tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post6299109872579570352..comments2024-03-27T03:37:22.778-04:00Comments on Age of Ravens: Handling Classic High Fantasy with Action Cards (Some Thoughts)Lowell Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02359280169506945906noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-2044777152343179772009-04-25T09:59:00.000-04:002009-04-25T09:59:00.000-04:00Yeah, I wouldn't include the weapon length stuff i...Yeah, I wouldn't include the weapon length stuff if you're not using hex paper.<br /><br />Here's a jokey rule I once suggested in an online GURPS chambara discussion. The person with the bigger weapon cannot hit with it, or only at a penalty. But holding it increases their effective unarmed combat skill, including parries.<br /><br />You could let longer weapons get an initiative bonus and parry better. This wouldn't always be a literal parry. It could be swinging to force the shorter weapon to back off, aborting their attack. The classic case is a guy with a baseball bat swinging it around to get a bunch of unarmed attackers to step back.<br /><br />Here's how I understand your damage system mathematically. Things that increase maximum damage add extra dice. Strength. Bigger weapons. Etc.<br /><br />Things that increase the chance of an effective hit lower TN. Critical hit card pulls, called shots to location, armor piercing, dexterity, etc. This overlaps a bit with roll/card pull to hit. The big distinction is armor, which is only handled with the TN mechanic and is ignored during the card pull to hit.<br /><br />And for each, vice versa. Fatigue reduces damage dice. Bad lighting increases TN or penalizes the card pull to hit.Gene Hahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07389258008505629339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-49672890984113421222009-04-24T23:26:00.000-04:002009-04-24T23:26:00.000-04:00The point about cut and pierce makes sense and can...The point about cut and pierce makes sense and can be handled more simply within the mechanical structure I've got-- I'll consider that and some of the other stuff. I'm not sure if I'm going to factor in weapon length except for calculating initiative, but I'll have to think about that. I don't want too many modifiers, OOH there ought to be a reason for people to use said weapons.Lowell Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02359280169506945906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-29111033087409995152009-04-24T16:37:00.000-04:002009-04-24T16:37:00.000-04:00I've been thinking a little about your damage mech...I've been thinking a little about your damage mechanic. I'll recap how I understand it. Roll d10 against a Target Number (TN), each success equals a unit of damage. Natural 10s are critical hits.<br /><br />Unarmored foes are TN 6+. Armor increases the TN. The crit range can be lowered to 9+ or more. "Unquote".<br /><br />Here's what I'd add, to add realistic combat crunch.<br /><br />Get rid of the multiplier for cutting and piercing damage. It's a mechanic to simulate armor resisting damage better than flesh, and I think your current mechanic does just fine without it.<br /><br />Good bashing weapons (maces, morningstars, two handed swords, estocs, halberds) are great against flexible armor. Let's say chain's TN is 8+. On a roll of 7, the die counts as blunt damage. Flimsier weapons like broad (ie arming) swords don't get this.<br /><br />Piercing damage is actually less deadly than cutting: you're more likely to hit an artery or disable a limb with a 4" wide wound than a 1" wide stab. Shorter pistol bullets make small wounds, a longer rilfe round of the same caliber makes a wider wound and does way more damage. Stabbing weapons are good for getting between plates of armor, splitting chain links, and getting in a first strike in a duel. Let stabbing attacks have less damage dice, but also get a lower TN against armor.<br /><br />Consider letting a good attack card pull lower the damage TN. This would represent bypassing armor. This could be instead of or in addition to more dice.<br /><br />More crunch, for weapon length. The guy with the longer weapon gets a defensive bonus against the guy with a shorter weapon. Until the shorter weapon hits, when the longer weapon becomes too long. Historically, this is why the deployed two handed swords against pikemen. Parry, charge, the pikemen are helpless.<br /><br />I don't know how much crunch you want, but I figure that's enough for now!Gene Hahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07389258008505629339noreply@blogger.com