A full eight out of ten times I am quite
peachy with the abstract (mostly quick) combat resolution of well-aged edition D&D. The game's primary play arena is granular site exploration
and combat typically runs at the right balancing point. (If you don't
believe me go run Runequest in a dungeoncrawl setting and see how far
you get in a session.)
That said, there are some times when it
just runs flat and anti-climatic. Some of the worst let downs being
one-on-one fights with a hated villain or worthy opponent.
For going on seven years I've noodled
around with a few subsystems to model that kind of fight. The first
Hill Cantons Compendium had options for making a pressed
attack at an AC penalty (and a defense with an AC bonus). By this Axe used a dice pool and included some scaling options. The
following synthesize those with some inspirations from the
interesting combat rules from Heritage's old and obscure John
Carter, Warlord of Mars.
Warning: none of this has been
playtested yet (and I am still working out ways to model fights
involving multiple opponents and missile weapons). If you do find yourself using them,
drop me a line and tell me how it goes!
Dueling Rules
Dueling rules are used for climatic or
otherwise interesting battles between single opponents. Standard
rounds and the standard hit/damage system are used but employ
non-standard options, modifiers and initiative. Players and the GM
write down their option from the following list before the round
starts and reveal them as it begins.
Your Options for the Round:
1. Standard Attack. Vanilla
measured attack, normal modifiers. Opponent taking Concerted Defense
gets an modified attack response, but no Counter.
2. All-Out Attack. Attacker
pushes the limits and trades a furious series of blows—at a cost of
corresponding amount of AC for the round. If she hits and scores
damage at or above the result on the following chart. Opponent taking
Concerted Defense gets a modified attack, but no Counter.
To Hit Option |
AC Penalty |
Damage Inflicted to Stop Counter
|
+1
|
-1
|
5 hp
|
+2
|
-2
|
7 hp
|
+3
|
-3
|
9 hp
|
+4
|
-4
|
11 hp
|
3. Concerted Defense. Character
pulls into a defensive stance, parrying and waiting for an opening to
strike. The character opts for a bonus to his AC, taking a
corresponding penalty to hit for attacks this round. The character
strikes at the end of the round and may gain a Counter (a second
similarly penalized attack in the round) if an All-Out fails to
hit and/or make the minimum damage threshold.
AC Bonus
|
To Hit Penalty
|
+1
|
-1
|
+2
|
-2
|
+3
|
-3
|
+4
|
-4
|
4. Dirty Trick. Character
attempts to throw sand in the face of her opponent, kick in the
nether parts or otherwise distract the opponent (player/GM should go
wild giving flavor for this). On a roll of 1-2 on a d6 the opponent
can not carry through with their option this round (AC is at normal)
and loses the next
round completely if the trickster employs a Standard Attack. (In
other words the trickster can make a free unmodified, uncountered
attack at typical AC the next round).
Who Strikes First in the Round:
1. Character
playing a Dirty Trick. If both characters are doing Dirty Tricks,
automatic no effect for the round and no effect for the next if they
both succeed at their d6 rolls.
2. Character
making an All-Out Attack. If both characters are attacking than
the character with the higher plus modifier strikes first. If tied
than both attacks are simultaneous.
3. Character
making a Standard Attack. If
both characters choose this, then combat is simultaneous.
4.
Character making a Concerted Defense.
A defending player now attacks using their penalized attack. If he is
defending against an All-Out Attack that didn't hit or makes its
damage threshold then the player gets a Counter, a second penalized
attack.
How about doing a combat matrix like you did with Marlinko's tiger figthing subsystem? Nothing beats the suspense of having to choose between actions that might end i catastrophic failure if the enemy picks the right counter.
ReplyDeleteI like this and I like Christian's suggestion, which makes me think of the old Chainmail jousting.
ReplyDelete