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Message: <blockquote data-quote="airwalkrr" data-source="post: 5973395" data-attributes="member: 12460">Thinking about streamlining combat, I have a couple of ideas here. My first idea is to structure initiative simply. I would add all the player initiative bonuses together and roll a d20 then do the same for the monsters. Whoever wins has initiative and goes first, either the party or the monsters. If there are NPCs on the side of the party, they roll with the party (but we'll try to keep that to a minimum). This gives large groups a potential advantage, which I feel makes a certain amount of sense. There could be a great deal of trepidation when facing a horde of 20 goblins.My second idea regards distance. Distances will be treated as Adjacent, Close, Medium, or Long. Adjacent means within melee range of an opponent. Close will be approximately within 30 feet. Medium will be up to about 100 feet. And Long will be any distance that is further. A character's speed will be rated as Slow, Average, Fast, or Exceptional. A character with Average speed (30-40) can generally move one distance closer and still take a standard action or two distances closer as a full round action. A Slow (speed < 30) character takes twice as long, so moving one distance closer takes a full round while moving two distances closer takes two full rounds. A Fast (speed 50-80) character can move as an Average speed character, but is also able to move two distances closer and still take standard action. An Exceptional (speed > 80) character can move three distances closer and still take a standard action. Taking the run action allows you to count your speed as one category higher for that turn but running is all you can do. If you have the Run feat, you can count your speed as two categories higher for that turn but running is still all you can do.Ranged weapons with a range of 30 or lower can target Adjacent or Close enemies with a -2 penalty for each category further. Ranged weapons with a range between 30 and 100 can target Adjacent, Close, or Medium enemies with a -2 penalty for Long range. Weapons with ranges greater than that have no penalty unless I decide the target is out of range.Spells follow the rules for distance quite simply. You must be Adjacent to use a touch spell, within Close range to use a Close range spell, and so on. The Enlarge Spell feat allows you to increase the range of Close or Medium spells by one category.Spells with an area instead affect a certain number of monsters. A 15-foot cone affects up to two Adjacent or Close enemies. A 30-foot cone affects up to four Adjacent or Close enemies. A 10-foot radius affects up to two enemies within the same range category. A 20-foot radius affects up to four enemies within the same range category. Spells like bless with an emanation affect all allies within Close range. Spells like prayer affect all allies and enemies within Close range. Any ally adjacent to a target of an area effect has a 20% chance of being affected by the spell, but this chance does not apply to other enemies. This simulates the balance of using area effect spells in a melee consisting of allies and enemies. The Widen Spell feat allows you to affect up to two more targets within the same range category.Ranges will all be relative. Say a party of four begins an encounter at medium range from a group of six goblins. The party wins initiative and the fighter charges one of the goblins, putting him Adjacent to one and Close to the others. The wizard casts a glitterdust which affects two of the goblins (not the one close to the fighter). The rogue moves in to flank with the fighter. The cleric moves to be Adjacent to the fighter in case he goes down. The goblins respond. Two are blinded by the glitterdust and flee for their lives. The one Adjacent to the fighter attacks him while one more moves in to attack. The other two goblins each move Adjacent to the rogue and cleric respectively and attack. And so on.For those who want to get Adjacent to multiple enemies in a group within the same range category (like a fighter who wants to threaten multiple foes for the possibility of cleave), they can choose to move Adjacent to up to half of the opponents within the same range category, but no more than three.Terrain will only matter when the situation really demands it. Two goblins might be at close range, but atop a large sewer pipe which requires a Climb check to get to reach the top. A goblin might run around a corner to take total cover from a spell-lobbing wizard, but a fighter within Close range can still follow to attack and a wizard could still spend a full round action to maneuver to a better vantage point for the next round.Attacks of opportunity will generally only apply when leaving a threatened area, moving Adjacent to or out of the reach of an opponent with Reach, casting a spell, or using an ability or item which provokes.The actual size of the opponent will generally not matter for determining range.These will just be guidelines. Basically, the narrative will be a little more important than tactical play. If it is reasonable, I will allow it. As long as it fits the narrative and the spirit of the game I won't retroactively nullify a players' actions. I will mostly rely on players to police their own actions for what is reasonable and only take action when a player tries something patently absurd.Edit: One other thing. No 5-foot steps. It's too tactical. Casters should invest in the Combat Casting feat if they are afraid of having to cast in a melee. But devoted casters like the cleric and wizard are already the most powerful classes in the game. I do not think this is going to drastically impair their power.</blockquote>

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