Mechanics Help

[RichardCranium]

Can someone tell me why my DS dropped so much after changing my stance from advanced to forward?

You swing a fanatic's falchion at a death dirge!
AS: +69 vs DS: +4 with AvD: +34 + d100 roll: +22 = +121
... and hit for 12 points of damage!
Slash to the death dirge's left leg hits high!
Kinda makes your knees weak, huh?
Roundtime: 5 sec.
R>
A death dirge swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +98 vs DS: +80 with AvD: +10 + d100 roll: +92 = +120
... and hits for 1 point of damage!
Hit glances off your hip.
R>
A spectral fisherman just arrived.
R>
You are now in a forward stance.
>
A death dirge swings a closed fist at you!
You dodge just in the nick of time!
>
A death dirge just arrived.
>
You swing a fanatic's falchion at a death dirge!
AS: +61 vs DS: +2 with AvD: +34 + d100 roll: +1 = +94
A clean miss.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
R>
A death dirge swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +98 vs DS: +95 with AvD: +10 + d100 roll: +97 = +110
... and hits for 1 point of damage!
Blow nicks your left hand.
>
A death dirge swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +98 vs DS: +80 with AvD: +10 + d100 roll: +12 = +40
A clean miss.
>
A spectral fisherman thrusts with a trident at you!
AS: +94 vs DS: +65 with AvD: +30 + d100 roll: +99 = +158
... and hits for 37 points of damage!
Hard slash to belly severs a few nerve endings.
You are stunned for 3 rounds!

[Bobmuhthol]

You were fighting multiple opponents, which causes a reduction in DS without a ton of Multi-Opponent Combat skill.

[Apathy]

Multi-opp. The fisherman was the 3rd swing in a round at you so you start seeing DS reduction.

[RichardCranium]

I train in Multi Opponent Combat, but obviously I'm not very high level. At what point do you begin to see a reduction in the reduction?

[Fallen]

I believe it is 10 ranks to negate 1 like level foe. Every rank helps, though.

[RichardCranium]

I've just never seen it fall that drastically, especially after changing to a stance more defensive in nature.

[mgoddess]

A death dirge swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +98 vs DS: +95 with AvD: +10 + d100 roll: +97 = +110
... and hits for 1 point of damage!
Blow nicks your left hand.
>
A death dirge swings a closed fist at you!
AS: +98 vs DS: +80 with AvD: +10 + d100 roll: +12 = +40
A clean miss.
>
A spectral fisherman thrusts with a trident at you!
AS: +94 vs DS: +65 with AvD: +30 + d100 roll: +99 = +158
... and hits for 37 points of damage!
Hard slash to belly severs a few nerve endings.
You are stunned for 3 rounds!

Three hits, all within one round. The second hit dropped your DS by 15, the third dropped it by another 15. From the numbers, I'm guessing you probably don't have the 10 ranks of MoC yet (though, as Fallen said, every rank does help)...which means that the second and third hit wouldn't be reduced.

[Latrinsorm]

You negate an extra opponent at 10 ranks of MOC, 25 ranks, 45 ranks, and every 25 ranks thereafter.

[Apathy]

You negate an extra opponent at 10 ranks of MOC, 25 ranks, 45 ranks, and every 25 ranks thereafter.

Fully negate. Each rank is prorated.