DanChops
First Post
I was thinking about 4E’s combat system the other day in the context of the only real-life combat that I’ve ever experienced – high school wrestling. The more I thought about it, the more a few of the different aspects of the new combat system made sense as a way to model a wrestling meet.
During the course of a typical day-long wrestling meet, I would wrestle in four matches. Each match was divided into three two-minute periods, and would last until the end of the third period, one of the wrestlers was pinned, or one of the wrestlers had 15 points more than the opponent (referred to as a technical pin.)
The four match-per day set up mirrors the expected four encounters per adventuring day in D&D. While the six-minute matches are a fair bit longer than the average D&D combat, I think each match could reasonably be considered an encounter.
During the course of a meet, there were a wide variety of wrestling moves that I employ in my attempts to pin the opponent. Some of these were such that I could pretty much do them at any time, depending on the circumstances. For example, I could attempt a variety of take-downs (such as double-leg shot or a hip toss) when we were both standing, a variety of escapes or reversals (such as a sit-out or a reverse) when I was on the bottom, or a variety of break-down moves (such as a half nelson, or a chicken wing) when I was on top. These were, in effect, my at-will attacks.
However, there were a few other moves that required the right sort of circumstances in order to execute. Some of theses were such that I would typically get a chance to use them once a match or so. For example, a three-quarter nelson, or a half nelson with an arm bar were moves that I would be able to attempt, on average, about once a match. These were, in effect, my per-encounter attacks.
A few other moves were so situational, or so difficult to set up right, or such overkill for the average match, that I would only be able to attempt them once a meet, if at all. The chicken-wing with a figure-four head lock, the guillotine, and the grape vine are all moves that I used to good effect, but not very frequently.
Of course, on the wrestling mat I didn’t always get to choose when I was able to attempt these moves – the timing was typically a combination of my efforts, my opponent’s mistakes, and sheer luck. However, I like that D&D gives the players the narrative control to determine when their opponent’s mistakes align with their efforts to create that opening that allows an encounter or daily power to be attempted.
Thinking about my old wrestling matches also gave me a bit of insight into hit points in 4E (and in D&D generally). While we clearly weren’t inflicting actual wounds on each other while we wrestled (the occasional sprained joint or broken bone aside) I would argue that we were inflicting damage on each other – in the sense of 4E damage. Our “hit points” represented an amalgamation of endurance, strength, skill, experience, determination, and luck. As we executed moves against each other, we would wear our opponents down. The more “hit points” they had, the harder to wear them down. The more experience you have, the easier to wear down your opponent. In the end, if you managed to “damage” your opponent such that he didn’t have any hit points left, then you would be able to pin him, and thus win the match. Again, while the analogy isn’t perfect, the D&D hp system does a great job modeling my experience as a wrestler.
Finally, healing surges do a good job representing my experiences on the wrestling mat. Pretty much every match, there would be a point at which you were able to psych yourself back up, get a second wind, and keep on with the match. In effect, you would use a healing surge.
The one thing I’m having difficulty thinking of an analogy for within the context of a wrestling meet, is the concept of being bloodied. Still trying to wrap my head around that.
During the course of a typical day-long wrestling meet, I would wrestle in four matches. Each match was divided into three two-minute periods, and would last until the end of the third period, one of the wrestlers was pinned, or one of the wrestlers had 15 points more than the opponent (referred to as a technical pin.)
The four match-per day set up mirrors the expected four encounters per adventuring day in D&D. While the six-minute matches are a fair bit longer than the average D&D combat, I think each match could reasonably be considered an encounter.
During the course of a meet, there were a wide variety of wrestling moves that I employ in my attempts to pin the opponent. Some of these were such that I could pretty much do them at any time, depending on the circumstances. For example, I could attempt a variety of take-downs (such as double-leg shot or a hip toss) when we were both standing, a variety of escapes or reversals (such as a sit-out or a reverse) when I was on the bottom, or a variety of break-down moves (such as a half nelson, or a chicken wing) when I was on top. These were, in effect, my at-will attacks.
However, there were a few other moves that required the right sort of circumstances in order to execute. Some of theses were such that I would typically get a chance to use them once a match or so. For example, a three-quarter nelson, or a half nelson with an arm bar were moves that I would be able to attempt, on average, about once a match. These were, in effect, my per-encounter attacks.
A few other moves were so situational, or so difficult to set up right, or such overkill for the average match, that I would only be able to attempt them once a meet, if at all. The chicken-wing with a figure-four head lock, the guillotine, and the grape vine are all moves that I used to good effect, but not very frequently.
Of course, on the wrestling mat I didn’t always get to choose when I was able to attempt these moves – the timing was typically a combination of my efforts, my opponent’s mistakes, and sheer luck. However, I like that D&D gives the players the narrative control to determine when their opponent’s mistakes align with their efforts to create that opening that allows an encounter or daily power to be attempted.
Thinking about my old wrestling matches also gave me a bit of insight into hit points in 4E (and in D&D generally). While we clearly weren’t inflicting actual wounds on each other while we wrestled (the occasional sprained joint or broken bone aside) I would argue that we were inflicting damage on each other – in the sense of 4E damage. Our “hit points” represented an amalgamation of endurance, strength, skill, experience, determination, and luck. As we executed moves against each other, we would wear our opponents down. The more “hit points” they had, the harder to wear them down. The more experience you have, the easier to wear down your opponent. In the end, if you managed to “damage” your opponent such that he didn’t have any hit points left, then you would be able to pin him, and thus win the match. Again, while the analogy isn’t perfect, the D&D hp system does a great job modeling my experience as a wrestler.
Finally, healing surges do a good job representing my experiences on the wrestling mat. Pretty much every match, there would be a point at which you were able to psych yourself back up, get a second wind, and keep on with the match. In effect, you would use a healing surge.
The one thing I’m having difficulty thinking of an analogy for within the context of a wrestling meet, is the concept of being bloodied. Still trying to wrap my head around that.
