Variant combat mechanics

[Tony Vargas]

P.S. Sorry about my above format where it isn't easy to tell your quote from my response.

No worries, hazard of the boards.

Thanks for the topic, I hadn't thought about segmented combat in a long time.

 

[Thondor]

I suggest looking at Hackmaster, I think there system of running combat could work for you. I have been thinking about adopting a simplified version for my own 5e game, just haven't had time to work out the details yet.

Also, there was a good discussion on this forum in and around Mike Mearl's UA - Greyhawk Initiative I would look at UA as well as some of the initiative discussions it fostered

Just to elaborate on the Hackmaster recomendation:
Hackmaster doesn't use "turns" or rounds, it uses seconds, meaning that no one is "just standing around" you can always choose to move, change what you are doing etc.
Different weapons and spells have different seconds counts between uses/when the spell goes off.
They have basic rules which are free here, and here is a illustrated example of combat -- a fun read even if you don't dig the system.

I've run a number of sessions Hackmaster, and the game can really sing. Though it is a bit of a bear to wrap your head around (and a Hacktrack is key for keeping track of multiple monsters).

In another vein;
In 1e AD&D initiative was party wide, and rerolled each round. This meant that it's possible for a side to get all their attacks, twice in a row! You'd declare your "general" actions before making your initiative roll.
The order to resolve within the party:
1. Ranged attacks.
2. Charge -- foe and ally immediately exchange blows, the one with the longer weapon acting first.
3. Close to melee/Move
4. Melee - with foes you have charged or closed with on prior rounds only
5. Spells.

Perhaps this will inspire you in some way.

This system often gave foes a higher chance of disrupting spellcasting, as any damage during casting causes spells to fizzle. (Opponents who won the initiative would be able to disrupt spellcaster, and even ones who got "close" to the spellcasting sides initiative.)

If your curious OSRIC is a free clone of 1e AD&D and has a clear write up about this. I use it for some of my games.

 

[GMMichael]

Basically I want to minimize the issue where higher Initiatives get to play out their 6 seconds of activity while everyone else, in effect, stands there and watches.

So my question: do any of you have experience with this type of combat mechanics, and/or any suggestions to help clarify.

It's a very good idea. So good that I wrote a game with combat based on that idea. http://modos-rpg.obsidianportal.com/wikis/about

To pull it off in D&D 5 rules, you're still going to need your initiative roll, and characters will need to track their actions. PCs can take any action (action, move, bonus action, reaction) at any time, but priority goes first to whoever is taking his turn, and then to whoever has the higher initiative result. The result is that yes, you can act before your turn, but you'll still have to be careful since other characters can preempt you, and sometimes you'd just be better off waiting for your turn anyway, since that's when you get priority.

Or you could just make a character's movement a second reaction for the round.

I'm also expecting Pathfinder 2 to have better CR flow...so you might want to keep your eye on that.

 

[RobertBrus]

My Thanks to Thondor & DMMike.

Very interesting and useful information. These are some of the ideas I am using to wrap my head around what I want to ultimately create on the game table. The simple answer is to have more "realism," at least from a tactical perspective, while still maintaining the core rules mechanics and most of all, Playability.

As in "If it ain't fun, who cares how realistic it is."

DMMike, I am going to take a look at your rules, thanks for the link, and see if that doesn't solve the problem, or at least move me closer to what I am striving for. Assuming of course that I know what I am striving for. Right now it is more a gut feeling based upon running a character, rather than as DM, my preferred involvement in the game.

 

[RobertBrus]

DMMike: "I'm also expecting Pathfinder 2 to have better CR flow...so you might want to keep your eye on that."

I have been following some of Pathfinder 2 combat examples, and I am impressed with what I have seen so far. It looks very promising, at least relative to what I am trying to do.