This thread was actually started by Mort:
You mentioned doing called shots in D&D and how it is not possible. Basically combat in D&D is pretty much limited to hitting things in a few different ways. I've been pondering how one could make the fights a bit more fun and involved. Of course feats goes a certain way towards doing this, but still not adding that extra oomph to combat.
I was thinking maybe a system like the stunt system from Exalted could be used, where especially cool or clever maneouvers gives you extra dice in your dice pool, but there are a few things that doesn't really fit with D&D.
First off, the stunts in Exalted are serious action style affairs, the more over the top the better, this might fit with D&D oriental adventures, but probably not in Forgotten Realms. So the actuall stunts themselves would have to be toned down a notch or two.
Second things is that D&D doesn't use dice pools at all, so some other bonus would have to be given, perhaps a slightly increased attack bonus/AC depending on the feat, or maybe give a once off access to a feat (improved trip etc for really good stunts.)
Of course, this would give D&D combat a very different feel, which some people might not like, but it would definately take away that old roll, roll, hit, miss, roll damage, wait, roll, roll monotony of combat.
Archived comment by me:
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea.
To suitably model it, allow me to suggest a mechanic swiped from d20 Modern: Action Points.
The idea is that each character has a pool of action points. These are spent to activate stunts, and once they're gone, they're gone for good. You get a bunch of action points at first level, and an additional number each time you go up a level. The exact number is something like d* + level/2, where the actual dice type varies by class.
Anyway, in d20 Modern, you spend an action point, and get to add a 1d6 roll to your roll for any task for which you use d20 to resolve (ie an attack roll, but not a concealment miss chance). Action points can also be used to activate class features, but we'll ignore this for our purpose. I may be wrong about the specifics: I don't really care enough to go look.
Anyway, for our purpose, I suggest granting 1d8 action points to Fighters, Monks and Rogues (the swashbuckler types), 1d6 to Paladins, Rangers, Barbarians and Bards, and 1d4 to Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers and Wizards.
To use an Action Point, you declare your intention to do so, and describe the specific action you plan on taking. The DM then determines if this is Ordinary, Extra-ordinary, Outstanding or Classic in scope. Each category grants a bonus to the d20 roll, as follows:
Ordinary: 0. The Action Point is still lost, though.
Extra-ordinary: +1d6
Outstanding: +2d6
Classic: +3d6
Naturally, the definitions of the four categories need worked on. And, it should become harder to qualify for the higher categories as you go up in level.
Naturally, the declaration of Action Point expenditure must come before the d20 is rolled. Since one of our goals is to encourage exciting play, the difficulty for these actions should not be increased (we're not going for realism here). Oh, and it's advised that characters only gain Action Points when they go up in level, or else they could well get out of hand.
As a variant, allow the same modifiers apply to non-d20 rolls, but require double the expenditure of Action Points in this case. So, you can increase your damage roll, but it will cost you.
Archived comment by Mort:
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, I forgot about the d20 Modern Action Points. (Hereby referred to as AP.)
The only problem I have with this is that the amount of AP you have is an absolute definite number, from experience this means that players will only use them on two occasions:
1) Never
and
2) When fighting teh big ugly[tm]
This comes from several years of playing Star Wars d6, where you physically have to whack the players over the head to get them to spend their force points. I've actually had people refusing to use them even though they were facing certain death, on the grounds that they would loose the point forever.
If you have to ration your action points you will end up with very interesting boss fights, but the same old dull hack and slashing on the way there. You wouldn't use an AP on a goblin if you might meet an ogre around the corner would you?
On the other hand, I was thinking of bonuses in the range of one to, in extreme cases, three, not the 3d6 AP would give you, which admittedly is a shitload.
Maybe we could find a middle ground, where you can do cool stuff even when fighting mooks?
This idea comes from playing Feng Shui this weekend, which is a game where everything goes, as long as you look cool doing it.
Archived comment by me:
ReplyDeleteI take the point on the AP thing - perhaps give out 1d6 at the start of each session, which must be spent that session or lost? Alternately, just allow them to use them whenever, but that might prove unbalancing.
The problem with giving out a +1 to +3 bonus is that it's not really noticable when compared to all the other bonuses, and therefore might not be worthwhile. Hence my suggestion of +1d6 to +3d6. (Of course, the +3d6 would only be under extreme circumstances.)
I have to go now.