Post by calithena on Jul 24, 2008 12:22:41 GMT -6
This is my current attempt at an initiative-free combat system, both for OD&D and for the FRPG I'm working on. Comments welcome. I think the d8 is the right size for surprise and I like how the order of actions both tempers the value of surprise and substitutes for 'attack of opportunity' mechanics.
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1. Determine Surprise. In a surprise situation, each side that could be surprised rolls 1d8 against their Surprise Factor. A group’s SF is the lowest SF of any member of that group or, for more extended parties with advance guards, the lowest SF of any member in the front 30’ of that group. SF = 3 for no or leather armor, 2 for chain mail, and 1 for plate mail; monsters are determined on a case by case basis but should normally be 2 and only rarely higher than 3. Some character abilities and magic items may add to SF.
If one side rolls their SF or under on 1d8 and the other does not (either because they rolled high or did not get a roll), then that side gets surprise for a number of rounds equal to the number rolled. If both sides roll their SF or under on 1d8, then the lower roll should be subtracted from the higher roll, with the higher roll achieving surprise for that number of rounds. In the case of tied surprise rolls, neither side is surprised.
Example: A party of six adventurers sends their elf (in chainmail and elven cloak, SF 3) and thief (in leather armor with high dexterity, SF 4) 30’ in front of the rest of the party as an advance guard unit. This pair has an SF of 3. They are sneaking up on a group of standardly armored orcs who the GM decides are unruly and making a mess (SF 1, down from 2 for their condition) Both sides roll 1d8 as the thief and elf sneak forward. The party rolls a 2, while the GM rolls a 6. The thief and elf signal the presence of the monsters and the party has 2 rounds of free actions before the orcs also act. If the orcs had rolled a 1, the party would have gotten only one round of surprise instead.
2. Each round resolve actions in the following order. In surprise rounds only one side acts; in other sorts of rounds both sides act.
A. Melee. All characters who can reach another with a melee weapon in their hands make their attack(s). After attacking they can shift 1 square/hex if desired. Attacks are resolved simultaneously. If a PC kills a foe who scored a hit on him, he may make a saving throw vs. petrification to get out of the way of the opposing blow before damage is actually taken. Otherwise all damage is applied directly based on hit rolls.
B. Missiles. All characters who have them ready may shoot missiles at any target they can see. After shooting they can shift 1 square/hex if desired. All missile fire is resolved simultaneously and damage from such cannot be avoided regardless of the outcome of one’s own missile fire.
C. Magic. All spell-casting characters may cast any spell (of CT equal to or less than their movement score – this is part of my system-in-development, ignore for OD&D & similar games) they know. If they have taken damage in phases A or B they must roll OVER the amount of damage they have taken on 1d20 in order to successfully cast. All spells are cast simultaneously (there’s a ‘free and clear’ issue here for counterspells I need to consider more) and the results applied directly. A mage who slays another mage with a spell does not take damage from that mage’s spells him- or herself, but the spell still goes off, and if it is an area effect or multiple target spell all other targets will take effect. (This means that if two mages blow fireballs at each other and both max the others’ hit points, neither takes damage, though most of the minions around them may be blown to smithereens. This represents spell-shields, charms, and the like.) After casting they can shift 1 square/hex if desired.
D. Movement and Other Actions. Characters who have not acted in any of the previous phases may now move up to their movement rate, or take other actions adjudicated by the DM, which count against movement on a 1:1 basis. You may move away from or around foes freely but moving through them may take die rolls or even just be impossible. You may not end your movement in the same square/hex with another foe.
Thoughts/comments?
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1. Determine Surprise. In a surprise situation, each side that could be surprised rolls 1d8 against their Surprise Factor. A group’s SF is the lowest SF of any member of that group or, for more extended parties with advance guards, the lowest SF of any member in the front 30’ of that group. SF = 3 for no or leather armor, 2 for chain mail, and 1 for plate mail; monsters are determined on a case by case basis but should normally be 2 and only rarely higher than 3. Some character abilities and magic items may add to SF.
If one side rolls their SF or under on 1d8 and the other does not (either because they rolled high or did not get a roll), then that side gets surprise for a number of rounds equal to the number rolled. If both sides roll their SF or under on 1d8, then the lower roll should be subtracted from the higher roll, with the higher roll achieving surprise for that number of rounds. In the case of tied surprise rolls, neither side is surprised.
Example: A party of six adventurers sends their elf (in chainmail and elven cloak, SF 3) and thief (in leather armor with high dexterity, SF 4) 30’ in front of the rest of the party as an advance guard unit. This pair has an SF of 3. They are sneaking up on a group of standardly armored orcs who the GM decides are unruly and making a mess (SF 1, down from 2 for their condition) Both sides roll 1d8 as the thief and elf sneak forward. The party rolls a 2, while the GM rolls a 6. The thief and elf signal the presence of the monsters and the party has 2 rounds of free actions before the orcs also act. If the orcs had rolled a 1, the party would have gotten only one round of surprise instead.
2. Each round resolve actions in the following order. In surprise rounds only one side acts; in other sorts of rounds both sides act.
A. Melee. All characters who can reach another with a melee weapon in their hands make their attack(s). After attacking they can shift 1 square/hex if desired. Attacks are resolved simultaneously. If a PC kills a foe who scored a hit on him, he may make a saving throw vs. petrification to get out of the way of the opposing blow before damage is actually taken. Otherwise all damage is applied directly based on hit rolls.
B. Missiles. All characters who have them ready may shoot missiles at any target they can see. After shooting they can shift 1 square/hex if desired. All missile fire is resolved simultaneously and damage from such cannot be avoided regardless of the outcome of one’s own missile fire.
C. Magic. All spell-casting characters may cast any spell (of CT equal to or less than their movement score – this is part of my system-in-development, ignore for OD&D & similar games) they know. If they have taken damage in phases A or B they must roll OVER the amount of damage they have taken on 1d20 in order to successfully cast. All spells are cast simultaneously (there’s a ‘free and clear’ issue here for counterspells I need to consider more) and the results applied directly. A mage who slays another mage with a spell does not take damage from that mage’s spells him- or herself, but the spell still goes off, and if it is an area effect or multiple target spell all other targets will take effect. (This means that if two mages blow fireballs at each other and both max the others’ hit points, neither takes damage, though most of the minions around them may be blown to smithereens. This represents spell-shields, charms, and the like.) After casting they can shift 1 square/hex if desired.
D. Movement and Other Actions. Characters who have not acted in any of the previous phases may now move up to their movement rate, or take other actions adjudicated by the DM, which count against movement on a 1:1 basis. You may move away from or around foes freely but moving through them may take die rolls or even just be impossible. You may not end your movement in the same square/hex with another foe.
Thoughts/comments?
