Combat Mechanics and Comments

[Yaw]

Physical Combat

Combat is turn-based, with alternating attack/defend cycles.

In each cycle, we compare the number generated by the attacker with that generated by the defender to determine if the attacker hit successfully.

Attack = weapon skill + related attribute + d10
Defend = evasion + CRD + d10

To hit, attack > defend.

Now, if a player is carrying a shield, that adds to the defense, but also negatively affects his/her CRD as follows.

Buckler: Defend + 1
Small Shield: Defend + 3, CRD - 1
Large Shield: Defend + 5, CRD - 2
Tower Shield: Defend + 7, CRD = 0

Note that the CRD penalty will affect attacks, if the weapon skill used by the shielded person is dependent on CRD.

If an attack is successful, it will do damage. The base damage is dependent on the kind of weapon being used. This is deducted from a player's Hit Points.

Hit Points = STR + CRD

In addition, the kind of weapon being used can influence whether the attacker scores a critical hit. A critical hit is scored if the value of the attack is a greater than the defense by a significant amount. If a critical hit is scored, more damage is done.

In table form, this means:

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                                 Light                    Medium                 Heavy
                                                                                 
Base Damage                       1                          2                     3
                                                                               
Critical Slashing                 2                          3                     4
                                                                               
Critical Piercing                 3                          4                     5
                                                                               
Critical Bludgeoning              2                          3                     4

With:

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                                               Criterion

Critical Slashing                        Attack >= 1.5*Defend

Critical Piercing                        Attack >= 2*Defend

Critical Bludgeoning                     Attack >= 2*Defend

All that remains is to categorize weapons. Basic ideas for each category are below, but these can be extended to fit anything a character happens to be using, and any style they are using.

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                                      Light                  Medium               Heavy

Slashing                              Dagger                  Sword               Battle-ax,
                                                              Hand ax             Two-handed sword

Piercing                                                      Spear
                                                              Arrow

Bludgeoning                           Fists                   Staves              Maul (war hammer)
                                                              Mace
                                                              Morning star

Adding in an element of damage proportional to STR was raised as a possibility, but we'll see how this runs as is, and we can always figure that out and add it during testing.

Characters are able to withdraw from combat at any point, if they so desire. We might want to work out a point at which NPCs withdraw (dependent on the NPC).

Magickal Combat

Similar idea to physical combat, but using magickal abilities.

Attack = Sorcery + POW + d10
Defend = Sorcery + PUR + d10

In addition, one can defend a spell that is mind affecting by
Defend = Willpower + PUR + d10

The concept of "damage" hasn't been worked out here yet, so comments on that are welcome. There's also the issue of magickal vs. physical combat (a fighter fighting a sorcerer) to be worked out, as well as possibly ideas of range (for archery), and what non-Sorcery magickal abilities might do in combat.

[Mojo]

You didn't mention how the combat initiative is calculated.

And I don't see what the problem with magickal vs. physical combat. The fighter will use physical attacks and the sorcerer will use phsical defence while the sorcerer will use magickal attack and the fighter will use magickal defence.

[Yaw]

Ok, initiative. (I'm doing this intuitively, so it's open for discussion.)

Whoever declares combat gets the first attack. This can be overturned if a player that is being attacked is successful in reacting in a timely manner. That is, the defending player will do an automatic check against his/her observation skill (which Dourgrim defined in the RPG thread as being related to reaction times).

Reaction = ACU + Observation + d10 >= 15

I think that will set it at a level where it's possible to get for someone with a good ability to react at first (a bit of Observation + decent ACU + a lucky roll), and will get easier in time as players raise their ACU and Observation levels. The 15's open for discussion, and we can see what works best here, but the number

must

be greater than 10 -- it should take

some

skill to overturn initiative, and everyone's going to have some ACU. We also want it at a level where that die roll matters a bit even to experienced players, as I don't think having auto-initiative is reasonable.

[Mojo]

about the reaction - what if we have a dual and they both with weapons drawn?
and what about magick combat reaction, is it the same as normal combat reaction?

and about magick combat. let's say someone casts fireball at me, can I dodge it with a good Evasion role?

and one last question. if I use conjuration type of magick, will I be able to conjure an anvil just above my opponents head in combat?

[Yaw]

about the reaction - what if we have a dual and they both with weapons drawn?

Oh, so two people agreeing on a duel? I guess we can compare reactions against one another...

and what about magick combat reaction, is it the same as normal combat reaction?

I guess it should be.

Not sure about the latter two questions. We have to figure that out.

[jeep]

I know, I'm spying, but I'm thinking that magic knowledge should come into play there. Someone who knows nothing of magic, might not notice that a person is getting ready to do anything...

I know it's too complex but something more like:
ACU + (Observation + Magic Knowledge)/2 + d10...

Also, is it correct to compare it to a fixed number? In the case of a duel, is then it's simply a matter of speed (compare CRD?) ... in the case of an ambush then it's a matter of if the target sees it (perhaps vs fixed number?)... in the case of a chance meeting, it's a matter of who response faster (Compare ACU+CRD?)...

Just some random thoughts from someone who has a lot less knowledge of how the game will work thay y'all do.

-JEEP

[Yaw]

Actually, I'll take whatever feedback's out there. I know I'm not Dourgrim, and I know I'm trying to cobble this together in a vacuum at the moment.

I think it's best to keep things relatively simple in terms of rolls -- one skill rather than multiple skills being tested at a time. That said, Observation might not be the best skill for reaction to a magickal attack. Perhaps Intuition (EMP) instead? From answers Dourgrim's given in the RPG thread, Observation is definitely the usual reaction skill. It does make sense to me for a physical combat that isn't agreed upon by all parties beforehand to have initiative based on intent to attack vs. reaction, and reaction vs. reaction for duels. Might be better to just make the latter standard, though -- the former would also depend upon the skill of the attacker, which isn't being considered.

We are going to have to better define Sorcery and Conjuration. These should be left relatively open, but I think we need to at least categorize the kinds of effects that could be generated so that we can deal with them as mods. With the latter, I'm not so much worried about the anvil-on-head scenario as I am about the summoning-a-random-creature-in-the-middle-of-combat scenario. I expect the players to be creative, and it is rather nasty for mods to suddenly have to create NPC sheets on the fly for summoned creatures -- that aren't a given race -- they didn't anticipate. That's bound to be more problematic than a big fireball.

[Mojo]

We can say that in order to summon a creature you have to be in full concentration, and you can't reach this level of concentration in a middle of a combat.

And I don't think that magick reaction should involve the magick knowledge skill, because the knowledge skill, for my opinion, is used to identify spells and not to anticipate if someone is going to use magick.

I think that in physical combat, the one with his weapon drawn should be given the attack priority, and if they both with weapon drawn, than with should compare reactions and the one with the highest reacts first.

[Yaw]

Ok, let's put magickal combat last on the list. I can see this is going to be an issue.

So...

Test 1 -- Two people, one modding. Player vs. NPC in physical combat. Person controlling the NPC is the mod. Everything done in thread, although NPC character sheet should NOT be visible until combat has ended.

Test 2 -- Three people, one modding. Player vs. Player in physical combat. Mod not involved in combat, but takes choices from players and calculates as required. Everything done in thread, both character sheets visible.

Test 3 -- Regular gameplay. Moving around. Three people, one modding. Threads set up by character. Test of timing in moving from place to place. Attempt to get both characters to meet up in the same place at the same time.

Test 4 -- Regular gameplay. Moving around. Four people, two modding. Threads set up by place, split up by mod. Test of timing in moving from place to place. Attempt to get both characters to meet up in the same place at the same time.

Test 5 -- Magickal combat. Hope Dourgrim is back by this time...

Sound decent?

[Yaw]

Jeep has written us a standardized d10 roller. It can be found at http://www.mafiascum.net/forum/d10.php We'll be using that for testing and gameplay.

Thanks Jeep!

[Kerplunk]

I'm ready to begin.

[Yaw]

Ok, let's start test 1 on Monday. Anyone with access to this forum is welcome to sign up below this post. On Monday we'll have those signed up split off into pairs with one "mod" and one "player" (all random), and start new threads to see how the fights work out.

/in for test 1

[Kerplunk]

/in for test 1

Is it necessary to be online on certain times?

[Mojo]

/in for test 2 (preferebly as mod)

[Yaw]

Is it necessary to be online on certain times?

No. And it shouldn't be necessary to screw up your sleeping schedule to be a mod in the RPG as a matter of principle. Some of these combats may go slower than others because of time zone issues, but I don't think that's a bad thing -- in fact, it would give us a good idea of how the RPG would go in such a situation. Those are bound to arise.

Mojo -- Test 2? That's the player vs. player one, instead of the player vs. NPC. Does that mean you're in or out for the player vs. NPC test starting Monday?

[Mojo]

I thought you needed only 2 players for test 1. And Kerplunk already volunteered.
If you need another one I'll be happy to do it.

[jeep]

I'm happy to test with my char. Obviously I don't get to be a mod, though.

[Mojo]

I have another question.
Let's say I want to disarm my opponent in combat, what do I need to role in order to do that?

[Yaw]

Well, there's no reason we can't run two of test 1 at the same time. Part of the purpose here is to get people familiar with combat mechanics, so the more the merrier.

Let's say I want to disarm my opponent in combat, what do I need to role in order to do that?

Good question. I can't find any skill to indicate disarmament in and of itself. As I see it, disarming your opponent is dependent on having good coordination, and wanting to do it. So, to disarm, let's say this:

You must declare before the next attack that you are trying to disarm your opponent, instead of just injuring him/her.
You must then make a successful critical hit on your opponent,

using your CRD attribute

, not STR.

This seems reasonable to me, because you'd basically have to hit your opponent hard around the hands to disarm him/her. In addition, it would penalize people with high STR scores using axes -- you're more likely to chop a hand off than to disarm your opponent with that kind of weapon, which is only disarmament if you consider the word a pun.

Does that sound workable?

Edited to add -- Since there are two-handed weapons and double weapons, let's make the above per hand.

[Yaw]

Oh, two more things to add. From the bottom of the character-creation sheet:

**** Focus is a abstract representation of a person's "ki" (his ability to harness his Spirit to assist a mundane action). People who do not actively wield magick may still harness the power of their Spirit by making a Focus check to temporarily raise another Ability. Generally these increases only last for one Action, although there are exceptions, as the situation will dictate.
***** Willpower is the ability of a person to resist an effect (magickal or otherwise) that might alter his will, actions, or desires. It is the Skill used to counter mind-control effects, possession by incorporeal undead, and paralyzing effects. It also allows a person to function while seriously wounded (a successful Willpower check allows a character to ignore the effects of his wounds for one Action).

Focus should be fairly easy to incorporate. The only issue here is that an "ability" isn't particularly well-defined. Let's define it as a skill, rather than an attribute (you have to focus

on

something). Then, if desired you can make a focus check prior to a round of combat. This is the usual PUR + Focus + d10 >= number. If successful, the desired skill can be raised by 1 for the round. We just need to set that number. Suggestions?

Willpower presents a bit of an issue. Functioning while seriously wounded would suggest being able to fight if successful in making a Willpower check. We don't at the moment have a variation in ability if a character gets wounded. In addition, hit points (STR+CRD) may be sufficiently low to begin with that setting a constant for unconsciousness/impairment might not make sense (I think it will average around 8 or 9, but likely lower for magickians). Any suggestions for this one?

[jeep]

Focus: What if you want to hold open a door... can't you harness your ki to help you do that?

Willpower: The countering part is easy enough... but maybe you allow one action after reaching no "hit points"...

-JEEP

[Mojo]

How about we do that on a successful focus check, the person get's a +1 or +2 to his next roll.

About willpower. I think we should penalize a person after he reaches 50% of his normal hit points, rounded down. And on a successful willpower check, the person ignores the penelty.
And I like the idea of one action after reaching 0 hit points.

[thorred]

/in for test 1

[Yaw]

That's 5 in. One more can give us three combats.

Focus: What if you want to hold open a door... can't you harness your ki to help you do that?

I think you can focus to do anything better, you just have to define it under a skill. So holding open a very heavy door would probably fit best under unarmed combat (STR), and a Focus check could boost the roll required to pull that off.

How about we do that on a successful focus check, the person get's a +1 or +2 to his next roll.

Well, I was thinking +1 for now, but we can see how that works out with numbers once we actually get into combat. The whole point of testing is to see if we have to make alterations. The outstanding issue here is what a character has to hit as a roll to increase their focus.

About willpower. I think we should penalize a person after he reaches 50% of his normal hit points, rounded down. And on a successful willpower check, the person ignores the penelty.
And I like the idea of one action after reaching 0 hit points.

What about sorcerers, though? They're likely to have fewer points, so the 50% would hurt that kind of character...

I had been assuming 0 meant death. We can define it such that 0 is unconsciousness, which fits in quite well with allowing an additional action after 0 with a successful Willpower check (though as with Focus, we'd have to define the number to roll for this). With that definition, though, what defines death?

[Yaw]

Ok, provisional stuff with the above.

HP = 0 = mortally wounded. So you could fight on at that level, but most people wouldn't be able to.

You can fight on at that level for one more round with a check against Willpower.

Willpower + PUR + d10 >= 14 - HP

So if you happen to hit negative, it gets harder. The other alternative would be to zero out HP (say you can't go negative), but we can see how this one works in testing as is and make adjustments.

Focus can raise a skill (for purposes of a check) for one round by 1, if a check is successful.

Focus + PUR + d10 >= 10 + skill to be raised

So it's easier to raise lower skills than higher ones. We'll see how this works in practice for duration issues.