The systems used in roleplaying games to resolve conflict through violent means, often to the death of one or more characters. Combat often involves several subsystems that determine whether harm is inflicted (to-hit) and the extent of that harm (damage).
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1answer
174 views
Diceless miniatures? [closed]
I've seen diceless systems for narrative-focused role playing. But do any diceless combat tactics games exist, possibly based on miniatures? I'm thinking of personal-level combat where a single unit ...
6
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1answer
1k views
Calculating attack bonuses when fighting with two rapiers
In my current campaign the rogue has decided to take Two Weapon Fighting and Improved Two Weapon Fighting. What should the attack modifiers be during a full attack?
His current attack with one rapier ...
5
votes
3answers
970 views
Is Improved Trip / Combat Reflexes / Elusive Target / Spiked Chain overly powerful?
I have been leading by example and using enemies and custom monsters to show off combat strategies and builds to my players. This has worked pretty well so far – my players have been much more ...
7
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1answer
517 views
Does 2 handed multiplier apply to Dex mod with Weapon Finesse?
I have a rogue with Weapon Finesse.
This allows me to:
When making a melee attack with a light weapon or rapier, you may use your DEX Mod instead of your strength Mod on the attack roll.
Since ...
10
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1answer
304 views
Greater Feint Clarification
I don't understand the benefits of Greater Feint feat in Pathfinder.
Its Benefit states:
Whenever you use feint to cause an opponent to lose his Dexterity bonus, he loses that bonus until the ...
0
votes
1answer
201 views
Combat and exp/gold reward equations
I have a pen and paper game that I'm creating, but I'm running across issues in keeping the ratios between high and low level players similar in the battle and reward equations. Obviously a higher ...
2
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1answer
96 views
While swimming during combat, do “double moves” allow/require 2 swim checks?
A PC is in water during combat and requires a swim check to move.
Say, a PC chooses to use the move action first, performs their swim check and fail, sinking 5 feet, are they then allow to use their ...
4
votes
1answer
236 views
Does combat while swimming affect anything other than movement?
Does combat while swimming affect anything other than movement speed?
I assume that melee/ranged combat is affected if a PC is underwater after failing a swim check or choosing to dive?
Do these ...
7
votes
6answers
649 views
Combat system that is less abstract than hit points yet is not more lethal
I have a campaign based on battles with miniatures in mind, with my players controlling the standard "heroes". It should be possible for the players to keep their characters alive through the ...
6
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1answer
108 views
Are grenade attacks made against opposed Fray tests?
Do Throwing Weapons (by using a grenade) attacks require opposed 1/2 Fray tests to connect and damage enemies within the explosion area, like every other ranged attack?
2
votes
1answer
186 views
What's the advantage to kicking instead of punching?
I can understand that, situationally, there are reasons one might want to punch instead of kick or vice versa. But what mechanical advantage is there to kicking instead of punching, if any? It seems ...
9
votes
2answers
247 views
Simulating grenade explosions in a stairwell
What would be a fair way to adjudicate the detonation of a grenade in an enclosed space, such as a stairwell?
I have used the rules for blowback in games such as Shadowrun before, but recently ran a ...
8
votes
3answers
358 views
How many spears can fit in one pincushion
In The Riddle of Steel on page 77 it notes that the maximum number of combatants that can surround a single opponent is three, except "groups of spearmen and the like, who may gather tightly together ...
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votes
8answers
3k views
Combat rules for large battles
In the later chapters of a future campaign I'm thinking of having a section where the players take charge of parts of an army and fight a larger battle. I don't want to hand-wave the strategy, I want ...
13
votes
2answers
310 views
How can I efficiently manage Ship to Ship Tactical Combat and Boarding?
I'm planning a campaign that will involve a fair amount of ship to ship combat and boarding. My group is accustomed to using a square grid battle mat, and I'm concerned about the mechanics of the ...
34
votes
15answers
1k views
Narrative Combat versus Use of Miniatures
When I first started playing D&D, my DM did not use battlemaps or miniatures to describe combat. Everything was described to us, and questions to the DM were part and parcel of the experience, ...
13
votes
5answers
688 views
Downtuning lethality in Savage Worlds
My groups go-to system is Savage Worlds, and it works pretty well for our needs. But the system uses exploding dice, and that means that sometimes a casual encounter that should be a cakewalk for the ...
17
votes
6answers
732 views
Realistic modern day combat system to model real life ambush
I came across a video (helmet camera) of an Taliban force ambushing US infantry troops in Afghanistan. This is a link to the video of ambush: Combat in the First Person, Spc.Michael Gannon guides us ...
15
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1answer
1k views
Firing into close combat in Pathfinder
If I am using a bow against an enemy who is in melee combat with an ally of mine, I get a -4 on my attack roll, unless I have the precise shot feat. (See page 184 in the Core Rules.
Do I suffer the ...
11
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2answers
279 views
How do I make a physical challenge for Dawn-caste Solar Exalted?
I'm currently running an Exalted (2.5e) game (set in the West around Wavecrest, if it's relevant). The Dawn caste Solar in the party is carving through things incredibly fast - using Iron Whirlwind (6 ...
4
votes
2answers
354 views
Who gets the “grappled” condition when multiple grapplers participate?
In our group, we are having problems with D&D 3.5's grappling rules (no wonder), so I tried to find out how Pathfinder handles that situation. The rules are much better and more clear, yet I still ...
13
votes
2answers
284 views
What counts as a critical on defense?
In GURPS Campaigns p381, it states that a critical success on defense causes the attacker to suffer a "critical miss."
Does a critical hit on defense count as a roll of 3 or 4? If my parry is 15, ...
15
votes
5answers
421 views
Alternatives to inapplicable critical-hit table results?
In a recent session of ours, one of the players scored a critical hit on a very scary wolf. The random critical-hit bonus rolled was "disarm opponent." Our GM was kind and clever enough to announce ...
13
votes
8answers
574 views
When should the DM hide a PC's hit points?
In any game with hit points (I'm thinking D&D, but any will do), is there ever a situation where the DM ought to keep track of a player character's hit points, and not reveal it to the player?
...
7
votes
6answers
252 views
How do you come up with attribute values and skills for your NPCs
I have been playing PnP for some years now and also had one session GMing (my first) and I discovered that my biggest problem wasn't creating a world, inventing scenes or reacting fast if my players ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
What different styles of LARP combat exist?
I've been seeing a lot of variety in the answer to my questions about LARP, some mentioning NERO and Amtgard. Others saying things about Light-touch and lightest touch. Some conflicted ideas about ...
21
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1answer
752 views
How does attacking someone work?
OK, I keep going around in circles. In Dresden Files RPG, how do you work out punching someone vs using a knife/sword/weapon vs using a gun?
5
votes
2answers
96 views
How do Called/Aimed Shots interact with the optional Hit Locations rules in A Time of War?
Hit Locations (p. 190 AToW) are an optional rule in A Time of War [Mechwarrior 4th Ed RPG] which alter some of the normal combat rules when in place, such as the effects of injury.
When a players ...
16
votes
10answers
503 views
Without a map or miniatures, how to best determine line-of-sight, etc?
I think the title says it all. Let's say you're mastering a game without the benefit of miniatures, maps, or any kind of physical representation of the environment. How would you keep track of details ...
10
votes
4answers
226 views
How can I improve damage for a 2e rogue? (Particularly a Kender handler)
I'm roleplaying a 2nd Ed. Dragonlance Kender Handler. I had no experience in roleplaying, and kender sounded like a great opportunity to do fun stuff. In particular, my hiding / sneaking stats are ...
17
votes
4answers
777 views
How do you plan Savage Worlds combats based on PC ability?
Last night I ran my first Savage Worlds combat, to try to get a feel for the system. The combatants were two sword-wielding fighting men against three orcs (extras) and their chieftain (a wild card). ...
6
votes
1answer
195 views
Order of actions in combat
Is there a specific order in which move / move-equivalent actions and standard actions should occur during a combat round? I know you can take the 5-foot step at the beginning or the end of the turn, ...
8
votes
2answers
346 views
Combat Challenge vs Opportunity Attack - which happens first?
If a fighter has marked an enemy, and the enemy does a ranged attack against someone other than the fighter, I believe the fighter can attack using Combat Challenge as the enemy is making an attack ...
6
votes
2answers
261 views
What is the total net bonus when attacking an unconscious creature?
I've been thinking about unconsciousness and performing a a coup de grâce lately. It came up in our game this past week and I want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly.
Unconscious reads:
...
9
votes
2answers
169 views
What do characters know about the battlefield?
The PCs generally know where all enemies are and vice versa (except those who are Hidden). They also know the effects of all zones and other buffs that are in effect. This is part of the "all the ...
7
votes
1answer
151 views
Extended conflict / bringing down the pain in hardcore dungeoncrawling
Context
I am developing house rules to use Solar system for hardcore dungeoncrawling. I've thus far run one session of the game and combat represented some problems.
Rules-wise
The characters can ...
10
votes
2answers
475 views
How can characters with low Fighting and Shooting contribute in combat?
I've run a few rounds of Savage Worlds, and I like the quick character generation and minimal bookkeeping. I'm a little frustrated with a phenomenon which is hardly unique to the system: in combat, ...
4
votes
1answer
294 views
What is the the damage die of a punch or kick?
Probably an easy question but I could not find the answer for it anywhere.
Our group have the Heroes of Fallen X books, the Dungeon Master Kit and the Monster Vault and although the DMK says that you ...
4
votes
1answer
214 views
How is threat determined in Dark Heresy?
In Dark Heresy, you can gain a bonus to your melee attacks if you outnumber an opponent two to one or three to one. Are opponents threatened if a player is next to them or do they have to have ...
17
votes
4answers
704 views
How can acrobatics be used to move through an enemy occupied square?
According to the AcrobaticsDDI skill you can use an Acrobatic Stunt to "somersault over an opponent", amongst other things . It gives a base DC of 15, and "the DM sets the DC based on the complexity ...
13
votes
5answers
571 views
How does disarming a monster affect its statistics?
The disarm maneuver has almost totally disappeared from D&D 4th edition. However, at least one Fighter power - Exorcism of Steel - allows it.
Exorcism of Steel - Fighter Attack 17
You make a ...
20
votes
7answers
563 views
How do I make and use tactically interesting terrain?
I'm running 4e but I think this applies everywhere.
I want to use terrain more often in my fights. My best fights are the ones that revolve around interesting terrain. The problem is that I don't ...
15
votes
1answer
195 views
Can a creature immune to Immobilized walk away from a creature grabbing it?
Grabbed:
While a creature is grabbed, it is immobilized. Maintaining this condition on the creature occupies whatever appendage, object, or effect the grabber used to initiate the grab. This ...
19
votes
2answers
722 views
How do I use minions effectively?
I'm a newbie DM. It seems that minions in an encounter benefit the PCs more than they benefit me:
The Barbarian can kill them for free THP and a Swift Charge (I thought they were supposed to slow ...
7
votes
4answers
534 views
“Epic Level” Shadowrun
Recently I've run into an issue with my Shadowrun campaign for a number of reason, the most key of which is that my players have hit the 180-250 karma level where they've started to ascend to levels ...
10
votes
9answers
582 views
How to make combat deadlier?
I was thinking of reducing all hit points by 1/2 (pc, npc and monster) to make combat deadlier and less Hp crunching. Is this a good approach or is there a better way to do this or would it be better ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views
AC differences between AD&D 1E and Basic D&D?
I understand that there are differences between the way Armor Class works in AD&D (first edition) and Basic D&D (the boxed sets, Rules Cyclopedia, etc.), but I don't have the books to check it ...
11
votes
1answer
339 views
Do players get full XP from encounter if enemies break and run?
First, I don't know of any specific morale rules for NPC's/monsters, but I would say based on modern army tactics, a unit has lost its effectiveness at 33% losses, and at 50% its a rout. So if the ...
13
votes
2answers
665 views
Is there a penalty for holding a two handed weapon in offhand while throwing a weapon?
I have a fighter (warforged weaponmaster, level 6). He wields a Mordenkrad (2-handed hammer, brutal 1). He has a "Dwarven Thrower" Throwing Hammer (1-handed throwing weapon) sheathed at his belt.
...
7
votes
1answer
225 views
Is it still valid to zig-zag an opponent through a wall for multiple hits?
An old D&D 4e trick is to use forced movement to zig-zag your opponent through a wall effect multiple times for multiple hits. As I understand it, the Wall of Fire power specifically has been ...
