D&D 4E 4e-inspired modular combat system

[RangerWickett]

Heads up, this will be a long post.

After a year or so of playing 4e, I've gotten a little inspired to take what I like about the system (most of it) and tweak the powers system, which I dislike. I want PCs to have fighting styles from which they can create a variety of attacks, instead of only knowing a handful of very precise, delineated abilities.

So far I only have things figured out for low level, and only for martial attacks. Higher level options, at least for martial attacks, pretty much just consist of combinations of simpler abilities. The key components of this new system are:

Hero Class: A generic class that lets you choose from a selection of options to create a personalized character class.

Fighting Styles: Feats that give you various combat options. For instance, the Assassin style gives you sneak attack. The Clincher style improves your attacks while in a grapple. The Commander style gives you inspiring word. Defender gets you a version of the fighter's marking/combat challenge ability. The Hero class starts with its choice of a few feats, which can be fighting styles, armor proficiencies, or (not yet designed) magical traditions.

Maneuvers: A maneuver is a set of one or more combat options that you perform as a standard action. For instance, if you have the Brute and Clincher fighting styles, you might grab an opponent, headbutt him, then pick him up and throw him at someone else.

Power Rating: Ranging from 1 to 11, your PR determines what options (and how many) you can select for your maneuvers. A typical 1st level warrior has PR 3 for martial options, and thus could construct a maneuver out of a single PR 3 option, or a PR 1 and PR 2, or three PR 1s. A given fighting style might offer several options at different PRs.

For instance, the Basic Combat style (which everyone knows) lets you make a basic attack, or grab, or bull rush as a PR 2, or to make a light attack (1d4 dmg, no Str mod) as a PR 1. The Skirmisher style lets you shift one square as a PR 1 option, or move your speed as a PR 2 option. You could choose a total of PR 6, you could shift 2 squares, grab, then make two light attacks.


More to come. It's a little complicated at first, and I'm trying to figure out how best to explain it.

 

[weem]

I'm really interested to see how this comes out - I love having options, and the ability to put together your own styles of combat, etc

 

[Garthanos]

Well you have me curious ;-)

 

[Pale Jackal]

Count me as another curious individual.

 

[RangerWickett]

Okay, first the boring stuff: the Hero class. It's just a workhorse to let you design interesting things, so don't expect razzle dazzle.

Hero

Key Abilities: All
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged
Bonus to Defense: +2 divided as you choose among Fortitude, Reflex, or Will

Hit Points: 7 + Constitution + 5 per level
Healing Surges: 6 + Constitution modifier

Trained Skills: Choose any four.
Class Abilities: Starting Talents


Starting Talents
Eventually there will be options for mages and warrior-mages, but right now there's just the warrior.


Warrior. Arms and Armor (four options), Battle Surge, Fighting Style (two styles).


Arms & Armor
Choose any four of the following options. You are proficient in all the chosen weapons and armors if you meet the prerequisites.

• Armor I. Leather armor (no prerequisite), hide armor (Str 13, Con 13), and light shields (Str 13).
• Armor II. Chain armor (Str 13, Con 13), scale armor (Str 15, Con 15), and heavy shields (Str 15). You cannot select this unless you have Armor I.
• Armor III. Plate armor (Str 15, Con 15). You cannot select this unless you have Armor II.
• Military melee weapons.
• Military ranged weapons.
• Any one superior weapon.

Battle Surge
You can psych yourself up, channel your rage, find your focus, or otherwise improve your combat skills momentarily. The first time you use a battle surge in a given encounter, it takes a minor action. The second time in the same encounter it takes a move action. The third time and thereafter it takes a standard action to use battle surge.

When you battle surge, for a single maneuver that you make before the end of your next turn, your PR is considered 2 higher for the purposes of fighting style options (not magic options).




Fighting Style
You gain Heroic Combat and two fighting style feat of your choice as a bonus feats.



Heroic Combat
You have a Power Rating of 3 for fighting style options. You can select maneuver options from the ‘Basic Combat’ list and from the lists of any fighting style feats you possess.


Paragon Combat
You have a Power Rating of 6 for fighting style options. Prereq: level 11.



Epic Combat
You have a Power Rating of 8 for fighting style options. Prereq: level 21.



So at 1st level, you'll have PR 3, which means you can choose a total of 3 PR worth of options (which will be detailed in the next post). You can do a combat surge to get up to PR 5. I figure there'll be some way to get an additional +1 PR, perhaps a feat that gives you +1 in certain circumstance (while bloodied, or when one of your allies is down, or something else depending on personality), or just +1 PR that can only apply to options from a particular style.


Now I'm designing maneuver options. The six core character styles I'm trying to make viable are:
Str – Heavy weapons. Hard hitter.
Dex – Light weapons. Nimble, canny warrior.
Con – Grappling unarmed.

Int – Illusions and Charms (manipulating your foes). Illusionist + enchanter.
Wis – Wise Man (healing, seeing). Healer + seer.
Cha – Evoker (controlling energy). Pyromancer + telekinetic.


Styles Include:
Basic Combat
Anything Goes (unorthodox techniques)
Assassin (striking from stealth)
Cavalier (mounted combat)
Clincher (rapid attacks in close combat)
Commander (granting allies bonuses, healing)
Defender (keeping enemies occupied)
Duelist (one-on-one)
Formation (group tactics)
Hard Style (unarmed attack, striking)
Heavy Hitter (knock your foes around)
Internal Style (healing, inner power)
Skirmisher (movement)
Slayer (fighting large, monstrous foes)
Soft Style (unarmed defense, redirection)
Two Weapon (fairly obvious)
Wrestling (grabbing, pinning, locking)

Details to follow.

 

[RangerWickett]

Before I go any further, I want to explain my philosophy of combat, as learned through action scenes in books, movies, video games, and games I have run.

I want pacing and originality in action scenes. D&D often fails in this regard, because regardless of what trick you use to run your opponent out of hit points, he almost always goes down from some random attack, rather than a particularly original trick or gambit.

In an effort to fix that, I have included with the Basic Combat style (as well as a few other styles) a series of 'finishing move' options.

Keyword – Finishing: These options can only be selected if your maneuver also includes an attack of some variety (a normal attack, bull rush, grab, etc.). If after that attack the target is bloodied, make a secondary attack.

Melee weapon. Atk Str vs. Fort. Hit You inflict the listed condition. Special If the primary attack used a different stat than strength, use that same stat for the secondary attack.

Some conditions have multiple stages. If you inflict such a crippling condition on a target already suffering from that condition, the condition can worsen, from stage one, to stage two, and on.

A condition that lasts ‘until the target spends a healing surge’ can also be treated by the Heal skill as a standard action (DC 20).




You'll see these below.

One other key thing. Some powers refer to light, medium, or heavy weapons. Light weapons are those with the off-hand trait. Medium are other one-handed weapons. Heavy are two handed weapons.

 

[LostSoul]

I am looking forward to this. I don't like the Power system but I would have approached changes in a totally different manner.

 

[RangerWickett]

These are a work in progress, and this is as far as I'm going to get this weekend. Maybe try out a few sample characters at 1st level, and tell me what you think.


Fighting Style Feats

Keyword – Finishing: These options can only be selected if your maneuver also includes an attack of some variety (a normal attack, bull rush, grab, etc.). If after that attack the target is bloodied, make a secondary attack.

Melee weapon. Atk Str vs. Fort. Hit You inflict the listed condition. Special If the primary attack used a different stat than strength, use that same stat for the secondary attack.

Some conditions have multiple stages. If you inflict such a crippling condition on a target already suffering from that condition, the condition can worsen, from stage one, to stage two, and on.

A condition that lasts ‘until the target spends a healing surge’ can also be treated by the Heal skill as a standard action (DC 20).



Heroic Combat
You know how to wield a weapon.
Benefit: You have PR 3 for maneuver options from the Basic Combat list and the lists of any fighting style you know.


Paragon Combat
You know how to wield a weapon better than most.
Prerequisite: Heroic Combat, level 11
Benefit: You have PR 6 for maneuver options from the Basic Combat list and the lists of any fighting style you know.


Epic Combat
You know how to wield a weapon better than anyone.
Prerequisite: Heroic Combat, Paragon Combat, level 21
Benefit: You have PR 8 for maneuver options from the Basic Combat list and the lists of any fighting style you know.
You can consider yourself one size category larger for the purposes of whether you can bull rush or grab creatures.



Basic Combat
Everyone knows how to do this stuff.

Power Rating 1:

• Light Bonus Damage. Choose an attack made with a light weapon. It deals +1[w] damage.

Power Rating 2:

• Blind (finishing). Target is blinded until the beginning of your next turn or until it spends a healing surge. Stage two, target is blinded until it spends a healing surge. Stage three, target is permanently blinded in one eye.
• Bull Rush. Make a bull rush attack.
• Charge. Make a charge attack.
• Disarm (finishing). The target is disarmed. If you have a free hand, you get the weapon. Otherwise it drops in a square of your choice adjacent to you and the target.
• Grab. Make a grab attack.
• Normal Attack. Make a melee or ranged basic attack.
• Normal Bonus Damage. Choose an attack with a medium or heavy weapon. It deals +1[w] damage.
• Trip (finishing). Target is knocked prone.

Power Rating 3:

• Slow (finishing). Target is slowed until the beginning of your next turn or until it spends a healing surge. Stage two, target is slowed until it spends a healing surge. Stage three, target is immobilized until it spends a healing surge.
• Sunder (finishing). Choose an item in the target’s possession. If it is mundane or magical but level 10 or less, it is destroyed. Stage two, it is destroyed if level 20 or less. Stage three, if level 30 or less. An item destroyed in this way is non-functional, but can be repaired or disenchanted. At the GM’s prerogative, some attacks might be unable to destroy certain objects.
• Weaken (finishing). Choose one limb the target has. Attacks with that limb are weakened until the target spends a healing surge. Stage two, the limb is broken or crippled until it heals. Stage three, the limb is permanently crippled or severed.
• Wounded (finishing). The target takes ongoing 5 damage until it spends a healing surge. Stage two, ongoing 10. Stage three, ongoing 15. Stage four, ongoing 20.

Power Rating 4:

• Daze (finishing). Target is dazed until the beginning of your next turn or until it spends a healing surge. Stage two, target is stunned until the beginning of your next turn or until it spends a healing surge. Stage three, target is knocked unconscious (save ends), with aftereffect: dazed until it spends a healing surge.

Anything Goes
You fight with any weapon, or with none at all.
Prerequisite: Proficient in military melee weapons
Benefit: With unarmed attacks and improvised weapons you have a +3 proficiency bonus. Unarmed attacks deal 1d6 damage, one-handed improvised weapons deal 1d8 , and two-handed improvised weapons deal 1d12.
If you select the finishing options disarm or trip they function if you have the target grabbed, even if it is not bloodied.


Assassin
You fight sneakily.
Benefit: When an attack you make hits a target granting you combat advantage, you deal an additional 2d6 damage.

Power Rating 2:

• Crippling Strike. If you select the finishing options blind, slow, weaken, or wounded for this maneuver they function if the target is granting you combat advantage, even if it is not bloodied.

Cavalier
You fight on a horse.
Prerequisites: Mounted Combat
Benefit: When you are riding a mount, the creature can use your level to determine its attack bonus instead of its own.

Power Rating 1:

• Mounted Adjustment. Your mount moves 2 squares.
• Mounted Shift. Your mount shifts 1 square.

Power Rating 2:

• Mounted Attack. Your mount makes a basic attack.
• Mounted Charge. Your mount makes a charge attack.
• Mounted Move. Your mount moves its speed.

Clincher
You fight in close.
Prerequisites: Improved Grab
Benefit: When you have an enemy grabbed and can take actions, you gain a +2 cover bonus to defenses.

Power Rating 1:

• Light Attack. Make an attack with a light melee weapon. Melee weapon. Atk Str vs. AC. Hit 1[w].

Power Rating 3:

• Body Shield. Until the end of your next turn, as long as you have a creature grabbed, when you are attacked you can redirect the attack to your grabbed creature as an immediate interrupt.

Combat Finesse
You fight like a finesse.
Benefit: You can use Dexterity in place of Strength for attack and damage rolls with melee weapons.

Power Rating 1:

• Clever Attack. Choose an attack. It gets a +2 bonus to the attack roll.

Commander
You fight with words.
Benefit: You gain the inspiring word class ability of a warlord.

Power Rating 2:

• Bolster Attack. Choose an ally within 5 squares. He gains a +2 power bonus to one attack roll of his choice before the end of your next turn.

Defender
You keep people from hitting your friends.
Benefit: When you make an attack, you can mark each target of the attack. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. Whenever a creature marked by you makes an attack that doesn’t include you as a target, it provokes an opportunity attack from you.
When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, if the creature was moving, you stop its movement.


Dreadnought
You can easily face many foes at once.
Prerequisites: Con 13
Benefit: You gain 1 hit point per level, and 1 additional healing surge per day.

Power Rating 5:

• Whirlwind Strike. Make an attack, close burst 1, Str vs. AC. 1[w]+Str.

Duelist
You’re excellent at one-on-one combat.
Benefit: When you make an attack, you can mark one target of the attack. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. If creature marked by you is adjacent to you at the beginning of your turn, it grants combat advantage to you until the end of your turn.


Formation
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Hard Style
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Heavy Hitter
Description
Prerequisites: Str 13
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• Rough Hit. Choose an attack. If it misses, it still deals 3 damage.

Power Rating 2:

• Shove. Choose an attack. If it hits, push the target 1 square.

Internal Style
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Skirmisher
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Slayer
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Soft Style
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Two Weapon
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

Wrestler
Description
Prerequisites:
Benefit:

Power Rating 1:

• X.

 

[LostSoul]

RW, what are your design goals for this project? Can you share them with us?

 

[RangerWickett]

Primarily I want to introduce a system like this into my home game as an alternative to the power system built into 4e. I really dislike when a player starts his turn, then flips through his available power cards, instead of reacting to the situation of combat. I feel that having to mentally process "how do I make this power useful in this situation" takes longer than "here's what I want to accomplish on my turn, so let me figure out which of these action components help me toward that goal."

Also, I understand WotC's need from a revenue standpoint to have a ruleset that requires you buy more and more books in order to get lots of options, but I like building my own stuff, so I'm going for a sort of Legos approach. Let you make what you want. Hopefully it will also be relatively well balanced.