enough to block a missile? If 2, would both take full damage of the missile, or would it be split among them? I figure if you were allowed to block with just 1 that it would make sense to split the damage if using 2, otherwise there would be no reason to use 2.

HU2p82 also has the SMDT, and it too, like RMB, only mentioned robots being able to do this.

RUEp364 has taken to calling the SMDT the "Block Sacrifice" and besides the standard mention of robots, also mentions bionic arms. Specifically "cyborg with bionic arms". That might have a special meaning... like perhaps you need to be at least partial-conversion to do this? I'm left unclear whether or not say, a Headhunter with a single bionic arm, could do this missile defense tactic.

The inclusion of cyborgs isn't that off. I always thought part of the reason why robots could do it was that they were all souped-up with enhanced-human reflexes and speed. Cyborgs also have that.

Outside of logic, I think one reason of convenience it is only these two mentions is because they more often have body part hit locations. Living beings, and most suits of armor, do not.

I do wonder though... if there was someone with cyborg-like reflexes (say, a Juicer, or a hero with Ext/Sonic speed) and they knew the MDC of their arm (there are MDC gauntlets, or that PU1 power which APS's a single limb) or were holding an arm-sized (or bigger-than-arm-sized) object to take the explosion (like say, a tower shield) would you let them do the SMDT/BlockSacrifice technique to stop a missile too?

In whatever case of who is allowed to do it, would you figure that people have to make a parry roll to do this? Or is it just automatic?

I also got wondering, if bionic arms could do this, could the TK-arms used by the CS do this also? Would be a great anti-missile defense use by PsiBat. Or what about heroes with additional limbs? Like say, if a hero with Ext.Speed and Multiple Limbs and Alter Limbs formed his 3rd hand into a shield to 'block sacrifice' a missile.

Also do you think this mention in RUE would also mean that Cyborgs in HU could also block sacrifice, or should this just be exclusively Cyborgs from Rifts Earth due to the higher tech levels? What about Cyborgs in N&SS?

[Alrik Vas]

This originally came from Robotech.

In the series, Skull Leader is in battroid mode and sees a massive volley of missiles coming just after he dropped nukes on a zentradi destroyer and goes, "Oh crap..." Knowing the missiles are too close and he'll never shoot them all down in time, he throws his valkyrie's arms in the way of the volley and survives, though he's knocked unconscious by the ruckus.

Siembieda saw that and went, "People should be able to do that in game, because everyone wants to do the stuff the main character did in the series."

Now it's a "thing" and in more than one game and i really don't know how it should work, either. Personally, i'd let them do it as a last ditch effort to take a missile volley in the arms after failing to shoot them down, but that's just me.

As to cyborgs, using shields and the rest, sure, why not? Just choose your defense before acting. Parry a missile volley that is going to crit you, still die anyway. Seems legit.

[Tor]

You don't necessarily die from losing your arms though, if it were a plasma volley the cauterizing would probably prevent bleedout.

[Alrik Vas]

I meant it does enough damage to kill you anyway. you don't always know that before the damage is rolled.

Plus, losing both arms for an organism generally spells death from shock at the very least. Besides, there are few things plasma wouldn't just kill regardless (as in, if all of you isn't MDC).

[Tor]

Keep in mind this also pertains to HU where arms and body are both SDC Usually the rifts consideration is for MDC shields or MDC bionic arms.

Of course, an MDC creature who can regenerate limbs might opt to do this to keep their main body MDC up, so they could continue to attack with eye or breath attacks.