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Kioran
2007-10-29, 02:56 PM
Hi everyone!

Based on the general strengthsand weaknesses of 3rd Edition and the forthcoming 4th, and my generally low opinion of 4th and the intent of it´s design, I´ve decided, somewhat ambitiously, to rewrite the 3rd Edition PHB, at least in parts. And that altered set of rules should, If I ever finish, fit neatly with each other, instead of being a series of seperate houserules. No, quite to the contrary, my humble self will try for a more holistic approach. I will try to update this thread several times weekly, and any well founded criticism is always welcome, especially grammar, spelling or layout, since it should be easy to read, and the current format does not feel quite right to me.
Now in order to understand some of my changes, one first needs to consider the basic mechanics I´ll alter. At it´s core: Combat rules. Today, I´ll present:

Actions in Combat,revised

First off, I´ll base this on the article in SRD: Source (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm)


The Combat Round
Each round represents 6 seconds in the game world. A round presents an opportunity for each character involved in a combat situation to take an action.

Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there. Each round of a combat uses the same initiative order. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative sequence, that character performs his entire round’s worth of actions. (For exceptions, see Attacks of Opportunity and Special Initiative Actions.)

For almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a round or the beginning of a round. A round can be a segment of game time starting with the first character to act and ending with the last, but it usually means a span of time from one round to the same initiative count in the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count that they began on.

Action Types
An action’s type essentially tells you how long the action takes to perform (within the framework of the 6-second combat round) and how movement is treated. There are six types of actions: standard actions, move actions, full-round actions, free actions, swift actions, and immediate actions.

In a normal round, you can perform a standard action and a move action, or you can perform a full-round action. You can also perform one or more free actions. You can always take a move action in place of a standard action.

In some situations (such as in a surprise round), you may be limited to taking only a single move action or standard action.

Standard Action
A standard action allows you to do something, most commonly make an attack or cast a spell. See Table: Standard Actions for other standard actions.

Move Action
A move action allows you to move your speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. See Table: Move Actions.

You can take a move action in place of a standard action. If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move for one or more equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step either before, during, or after the action.

Full-Round Action
A full-round action consumes all your effort during a round. The only movement you can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. You can also perform free actions (see below).

Some full-round actions do not allow you to take a 5-foot step.

Some full-round actions can be taken as standard actions, but only in situations when you are limited to performing only a standard action during your round. The descriptions of specific actions, below, detail which actions allow this option.

Free Action
Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, there are reasonable limits on what you can really do for free.

Swift Action
A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform only a single swift action per turn.

Immediate Action
An immediate action is very similar to a swift action, but can be performed at any time — even if it's not your turn.

Not an Action
Some activities are so minor that they are not even considered free actions. They literally don’t take any time at all to do and are considered an inherent part of doing something else.

Restricted Activity
In some situations, you may be unable to take a full round’s worth of actions. In such cases, you are restricted to taking only a single standard action or a single move action (plus free actions as normal). You can’t take a full-round action (though you can start or complete a full-round action by using a standard action; see below).

This, essentially, will remain as is, with two changes:

Restricted Activity
In some situations, you may be unable to take a full round’s worth of actions. In such cases, you are restricted to taking only a single standard action or a single move action (plus free actions and one swift action, as normal). You can’t take a full-round action (though you can start or complete a full-round action by using a standard action; see below).

Swift Action
A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform only a single swift action per turn, plus up to two additional swift actions in stead of their Standard/move action.

Changes bolded for emphasis. Now, what I intended with this is to incorporate the swift action, one of the good things the XPH brought us, into normal, turn-by-turn tactics. It will play a more important part in combat, and not just for Martial adepts, casters and psions. But more on that later.

What changes will be the type of Actions you can perform:

Standard Actions


Attack
Making an attack is a standard action.

Fighting Defensively as a Standard Action
You can choose to fight defensively when attacking. If you do so, you take a -4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the same round. See also: Fighting Defensively as a Full-Round Action.

Cast a Spell
Most spells require 1 standard action to cast. You can cast such a spell either before or after you take a move action.

Note: You retain your Dexterity bonus to AC while casting.

Concentrating to Maintain a Spell
Some spells require continued concentration to keep them going. Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action that doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when casting a spell can keep you from concentrating to maintain a spell. If your concentration breaks, the spell ends.

Dismiss a Spell
Dismissing an active spell is a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.

Activate Magic Item
Many magic items don’t need to be activated. However, certain magic items need to be activated, especially potions, scrolls, wands, rods, and staffs. Activating a magic item is a standard action (unless the item description indicates otherwise).

Use Special Ability
Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but whether it is a standard action, a full-round action, or not an action at all is defined by the ability.

Spell-Like Abilities
Using a spell-like ability works like casting a spell in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. Spell-like abilities can be disrupted. If your concentration is broken, the attempt to use the ability fails, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability. The casting time of a spell-like ability is 1 standard action, unless the ability description notes otherwise.

Supernatural Abilities
Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability’s description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Total Defense
You can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this action. You can’t combine total defense with fighting defensively or with the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat (since both of those require you to declare an attack or full attack). You can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense.

Start/Complete Full-Round Action
The "start full-round action" standard action lets you start undertaking a full-round action, which you can complete in the following round by using another standard action. You can’t use this action to start or complete a full attack, charge, run, or withdraw.

The changes I´d make, at this juncture, only concern the available actons, not their resolution, which gets attention later on. However, this time, Total Defense gets the axe. It will be replaced by something different entirely, as you will see later on.
The other big change, and I´ll reveal it at this early juncture, is that AoOs are no more - they are to be replaced by a different mechanic.

Move Actions

Move
The simplest move action is moving your speed. If you take this kind of move action during your turn, you can’t also take a 5-foot step.

Many nonstandard modes of movement are covered under this category, including climbing (up to one-quarter of your speed) and swimming (up to one-quarter of your speed).

Accelerated Climbing
You can climb one-half your speed as a move action by accepting a -5 penalty on your Climb check.

Crawling
You can crawl 5 feet as a move action. Crawling incurs attacks of opportunity from any attackers who threaten you at any point of your crawl.

Draw or Sheathe a Weapon
Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item.

If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a weapon as a free action combined with a regular move. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take you to draw one.

Drawing ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as arrows, bolts, sling bullets, or shuriken) is a free action.

Ready or Loose a Shield
Strapping a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to your AC, or unstrapping and dropping a shield so you can use your shield hand for another purpose, requires a move action. If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can ready or loose a shield as a free action combined with a regular move.

Dropping a carried (but not worn) shield is a free action.

Manipulate an Item
In most cases, moving or manipulating an item is a move action.

This includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an item, moving a heavy object, and opening a door. Examples of this kind of action, along with whether they incur an attack of opportunity, are given in Table: Move Actions.

Direct or Redirect a Spell
Some spells allow you to redirect the effect to new targets or areas after you cast the spell. Redirecting a spell requires a move action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity or require concentration.

Stand Up
Standing up from a prone position requires a move action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Mount/Dismount
Mounting or dismounting requires a move action.

Fast Mount or Dismount
You can mount or dismount as a free action with a DC 20 Ride check (your armor check penalty, if any, applies to this check). If you fail the check, mounting or dismounting is a move action instead. (You can’t attempt a fast mount or fast dismount unless you can perform the mount or dismount as a move action in the current round.)

Most of this is okay as it stands. I´ve removed the stupid "from a steed" behind the Mount/dismount action. What will change is that I´m adding actions:

Pressing the attack
If a character decides to press the attack, he may make another Attack at his BAB -5. He may make another 5-foot-step before making that second attack, provided he hasn´t done so already (or is ready to expend his swift action, see below).

This replaces the ill-fated full Attack

Set up an attack
The character may also use his move action to gather mentally for a vicious attack. In order to do that, he has to make a DC 10 Focus checks. The next attack this character makes does 1d6 additional damage of the same type, plus an additional d6 for every ten points he Check exceeds the DC. This is a Focus Bonus.

This will be a new, sensible way to use that unneeded move action, but introduces a new skill that is highly useful for many melee types, allthough there will be feats to work around this.

Prepare defense
This character may make an additional block this round, and receives a +2 Focus Bonus to AC and his next blocking roll. This Bonus stacks with itself, expressly allowing character to receive a greater bonus if he also uses a Standard action to prepare for defense.

Now this is new. Your character can, under the new system, block attacks(as a swift action, usually). This action lets you Focus on this means of defense, and is more useful than simply converting your actions to swift ones, reflecting the higher value of swift actions.

To be continued.

Synopsis for this day
Under this new system, I hope to offer the characters a greater variety of normal actions to choose from which are not class specific. This upgrades the worth of move Actions and Swift actions, especially for non-casters.

The one thing Martials lose is the Full Attack. It survives, albeit in a somewhat weaker form, as pressing the attack, but now that there are more different uses for move actions, if is not the only options. Not being forced to move in combat is, and should remain an advantage still.

In the next issue, I´ll turn towards Swift and full actions, and, quite possibly towards the suppression vs. Skirmish system which will replace the AoOs.

Kioran
2007-10-31, 11:15 AM
Welcome back to the next session of Delta 20!
This time, I´ll concern myself with the rest of the actions, and blocking.

Full-Round Actions
A full-round action requires an entire round to complete. Thus, it can’t be coupled with a standard or a move action, though if it does not involve moving any distance, you can take a 5-foot step.

Full Attack
If you get more than one attack per round because your base attack bonus is high enough, because you fight with two weapons or a double weapon or for some special reason you must use a full-round action to get your additional attacks. You do not need to specify the targets of your attacks ahead of time. You can see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later ones.

The only movement you can take during a full attack is a 5-foot step. You may take the step before, after, or between your attacks.

If you get multiple attacks because your base attack bonus is high enough, you must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest. If you are using two weapons, you can strike with either weapon first. If you are using a double weapon, you can strike with either part of the weapon first.

Deciding between an Attack or a Full Attack
After your first attack, you can decide to take a move action instead of making your remaining attacks, depending on how the first attack turns out. If you’ve already taken a 5-foot step, you can’t use your move action to move any distance, but you could still use a different kind of move action.

Fighting Defensively as a Full-Round Action
You can choose to fight defensively when taking a full attack action. If you do so, you take a -4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the same round.

Cleave
The extra attack granted by the Cleave feat or Great Cleave feat can be taken whenever they apply. This is an exception to the normal limit to the number of attacks you can take when not using a full attack action.

Cast a Spell
A spell that takes 1 round to cast is a full-round action. It comes into effect just before the beginning of your turn in the round after you began casting the spell. You then act normally after the spell is completed.

A spell that takes 1 minute to cast comes into effect just before your turn 1 minute later (and for each of those 10 rounds, you are casting a spell as a full-round action). These actions must be consecutive and uninterrupted, or the spell automatically fails.

When you begin a spell that takes 1 round or longer to cast, you must continue the invocations, gestures, and concentration from one round to just before your turn in the next round (at least). If you lose concentration after starting the spell and before it is complete, you lose the spell.

You only provoke attacks of opportunity when you begin casting a spell, even though you might continue casting for at least one full round. While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you.

This action is otherwise identical to the cast a spell action described under Standard Actions.

Casting a Metamagic Spell
Sorcerers and bards must take more time to cast a metamagic spell (one enhanced by a metamagic feat) than a regular spell. If a spell’s normal casting time is 1 standard action, casting a metamagic version of the spell is a full-round action for a sorcerer or bard. Note that this isn’t the same as a spell with a 1-round casting time—the spell takes effect in the same round that you begin casting, and you aren’t required to continue the invocations, gestures, and concentration until your next turn. For spells with a longer casting time, it takes an extra full-round action to cast the metamagic spell.

Clerics must take more time to spontaneously cast a metamagic version of a cure or inflict spell. Spontaneously casting a metamagic version of a spell with a casting time of 1 standard action is a full-round action, and spells with longer casting times take an extra full-round action to cast.

Use Special Ability
Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but some may be full-round actions, as defined by the ability.

Withdraw
Withdrawing from melee combat is a full-round action. When you withdraw, you can move up to double your speed. The square you start out in is not considered threatened by any opponent you can see, and therefore visible enemies do not get attacks of opportunity against you when you move from that square. (Invisible enemies still get attacks of opportunity against you, and you can’t withdraw from combat if you’re blinded.) You can’t take a 5-foot step during the same round in which you withdraw.

If, during the process of withdrawing, you move out of a threatened square (other than the one you started in), enemies get attacks of opportunity as normal.

You may not withdraw using a form of movement for which you don’t have a listed speed.

Note that despite the name of this action, you don’t actually have to leave combat entirely.

Restricted Withdraw
If you are limited to taking only a standard action each round you can withdraw as a standard action. In this case, you may move up to your speed (rather than up to double your speed).

Run
You can run as a full-round action. (If you do, you do not also get a 5-foot step.) When you run, you can move up to four times your speed in a straight line (or three times your speed if you’re in heavy armor). You lose any Dexterity bonus to AC unless you have the Run feat.

You can run for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution score, but after that you must make a DC 10 Constitution check to continue running. You must check again each round in which you continue to run, and the DC of this check increases by 1 for each check you have made. When you fail this check, you must stop running. A character who has run to his limit must rest for 1 minute (10 rounds) before running again. During a rest period, a character can move no faster than a normal move action.

You can’t run across difficult terrain or if you can’t see where you’re going.

A run represents a speed of about 12 miles per hour for an unencumbered human.

Move 5 Feet through Difficult Terrain
In some situations, your movement may be so hampered that you don’t have sufficient speed even to move 5 feet (a single square). In such a case, you may spend a full-round action to move 5 feet (1 square) in any direction, even diagonally. Even though this looks like a 5-foot step, it’s not, and thus it provokes attacks of opportunity normally.

Here - there´s no change besides the Full Attack going the way of the Dodo. Well, except for provoking AoOs of course, which get replaced with something else entirely.

Free Actions
Free actions don’t take any time at all, though there may be limits to the number of free actions you can perform in a turn. Free actions rarely incur attacks of opportunity. Some common free actions are described below.

Drop an Item
Dropping an item in your space or into an adjacent square is a free action.

Drop Prone
Dropping to a prone position in your space is a free action.

Speak
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn’t your turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.

Cease Concentration on Spell
You can stop concentrating on an active spell as a free action.

No changes. One addition:

Free block
Once per turn, if you wield a shield and are proficient in its use, you may make one free block(see below, under immediate actions).

Swift actions
A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your ability to perform other actions. In that regard, a swift action is like a free action. However, you can perform only a single swift action per turn, regardless of what other actions you take. You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action. Swift actions usually involve spellcasting or the activation of magic items; many characters (especially those who don't cast spells) never have an opportunity to take a swift action.

Casting a quickened spell is a swift action. In addition, casting any spell with a casting time of 1 swift action is a swift action.

Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 swift action does not provoke attacks of opportunity

This is all very nice, but there´s nothing in here that relates to actual specific swift actions except for casting spells (and quickened spells get cut and replaced anyway). Now, there is:

A second 5-foot step
Once per turn, you may use a swift Action to take another 5-foot step(see below). You may also expend your swift action in this fashion whenever another action allows for the inclusion of a 5-foot-step. This does not allow you to take a 5-foot-step if this causes you two more than your double based land speed in one turn.

Assess battle
If you expend a swift action, for the remainder of the encounter your Initiative result is treated as 1 point higher, possibly resulting in you moving up in the order of Initiative. This action can be taken multiple times, the bonus stacks.

The intent of this is that you always have options to fall back on - not even a NPC-Class is forced to waste actions.

Immediate Actions
Much like a swift action, an immediate action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. However, unlike a swift action, an immediate action can be performed at any time — even if it's not your turn. Casting feather fall is an immediate action, since the spell can be cast at any time.

Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and counts as your swift action for that turn. You cannot use another immediate action or a swift action until after your next turn if you have used an immediate action when it is not currently your turn (effectively, using an immediate action before your turn is equivalent to using your swift action for the coming turn). You also cannot use an immediate action if you are flat-footed.

One important addition is that, under Delta 20 rules, you cannot "loan" a swift action from your upcoming turn - with the new swift action rules, this would result in combatants regularly borrowing actions to take advantage, delaying the effects to after the battle. This reeks of being exploitable, and is thus shut down.
Which brings me to the most immediately useful application of an immediate action:

Blocking
You may, as an immediate action, make an opposed attack roll at -4 when someone attacks you in melee. If you succeed, that attacked is negated as though it had not hit you.


This, in addition to the suppression vs. Skirmish rules I´ll introduce, adds a different layer to the mix, and is expressly meant to enable more tactics for melee classes, which, incidentally, also have the best chance of pulling of blocks.
Well, hopefully I´ll be able to post the next issue soon, which deals with the suppression mechanics.

Kioran
2007-11-05, 02:45 PM
Suppression

...the big one in this issue of Delta 20. Basically, suppression replaces AoOs entirely. The basic tenet:

Suppression is, at all times, an opposed skill Check, controller vs. defender. It requires a readied/swift action from the controlling side and uses to new skill, "Control" and "Skirmish". There are three different cases:

Suppressing actions
Generally, whenever a combatant performs an action that formerly provoked an AoO, and is performed in a threatened area, can be suppressed. Generally, it´s a simple opposed Check. If the controller succeeds, he may make a normal attack against the defender as a swift action. The following modifiers apply:

For the controller:
- 5: the controller threatens the defender with a reach weapon
+ 2: the controller used a readied move action anticipating the provking action, and can now make the suppression check using that action.
+ 5: the controller used a readied Standard action anticipating the provking action, and can now make the suppression check using that action.

There are also several Feats which increase your chances of suppressing an enemy action.

For the Defender:
- 5: Defender is unaware of the controller (for example by being blinded)
- 5: When moving at full speed
+2: Defender activates a magic item that occupies one of his body slots(instead of, say, a decanter of endless water).
+5: Defender moves at half-speed
+1: When moving, for every five ranks of tumble the defender has

There are several Feats influencing this as well.

Suppressing spellcaster

This time, a caster threatened by another combatant, can cast defensively, making a concentration check opposed by the controller´s "Control" skill, with the following modifiers:

- 2: for every lvl of the spell in question
+ 1: for every 5 ranks the defender has in "Skirmish"
+ 2: For casting a silent or still spell (modifiers stack if both apply)
+ 5: for casting a "subtle" spell (new metamagic Feat)

Interception
This time, the controller moves to intercept a character he usually wouldn´t threaten - with the following conditions, based on the action used to do this:

Swift action: The controller may take a 5-foot-step if he hasn´t already done so in the last round. If this allows him to threaten the defender sufficiently to provoke an attack, he may now make a suppression check, with modifiers as appropriate (see above, "suppressing an action")
Move action: The controller may, if he has prepared a move action for Interception, move up to half his speed. If this allows him to threaten the defender sufficiently to provoke an attack, he may now make a suppression check, with modifiers as appropriate (see above, "suppressing an action")
Standard action: The controller may, if he has prepared a Standard action for Interception, move up to his full speed. If this allows him to threaten the defender sufficiently to provoke an attack, he may now make a suppression check, with modifiers as appropriate (see above, "suppressing an action")

Edit: The next section will deal with additional boni in combat, and my basic tenets for a new class design, if I find the time for it.