I wrote a combat system for 4E that doesn't rely on minis. Haven't playtested it.
Some key features:
-No turn-based init. Your attack roll determines when you go; if your action invalidates someone else's action for that round, they lose it.
-No HP or damage, just surges. Probably unbalanced.
-Relies on the DM to judge a whole lot.
Here it is.
[sblock]Quick Combat
1. Make Contact
a. Surprise
If one or both groups are unaware of the other, there is a chance for surprise.
Ambush
A side trying to ambush rolls Stealth vs. the Passive Perception of the other side.
The character with the lowest Stealth modifier makes the roll; others may Aid if they take an
appropriate action.
This can result in both sides gaining Surprise.
Lookout
A side that is keeping watch may roll Perception. Or use Passive, whichever.
Surprise
Characters who have Surprise gain a full round in which they may act but no one else can. They
gain Combat Advantage against any character who does not have Surprise.
Initiative Advantage (Optional)
If neither side is surprised, you may wish to provide a +2 bonus to Initiative to the side with the
higher Perception roll.
b. Both Sides Aware
If both sides are aware of each other, both sides may act in the first round.
c. Character Surprise (Optional)
You may wish to roll for each character.
2. Intent
Each character involved in the combat decides on an action.
The player declares this action clearly to everyone at the table.
The DM also declares the actions his NPCs are taking.
All actions may be changed; only when everyone's okay with their actions do we proceed.
DO NOT use game mechanics to describe actions; keep them 100% in the game world.
a. Scope of Actions
Each character may declare a minor and a standard action.
eg.
Draw a sword, charge forward
Cast a spell and maintain a spell
Ready a potion and drink it
Move into position
b. Readied Actions
You may ready an action in response to a trigger.
You take no action this round as you prepare.
This is a change from the normal Readied Action rules.
c. Initiative Order (Optional)
You may wish to have each side roll initiative.
One player per side rolls a d20; each character adds their initiative modifier to this.
In order from highest initiative result to lowest, each character declares their action.
Characters MAY NOT change their action after it has been declared; it is set in stone.
Characters may choose to delay their declaration, waiting to see what another character is doing first
before acting.
3. Initiation
If any action declared triggers a Readied Action, an Immediate Interrupt, an Opportunity Attack, or a Free
Action, that action takes place now.
If multiple actions take place now that conflict with each other, resolve them normally.
eg.
An orc in melee combat with a fighter decides to rush past him to get to the wizard, drawing an OA. The
fighter rolls his combat challenge attack roll now; if he hits, the orc's movement is stopped and the
orc loses his action.
4. Execution
Characters take their actions now.
All characters taking actions that are in conflict with another character must roll to determine the success
of their action as a general rule.
Break into groups all characters acting against each other.
eg.
A pair of orcs charging a fighter, while the fighter readies a spear for a charge and the ranger
fires arrows at the orcs all count as one group. The wizard who is casting a scorching burst against
the hobgoblin archers on the ridge is not part of this group.
Each character makes the appropriate roll and compares the result to a DC. Use the standard guidelines for
determining DC (ie. the Defenses of the targetted character).
The DM must use his judgement to determine if the action taken fits a power. Powers may allow maneuvers that
would otherwise be impossible for characters without them.
eg.
A ranger declares that he's shooting two arrows into the circling dragon. The rogue declares the same
action. The ranger, however, has Twin Strike, so he can get both arrows into the air while the rogue
cannot.
All characters in the group roll the dice and add applicable modifiers (ie. attack modifiers, skill modifiers).
If you have more than one attack or action (such as from Twin Strike or a wizard sustaining a spell as well as
casting a new one), make a roll for each of them.
5. Effect
The dice rolls for the group are placed in order from highest to lowest.
The character with the highest roll takes his action first.
The DM must use his judgement to determine any modifiers to the rolls. These modifiers must be stated upfront
and out loud - ie. no fudging.
eg.
A character who is charging gains a +1 bonus on its attack roll.
A character who is prone grants Combat Advantage and suffers a -2 penalty to his rolls.
A character who has an arrow nocked and has a clear line of fire at an orc charging him may gain a +2
bonus to his attack roll.
Taking the highest roll first, compare that roll to the DC to determine success.
If the roll was successful, the action is completed in the manner the character intended it!
Actions that occur first may affect later actions.
eg.
A fighter and an orc drudge (minion) are fighting. The fighter rolls a 26, a hit, and the orc rolls a
24, also a hit. But the orc is slain before his action occurs, and thus never takes it.
A ranger is trying to move out of melee combat with an ogre. The ogre attempts to knock the ranger on
his ass. The ogre rolls a 27 and the ranger a 24, both successes. The ogre knocks the ranger down,
therefore he cannot complete his action successfully.
If two rolls have the same value, they occur at the same time.
eg.
Going back to the fighter and the orc, if both rolled a 26, both would suffer damage.
If the ranger and the ogre both rolled a 27, the ranger would move out of melee at the same moment as
the ogre hits him and knocks him on his ass. The ranger is now out of melee but has taken damage and
is prone.
a. Hits
Each character has a number of hits they can take in combat.
A PC has 4 or his current number of healing surges, whichever is lower.
PCs may regain hits by getting healing. Each healing surge restores a hit.
DMs must use judgement to determine the effect of temporary hit points and healing that is not based
on hits.
NPCs have the following number of hits:
Minions 1
Standard 2 bloodied 1
Elite 4 bloodied 2
Solo 10 bloodied 5
Brutes add 1
A successful attack lowers the target's hits.
The DM must use his judgement to determine the number of hits the target loses. This judgement is
based on the power of the attack and the target's vulnerability to that type of attack.
eg.
A shield bash or sword thrust may deal 1 hit.
A fireball or rogue's sneak attack may deal 2 hits.
Divine damage dealt to undead creatures with vulernabilities may deal an extra hit.
When a character has no hits left, he is unable to take actions (more or less).
b. Level Modifiers to Hits
There probably should be some.
c. Order of Non-Roll Actions
Sometimes you need to determine when an action that doesn't require a roll takes place.
Make an initiative roll to determine the order.
The DM may add modifiers to the roll, as required.
eg.
Two orcs are charging a seriously wounded fighter. If either of the orcs hits, the fighter
will fall. The cleric is attempting to heal the fighter with a prayer.
The orcs roll a 23 and a 16. The first roll is a hit.
If the cleric rolls a 24 or more, his prayer heals the fighter before the orc can drop him.
If the cleric rolls a 22 or less, his prayer heals the fighter only after the orc has dropped
him. The fighter may lose his action this round, depending on his roll, and is prone.
If the cleric rolls a 23, the orc's attack and the cleric's prayer go off at the same time.
d. Movement Actions
Some characters may declare opposed movement actions. Imagine two characters circling each other for
an advantage.
Characters may roll a skill check (Acrobatics, Athletics, and Endurance are the most likely ones) or
even an attack roll to resolve this action. The DM determines which skill is used based on the
description of the action.
Compare this to the appropriate Defense or DC, like normal.
Success generally means a superior position. The DM should take this superior position into
consideration when applying modifiers to rolls. (I suggest a +2 bonus to a follow-up attack roll, a +2
bonus to defenses, or Combat Advantage.)
eg.
Two characters circling each other for a positioning advantage. The rogue is doing tumbling
flips, hoping to slip in behind the fighter for a quick stab at his unprotected flank. The
fighter uses his martial prowess to spot an opening.
The rogue rolls his acrobatics against the fighter's Reflex defense, while the fighter rolls an
attack roll against the rogue's Will defense. If the rogue is successful, he will have combat
advantage; if the fighter is successful, he will gain a +2 bonus to a follow-up attack roll.
Remember that both characters may be successful!
The DM makes a judgement call, thinking that the Rogue is attempting a tricky move, so he grants
the fighter a +2 bonus to his Defense.
THOUGHTS:
-should area/burst attacks have one roll or a number of them? Maybe one roll to determine order and one attack, then maybe the PC can roll the rest.
-need to modify hits based on level. Maybe figure out the level difference between NPCs and PCs; divide by 2, round down; add that to the hits. (Yep, makes minions into non-minions. Or non-minions into minions. Maybe we should divide by 3 or 4.)
-can you play it without engaging the fiction? Yes: I attack. I attack. I hit. Me too. In that case we're only using basic attacks, though, and you'll get killed by someone who takes a little more time to describe their actions. I think. This might be a flaw.[/sblock]
