Rethinking the Game: Combat

Storming the Castle, Derek Zabrocki

There's something about coming up with crazy plans and rolling dice to see if they work out that just feels good. Combat, however, often feels like there's only "1-right-choice" and anything other than that choice is just a skill issue.

What if combat offered meaningful player agency?

These rules are designed to largely replace existing combat rules in just about any d20 game. Of course there will be exceptions.

Crits & Fumbles

A roll of 1 on the d20, or with a sum of 1-, is a fumble.

A roll of 20 on the d20, or with a sum of 20+, is a critical.

I realize that this is different, but not without purpose. Typically a Crit only happens by the luck of the dice, a natural 20. No matter how good a character is they only get critical hits 5% of the time, or 10% if they get a specific feature that allows them to crit on a 19 as well. The "20+" ruling means that every +1 a character has (and inversely every -1) impacts their likeliness to Crit or Fumble. While this might lead to power-gaming and pursuing things narratively for mechanical bonuses, I don't think that's a bad thing at all. The narrative should effect the game.

Initiative

Each side rolls d6+Initiative Bonus at the top of each combat round. Initiative moves from the highest scoring side to the lowest. 

A side's Initiative Bonus is equal to the highest WIS modifier among them, plus any bonuses from features, magic items, etc.

If two sides tie, the players go first.

Surprise: If any characters are surprised, they may not act in the first round of combat. Surprise may be automatic, or the GM may allow a save to not be surprised.

Initiative every round helps things to stay a little unpredictable. Wisdom (or Will) reflects the most tactical character being able to seize on whatever situation is in front of them, and coordinate with the party. Notably, every single player rolling initiative each round is a bit clunky, and doesn't add much to the game.

Actions

During their initiative turn, a party may plan together for no more than 3 minutes, then declare and resolve actions. By allowing the party to coordinate, it creates more space for tactics and teamwork. As this may lead to "quarterbacking" the GM should ensure that all players have an equal voice, and no one makes the final decision for other characters.

Each combatant may perform 2 actions on their turn.

Move 1 Action, Move up to your speed (typically 30 ft.) This movement may be divided around other actions.

Strike, 1 Action, Attack with a weapon. Attacks on your turn after your first take a -5 penalty.

• Crit: You may double the number of damage dice, or execute a successful maneuver.
• Fumble: In melee, your opponent may use their reaction to attempt a single strike or maneuver against you. If ranged, there is an x-in-6 chance of hitting an ally, where X is the number of allies between you and your target.

Extra Attack: Creatures and combatants with the extra attack ability may attack twice as a single action without a -5 penalty. They may attack with their second action, but only once, and still with a -5 penalty.

Maneuver, 1 AP, Perform an improvisational action that does not deal damage. Maneuvers typically target a foe's most relevant Ability Score, rather than their Armor Class. The GM may adjust the difficulty by up to +/- 3 as they see fit. Example maneuvers include grappling, shoving, climbing on, distracting, intimidating, etc. If in doubt, describe to the GM what you hope to achieve, and how you attempt to achieve it, as simply as possible. Maneuvers often put opponents off-guard, granting a +3 bonus to attacks made against them until the situation is rectified, usually demanding they use an action to do so. E.G. wiping sand out of their eyes, standing up, prying a creature off of them, etc.

• Crit: You may inflict 1 additional effect of your choice, up to a single successful attack.
• Fumble: Dramatic Reversal, the thing you were hoping to inflict happens to you. Your sand is blown back in your eyes, you slip and trip yourself, the foe steps up and intimidates you!

Spells & Special Abilities: Are usually 1 action, and can't be performed on the same turn as a strike.

Act Carefully, 2 AP, Perform any action that typically only uses 1 action, but add +3 to any 1 roll made during that action.

Holding & Reactions, 1 AP, A character may hold 1 action, waiting for a specific trigger. Immediately after, they may use their reaction to perform 1 action. A character may only take 1 reaction between their turns.

C-c-c-c-combo! Let's encourage players to do dramatic things like seizing the high ground, throwing sand, shoulder-shoving, etc! Then, if successful, they can follow up with a blow to their staggered foe! If they pull off something really cool, maybe others will get bonuses to hit as well! Of course, don't forget that any tool you hand the players, you also hand their foes! Imagine goblins spitting on, shoving, and climbing on your party! And imagine how cool it will be when some of those tactics are Dramatically Reversed!

Or, if a player just wants to hit someone really hard, or take their time lining up a shot, or be extra sure that one maneuver works, they can Act Carefully for that sweet sweet +3 to any roll. But remember, so can the goblins.

Final Thoughts

I've yet to try this out, GLoG is far more writing and dreaming than playing, but the writing and dreaming is fun too! If you notice anything that immediately catches you as troublesome, let me know in the comments! I may keep this post updated as time goes by to reflect my current ideas about combat, or I might just make a new post!

After writing this, I immediately started working on something on the opposite end of the spectrum, Uber Simple Combat.