Adding Gymnastic dice to Defence Test

Question

In combat a character can always take a REA+INI test to avoid an incoming attack.

However, the 'Dodge' Interupt Action allows the character to add their Gymnastic Skill dice to the REA+INI defence pool, suffering a -5 penalty to their INI for this benefit.

My question is, can those GYM dice be added after the REA+INI dice have been rolled? Or must it be declared up front prior to any dice being rolled?

For example, a character is shot at, and the assailant gets four hits. PC opts for the standard REA+INI test, but only gets two hits. Can they then add GYM dice to try and gain more hits to negate the shot?

To my way of thinking, the dice pool should be generated prior to rolling. The PC has to make a cost/benefit analysis re using an interrupt action. Adding dice after a failed roll seems cheesy and seems to be counter-intuitive the game mechanics.

If you think you can generate enough hits of REA+INI (because you don't want to take the INI penalty) and subsequently fail the defence test then that should be the cost.

Or have I misinterpreted the application of the dodge rule?

Answer 1

No, you can only make one defense test per attack

You can only use one method of defending yourself against an attack, as explained under Combat Sequence (Core Rulebook, pg. 173):

The defender also declares what method he is using to defend. A standard Defense Test (Reaction + Intuition) is free; for a price, the defender can choose to Dodge (p. 168), Parry (p. 168), Block (p. 168) or go on Full Defense (p. 168).

Dodge (pg. 168) being the reaction that uses your Gymnastics skill to defend yourself:

A character may choose to use her own skill to dodge incoming attacks as an Interrupt Action (see Defending in Combat, p. 188). By decreasing her Initiative Score, the defending character can add her Gymnastics skill to the defense test. This is a one-time add, unlike going on Full Defense (below) which lasts for an entire Combat Turn.

Answer 2

In addition to what ShadowKras's answer already mentioned:

Almost all roleplaying systems depend on a simple order when deciding about the outcome of any action:

1. Declare an Action/ Reaction (I want to dodge)
2. Perform the Action (-5 INI in this case, since you give up your foothold to roll/jump to either side)
3. Determine the outcome of the action (Roll the dice)

Adding the GYM dice to your pool after a failure would mean that the character turned its head slightly and noticed after the bullet hit, that he would have needed to roll away, and then decides to roll away with the bullet already stuck in their shoulder.

If I was the GM in that situation I would let the PC roll to the side and then explain exactly, why that costs a complex action in the next round, since he performed and Gymnastic action in addition to his defence roll. [Kill those pesky cheaters and half gods]