My question was how you handle "Combat Actions" in your games. How many do you give your PCs? What limits do you impose? How free are your PCs actions, etc?
I guess I am just "not getting this" for some reason.
In our game the characters of course start off with the normal 2 actions, and they can of course gain extra actions through Two-handed Fighting, Swift Strike, and Swift Shot.
Free actions are usually talking or taking a step in combat.
I normally disallow extra actions unless the character is parrying/dodging or it is a truly heroic move.
Do you allow a character to Delay or Save an action for a Parry or Dodge?
Say a player wins INIT. He declares that he will Parry an attack (if made against him) and attack (once) the Orc standing before him.
What happens when, say several characters later when the PC is attacked by another Orc...He has no penalty for the first Dodge/Parry right, because he delayed or Saved that action for later.
If he decides to save or Delay an action for Parry, then does a Run and a attack...is the attack penalized...or is the parry...when it happens later...
Here's an example battle which may aid you in understanding the system... if you have any questions after that, just ask.
Treachery Beneath the Boughs
Preface:
Celebeth trudges wearily home through a ravine deep in Mirkwood. He has spent his day on a lone hunting foray, but has been mysteriously unsuccessful; the animals seem to be hiding rather well. The sun is just setting; he stops to listen for his prey. Unknown to him, three wily Goblins are creeping up...
Initial Tests:
The Orcs (an archer, a spearorc, and the last armed with a scimitar and shield) make their Stealth (Sneak) tests. Each of them has a total modifier to their roll of +12 (Stealth +4; Sneak specialty adds 2; Nimbleness modifier of +0; affinity from Observe adds 1; dry leaves subtracts 2; dim lighting adds 2; and obstructed terrain adds 3). They roll and add this number, getting 16, 17, and 20.
Celebeth makes his Observe (Hear) test against these TNs; if he fails then he will be taken by surprise. His modifier to the roll is +5 (Observe +3; no specialty bonus; Perception modifier of +2). He rolls a 9 and so gets a total of only 14. Thus, all Orcs come so close unpercieved that they gain initiative automatically for the first round, and Celebeth also loses an action!
Round 1:
Celebeth is surprised and so loses initiative. The Orcs roll for initiative, adding 1 from Swiftness; Scimitar rolls 8, Bow rolls 7, and Spear rolls 6.
Scimitar leaps down at Celebeth for his first action, making a TN 10 Jump test to reach his target. His modifier is -1 (no Jump skill so -2 for being untrained; Strength modifier adds 1). He rolls a 9 and fails, landing awkwardly short of the Elf! The Orcs are 3-success, and the Narrator rules that Scimitar is hurt once by this stupid action (it would have taken an 11 to be successful!). For his second action, Scimitar picks his sorry body off the ground.
Bow already had his bow drawn, so he readies an arrow for his first action and fires for his second (Celebeth refuses to Dodge his wimpy opponent). Celebeth’s defense is 13 (10 plus his Nimbleness modifier of 3). Bow’s total modifier is +6 (Ranged Combat +2; specialty of Orc Bow adds 2; Nimbleness modifier of +0; and the Narrator rules that the Goblin is a size smaller and gains the +2 bonus from this fact; the Goblin is also Night-eyed, and so does not suffer from the dim lighting). He rolls an 11, thus getting a total of 17 (4 above the TN) for a hit! He then rolls for damage, getting a 9 but subtracting 2 since Celebeth has the Armour of Heroes edge. Celebeth is now at 2 health!
Spear, not as reckless at Scimitar, takes the prudent course of climbing his way down to the Elf. For both his actions he makes a TN 5 Climb test at a total of -1 (untrained is -2; adds 1 from Strength modifier), rolls a 9, and so gets 3 above the TN, succeeding.
It is now Celebeth’s turn; an arrow is stuck in him but he is unafraid (as of yet, that is). He reaches for his trusty dagger (he left his sword at home, since he didn’t expect any more trouble than that which a deer would give) and draws it for his first action. He was surprised and so loses an action, but the Narrator allows him to do a multiple action, and so he swings the blade at the Orc standing before him (Scimitar). He makes his basic Armed Combat test at -1 (Armed Combat +4; no specialty bonus; +3 from Nimbleness mod; -2 from dim lighting; -1 from being winded after hunting all day; -5 from multiple action penalty). The Narrator rules that Scimitar can not Parry as a multiple action, seeing as he just fell a ways. The TN is 12 (defense of 10; 2 more from being smaller); Celebeth rolls a 10 for a total of only 9; but he uses a Courage, boosting it to 12, scoring a hit! Scimitar has now been wounded twice (once from the fall, again from Celebeth’s knife).
Round 2:
Celebeth rolls for initiative at +2 (Swiftness +3; winded subtracts 1); rolls a 9 for a total of 11. The Orcs roll, each at +1, getting 11 (Bow), 8 (Spear), and 4 (Scimitar). Celebeth and Bow tied, but the Narrator rules that since Celebeth has more Swiftness he automatically wins the tie.
Celebeth carefully thrusts his knife at Scimitar; Scimitar declares Parry. The Elf makes his precise Armed Combat test at +6 (Armed Combat +4; no specialty bonus; +3 from Nimbleness mod; -2 from dim lighting; -1 from being winded after hunting all day; +2 from making a Precise Attack); he rolls a 6 for a total of 12, again just barely hitting his opponent. However, Scimitar parrys at +10 (Armed Combat +4; specialty adds 2; scimitar parry bonus of 1; small shield adds 3); but after the Orcs getting tons of nines on their rolls, Scimitar rolls a 2 for a total of 12! Celebeth barely hits him, but the blow is enough and Scimitar collapses. Celebeth turns to Spear, raises his bloodied knife, and cries “Flee now, scum, or thou wilt meet the same end as thy kin!” in an attempt to Intimidate him. His total modifier is +2 (untrained makes it -2; Bearing modifier adds 1; winded subtracts 1; appropriate cry adds 2; bloodied knife adds 2; display of power adds 2; outnumbered subtracts 2); he rolls an 11 (!) for a total of 13. Spear makes a Willpower test to resist at +0, rolls an 11 (!), and fails. Spear is now panicked and thus suffers a -2 penalty to all actions for the rest of the combat.
Bow now readies another arrow and fires at a total of +6 to Defense of 13. Celebeth ignores the hiss of the arrow as Bow rolls a 5 and thus misses with a total of 11.
It is now Spear’s turn; he Charges toward Celebeth for two actions (first action: walk; second action: Armed Combat). Celebeth makes no attempt to ward him off, relying solely on his Defense. Spear makes the test at +3 (Armed Combat +4; no specialty; -2 from being Panicked; +1 from charging); he rolls a 7 for a total of 10, failing to hit Celebeth’s 13 Defense.
Scimitar is dead, so he obviously misses his turn!
Having nimbly side-stepped the fiery of Spear, Celebeth attempts to knife his opponent as a multiple action. He attacks at -1 to a TN of 12; he rolls double sixes! Using the open-ended rule, he rolls again and gets another 6! He continues on and gets a 3. So his attack total was 20; 8 above the TN for a superior success. This means that the 3-success Spear is wounded twice!
Round 3:
With Scimitar dead, there is only the beat-up Spear, untouched Bow, and the incredibly efficient Celebeth. The Elf gets a total of 8 on initiative, while both Spear and Bow get a 12. They roll randomly to see who goes first, and Bow gets the honor.
Bow readies his third arrow, fires at +6 to the TN of 13, and rolls a 4 for a total of 10 (he’s getting frustrated now!).
Spear, groaning from Celebeth’s attacks, attacks wildly. His Armed Combat roll is at +2 (Armed Combat +4; no specialty; -2 from being Panicked); if he hits his damage will be an extra +3 from his Power Attack; he needs an 11 to hit, however, and he only gets a 7 (what a stupid Orc).
Celebeth now tries to deposit his dagger into Spear; his test is at +4 so he needs an 8. He only rolls a 6 and so misses. But, his anger roused, he attacks again, getting a 9, and deftly finishes off this Orc as well. Recovering his calm, he makes a multiple action to draw his bow; there usually is no test for drawing a bow; but as an extra action, he can make a Nimbleness test at a TN of 5 (there is no multiple action penalty when doing this). He rolls a 5, adds his Nimbleness modifier of +3, and subtracts 1 from being Winded, getting a total of 7 for a success.
Round 4:
Now only Celebeth and Bow are left; they get 9 and 7, respectively.
Celebeth whips out his first arrow and aims at the Orc; he wants to be sure that he won’t miss.
Bow hurriedly readies his fourth arrow, and fires; his steadfastness is rewarded, as he gets a total of 15, 2 above the TN. He rolls for damage; and cries out in dismay, as the accursed dice show a 1 and a 2. Armour of Heroes subtracts 2 from that, so Celebeth is only pushed down to 1 health; he isn’t even dazed! However, a good side effect of this was that Celebeth’s aim was thrown off when the arrow struck him, so he’ll have to use an action aiming again next turn.
Round 5:
Celebeth rolls a total of 9 for initiative, while Bow rolls a 10.
Bow draws yet another arrow, fires, and misses with a pitiful roll of 2 (his mood is rather nasty, now).
Celebeth shrugs off the pain of the arrow that hit him a few seconds ago; aims for his first action; then fires fors his second. His total modifier is +14 (Ranged Combat +6; Longbow specialty adds 2; Nimbleness mod adds 3; Accurate edge adds 3; dim lighting subtracts 2; winded penalty subtracts 1; aiming adds 3); he rolls a 10 for a total of 24. Since he got 12 above the TN (the 12 Defense of Bow), he gets an extraordinary success, killing poor Bow.
Aftermath:
The Narrator decides that now is an appropriate time for a Weariness test; Celebeth makes a TN 10 Stamina test at +0 (Stamina +1; Winded subtracts 1), rolls a 6 and fails. Thus he is now Tired, and decides to forget about attempting to recover his arrows.
Darkness sees Celebeth reach home safely. He makes little of his triumph, but his friends applaud his bravery and bowmanship.
Ben Hur...let me thank you for the time and effort you put into that...it was great!
It did help.
So basically, from what I gather in your explanation you allow the Storyteller to dictate "Extra Actions" at a whim? (Kinda using common sense as a ruler.)
Do your players get frustrated by this at all? Mine are all great players, so I am not that worried about it...but still..I am curious.
Thanks Again!
OH, if anyone from DECIPHER is reading this, I would recommend you posting this example on your web page and perhaps send Ben Hur a "thank you book" for his efforts in helping your customers!
Oh...had another thought/point while re-reading your wonderful post:
In your example the Orcs seem to have a bit of bad luck with their attack rolls...especially Bow...this kinda leads me to believe that it *should* be farily easy for most (average rolled) attacks to hit the Defense of a character or creature and that Dodging or Parrying are almost required for surviability.
When it comes to Shields...Obvioulsy they add to "active parrys" and such...but do they add to the DEFENSE general?
Thank you! I'm rather sick right now with a head cold, a cough, and a head-ache, so that makes me feel a lot better!
My players actually don't have any problems with me deciding when they can do extra actions and not. They are my younger brothers though, so two of them just play rather well without knowing the rules really, the oldest one knows the rules mostly but is fine with this still.
I could've sworn there was a line somewhere that said "The Narrator should decide exactly how much a character can do in a combat round", but for some reason I can't find it.
Shields don't add to Defense. They add to Parries and they subtract from Ranged Combat tests made against their bearers. And yes, most characters must depend on Parries and Dodges, unless they are fighting cannon-fodder type enemies while fighting in a place where there are penalties to attack rolls (if they are fighting on slick or slippery terrain, for example, then they can count on their Defense a good deal more).
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I'm rather sick right now with a head cold, a cough, and a head-ache, so that makes me feel a lot better!
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