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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goken100" data-source="post: 2988273" data-attributes="member: 42968">Here's a house rule I have for dealing with time in combat.  Its more realistic, but moves fast and gives a lot more options to players.  What does everyone think?  Should armor modify Action Time?  Any other questions or suggestions?A Battle Queue Instead of Fixed Rounds and Multiple Attacks Per RoundAction TimeInstead of each character getting one action per round, in an order determined by initiative, each character will get an action after a fixed period of time which will be called the character’s Action Time.  Action Time is the time each character takes to complete an action in battle before deciding on a new course of action.  Any rolls relating to actions such as attack rolls will be rolled at the end of the character’s Action Time, not the beginning.  Battles in Increments of SecondsBattles are measured in whole seconds, and each character has an Action Time measured in seconds.  Characters will use their Action Time for attacking, casting spells, using items (that require one round to use), and most other actions relating to battle.  The duration of unusual actions will be determined by the DM.  A character must always declare actions that require at least the character’s Action Time.  Extra time before the Action Time is spent is considered to be time spent assessing the situation.Tracking TimeThe DM will track how many seconds have passed since the start of the battle.  Each character or group of characters will track when their current action is ending and their next choice to be made.  These times can be tracked with a pair of 10-sided dice.Calculating Action TimeEach character’s action time is determined by Base Attack Bonus (BAB).  Refer to the following chart.BAB............................Action TimeLess than 6..................6 seconds6 to 10........................5 seconds11 to 15......................4 seconds16 to 20......................3 secondsOver 20.......................2 secondsAs an optional rule, the Armor penalty can modify the value that each character uses on the chart to determine their action time.No Bonus AttacksCharacters will not get multiple attacks for having higher attack bonuses.  Instead, all attacks will be made at the full attack bonus.  This is because characters with higher attack bonuses will have actions more frequently, thus negating the need for bonus attacks.  Double and Triple AttacksSome characters have two weapons, two-sided weapons, or have Flurry of Blows like the Monk.  In this case, the characters are able to make multiple attacks when the attack action is chosen.  If the character chooses two attacks, the first attack occurs 1 second sooner than the character’s Action Time would normally allow, and the second attack occurs at the end of the action.  If the character has three attacks, one attack is made 1 second early, and the other two are made simultaneously at the end of the action.  Note that the number of attacks that a character using Flurry of Blows makes is determined by the number of attacks made at the highest attack bonus.Reaction Time Instead of InitiativeWhen combat begins, each character makes a Reflex save.  The result is applied to the following chart to determine Reaction Time.  At the end of each character’s reaction time, the character chooses an action that will be completed at the end of an Action Time.  From that point forward, new actions are chosen at the conclusion of each previous action.Note that Reaction Time is also used for interrupting actions and completing readied actions.Reflex Save..........Reaction TimeLess than 1..........3 seconds1 to 12................2 seconds13 to 25..............1 secondMore than 25........0 secondsSurpriseIf any parties are surprised at the start of battle, they are flat footed for an amount of time equal to half their Action Time (round up to the nearest second).  After that time elapses, they will apply a reaction time like normal.Canceling ActionsReaction Time is also used to cancel actions in battle.  If a character wishes to stop an action that is in progress and declare a new action, a the character may roll a Reaction Time to see if they can react quickly enough to change actions.  Regardless of the outcome of the roll, the character will choose a new action when the Reaction Time expires.  However, only if the Reaction Time is less than the time left until the current action is completed will that action be successfully be aborted.  Example: Grunt attacks an opponent and has an Action Time of 4.  Two seconds later Grunt discovers his target is an ally, so attempts to stay his hand.  If he rolls a Reaction Time of 1 second, the attack is aborted 1 second later and Grunt chooses a new action at that time.  If he rolls a Reaction Time of 2 seconds, the action is aborted in the nick of time.  If he rolls a Reaction Time of 3 seconds, the action is not aborted and he chooses a new action 3 seconds later (instead of in two seconds when the attack is completed).Readying ActionsCharacters may ready most actions by getting equipment and thoughts prepared, but not completing the action until the right time.  This allows characters to react more quickly to anticipated events.  The initial readying portion of the action takes one second less than the character’s normal Action Time.  When the character desires, the character reacts with a Reaction Time roll.  After the Reaction Time, the readied action is completed after 1 additional second.  If an action is readied before combat begins, the readied action is completed at the end of the initial Reaction Time plus one second.Movement in BattleEach character will designate the destination of movement at the time the movement is declared.  The character must continue to move toward this destination, using the best available route, until the character’s Action Time has elapsed (unless the action is interruped with a Reaction Time roll).  Because characters must always declare an action that takes their entire Action Time, if a character wishes to move a distance than is less than what the character could move during their Action Time, the character can declare what action will commence when the destination is reached at the same time that the movement is declared.  In this instance, the action that begins when the destination is reached still takes an entire Action Time.  If no action is declared, the character will be assumed to be assessing the situation until the character’s Action Time has expired.Movement rates and distances will be in terms of meters.  Each space is 2 meters across.   As time progresses, all characters who are moving will be moved as soon as they have moved a hole space (2 meters) or more.  Refer to the following chart to see how many spaces characters of different speeds can move in one second.Cat of Speed.....................Speed (m / 6 sec).............Spaces (2m) per secondEncumbered small character.......3..............................0.25Small character........................6..............................0.5Small level 6 monk....................9..............................0.75Medium character....................12.............................1Medium level 6 monk.................15............................1.25Medium level 12 monk...............18............................1.5Medium level 18 monk...............21............................1.75Jogging medium character..........24............................2Jogging medium level 6 monk......30............................2.5Jogging medium level 12 monk....36.............................3Jogging medium level 18 monk....42............................3.5Running medium character.........48.............................4Running medium level 6 monk......60.............................5Running medium level 12 monk....72.............................6Running medium level 18 monk.....84............................7JogA character jogging moves at 2 times the character’s base speed.  However, that character must move at least 4 meters (2 squares) and cannot begin any other actions until the character’s Action Time has expired.  The Exception to this is a Charge (see  below).ChargeA character may charge in order to move at 2 times the character’s base speed and make an attack.  The character makes the attack at +2, but suffers a –2 penalty to active AC during the attack.  The charge attack provokes an attack of opportunity from the target.RunA character running suffers a –5 to active AC but moves at 4 times the character’s base speed.  As with jog, the character must move at least 4 meters (2 squares) and cannot begin any other actions until the character’s Action Time has expired.EncumbranceIf a character is moderately encumbered or has medium armor on, the character can only jog(not run) but is considered to be running and receives a –5 to AC.  If a character is highly encumbered or has heavy armor on, the character’s base speed is cut in half and suffers the same penalties as the moderately encumbered.Attacks of OpportunityIf a character chooses to execute an attack of opportunity, the action that the attacker of opportunity was previously engaged in is canceled and the attack of opportunity is immediately rolled and gains a bonus +5 to hit and +5 to damage.  The character making the attack of opportunity chooses what  new action to begin after the attack result.Movement from a MeleeIf a character is engaged in melee combat and wishes to leave melee and move away, the character may either attempt to disengage or may make a gradual withdrawl.  Disengage AttemptsIf the character decides to declare a disengage attempt, the character must roll an attack.  In this case, the disengaging character’s attack roll must exceed an opposed attack roll instead of AC.  If the roll fails, the character may opt to remain in place or may move and face an attack of opportunity (with +10 to attack).  If the attempt fails by 15 or more, the disengaging character is considered to have made a critical fumble.  If the attempt succeeds, the character may move without provoking an attack of opportunity.  If the attempt succeeds by 15 or more, the disengaging character may make a free attack in addition to disengaging without provoking an attack of opportunity.  Gradual WithdrawlIf the character opts to make a gradual withdrawl, the character moves at half speed until no longer engaged in melee combat (no longer directly adjoining the other character).  The withdrawing character is still subject to an attack of opportunity, but does not face a penalty to active defense.  As with ordinary movement, characters withdrawing must declare a full Action Time worth of activity before beginning to withdraw.Example:  Grunt wants to engage and attack an enemy 6 meters away.  Being a medium sized creature, it takes 3 seconds to cover that distance.  Grunt’s Action Time is 4 seconds, so he must decide what to do upon arriving.  Grunt commits to attacking.  The process will take a total of 7 seconds (3 to move plus 4 to attack).  Grunt will be allowed no additional decisions during that time without a Reacion Time roll to interrupt.  Note that if the enemy moves closer and it only takes Grunt 2 seconds to reach the target, the process is reduced to a total of 6 seconds.  If the enemy moves away, Grunt can make another decision after 4 seconds of moving toward the enemy (because 4 seconds is Grunt’s Action Time).</blockquote>

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