martixy
2017-04-05, 05:00 PM
These are the fumble rules I'll be using in the upcoming campaign of mine.
I can't claim they're actually good without extensive playtesting, but they do a few things right.
More specifically:
1. They are completely and utterly optional. This voids most arguments against them, since anyone who dislikes playing with fumbles, can simple CHOOSE not to.
2. As a consequence of the above, if they are to ever see play, there has to be a reason someone would want to use fumbles. That reason is that they are a way(in my game the only way) to acquire action points. A system which is completely reserved for mundanes(and a case of them having nice things).
3. They pass the dummy test with flying colours. If there is no one to take advantage of your fumble, nothing really happens. You cannot cripple, maim or murder yourself. Only help others do so.
4. They offer the players more choices in combat. They increase the range of decisions one can make in combat, thus making it more fun.
5. They have decent roleplay potential(see the fluff).
5.5. I really like the fluff.
* Fumble rules: Characters adopt one of two fighting philosophies - daring or cautious.
- Cautious: You are a technical combatant, you do not take risks. Combat is a calculated, deliberate affair. You never fail too badly, but neither do you take advantage of risky situations to achieve greater things. Rolling a nat1 carries no penalties, other than likely missing your target.
- Daring: You are a bold, audacious fighter. You know there can be no glory without risk. Sometimes you fail miserably and dangerously, but that same guile allows you, every once in a while, to pull off amazing feats of combat prowess. Whenever you roll a nat1, you fumble. Roll on the fumble chart below. Every time you suffer a fumble you gain half an action point.
- Choose one default fighting style for your character. You always start combat in your default style. You can switch between styles as a move action. You can change the default style every time you level up.
- If the fumble is non-applicable in your situation, you do not receive any action points. For a roll of 1(see below), you must have more actions you can take. For 2, there must be at least 1 creature in an adjacent square, 3 and 4, you must have an opponent threatening you. For 5 and 6 your opponent must initiate the attempt.
- Action points cannot be used to augment spellcasting. Otherwise action points function normally.
* Fumble chart: Roll a d6 for the effect. If the effect resolves, you receive 1 action point. You cannot gain more than 1 action point in a single round.
- 1: Fumble - Lose all remaining actions for the round.
- 2: Wild swing/shot - Attack is redirected to an adjacent square(roll to determine if more than 1 creature). This creature is considered concealed against this attack. If it is an ally, it is also considered flat-footed.
- 3: Opening - Provoke Attack of Opportunity.
- 4: Slip up - Flatfooted until the beginning of your next turn.
- 5: Overextend - Opponent gains immediate free disarm/sunder attempt, no AoO allowed.
- 6: Stumble - Opponent gains immediate free grapple/trip attempt, no AoO allowed.
* Critical hits will provide a bunch of interesting effects(using a bunch of physical cards I'll be drawing from).
- When a monster scores a critical hit on you, you may draw 2 cards from the deck and choose which one applies.
Big thanks to these forums for helping me come up with them.
P.S. Bonus bit - we use paizo's critical hit deck. I like to let players draw 2 cards for monsters crits and let them choose what befalls them. It makes things more interesting, lets the DM off the hook and awards another minor bit of agency to the players.
I can't claim they're actually good without extensive playtesting, but they do a few things right.
More specifically:
1. They are completely and utterly optional. This voids most arguments against them, since anyone who dislikes playing with fumbles, can simple CHOOSE not to.
2. As a consequence of the above, if they are to ever see play, there has to be a reason someone would want to use fumbles. That reason is that they are a way(in my game the only way) to acquire action points. A system which is completely reserved for mundanes(and a case of them having nice things).
3. They pass the dummy test with flying colours. If there is no one to take advantage of your fumble, nothing really happens. You cannot cripple, maim or murder yourself. Only help others do so.
4. They offer the players more choices in combat. They increase the range of decisions one can make in combat, thus making it more fun.
5. They have decent roleplay potential(see the fluff).
5.5. I really like the fluff.
* Fumble rules: Characters adopt one of two fighting philosophies - daring or cautious.
- Cautious: You are a technical combatant, you do not take risks. Combat is a calculated, deliberate affair. You never fail too badly, but neither do you take advantage of risky situations to achieve greater things. Rolling a nat1 carries no penalties, other than likely missing your target.
- Daring: You are a bold, audacious fighter. You know there can be no glory without risk. Sometimes you fail miserably and dangerously, but that same guile allows you, every once in a while, to pull off amazing feats of combat prowess. Whenever you roll a nat1, you fumble. Roll on the fumble chart below. Every time you suffer a fumble you gain half an action point.
- Choose one default fighting style for your character. You always start combat in your default style. You can switch between styles as a move action. You can change the default style every time you level up.
- If the fumble is non-applicable in your situation, you do not receive any action points. For a roll of 1(see below), you must have more actions you can take. For 2, there must be at least 1 creature in an adjacent square, 3 and 4, you must have an opponent threatening you. For 5 and 6 your opponent must initiate the attempt.
- Action points cannot be used to augment spellcasting. Otherwise action points function normally.
* Fumble chart: Roll a d6 for the effect. If the effect resolves, you receive 1 action point. You cannot gain more than 1 action point in a single round.
- 1: Fumble - Lose all remaining actions for the round.
- 2: Wild swing/shot - Attack is redirected to an adjacent square(roll to determine if more than 1 creature). This creature is considered concealed against this attack. If it is an ally, it is also considered flat-footed.
- 3: Opening - Provoke Attack of Opportunity.
- 4: Slip up - Flatfooted until the beginning of your next turn.
- 5: Overextend - Opponent gains immediate free disarm/sunder attempt, no AoO allowed.
- 6: Stumble - Opponent gains immediate free grapple/trip attempt, no AoO allowed.
* Critical hits will provide a bunch of interesting effects(using a bunch of physical cards I'll be drawing from).
- When a monster scores a critical hit on you, you may draw 2 cards from the deck and choose which one applies.
Big thanks to these forums for helping me come up with them.
P.S. Bonus bit - we use paizo's critical hit deck. I like to let players draw 2 cards for monsters crits and let them choose what befalls them. It makes things more interesting, lets the DM off the hook and awards another minor bit of agency to the players.