Horror Factor Clarification

[zombietots]

If you fail: the character loses initiative (don’t even roll for it), loses one attack/melee action, and cannot defend himself (no parry or dodge) against the creature’s first attack of that melee round.

Does this mean his "first attack" of the melee round as stated, or first attack vs. that particular character?

Sounds like the former to me, but hey, not a master of the system, hence the question.

[Grazzik]

Does this mean his "first attack" of the melee round as stated, or first attack vs. that particular character?

I've always played it as you stated... roll for HF every round, and (if failed roll) cannot defend against the first attack of the round. If the opponent chooses some other target for their first attack, then nothing to worry about.

(Edited)

[Soldier of Od]

I've always played it similar to that, but slightly different, in that you can't defend from the first attacked levelled at you while you are "in shock" for that one action, not just an attack by the horrifying thing. So, if you see a horrible monster and stare dumbfounded for a few seconds, the person to your left could bonk you on your head without you being aware enough to defend. Once you are attacked once, any subsequent attacks can be defended as normal (I think it would be a bit much to allow a whole crowd of attackers get a hit in before the character becomes aware enough of the attacks to defend). Once you get to the second round of actions, you snap out of the horror as normal.

Also (and this might up another can of worms - sometimes I think Palladium Books is 90% worms), but I certainly don't roll for HF every melee round.

[drewkitty ~..~]

first attack vs. that particular character?

This.

[zombietots]

I was never under the impression you rolled every round, just the first initial contact. Also, it plainly states the creatures first attack not anyone else's. The problem I am seeing is, if it is just the 1st attack and the rest of the party engages the creature and defends the stumped PC, will the 1st attack just be negated because the creature is fighting other people?

Also, what of a small horde of say 10 zombies? Would that be 10 first attacks for one failed roll? Or just the first zombie to strike?

[Grazzik]

Let's get this one out of the way

Fortunately, the character only needs to roll for the first melee round

I haven't checked, but probably the same rule is in other PB games. Yet, as I said, how I've run my games is that the roll is made each round, because HF has evolved beyond "Oh! Monster!" horror shock to be more akin to irrational fear, which can build round after round. The fear from the gnashing jaws, fetid breath, and blood-dripping claws to the creeping psychological fear that, as the fight drags on, you may not make it out of the encounter alive. We know that HF has evolved in other ways, such as battlefield trauma, so I incorporated it into a broader idea where players layered in armor can't just shrug off fear so easy.

the creature is fighting other people

I just don't think that it would be common for someone can lose an action, then wallop a monster several times, and then not be able to defend against an attack just because it is the first time the opponent targeted them. Maybe it could happen if the character were simply lashing out irrationally, but that is very context driven. Might require more of a save vs insanity rather than HF in that case, since HF is written to reflect inaction rather than lashing out. It is more likely that the rule was written with the idea that losing the action reflects part of the stun effect and that the opponent is supposed to take advantage of that. So, if a party were focused on the one opponent, it would be fair dinkum for others to draw fire/attacks so that their stunned compatriots can recover from the stun.

when fighting a horde

This is less clear as I've seen different interpretations of how to handle this scenario. My view is that if a single character is dealing with a horde and one HF roll is made, then the stun should only be momentary and only the first attack cannot be defended against. Basically you treat the horde as a single threat that triggers the HF response and gets the same advantage that a single threat would get. Otherwise, hordes and swarms might equate to instakills in most cases with so many undefended attacks.