DavidHouseRules

Combat Systems

First off, I really like Power Combat. I liked the old system, too. I suppose I don't favor one over the other in terms of which one is "better", but lately Power Combat has grown on me.

Both of them handle initiative and reach poorly, though, in my opinion.

I just don't like "Speed" as a weapon stat. Under the old system, I could reconcile how Speed worked if I applied the Speed modifier after everyone declared their actions. However, this is clumsy, even clumsier than "declare up - resolve down", in my opinion.

Power Combat gave Speed some meaning, making it represent reach while the addition of the Rate stat handles how quickly a weapon can be brought to bear to respond to multiple situations. I liked the idea there, but the execution did not agree with the text. The Speed stats of various items point-blank declare that either the statement that "Speed = Reach" was a lie, or that a poleaxe is shorter than a sabre.

The other problem with Power Combat, though, is that reach was still an initiative effect. I can see how this works, on one hand. If a man with a spear faces a man with a sword, and both are just out of one another's reach, the man with the spear will be able to strike first. However, the man with the spear cannot examine the situation and react faster simply by virtue of his weapon's reach. Furthermore, what happens when the man with the sword is close enough to bring his weapon to bear? He's probably close enough that the spear's length becomes a liability, rather than an advantage. How do we represent this? The system doesn't include a default option for this, and while it's easy enough to come up with something, I'd like for the system to be comprehensive enough to include what I would think is a fairly common scenario.

This frustration with certain aspects of the combat system, combined with inspiration from other participants on this fabulous site, has brought me to make a "better" system. I'm eliminating the Speed characteristic of weapons altogether. In the case of the jade magical material bonus, they could still add +3 initiative, or jade could grant +1 Rate, since Dragon-Blooded do rely on split and held actions for defense. I would probably return to the old orichalcum material bonus, granting +1 initiative, +1 Accuracy, and +1 Defense.

All weapons now gain a new stat - Reach. Reach will be on a scale from 0 to 6. You will note that I have removed altogether the kick. I see no reason for it to have separate stats unless one also wishes to add stats for headbutts, elbows, knees, shoulders, etc. I give all unarmed attacks the same stats.

Reach 0 - clinches/holds

Reach 1 - unarmed attacks and weapons that do not significantly alter the wielder's reach, such as cesti and knives

Reach 2 - short swords, wind-fire wheels, war fans (possibly hammers and maces, as the historical ones I've seen were rather short)

Reach 3 - slashing swords, chopping swords, straight swords, axes, most one-handed weapons; short daiklaves and wavecleavers land here as well

Reach 4 - short spears, greatswords, greataxes; daiklaves, by virtue of their size, generally land here

Reach 5 - spears, most polearms, grand daiklaves

Reach 6 - lances, very long polearms; dire lances could be Reach 5 or 6

Borrowing from Ikselam and willows work with CombatPlus and CombatPlus/AbstractRange, weapons function properly when in their own Reach. For every point of Reach you fall under or over the weapon's basic Reach, a -1 dice penalty is assessed to attacks and parries. Some weapons have flexible reach - fighting chains, seven-section-staves, and spears come to mind. Changing a weapon's Reach is a dice action that usually requires no roll. However, if the character is engaged in combat, it should probably be a Dexterity + (Combat Ability) roll, normally at difficulty 1.

At Reach 0, weapons with Reach 3 or more are simply not usable, barring, of course, the introduction of a stunt.

(This system is obviously not complete, nor is it tested. I fully intend to complete and test it, and eventually post a full weapons list.)