Coming together nicely
Oct. 26th, 2011 11:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gridloreBeen spending a big part of my copious spare time learning the Pathfinder rules. Especially the combat system. In my experience, combat is the one place where games really bog down into tedious number-crunching and die-rolling, which is the exact opposite of what a combat sequence should be: exciting and desperate as swords clash, guns thunder, and chandeliers are swung from. A GM who knows the rules backwards and forwards really speed things up. Using game aides like maneuver cards and quick-reference feat lists can really speed things up. A thirty-second timer on decisions really moves things long. I have the last, and am working on the first. The middle will come as I get closer to actually running a game.
But I have found one optional rule that I will be using. In the traditional D&D combat system, Armor Class is the sum of all those things that prevent you from taking damage in combat. The actual protective value of your armor, your ability to dodge attacks, any modifier for unusual size, etc. This system has led to some odd situations and the need for variant Ac's, like the "touch" AC, or your AC when flat-footed or caught by surprise. It has also always annoyed me because armor doesn't prevent you from being hit, it just stops the force of the attack from causing wounds. So I'm very happy to see that Ultimate Combat includes an "armor as damage reduction" section. Simply put, rather than a chain shirt adding three to your "AC", the shirts reduces the damage taken after being hit by 3 points. Far more realistic and better for a campaign that is supposed to be more about swashbuckling than armored knights. Dexterity won't be a dump stat for fighters anymore. This also allows me to introduce the concept that arrows and bullets are armor-piercing (as they really are) and further get away from the armored tank concept of a fighter.
Of course I'm one of those GMs who prefers to avoid the dice-rolling for minor fights or brawls. If a player spins a great description of what they want to do, and it fits the situation and the character, I'm usually more than willing to let it happen without the dice screwing things up. It keeps the game moving and is more fun, in my humble opinion.
But I have found one optional rule that I will be using. In the traditional D&D combat system, Armor Class is the sum of all those things that prevent you from taking damage in combat. The actual protective value of your armor, your ability to dodge attacks, any modifier for unusual size, etc. This system has led to some odd situations and the need for variant Ac's, like the "touch" AC, or your AC when flat-footed or caught by surprise. It has also always annoyed me because armor doesn't prevent you from being hit, it just stops the force of the attack from causing wounds. So I'm very happy to see that Ultimate Combat includes an "armor as damage reduction" section. Simply put, rather than a chain shirt adding three to your "AC", the shirts reduces the damage taken after being hit by 3 points. Far more realistic and better for a campaign that is supposed to be more about swashbuckling than armored knights. Dexterity won't be a dump stat for fighters anymore. This also allows me to introduce the concept that arrows and bullets are armor-piercing (as they really are) and further get away from the armored tank concept of a fighter.
Of course I'm one of those GMs who prefers to avoid the dice-rolling for minor fights or brawls. If a player spins a great description of what they want to do, and it fits the situation and the character, I'm usually more than willing to let it happen without the dice screwing things up. It keeps the game moving and is more fun, in my humble opinion.
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Date: 26 Oct 2011 21:38 (UTC)no subject
Date: 27 Oct 2011 12:04 (UTC)GOT used the opposed roll for combat - basically making the hitting of an opponent into more of a Difficulty Check than a static fixed number. GOT along with Conan added a by class/level defense/dodge number that, along with the dex modifier make up the mods for the defenders roll and various situational & conditional mods apply to the attacker's roll. Attacker total higher than defender, hit, otherwise miss.
Conan D/20 added a weapon parry as well as dodge.
Like it much better - armor keeps you from being hurt, not being hit.