I understand that cutoff isn't ment to be an entwine without entwining, it maybe cuts of the escape of people 1/4 of the time. That's fine I don't mind that as it is a powerful spec skill afterall.

What I find is that a failed cutoff wont give a parting blow. So basically cutoff and parting blow cancel each other out. So what is the point of parting blow with cutoff? And what is the point of parting blow if cutoff fails so much?

EDIT: Byrndorf is perfected in cutoff and parting blow, and has the 'gift to the departed' edge, here is a (heavily edited) typical log of cutoff and parting blow interacting, note the lack of parting blows:

You fail to cut off CRIMINALS route of escape with your polearm!
You fail to cut off CRIMINALS route of escape with your polearm!
CRIMINAL has fled!
A generic Guard says 'Your kind is not welcome here'
You fail to cut off CRIMINALS route of escape with your polearm
CRIMINAL has fled!

Dont even get me started on the fight with a certain criminal yeti (sup chancellor, big fan of yours, no insult intended) who fled maybe 20 times for a grand result of one cutoff and zero parting blows yesterday.

Id give up cutoff and have the 20 parting blows anyday.

Forget this post of mine, cutoff and parting blow seem to be working fine. I think it must have been a combination of me having special guards and/or the person not directly fighting me.

Thanks for looking into it though.

Not sure if you noticed, but only one spec gets cutoff. Your other spec or any ol' random weapon could still use parting blow.

I'm a total noob, but I figure if you're only using one spec maybe you need to try experimenting a little more.

You used to be able to get a parting blow on a failed cutoff.

But my basic point is the same:

So basically cutoff and parting blow cancel each other out. So what is the point of parting blow with cutoff? And what is the point of parting blow if cutoff fails so much?

As far as I can tell, you still can.

Also, cutoff success rate is a lot higher than he thinks it is, unless you're piling on the person with a huge gang.

...on the yeti yesterday. But the (heavily editted) log I posted was a one on one, and that is typical of what I see in such cases.

Also, can't you only land a parting blow only if they're aiming at you?

Usually it worked like this:

You fail to cut off Vanir's route of escape with your polearm!
You get in one more shot on Vanir as he flees.
Your parting blow MASSACRES Vanir!
Vanir is writhing in agony.

<802/1038/77%hp 269/335/80%m 453/875/51%mv 15305tnl wilderness raining new 5 PM> chop

You cut off Vanir's route of escape with your polearm!
Vanir is writhing in agony.

<802/1038/77%hp 269/335/80%m 453/875/51%mv 15305tnl wilderness raining new 5 PM>
Vanir dodges your shocking bite.
Vanir's smash MUTILATES you!
You keep Vanir at bay with your polearm.
You keep Vanir at bay with your polearm.
You absorb the force of Vanir's smash with a polished mithril girth.
Vanir is writhing in agony.

<760/1038/73%hp 269/335/80%m 453/875/51%mv 15305tnl wilderness raining new 5 PM>
You cut off Vanir's route of escape with your polearm!
Vanir is writhing in agony.

<760/1038/73%hp 269/335/80%m 453/875/51%mv 15305tnl wilderness raining new 5 PM> You execute a controlled overhead attack with a Thunderlance.
Your chop *** DEVASTATES *** Vanir!
Vanir is convulsing on the ground.

<760/1038/73%hp 269/335/80%m 453/875/51%mv 15305tnl wilderness raining new 5 PM>
Vanir dodges your shocking bite.
Vanir twists himself around your shocking bite.
Vanir dodges your shocking bite.
You parry Vanir's smash.
You keep Vanir at bay with your polearm.
You keep Vanir at bay with your polearm.
You keep Vanir at bay with your polearm.
Vanir is convulsing on the ground.

<760/1038/73%hp 269/335/80%m 453/875/51%mv 15305tnl wilderness raining new 5 PM>
You fail to cut off Vanir's route of escape with your polearm!
You get in one more shot on Vanir as he flees.
Your parting blow MANGLES Vanir!
Vanir is DEAD!!

I would argue that just the echo was busted (saying it failed, when clearly it didn't and Vanir is still in combat), but cutoff lags the victim for the round when successful... And as you can see after Vanir takes the parting blow cutoff succeeds. No echo for failing a parting blow, so I always assumed it was meant to work that way.