Wolf's Bane duel (Book 19 spoilers)

[bittermind]

A couple of question marks came up for me during the duel with Wolf's Bane in Book 19. I was wondering if anybody could help clear a few things up for me.

The fight wasn't so difficult, in fact, but I'm still curious about these points...

Cited here the original text from Section 304 of Book 19, the duel: -

The Duel: Lone Wolf vs. Wolf's Bane

The Combat Ratio for the duel is −4. This ratio takes account of all bonuses which may apply (e.g. Grand Weaponmastery with Sword, psychic attacks, and Special Items). Wolf's Bane's ENDURANCE score is identical to your current ENDURANCE score, unless you possess a Bronze Disc. If you possess this Special Item, you may reduce your enemy's ENDURANCE by 4 points before the commencement of combat.

Conduct the combat using the normal combat procedure. However, should Wolf's Bane's ENDURANCE be reduced to 10 or less, do not continue any further with the fight.

Some questions about this: -

1) The combat ratio of -4 takes into account 'all psychic attacks'.

• Should I interpret that to mean that Wolf's Bane is immune to psychic attacks (if so, then why not specifically say so?)?
  
• Or, given that I probably have Kai-surge by Book 19, should I assume that I automatically use Kai-surge, and accordingly reduce my Endurance by 1 point each round? (If so, Kai-surge will presumably cut off if I reach 6 Endurance.)
  
• Can I use Kai-blast against Wolf's Bane and, if so, should I adjust the combat ratio to -12 for that round?
  

2) Wolf's Bane gives you a rapier to use before the combat. Is it magical? If not, can I use the advanced Grand Weaponmastery ability to make its edge burn, causing an extra 1 Endurance damage each round (for Sommerswerd wielders, this may be the only chance to use this ability...)?

3) Wolf's Bane has the same current Endurance score as Lone Wolf at the beginning of this fight. This raises a couple of points.

• If you're wearing Kagonite Chainmail and Silver Bracers, does Wolf's Bane also benefit from the +2 Endurance you receive from these items?
  
• If you begin the duel with 10 Endurance points or less, Wolf's Bane will begin with that same score. Does this mean that you immediately turn to the next section, without ever rolling for combat results?
  

That's all, I think. Any thoughts?

[moonblade]

1. I think that the combat ratio of -4 is just that, no more, no less. He is 4 points over you regardless of whatever psychic attacks you may use. I would assume that he is immune to the average or even the above-average psychic manuevering (he's a talented bugger) but you never know, I guess.

2. If my interpretation of rule no. 1 is correcct, then you causing your sword to burn would probably just make him do the same thing, keeping the ratio at -4.

3. I don't remember the book in its entirety, but I seem to recall that there's a spot very near the fight that gives you back at least 4 EP ... I'm guessing that Dever assumed the odds of you meeting WB in a severely weakened state are slim? In any case, you should probably fight one round at the very least to be sporting.

[bittermind]

I think you're right on him being immune to all psychic attacks. That was how I played it my last run-through.

The Grand Weaponmastery ability to make your weapon burn doesn't affect Combat Skill, though; it only adds 1 point to any damage you do. So the Combat Ratio wouldn't change, but you'd do slightly more damage.

You're right on point 3 - you say a prayer to Kai and Ishir before you face him and you get back at least 4 End. Possibly you can get more; I rolled a poor random number, so I went to the worst option.

Though to be honest, I had Curing, so I was already on maximum Endurance last time I fought him. And even playing it straight, no added Weaponmastery damage, no combat Curing or Deliverance, a -4 ratio was enough to easily beat him.

[robecoyote]

I think it's a way of having the fight as fair as possible. After all, we all know 0/0 Combat Ratio is still slanted towards LW. I don't see a problem with being unable to change that modifier. I don't think it's a case of Wolfs Bane being immune to the psychic stuff, just he'd use it back against you, equalling the ratio again. And if both of you are using Kai Surge and losing 1 EP a round, it all pretty much balances out anyway, so why make the combat more difficult for terms of book-keeping.

Even so, with a reasonably balanced fight, LW probably has a couple of aces up his sleeve.
1) Get below 8 EP during the fight and you get an immediate boost heal of +20 EP, from either Grandmaster Curing, or Deliverance (If you have them. And let's face it, anyone playing Bk 19 via PA has got the 'veteran advantages' from having all Magnakai benefits)
2) You get the Kai Blast. If things are going *really* badly, you can take a gamble on a Kai Blast to hopefully take him to 10 EP or below. As the entry states immediately turn to a new paragraph once he reaches that state, you can blast him at the start of the round, then (hopefully) defeat him before he can fight you at the further reduced CR for not being able to use a psychic attack that round.

[kai]

1. I used Mindblast, only because it takes away no ep, so why not use it?
2: I used the +1 damage. I'm not sure if wolf's bane can do the same back though. He does have dark versions of the brotherhood spell lightning hand and the old kingdom spell flameshaft, so I don't know.
3. I never noticed because I was always at full health.