10 segmented combat

[Lawngnome4hire]

The question is, how long should it take? If an average attack takes 6 ticks, should I require a full attack to take 12 ticks, in keeping with the "full round" nature of full attacks in the standard system? Is there another number or calculation that would be easier/more intuitive/better balanced?

One particular possible complication: if it takes twice as long to make a full attack as it does to make two standard attacks, why would I ever bother using the full attack action? I'd have to have three attacks before it made any sense at all, and it still might not be all that efficient if my options are two attacks at +X, or three attacks at +X/+(X-5)/+(X-10)...

A normal round is a standard action and a move action, so I'd have a full attack take the same amount of time that a normal attack, plus a move. That makes it a little faster than taking 2 attacks. Although if you think about it, pretty much all full attack options are just multiple attacks, and in a tick based system it would make more sense to eliminate the full attack and just factor each attack seperately.

 

[Shisumo]

A normal round is a standard action and a move action, so I'd have a full attack take the same amount of time that a normal attack, plus a move. That makes it a little faster than taking 2 attacks.

That depends on how fast a move action is. Which is something else I haven't figured out for certain.

Although if you think about it, pretty much all full attack options are just multiple attacks, and in a tick based system it would make more sense to eliminate the full attack and just factor each attack seperately.

Indeed, and this is one option I've considered. Another option is to allow all characters to make all their attacks as a standard action, regardless of how many they get. (This is, more or less, the option that Exalted uses.) Another possibility would be to increase an attack's speed by 1 for every attack you make as part of an action, so if 1 attack with a longsword is speed 6, then making two attacks (through iterative attacks, for instance) would be speed 7, three attacks would be speed 8, etc. Dual-wielding would produce similar effects (i.e., 1 attack with a short sword is speed 5, but making two attacks with Two-Weapon Fighting would be speed 6...). And if +1 speed isn't a good idea, you could try +2 speed, maybe.

Again, it's really a question of sitting down with the math and working through the DPS (DPT?) for various speed/damage dice relationships...

 

[udalrich]

Are you trying to preserve the vague concept of a round is a standard and a move action? One way to do that (which can also help with the full attack problem) is to gives actions a duration and a recharge time.

For example, assuming a round is 12 ticks:

Move your speed: duration 6, recharge 0 (double moves are allowed)
Standard action: duration 6, recharge 6 (can only cast one spell per round)

As your BAB increases, your recharge time and duration for the attack actions would decrease. At BAB +6, you would be able to attack every 6 ticks. At BAB +11, you could attack every 4 ticks. BAB +16 lets you attack every 3 ticks. This also smooths out the jump in power when you gain a new iterative attack.

This does remove the iterative penalty. You could restore it by adding a -5 penalty after each attack, removing it when the character takes a move action. Or you could decide that fighters need a boost and drop it.

Spells like haste would decrease the duration/recharge time.

 

[steenan]

If you are implementing fine-grained time tracking, why keep the "jumpy" movement, with long moves in big intervals? I think it would be better to just incorporate movement in other actions.
The simplest approach would be to allow characters to move one square every tick, even when they perform other actions. There could be an action for movement that would work as an analogue of 5-foot step: you move without doing anything else, but don't provoke.


Another thing to consider in tick-based combat is interruptible and not-interruptible actions. What I mean is: when you make an action that takes 6 ticks, the action may resolve immediately, after which you wait 6 ticks before doing something else, or the action may be declared now and resolve after 6 ticks pass.
The first approach fits weapon attacks - you need some time to ready the weapon for the next attack, but (without special training) nobody can preempt you while you strike. The second approach may be used for casting spells, drinking potions, disarming traps etc. - activities that take some time and may be ruined by interruption. It could help a lot in balancing casters, making them more vulnerable to disruption.