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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Engagement, The Fighting Kind.... Hehe



SirLamorake
2018-03-22, 03:47 PM
Hello all! I'm new to this site, but as most of my group has new commitments I was referred to this site to feed my habit. Been using this system for a while with my players and they seem to like it, so I went ahead and decided to put it up here for all!

Engagement refers to two characters attacking one another. Under this system when one character attacks another, both characters roll to Initiate and the higher roll attacks first. Assuming of course that they can. Hitting someone, such as with a bow or spell, that can't hit back is still treated as an ordinary attack. When it comes to magic only cantrips can be used to hit back and only single target spells are used to engage. For example, casting Finger of Death on a bow user still forces the engage roll and the bow user may launch their own attack first, but assuming the spellcaster is still alive they may still launch their spell. However, if the mage is the one attacked they may only use a Cantrip to attack, even if they win the engage roll.

Whenever you make a second attack during the same round, that attack and the corresponding engage roll both have disadvantage.

At it's base this seems kind of unbalanced right? Well, never fear because class alterations are here! Each of the fighting styles get and a few class features get unique abilities that work with this system.
Barbarian
Strong Arm, Raging
While raging your strength modifier to melee engage rolls instead of dexterity.
Brutal Blow, Reckless Attack
When you perform a Reckless Attack and win the engage roll the enemy has disadvantage on their attack roll to respond.
Monk
Quick Combo, Flurry of Blows
When you engage with Flurry of Blows you always make the first attack. If you win the engage roll you then make the second attack. If you lose the engage roll you make your second attack after the enemy makes their first.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
When attacked you may use Flurry of Blows or Patient Defense instead of making a standard attack in response. They both still cost 1 ki.
Rogue
Perfect Precision
When you make a Sneak Attack you always attack first when you engage and if at least one of the Sneak Attack damage dice rolled is a 6 they cannot hit back.
Warlock
Transfer Momentum, Pact of the Blade
When attacked and you lose the engage roll, add your Pact Weapon base damage to the cantrip you cast in response.

Fighting Styles
Archery
When you respond to being melee attacked you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll due to being within 5 ft of the attacker.
Defense
When an enemy within range engages you, you may choose to halve the damage taken instead of making an attack.
Dueling
When you engage or are engaged you may choose to gain advantage on the attack roll and gain disadvantage on the engage roll or gain advantage on the engage roll and disadvantage on the attack roll.
Great Weapon Fighting
When wielding a Heavy or Versatile weapon in both hands you may add your strength modifier to melee engage rolls instead of dexterity.
Protection
If an enemy attacks you with a weapon you may use your AC instead of making an engage roll.
Two-Weapon Fighting
If the second attack you make during the round is made with your off-hand weapon, the attack and engage roll do not have disadvantage.

My players favored a combat heavy party comp, so they had a lot of fun with it. It made a lot of fights go faster, which is always an issue, and made them a lot more reticent to attack powerful enemies. Any critique or advice would be awesome. It's still probably unbalanced, but the group using it was a Barbarian, Element Monk, Protection Paladin, and Archery Rogue.