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Dirk's Combat Overhaul, with Thrice's Edits
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), MA rolls for spells (but not Powers or Abilities), 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. Called shots to smaller regions of the body (-50 CA) may also bypass normal armor DR. Suits of armor can only absorb a limited amount of damage (equal to the armor’s “Quality Rating”) before being destroyed, requiring repair or replacement to regain its effectiveness. Destroyed armor grants no DR, but applies all other penalties until removed.Leather: DR 1, Str Req. 1, Penalty -10, Quality Rating 10
Chain: DR 2, Str Req. 2, Penalty -20, Quality Rating 20
Plate: DR 3, Str Req. 3, Penalty -30, Quality Rating 30
Casting Penalty: [Deleted]
(Optional armor rule: [Deleted])
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: [Deleted]
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 -40, 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 -50, 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 -40, 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
Spellcasting Changes
Saves
Spells and powers now save vs. full stats.Casting Interruption
Spells are no longer interrupted by damage.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.Delaying Actions
If your turn in the Initiative order comes up but you do not yet wish to take action, you can delay. Your next opportunity to act will be immediately after the next scheduled action in the round and after all characters who delayed their action before yours have gone. Your place in the initiative cycle is permanently changed to the INIT of the action immediately before yours -1.Example: Nhrin Del delays his attack on INIT 98. Liante Melyanna is the next character in the sequence, on INIT 87, so his move will occur on INIT 86, unless he choses to delay again. If Rolo Emptybottle, who had delayed his move on INIT 103 as well as on INIT 97 (immediately after Nhrin's scheduled move) elects to move after Liante, Rolo's move will take place on INIT 86 and Nhrin's will be pushed back to INIT 85.
Multiple Actions
You can take a second action in a round. but if you do, all actions suffer a penalty of (-50 + Speed). Characters with negative speed will have penalties higher than 50. 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 -40 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. It is replaced by Adept 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. [Dual-Wield Deleted]
All levels of Weapon Proficiency are deleted from the game and are replaced by Weapon Specialization and Advanced Fighting Styles. 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, they may all be employed at full value.Combat Style: Aggression
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 10%, DP Ratio: 3:1This skill negates an amount of the penalty for Follow-Up Attacks equal to its value. Example: Someone with a Sword (Follow-Up penalty -50) has Aggression at 60. The penalty for the first Follow-Up is negated entirely, and the second is at -40. A fourth or further attack would be at a cumulative -50 as normal.
Combat Style: Caution
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 10%, 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: 10%, 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 [deleted]
Combat Style: Precision
Cost: 2000ss, Type: Professional, Stat at Purchase: 10%, DP Ratio: 1:1This 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: 10%, DP Ratio: 2:1When using a bow, throwing knife or shuriken, 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: 10%, DP Ratio: 1:1You 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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