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View Full Version : Scratch-Built System Concept - Need Help



Geordnet
2013-04-14, 11:15 PM
Right, so I've been musing around about a particular concept for a combat system, and I was wondering how it might be implemented.


Basically, the idea is this:
In melee, the attacker an the defender each roll multiple dice. Each die that rolls the specific target number or less is a "hit" or a "block". The number of hits minus the number of blocks is the damage dealt.

Right, so far it's simple. But it gets more complicated, by adding multiple die sizes (smaller would be better), adjusting the target numbers, etc.


For weapons, I'd figure that the power of a weapon would be represented by the number of dice rolled, with the accuracy reflected by their size. For example:
{table]Die|Catagory|Basic To-Hit|Max To-Hit|Examples
d20|Impractical|3|8|Signpost, Large Rock, BFS, Shield Bash
d12|Unwieldy|3|7|Greataxe, Maul, Off-Hand Weapon
d10|Balanced|3|6|Longsword, Handaxe, (realisticly-sized) Mace
d8|Nimble|3|5|Shortsword, Rapier
d6|Uncanny|3|4|Dagger, Martial Arts
d4|Preternatural|3|3|Lightsaber, Living Weapon[/table]

Certain Skills/Feats/Abilities/Whatever would be able to effect these rolls in various ways. (I should mention that I'm going classless now.) I'd prefer to work in terms of the effects first, then matching the flavor.

I noticed that adding additional dice would favor more accurate weapons, while increasing the target number would help with less accurate but more powerful ones. So, adding more dice would probably be for a "dexterous" type fighter, while adding to the to-hit number would be for a "strength" type one.

Beyond that, there are several more things that could be done, such as reducing the opponent's defence or attack dice. There's just so many possibilities, I don't know where to go from here.



Oh, and I should mention now that I wish to make physical combat the main focus of the game, with magic primarily in a support role. (That doesn't mean no fireballs, just that a sword would be better in most situations.)