Any way to make boxing matches more exciting

[wolfpunk]

Hmm, ok just off the top of my head, here are some things you need to keep in mind.

A lot of boxing is in the set-up, getting the proper distance from your opponent, luring them into throwing a big punch that you counter, or just leading into your own power punch, or combination. Also remember the crowd is watching a cheering.

I suspect the armor classes are quite a bit lower, and so a lot of things that add to attack bonus are not as valuable, so what I would do, opposed to hit and defense rolls, both players roll 1d20 one for the attack and one for defense.

Remember the Bluff skill, use your round to set your opponent up on your next action. A successful Bluff can add +2 to hit.

How about adding the crowd into it. A successful Perform skill gets the crowd on your side. You get a +2 to damage while the crowd is in your favor. This is opposed as well, but you have a couple of factors that add into the bonuses.

Perform ranks
Charisma ranks

+1 if you are a reigning champion
+1 if you are a house favorite

+1 if you are the underdog and you land a two or more hit combo

+1 for each time you knock your opponent down

-1 for each time you hit your opponent below the belt


Also Intimidate, use a taunt

Add +2 to hit. Or +3 if you use it right after landing a two or more hit combo.


If you have rounds, then a successful Heal check by your cutman can heal 1d6 damage.

Performing a combination: If you score higher than your opponent by five or more when attacking you may roll again to begin a combination, if you score higher than your opponent by five or more, you roll again to continue the combination.

Performing a counter-attack: If you score higher than your opponent by five or more when defending against an attack, you may roll to counter-attack. If you score higher than your opponent by five or more, you may begin a combination.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

A few things might make a boxing match more interesting to play out. One that wouldn't is a better description. A good description makes a good story after the fact, but it doesn't make an uninteresting mechanical game good any more than fancy graphics can make a poor video game fun. The entertainment is in the gameplay, not the graphics.

So, on to gameplay. What can be done to make it interesting?

A. Mechanically, adding a point score to the match would probably make it more interesting. A lot of boxing matches, after all, are not won by a knockout, but by a decision. Mechanics that might be good:

10 points for a crit. (Nothing interesting about this since crits are random, but it can be exciting).

5 points for each blow that does more than X damage (where X is a number that can only be reached by a good roll or Power Attack).

10 points for each devastating blow that does more than Y damage (where Y is a number that can only be reached by a crit or by Power Attack).

5 points for forcing your opponent into a corner or forcing him onto the ropes

5 points for crowd reaction (opposed perform checks, opposed charisma checks, or some such. Obviously, bards should not be the kings of the boxing ring, but showmanship should enter into it).

The key is to come up with a system that uses the mechanics of D&D--people who are good at dealing damage in unarmed combat should be good at boxing and people who are not good at dealing damage in unarmed combat should not be good at boxing--but that adds enough detail to the sub-game that players can still make interesting decisions that impact the outcome of the match.

Feats that should come into play in a boxing match:
Power Attack
Dodge
Combat Expertise
Improved Bull Rush
Spring Attack
Combat Brute
Shock Trooper
Elusive Target
Intimidating Strike (PHB II)
Imtimidating Rage
Extended Rage
Extra Rage

If you went the UFC route--which might not be inappropriate, you can add Improved Grapple and Close Quarters Fighting to the list. You would also be able to add some possible movement and position based rules--knocking your opponent out of the ring, for instance, might be worth Y points, and pinning your opponent for 3 consecutive rounds might be an alternate victory condition.

 

[interwyrm]

You mean more exciting than real life? Because "roll attack - roll damage - roll attack - roll damage" is about as exciting as "jab - body shot - other person's jab - another bodyshot."

Of course, I am intentionally being obtuse here. But boxing is not the worlds most entertaining sport. Now, UFC may be more up your alley ... but then you're going to get into grappling rules.

IYO.

Though I will say welterweight is more entertaining than heavyweight.

 

[Darklone]

Conan d20 had some nice unarmed feats as well

 

[RangerWickett]

So the player who runs the 5 Str 5 Con wizard but is a master on the Playstation beats the crap out of the epic-level boxer? Uh, no thanks.

I know the one that came out for X-Box 360 last year let you design fighters with varying stats. I once tried to box Mike Tyson (my friend's character) with Michael Jackson (my character).

Didn't go so well.