Rolling System For Melee Combat

[FireFan96]

I dislike Combat Rollplay, but at times it's inevitable. Combat Roleplay can be a fun experience for everyone involved, and many good things can come from it. However, I could never get into the hype of it for a couple of reasons: one fight in a series takes an hour to complete (and boring the audience to death), or the rolling systems just seem off.

Today I decided to brush the dust off of a roll system I worked on a few months ago, based on the Dragon Knights and Orc Goor Rolling systems. Both systems took a variety of character traits and skills and combined them into a /roll 20 modified dice roll. The actual fight only take a maximum of 30 minutes, with very little in the way of arguments.

I'd like to summarize this rolling system, and then provide a spreadsheet link for players to download and use themselves. I am not going to explain the math involved, as the spreadsheet does the math for us.

The Rolling System

• The first points are based on gender. Some races are barely dimorphic, but for the sake of every Alorian this point exists.
• Next comes height. This value can become negative, which is used to show that smaller characters have a harder time in combat than others (though also have the benefit of being a smaller target to hit)
• The Physical Stat is calculated next. Simply type the category (slim, musclegod, ripped, etc)
• Body Fat is used to give a subtle debuff to bulkier/fatter characters. Type the fat level in the box (Extreme low, Built, Obese, etc)
• Age gives boosts to younger characters who are at their peak performance years and debuffs older characters who are mostly teachers or hardly see combat. For those characters with high longevity (such as Altalar) you should type their 'perceived age.' For example, a 150 year old Altalar may appear to be 35, so you would put 35 in the calculation.
• Finally, type in your melee combat proficiency points.
• The final value at the end generates the modified /roll 20 command you would use in game.

The Combat Scenario (taken directly from the Orc Goor Roll system)

1. Each player does /roll 10. Highest value attacks first.
2. The Attacking player does an attack emote
3. Both players use their modified dice rolls
4. If the Attacker wins
   • The Attacker emotes a successful hit.
   • The Defender emotes a response to being hit.
   • Return to step 2.
5. If the Defender wins
   • The Defender emotes how the attack misses.
   • The Defender does an attack emote.
   • Return to step 3.
6. If both combatants tie (considered a clash)
   1. The Defender emotes blocking the attack
   2. The Attacker emotes an attempt to break the clash
   3. Both sides roll
   4. The winner emotes a successful hit
   5. The other emotes a response to the hit
   6. Return to step 2.

The first player to get two consecutive hits wins.

For those who are interested in trying out this roll system, here is the link to the spreadsheet.
Go to File -> Make a Copy in order to use it yourself.

 

[FireFan96]

@FunctionKey gave a rating on this thread, so I decided to update it ever so slightly.

The only change is how to proceed when both sides tie.

 

[SorryNari]

I like how you typed out the combat scenario steps. Useful and easy to read. This seems like a pretty dope way for smoother and quicker combat

 

[Magivore]

While I do like the system, it doesn't seem to like Dwarves very much, as @fuithlug pointed out to me. Even at Strongman, appearance age 35, 10 unarmed, 30 extra heavy, built fat, being 109 cm tall (~4'-5") is a death sentence to the scoring by rolling a mere 4-24. At 150 cm tall (~5'), however, you're rolling 9-29. I personally plan to use it for humanish versus humanish, though!

 

[FireFan96]

While I do like the system, it doesn't seem to like Dwarves very much, as @fuithlug pointed out to me. Even at Strongman, appearance age 35, 10 unarmed, 30 extra heavy, built fat, being 109 cm tall (~4'-5") is a death sentence to the scoring by rolling a mere 4-24. At 150 cm tall (~5'), however, you're rolling 9-29. I personally plan to use it for humanish versus humanish, though!

Click to shrink...

The issue lies with Dwarves being on the short end, and therefore joined the now removed lampar and children at being crippled in combat. Maybe the calculation can be fixed, or removed to prevent the "7 ft tall musclegod I win"

 

[Gwyndo]

Doesn't account for the greatest built ever - a very short dwarf wearing a shield as a hat.