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The 30 Minute Skirmish
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<blockquote data-quote="Firebeetle" data-source="post: 5356897" data-attributes="member: 34506"><p>Here's my idea for Skirmish Rules:</p><p></p><p>Purpose: Combat scenarios that are light on combat to simulate incidental violent interactions such as bar room brawls and fighting off bandits, to show a sequence of possibly interrelated smaller encounters such as a section of a dungeon or wandering monsters, and combats where annihilating the enemy is not the goal. Skirmish combats should be quick to setup and run and should not interrupt the flow of the game. </p><p></p><p>Inspiration: <a href="http://www.robertjschwalb.com/2010/09/reexamining-the-dungeon/" target="_blank">Reexamining the Dungeon</a></p><p>Step 1: Setup </p><p></p><p>Incidental Violence: Stock your monsters or NPCs as normal, provide for non-violent resolutions to the combat. Possibilities include monsters retreat once all are down or bloodied, players have an escape option, or an interruptiong occurs after a number of rounds (the guard comes to break up a brawl, etc.) Include any circumstances that will affect the Stack (see Stack below.)</p><p></p><p>Interrelated Encounters/Wandering Monsters: Create a selection of monsters or NPCs to fill an area, or warbands of wandering monsters. Create a basic idea of how these monsters will be encountered and how they will interrelate. </p><p>You might select a section of a dungeon and populate with various different monsters without building a full-fledged encounter. You might create a wandering monster table and create a set of rules or circumstances under which they are encountered. Include any circumstances that will affect the Stack (see Stack below.)</p><p></p><p>Alternate Goal Encounter: Create a warband and circumstances under which the encounter will end. The players retrieve the magic amulet, or find the green door, or throw the evil scroll into the sacred whirlpool, or whatever. Create any warband of monsters that are obstacles, and any circumstances that will affect the stack. </p><p></p><p>For all setups: Provide a minimum number of rounds you think the combat should take (usually three or so.) </p><p> </p><p>The Stack:</p><p>When a skirmish combat begins. put a stack of ten counters (I'll use poker chips) down. </p><p>Take the total possible XP for the encounter and divide by ten. That is how much each token in the stack is worth. </p><p>Reduce the stack for the following:</p><p>One for every round over the minimum that combat is still occurring.</p><p>One for any encounter ability used</p><p>Two for any daily ability used</p><p></p><p>At the end of the encounter, count the number of tokens in the stack. Multiply by ten and that is the percentage of the original XP that the players earn. The stack cannot be increased beyond ten. </p><p></p><p>Examples:</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Bar Room Brawl</span></strong></p><p><strong></strong>5 Drunken Brawlers (custom level 2 monsters)</p><p>2 Halfling Flingers (custom level 2 artillery)</p><p>2 Barroom Warriors (custom level 3 brutes)</p><p></p><p>A fight breaks out in a bar. </p><p></p><p><strong>Victory circumstances</strong>: The PCs can attempt to leave at any time, but only earn XP for the NPCs they have defeated (modified by the Stack). The guard will come after the tenth round and end the encounter. </p><p></p><p><strong>Minimum rounds</strong>: 3- reduce 1 for every round after</p><p><strong>Additional Stack Rules</strong>:</p><p>Using deadly force- Reduce 1</p><p>Actually killing someon- Reduce 3</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Dungeon Sector</span></strong></p><p>4 orcs</p><p>8 stirges</p><p>1 Gelatinous Cube</p><p></p><p>The orcs man the sentry room, the stirges lair in the cave by the Ghoul Kings entrance, and the gelatinous cube is in a side passage. Players do not have to encounter all three, but they may attract the other monsters after X rounds of combat.</p><p></p><p><strong>Victory</strong>: defeat or evade any immediate enemies. </p><p></p><p><strong>Additional Stack rules</strong>:</p><p>Include markers for each area- Increase stack by one for each marker met.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Maze of the Dead</span></strong></p><p></p><p>12+ Zombie Rotters</p><p></p><p>Players must move across catacombs in an ancient crypt, fighting or evading a horde of zombies, to the tomb on the far side. </p><p></p><p><strong>Victory</strong>: defeat or evade any immediate enemies.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Firebeetle, post: 5356897, member: 34506"] Here's my idea for Skirmish Rules: Purpose: Combat scenarios that are light on combat to simulate incidental violent interactions such as bar room brawls and fighting off bandits, to show a sequence of possibly interrelated smaller encounters such as a section of a dungeon or wandering monsters, and combats where annihilating the enemy is not the goal. Skirmish combats should be quick to setup and run and should not interrupt the flow of the game. Inspiration: [url=http://www.robertjschwalb.com/2010/09/reexamining-the-dungeon/]Reexamining the Dungeon[/url] Step 1: Setup Incidental Violence: Stock your monsters or NPCs as normal, provide for non-violent resolutions to the combat. Possibilities include monsters retreat once all are down or bloodied, players have an escape option, or an interruptiong occurs after a number of rounds (the guard comes to break up a brawl, etc.) Include any circumstances that will affect the Stack (see Stack below.) Interrelated Encounters/Wandering Monsters: Create a selection of monsters or NPCs to fill an area, or warbands of wandering monsters. Create a basic idea of how these monsters will be encountered and how they will interrelate. You might select a section of a dungeon and populate with various different monsters without building a full-fledged encounter. You might create a wandering monster table and create a set of rules or circumstances under which they are encountered. Include any circumstances that will affect the Stack (see Stack below.) Alternate Goal Encounter: Create a warband and circumstances under which the encounter will end. The players retrieve the magic amulet, or find the green door, or throw the evil scroll into the sacred whirlpool, or whatever. Create any warband of monsters that are obstacles, and any circumstances that will affect the stack. For all setups: Provide a minimum number of rounds you think the combat should take (usually three or so.) The Stack: When a skirmish combat begins. put a stack of ten counters (I'll use poker chips) down. Take the total possible XP for the encounter and divide by ten. That is how much each token in the stack is worth. Reduce the stack for the following: One for every round over the minimum that combat is still occurring. One for any encounter ability used Two for any daily ability used At the end of the encounter, count the number of tokens in the stack. Multiply by ten and that is the percentage of the original XP that the players earn. The stack cannot be increased beyond ten. Examples: [B][SIZE="4"]Bar Room Brawl[/SIZE] [/B]5 Drunken Brawlers (custom level 2 monsters) 2 Halfling Flingers (custom level 2 artillery) 2 Barroom Warriors (custom level 3 brutes) A fight breaks out in a bar. [B]Victory circumstances[/B]: The PCs can attempt to leave at any time, but only earn XP for the NPCs they have defeated (modified by the Stack). The guard will come after the tenth round and end the encounter. [B]Minimum rounds[/B]: 3- reduce 1 for every round after [B]Additional Stack Rules[/B]: Using deadly force- Reduce 1 Actually killing someon- Reduce 3 [B][SIZE="4"]Dungeon Sector[/SIZE][/B] 4 orcs 8 stirges 1 Gelatinous Cube The orcs man the sentry room, the stirges lair in the cave by the Ghoul Kings entrance, and the gelatinous cube is in a side passage. Players do not have to encounter all three, but they may attract the other monsters after X rounds of combat. [B]Victory[/B]: defeat or evade any immediate enemies. [B]Additional Stack rules[/B]: Include markers for each area- Increase stack by one for each marker met. [B][SIZE="4"]Maze of the Dead[/SIZE][/B] 12+ Zombie Rotters Players must move across catacombs in an ancient crypt, fighting or evading a horde of zombies, to the tomb on the far side. [B]Victory[/B]: defeat or evade any immediate enemies. [/QUOTE]
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