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Dirk's Combat Overhaul
Equipment Changes
Class BC maximums are removed from the game. The limit on weapon choice is determined solely by Strength Minimums.Defense
This attribute is redefined to represent the ability of avoidance, dodging, blocking, parrying, etc. Things which mitigate or absorb damage (armor, tough hide, large size, etc.) will no longer grant Defense bonuses, they will grant Damage Reduction.Armor
Armor is simplified to three categories. Each suit grants a level of physical Damage Reduction, and an Armor Penalty. The Armor Penalty applies to any roll which would possibly be restricted by the wearing of stiff and/or heavy armor. This includes: any Agility roll/save, any Speed roll (including Init), Acrobatics, Climbing, Stealth, and Swimming. Bracers and helms no longer provide any extra protection; they are assumed to be part of a "suit" of armor. Wearing a helm provides a -10 to Perception. Not wearing a helm means that a called shot to the head (-30 CA), if successful, will bypass the normal armor DR.Leather: DR 1, Str Req. 1, Penalty -10
Chain: DR 2, Str Req. 2, Penalty -20
Plate: DR 3, Str Req. 3, Penalty -30
Casting Penalty: To preserve the ideal that casters don't run around in plate mail, apply a "casting penalty" while wearing heavy armor, -30 for chain and -50 for plate. (Optional: If you want to restrict leather a bit as well, go ahead and give it a -10.) This is an MA penalty that only applies to spellcasting; Powers, Abilities, etc. would function as normal.
(Optional armor rule: As armor absorbs damage, it can become damaged and eventually destroyed, requiring repair or replacement to regain its effectiveness. As a simple system, leather might absorb 20 damage before becoming destroyed, chain 40, and plate 60. Destroyed armor grants no DR, but applies all other penalties until removed. "High quality" or magickal armors could be represented by taking more damage to destroy rather than increasing its DR value.)
Shields
Shields are blocking tools, and as such provide Defense rather than DR. All shields require the use of the off-hand to be effective, and as such make the use of spells with an S-component impossible. Larger shields are also bulky and encumbering, and apply an Armor Penalty (as above) when equipped. Shields are made of wood reinforced with metal bands (shields made entirely of metal are impractically heavy).Buckler: +2 Def, Str Req 1, Penalty: -5
Small: +5 Defense, Str Req. 2, Penalty -10
Medium: +10 Defense, Str Req. 3, Penalty -15
Large: +15 Defense, Str Req. 4, Penalty -20
Casting Penalty: To again preserve the ideal that casters don't run around with enormous shields all the time, again apply a "casting penalty" based on the size of the shield: Small -10, Medium -20, Large -40.
Weapons
Weapons are organized into classes. These classes determine the ease with which a weapon can be used with the various combat styles.Brawling
Includes fists, knives, and other small, hand-to-hand weapons.
Modifiers: Follow-Up -30, Caution 6:1, Precision 5:1, Crushing Blow 60
Maces
Consists of axes, maces, and other one-handed mass weapons.
Modifiers: Follow-Up -50, Caution 6:1, Precision 6:1, Crushing Blow 30
Swords
Consists of all swords typically wielded with one hand, as well as any weapons wielded in a similar manner, such as sickles and clubs.
Modifiers: Follow-Up -40, Caution 5:1, Precision 5:1, Crushing Blow 40
Shields
Shields larger than bucklers can be used with Combat Style: Caution.
Modifier: Caution 4:1
Ranged
All thrown and fired weapons.
Modifiers: Rapid Shooting -30, True Aim 5:1
Two-Handers
All weapons requiring two hands to wield.
Modifiers: Follow-Up -60, Caution 5:1, Precision 6:1, Crushing Blow 20
Initiative Changes
Initiative is determined at the start of combat by a roll of d100+Speed. It is cyclical, meaning that it is determined at the beginning of a combat (or any other time it's important to see who acts first), and remains more or less static throughout. Effects which boost or penalize Speed will accordingly adjust a player's place in the initiative order for as long as the bonus/penalty lasts.Casting Interruption
Since initiatives are fixed, a caster has the option of specifying an alternate move if their spell is interrupted. This cannot be a weapon attack, but must be a "miscellaneous" action (moving, using a weapon, etc.).Delaying Actions
If your turn in the Initiative order comes up but you do not yet wish to take action, you can delay. Then you can declare that you are taking your action at any subsequent point in the round. However, there are two important rules. 1) Your delayed action cannot "pre-empt" someone else's action once they've declared it. You can go simultaneously at best. 2) Your place in the initiative cycle will permanently transfer to the value at which you actually took your action. If you delay and don't take any action for a full round, your place in the order is moved to the top (the highest score + 1) for the next round.Multiple Actions
You can take a second action in a round. but if you do, all actions suffer a penalty of (-50 + Speed). In the case of an action which would automatically succeed (drinking a potion, an Advance, etc.), assume a 100 or less would normally be needed and make the roll with the penalty. If it fails, character simply fumbles because of trying to do too much, and just can't complete the action that round. Only one spellcast or attack action may be made in a round; additional actions are limited to "miscellaneous" actions such as movement or using items.Follow-Up Attacks
When an attacker successfully hits in melee, they may take advantage of the opening to perform an immediate Follow-Up Attack. This attack is identical to the first in all ways, except that it garners a cumulative penalty to hit based on the weapon type being employed (from -30 to -60, called a Follow-Up Penalty). The character may continue to Follow-Up as long as the previous attack scored a hit, until: 1) an attack misses (or needs less than a 1 to hit) or 2) the target is dropped unconscious or dead. Follow-Up Attacks may NOT normally carry over into any other target.Ranged attacks do not receive Follow-Up Attacks. Multiple attacks at range require the Rapid Shooting skill.
Skills Changes
Fast Cast is deleted and replaced with Concentration. Skill cost, starting value and DP ratio all remain the same as for Fast Cast.Weapon Speed and Parry are removed from the game and replaced by Combat Styles (see below).
Two Weapons Use is removed from the game and replaced with Combat Style: Dual Wield (see below).
All levels of Weapon Proficiency are deleted from the game. There is no longer any "non-proficiency penalty." Any character may use any weapon at their base CA without the need for specific skills.
Combat Styles
If a character is trained in multiple styles, only one may be employed at full value. Two can be employed at half the skill total (such as a character striking a balance between Aggression and Caution); no more than two can be employed at one time.Example: A character with Aggression 110 and Crushing Blow 60 could use both in one round; his Aggression would be treated as if it were 55, and Crushing Blow as if it were 30 for the round.
Combat Style: Aggression
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1This skill negates an amount of the penalty for Follow-Up Attacks equal to its value. Example: Someone with a Sword (Follow-Up penalty -40) has Aggression at 50. The penalty for the first Follow-Up is negated entirely, and the second is at -30. A fourth or further attack would be at a cumulative -40 as normal.
Combat Style: Caution
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1This skill gives a character a bonus to Defense against anyone facing them in melee. The amount of bonus depends on the Caution ratio of the type of weapon being employed. You must be actively engaged in fighting to gain the benefits of this Style. If equipped with a shield larger than a buckler, then the shield's Caution ratio can be employed, regardless of the actual weapon being used.
Example: Sword-class weapons have a ratio of 5:1; every 5 points of this skill would translate into +1 Defense when armed with a weapon of that class.
Combat Style: Crushing Blow
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1This is the skill of leveraging your attacks to cause maximum impact and damage. When employed, all attacks gain +1 damage for each time the weapon type's Crushing Blow rating can be divided into the skill total.
Example: A character with this skill at 60 would gain +1 damage using Brawling and Swords, +2 using Maces, and +3 using Two-Handers.
Combat Style: Dual Wield
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1Prerequisite: Ambidexterity, Combat Style: Aggression or Caution 50+
This is the style of fighting with a weapon in each hand. It is a special style in that it is used in conjunction with the one-handed styles (Brawling, Sword, or Mace) and adds its effects on top. A character may choose to be Aggressive or Cautious each round when wielding two weapons (to choose either, both skills must be at 50 or higher; otherwise, only the option with a skill at 50+ may be chosen). Half of the dual wield stat is added as a bonus to the character's Aggression or Caution value for that round (the character must be actively using the skill being added to). If being Aggressive with two weapons, the attacks with Follow-Ups are considered to alternate between each hand, starting with the primary.
Example: A skilled rapier duelist with Aggression, Caution, and Dual Wield all at 100 could choose to use half of both his Aggression and Caution (50 each), then assign the Dual Wield to either one, gaining a further +50. If he chose to be purely Aggressive, then he could not choose to apply it to Caution, and would have a total Aggression of 150 for the round.
Combat Style: Precision
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1This skill allows an attacker to finesse their way around another's guard, using feints and placing their strikes just where they wish, in such a way to keep their opponent's defense off-balance. An opponent's Defense is effectively reduced for the purposes of making your attacks (it cannot be reduced below zero in this manner). The amount of reduction depends on the Precision ratio of the type of weapon being employed. Example: Sword-class weapons have a ratio of 5:1; every 5 points of this skill would translate into -1 to the target's Defense when armed with a weapon of that class.
Combat Style: Rapid Shooting
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1When using a ranged weapon, you may fill the air with extra projectiles. You may take multiple shots using a ranged weapon in a single round; for each attack you take past the first, you take a cumulative -40 CA penalty to all of your attacks, reduced by the value of this skill. You may not try to take so many shots that your CA goes to zero or below. Each shot may be directed at a different target, but that must be specified ahead of time in the IM; if a target goes down, you may not redirect other shots at it to different targets.
Example: With Rapid Shooting at 50, you could take two shots at full CA, three shots at -30 CA, or four shots at -70.
Combat Style: True Aim
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 25%, DP Ratio: 2:1You are particularly skilled at aiming with ranged weapons. Every 5 points in this skill negates 1 Defense of the target; if the target reaches zero Defense, it will also start negating penalties due to range or cover.
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