DM_Blake said:
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The only real problem I see here comes from the stationary nature of D&D combat. We put our miniatures on the table, then we only move them on our turn. They move once every 6 seconds, then stand still, frozen in time on the battle mat. Each miniature spends the full 6 seconds stationary in a little 5’ square. No two creatures move at the same time – each miniature moves his full move, makes his attacks, then freezes in place for the next miniature to move.
This gives us a warped perspective of what is really happening during that combat.
And I say this needs fixing. But how? *That* is the bigger question here.
In one of the older editions (I forget if it was 0e or 1e or an optional rule) you declared your actions before the round began, then rolled initiative. This way, using d6 initiative, if your declared action was to move from A to B and your initiative was 3, it was pretty easy to tell where you were each segment - on a 6, you're *here*, on a 5 *here*, etc. using fractions of the distance. And if the lightning bolt resolved on 4 and you happened to be passing through it at the time, too bad.
There has to be a way to get away from the "I do all my stuff, then you do all your stuff" model that doesn't grind everything to a halt. One simple method of getting at least partway there (though it does slow things down) is to give everything its own initiative. If you have 3 attacks in a round, each gets its own initiative. If you're going to move and attack, you move on your first initiative and attack on your second. This still doesn't solve the "I'm here, then I'm there" movement problem...movement should take game-measurable time...but it's a start. I'm also a huge fan of re-rolling initiative each round, to avoid people basing their tactics on "who goes first"; in a d20 system with potentially massive init. modifiers this isn't very practical (particularly if everything gets its own init.) but in a 1e d6 init. system it works just fine.
The other thing that has to be allowed is for things to happen at the same time. Do 3 people all have init. 15? Fine...they all act on init. 15. In cases where it makes a difference who acts first, e.g. an archer shooting at someone whose simultaneous action is to move behind cover, a simple roll-off to see who acts first solves the issue...it comes up less often than you might expect.
Now, as for AoO's...there *is* a place for them now and then, but only in the following situations and even here not every time:
- If someone turns his back and flees from melee, the opponent should get an AoO.
- If someone drinks a potion in melee, or rummages through her backpack, then AoO.
- If someone is foolish enough to try casting a spell in melee, then AoO*.
- If someone fumbles, assuming your game uses fumble rules (depending on the type of fumble).
* and the spell should automatically fail if the AoO hits - none of this concentration stuff. If you want to cast spells, get behind the front line...and if you're still under attack, get help.
I don't agree with these AoO situations:
- For simply moving through someone's threat zone unless the attacker has *no* other melee opponents and knows the move is coming (in other words, is prepared).
- An AoO against someone getting to her feet while still capable of defending, unless she attacks or otherwise leaves herself vulnerable.
- An AoO against someone using a bow *unless* the attacker is not the target and has no other melee opponents.
- An AoO from any opponent not smart enough to recognize the opportunity.
AoO is a reasonable idea that the 3e rules kinda killed through overuse. I hope 4e seriously cuts back on them.
Lanefan
