Sorry for not checking this thread before now. Plenty to read. I've sort of decided that my goal for now is to see if I can recreate the best duel of all time:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuK-34rLkOs"]YouTube - Light Saber Duel - Empire Strikes Back.[/ame]
Here's how it works in normal D&D:
Round 1 - Posturing. Vader takes a total defense to test Luke's skills.
Round 2 - Luke attacks, misses. Vader readies another total defense to piss off Luke.
Round 3 - Luke attacks, misses. Vader bull rushes Luke to piss him off some more. Luke falls over. Vader backs off.
Round 4 - Luke stands, advances (too far to attack, too close to charge). Vader backs off again on total defense.
Round 5 - Luke attacks, misses. Vader attacks, misses.
Round 6 - Attack, miss. Attack, miss. But Luke realizes Vader is much better than him.
Round 7 - Luke backs off (why? no real reason to in the D&D rules), readies an attack. Vader approaches, triggers Luke's attack, which misses. Vader bull rushes Luke down the stairs.
I tried to make a rule addition that would allow a bit more back and forth. I'm afraid I may have gone overboard, with no real benefit. Here's what I came up with:
Let's start with the assumption that characters are all 1st level, with just 30 hp or so. They only ever make either basic melee or basic ranged attacks, plus bull rushes, grabs, etc. Stuff in the combat chapter of the 4e PHB, but no powers. All those attacks are standard actions. Now we add in reactive defenses.
Prepare Defense. Minor action. Choose one of the following four defensive options - parry, evade, counter, or riposte.
- Parry. Once before the start of your next turn you can interrupt a melee attack against you. Make an attack roll with your weapon. If you roll higher than the incoming attack, the attack misses you.
*If you are wielding a second weapon or carrying a shield, you gain a +2 bonus to your parry roll.
**For those inclined to more realism, you can add this. If you try to parry a weapon larger than your own, you take a -2 penalty if the weapon is one size larger, or -5 if two sizes larger. You cannot parry a weapon three or more sizes larger. (A large giant’s two-handed weapon counts as 3 sizes larger than a human’s shortsword.) Thrusting weapons are parried as if one size smaller.
- Evade. Once before the start of your next turn you can interrupt an attack against you. Make an Initiative check vs. the attacker’s Passive Insight. If you succeed, you move 5 ft. and the attack misses you if the attacker can no longer target you.
You can evade arrows, for instance, if you duck into cover.
- Counter. Once before the start of your next turn you can interrupt a melee attack against you. Make a melee basic attack against your attacker. If you hit, the attacker takes a -2 penalty to his attack roll. If you miss, you grant combat advantage against the attack.
***For those inclined to more realism, you can add this. If you try to counter attack with a weapon larger and slower than your foe’s, you take a -2 penalty if your weapon is one size larger, or -5 if two sizes larger. You cannot counter with a weapon three or more sizes larger.
- Riposte. Once before the start of your next turn you can react to a melee attack against you. After the attack resolves, make a melee basic attack against your attacker. If your attacker missed you, you gain a +2 bonus to your attack roll.
You cannot use any of these options if you grant combat advantage to the attacker. Preparing a second defense in the same round requires a standard action, in addition to the minor action for the first defense.
Desperate Defense. Immediate Interrupt. You can parry or evade even if you didn't prepare the defense on your turn, but you end up prone afterward.
Now, let's take the Empire lightsaber duel.
Round 1, Luke and Vader see each other. If this were a brawl, Luke would just charge in, but this is honorable so he closes, ignites his lightsaber, and preps some defense. Vader ignites his lightsaber and preps a parry and riposte (which takes a standard and a minor).
Round 2, Luke starts his second turn (so his defense last round went to waste). Uncertain about his skills, he starts defensive. He preps a parry, then attacks. Vader responds with his parry, and blocks Luke's attack. Then Vader ripostes, and Luke uses his own parry (even though it's still his turn), and manages to block Vader.
On Vader's second turn, he again preps a parry-riposte.
Turn 3, Luke attacks, and Vader parries, then ripostes with a bull rush, and Luke loses his footing because he's balancing at the top of a staircase. Luke realizes his mistake, and preps a counter attack.
Vader wants Luke alive, though, so he preps a double evade.
Turn 4, Luke starts an attack, but Vader evades. Luke spends a move action to step up, then preps a defense, but it doesn't matter.
On Vader's turn, he preps a parry-riposte.
Turn 5. Luke preps a parry, and attacks (it's several sword swings, but it counts as one attack). Vader parries Luke's volley, then ripostes. Luke parries.
On Vader's turn, he preps his regular parry-riposte.
Turn 6, Luke twirls for some reason (maybe it's a feint; maybe he just doesn't realize how bad twirling is in combat), preps a parry, then attacks. Vader parries, then ripostes. Luke parries.
On Vader's turn, he actually attacks, and Luke makes a desperation evasion to duck out of range. He falls to his hands.
Turn 7. Luke stands, preps an evade, and backs away. When Vader takes his opportunity attack, Luke dodges out of the way.
Vader congratulates Luke's skills, and preps parry-riposte.
Turn 8. Luke preps a parry, then attacks. Vader parries, then makes his riposte, which Luke fumbles. He loses his weapon, and to avoid Vader's riposte, he desperately evades, and falls down the stairs.
On Vader's turn, he charges.
That's probably a little too complicated, for no real effect, right? Also, it only works if parries almost always succeed.
