Verb:WAYLAY
WAYLAY is a mechanical attack verb used to deliver open or aimed melee attacks from hiding using the ambush skill wherein the resulting attack has bonus damage weighting instead of the bonus critical weighting formerly associated with ambush. This attack verb is open to any profession, but given that you must be hidden to use it and the damage bonus is based upon ambush skill, the design intent was for it to primarily be beneficial for rogues, warriors, and rangers who use melee weapons. This verb is an alternate to AMBUSH and ATTACK.
The new mechanic was announced in December 2019 by Senior GameMaster Estild and worked on by GameMaster Naijin and GameMaster Meraki.
Syntax
- WAYLAY {target} {location} attempts to attack the target in the specified location
- WAYLAY {target} attempts to attack the target in the default aiming location specified by the AIM verb (and attacks openly if no default aiming location is set)
H>waylay elemental You step out of hiding to waylay a greater water elemental! You swing a marred falchion at a greater water elemental! AS: +458 vs DS: +240 with AvD: +36 + d100 roll: +72 = +326 ... and hit for 235 points of damage! The water elemental is knocked to the ground! Roundtime: 6 sec.
Mechanics
This mechanic is effectively identical to using a hidden AMBUSH with the ambush skill. The differences are that you must be hidden in order to WAYLAY and the output is bonus damage weighting instead of bonus critical weighting. The bonus damage weighting is equal to the following (DEX bonus + (Ambush skill bonus / 2)), subject to the end roll result of the attack. 100% of the calculated bonus is applied if the end result is at 250, then ±1% for every 2 points below/above 250, capped at ±100%. The bonus damage is subject to randomization and stacks with normal weapon properties (such as additional critical or damage weighting).
In general it is best not to aim when using waylay because if you aim and miss the bonus damage is halved, whereas it is never halved if unaimed.
Strategically, this verb may best be used against critical hit resistant/immune targets such as elementals, non-corporeal undead, and certain boss creatures.
Waylay may also be used in combination with silent strike.
>cman silent waylay You quickly step from hiding to deliver your waylay! You swing with a vultite-bound thick leather blackjack at a dybbuk! AS: +502 vs DS: +179 with AvD: +19 + d100 roll: +57 = +399 ... and hit for 205 points of damage! Whoosh! Several ribs driven into lungs. The dybbuk is stunned! You retreat back into the shadows. Roundtime: 4 sec.
Limitations
Any condition that prevents a character from attacking normally will prevent this verb from working, as will attempting to aim at a nonexistent (e.g., the legs of a worm) or already severed body part.
Size disparity can also prevent aiming at specific body parts. Large characters will not be able to aim at specific parts of small critters (e.g., a human cannot aim at specific parts of a spiked cavern urchin). Furthermore, no character can aim at a part of a creature that, because of size limitations, is out of his or her reach unless they have the appropriate combat maneuver (e.g., a dwarf cannot aim at the head or neck of a giant that is standing up ). The use of longer weapons can somewhat mitigate this.
If you aim your attack and miss the location, you get half of the normal damage weighting bonus.
Waylay provides zero benefit to the off-hand, if the primary hand triggers the associated damage weighting.
>waylay wight You step out of hiding to waylay an arch wight! You swing a jade-hilted tapered vultite bodkin at an arch wight! AS: +231 vs DS: +65 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +1 = +192 ... and hit for 71 points of damage! Well aimed shot almost removes an eye! You swing a jade-hilted tapered vultite bodkin at an arch wight! AS: +212 vs DS: +72 with AvD: +25 + d100 roll: +2 = +167 ... and hit for 42 points of damage! Incredible shot to the eye penetrates deep into skull! You hear a sound like a weeping child as a white glow separates itself from the arch wight's body as it rises, disappearing into the heavens. The arch wight falls to the ground motionless.