The Combat System and House Rule Proposals

[Havard]

1. Making Attacks (p 47 in Book of Adventure)
In the standard system, your chance of hitting an opponent is figured out the following way:
a) Consult the Combat matrix for different body types to get the base chance of attack. (Humanoid vs humanoid is 40% etc)
b) Compare Dexterity (modified by training) of the two attackers. Highest Dex gets a bonus to attacks. Lowest dex gets a penalty.
c) Chance of success may be reduced by opponents armor (Optional)
d) Chance of success may be modified by difference in size.
e) +1% per level
f) Roll below total on d%

Proposed House Rule:
Instead of starting with body types, I would use Dex (modified by training) as base chance of attack. From this number I would subtract the defenders Defense Rating determined by the following:

(Dexterity / 10) + Body type bonus + armor bonus

Very large creatures may get a penality to Defense Rating, while very small creatures may get a bonus.

2. Damage (p 49 in Book of Adventure)
In the standard system, damage is 1d6 (same as OD&D). There is an optional system for variable damage, but as this introduces a second dice roll and a chart to be consulted I don't like it much.

Proposed House Rule: Use weapon damage ratings from D&D/AD&D. Target body type may reduce damage (see armor below).

3. Strength Bonus to damage (p 53 in Book of Adventure)
This is an optional rule in the standard system. Characters with high strength get to double damage, while characters of low strength only get to roll half damage.

Proposed house rule:

Damage Bonus = Str / 10 (Modified by training)


4. Armor (p 52 in Book of Adventure)
Effects of armor are described as optional in the system. Armor both reduces your chance to be hit and damage suffered.

Proposed House Rule: As per house rule for "1. Making attacks" above, armor now adds to the defenders Defense Rating. Armor should also reduce damage, but I prefer a set number to the % given in the official books. Here is a proposed list:

Armor (Defense Rating / Damage Reduction)
Shield +10%
Leather +10% / 2
Chain + 20 % /5
Plate + 30% / 8

The numbers here may be subject to change. Certain body types (such as scales) may also get bonuses here, but I will get back to that.

These are just initial ideas and obviously have not been playtested. Thoughts?

-Havard

[Semi-Retired Gamer]

I am digging what I'm reading on these combat house rules!

I think the move away from body type and using DEX for basic strike chances is a great idea. Maybe body type could be a penalty or bonus modifier?

Maybe the basic game could be d6 weapon damage & the advanced could be variable damage?

The damage modifier you suggest is clear and simple to implement.

[Havard]

I am digging what I'm reading on these combat house rules!

Thanks! Many of the numbers and calculations could probably be modified as I am getting more familiar with the system.

I think the move away from body type and using DEX for basic strike chances is a great idea. Maybe body type could be a penalty or bonus modifier?

Having looked through the monster entries I definitely agree. My main point was not to remove the body type element, simply shifting towards using DEX as the starting point. Since we probably arent going to see many battles where dragons are fighting againt snakes (or whatever), I think we could just assign bonuses/penalites for when humanoids are fighting creatures of other body types and vice versa.

Maybe the basic game could be d6 weapon damage & the advanced could be variable damage?

Yeah that would work.

I also had another random idea: If damage is determined by the second die rolled in the attack roll (ie the ones). This would give you a range of 1-10 in damage, though it would be more difficult if you wanted to distinguish between various types of damage.

The damage modifier you suggest is clear and simple to implement.

Thanks. I see a tendency to use 75% or 2/3rds 1/3rd etc in AiF. Generally I find that divisions other than half (50%) and 10% are going to be painful in stressed situations. Or maybe its just my math phobia kicking in

-Havard

[hedgehobbit]

I don't see where armor is reducing the chance to hit in the RAW. They work as a separate roll, only affecting damage.

[Havard]

I don't see where armor is reducing the chance to hit in the RAW. They work as a separate roll, only affecting damage.

Youre right. Looks like I misread the rules first time around. That means armor should not affect the Defense Rating in my house rule variant either. Just subtract from damage. I actually like that better. I'd still prefer a set number instead of a roll to determine if the armor has any effect.

Alternately we could introduce a RuneQuest style Critical Success on the attack rolls which causes attacks to penetrate armor. Just tossing out ideas for now

Thanks for the input mr Hobbit!

-Havard

[Semi-Retired Gamer]

Alternately we could introduce a RuneQuest style Critical Success on the attack rolls which causes attacks to penetrate armor. Just tossing out ideas for now

-Havard

Critical Success on attack rolls - thumbs up!

[hedgehobbit]

I'd still prefer a set number instead of a roll to determine if the armor has any effect.

All things considered, I like a separate armor saving throw exactly like AiF and use such a roll in my D&D games. It's easy to use and lets you do lots of cool things like allowing some magical armor or spells to provide a save versus magical damage. Plus, it affects all weapons equally. A 50% save reduces all weapon damage by 50% on average, whether it's a dagger or a two-handed sword. Damage reduction affects lighter weapons more, which makes the big buff two-handed swordsman the optimal fighter. A game like AiF, where dexterity and skill makes you significantly harder to hit, is otherwise perfect for the nimble fighter archetype.