Priority Moves

Background

Priority Moves are the ability to act before an opponent regardless of speed or statistics differences. Normally a priority move gives one a speed advantage they don't have with their regular moveset. Priority Moves operate on a separate system of action order; the user's actions happen first unless the opponent has a priority move of their own. This allows them to strike first even against opponents who are demonstratably faster.

This can be considered a sub-ability of Speed Transcendence, however, that operates outside the concept of speed entirely. Priority Moves are based off an action order where no matter how much faster then opponent is then the user, if they have a priority move they will act first, where certain actions are assigned higher priority than others. The user does not need to be faster; they simply act first by rule.

The mechanic is most commonly seen in video games with turn-based or action-order systems, where certain moves are flagged as having increased priority. In narrative contexts, this may manifest as a character who always seems to act first in combat, regardless of the opponent's capabilities.

Also Called

• Priority
• First Strike
• Action Priority
• Turn Priority
• Timeline Priority
• Preemptive Strike

Possible Uses

• First Strike: The user attacks before the opponent can act. This could end the fight/give them a significant advantage before the opponent can respond.

• Interruption: This can be used to interupt an opponents turn entirely, making them unable to attack.

• Guaranteed Opening: As a priority move cannot be normally blocked, the opponent could be live open to attacks with a dropped guard.

• Defensive: The priority move could be used to protect them from an attack before the opponent can even throw it out.

Example Variations

• Velocity Boost: The users ability allows them to move significantly faster then they normally can, allowing them to go above opponents demonstrably faster then them.

• Inherent Priority: Speed has no facto rhere and the relevance is the user's actions always resolve first, regardless of the opponent's speed or abilities.

• Conditional Priority: The user gains priority only under specific conditions, this could include that their attack only works on the first turn, it only works against a specific species or opponent, or it requires a specific move.

• Priority Manipulation: The user directly affects the action order in combat to make it where opponents lose turns and they gain more turns.

Possible Limitations

• The type of priorty move can be countered by another priority move.
• Priority moves may have specific conditions where they fail or no longer operate as a priority move outside of those conditions.
• Priority moves in some cases still have a chance of missing or having bad accuracy.