tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post5527873036449808225..comments2024-03-26T22:17:42.458-04:00Comments on Semper Initiativus Unum: On Holmesian InitiativeWayne Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11347401495298367324noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-82875984347476902772013-11-27T18:39:40.897-05:002013-11-27T18:39:40.897-05:00Some comments:
DEX = movement rate/10 is interest...Some comments:<br /><br />DEX = movement rate/10 is interesting. I need to sit down and work through it to see if I like where it is going though.<br /><br /><i>Dexterity is only referenced, and dice only rolled for ties, when first engaging an opponent.</i> <br /><br />Except not exactly...read closely and you'll notice something I only recently picked up on: <br /><br /><i><b> If dexterities are within 1 or 2 points of each other, a 6-sided die is rolled for each opponent, and the higher score gains initiative — first blow. </b></i><br /><br />This changes thing up a lot. In your fighter, orc, orge example the fighter gets a roll off against the orge but the orc gets one against the fighter. The question is does the fighter roll twice, once for each, or just once for both?<br /><br /><i>For reasons of tension and balance, I think spell-casting should always be subject to a roll-off, and being hit in a round should stop a spell from being cast for the rest of the round. So if a magic-user is trying to Sleep a group of goblins, the one who reaches him can roll off to see whether it can try to attack the M-U and disrupt his spell.</i><br /><br />Agreed, which gets to my next idea which I picked up from the 1-2 note. Why not modify Holmes slightly to initiative is DEX+d3/4 order. While this is a bit looser than straight Holmes (this would allow a DEX 12 to beat a DEX 14 or 15 depending on die size) it keeps the same flavor.<br /><br />As for avoiding weapon speed rules, if those are really someone's thing I think the method in the Ready Ref sheets Weapon Priority (J-5 lower right hand corner).Pulp Herbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486803457210325703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-58487880840686517122013-10-25T14:54:05.643-04:002013-10-25T14:54:05.643-04:00I'm pre-disposed to like your proposal. I play...I'm pre-disposed to like your proposal. I played a lot of DragonQuest pack in the mid 80's and its 2ed. rules used a fairly similar procedure. Melee engaged combatants had a static Initiative Value (based on their Agility and Weapon Rank) and all melee engagements were resolved first. Then random initiative on a d10 was rolled for each side for the non-engaged combatants.<br /><br />Other aspects of the combat system made the handling time of a combat round a little more time-consuming then I have a taste for today, but the initiative system was smooth in operation and still default to it today playing BD&D variants.<br /><br />Using Move/10 for monster dexterity is pretty inspired. I've been eyeballing speeds rather than rolling for it or using a formal method. I think I'll adopt that aspect.<br /><br />I handle melee groupings a little different. I wouldn't treat your example of 3 fighting men taking on 4 orcs as separate melees unless there was more than 10' between some of them. I would treat that as 1 cluster to be resolved together. The cleric joining the scrum would get an attack (and enter melee) after the other combatants attacks were resolved.Nick Linerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14914238550346892797noreply@blogger.com