After playing a few more games, my players are trying to use combat tasks more often, and we are finding some situations that seem to lack some playtesting (I confess that I'm having this feeling in many parts of the rulebook).
Specifically, about the "Protect companion" task:
1) A player-hero assumes a Defensive stance and rolls BATTLE successfully to protect a companion. "The next attack" aimed at this companion loses 1d (or more). What happens if this companion is not attacked in the current round? I think the rules should say "The next attack, if any, in this round". BTW, something similar could be said about Intimidate Foe and Prepare Shot tasks, where the rules refer to "next attack".
2) A group of 4 player heroes is fighting a troll. One of the heroes, Alice, assumes a Defensive stance and uses Protect Companion successfully to protect her fellow hero, Bob. The Loremaster then decides that the troll attacks other heroes, but it doesn't attack Bob. It seems that Alice has lost her round, since her combat task wouldn't have any effect. I don't know if this is meant to be so, but definitely I don't want it to be so. What do you think? Should Alice be able to choose a companion to protect after the troll chooses a target?
In 1e, Alice could also protect a companion that then was not attacked in the same round, losing the effect of the task. But in 1e, a hero could protect a companion and still attack in their round, so there was no risk of losing the whole round.