Is there an OGL/d20 Combat book that...

[Herremann the Wise]

Why go for an elbow to your foe's chest when you can slice 'em with your longsword?

Because the authorities will let a bar room brawl slide, as long as everyone sobers up. A murder or maiming however is a completely different kettle of fish. The main issue here is that using lethal force is perhaps too often allowed without the reprecussions of such acts being first or foremost in the player's and thus their character's minds. The thought of leaving behind a future threat is usually enough for a player to say "ah bugger it, let's just kill him and take his stuff... dead men don't talk". This is fine in some games but obviously not in others. Where player's need to be cautious in town, fisticuffs are going to be more of an option.

Aside from that, I think if you mechanically make it more effective than what it realistically would be, you're arsing things about. However, perhaps the rather distinct penalties for unarmed combat could be scaled back a fraction.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Water Bob]

I'm thinking about using a version of the Improvised Attack combat maneuver.

 

[Nagual]

The lack of facing rules in D&D is a factor in limiting the necessity for tactical movement. Unearthed Arcana contains variant rules for facing using both square and hex-grid maps. You could apply modifiers to an characters attack and/or AC based on their relative facing. This would encourage movement specifically to obtain tactical advantage.

 

[Water Bob]

The lack of facing rules in D&D is a factor in limiting the necessity for tactical movement. Unearthed Arcana contains variant rules for facing using both square and hex-grid maps. You could apply modifiers to an characters attack and/or AC based on their relative facing. This would encourage movement specifically to obtain tactical advantage.

Yes, isn't it strange the 3.0 and 3.5 encourage tactical movement by encouraging using a battlemap and miniatures/counters, but the rules tend to be tactically lite?

One big difference in the Conan RPG and normal D&D is the use of combat maneuvers. There are tons and tons of combat maneuvers, many with their own prerequisites, which offer different moves and "stunts" during a combat. It's like a set of Feats that can be used by anybody provided a specific circumstance appears on the battle board and the characters have the prerequisties to attempt the maneuver.

Thanks for the tip with UA. I'm going to look into that.

 

[Nagual]

By the way -- it was Malhavoc's Book of Iron Might that contained the combat maneuvers I was refering to...

 

[Nagual]

I'm jealous, sounds great to have that level of tactics build into the basic rules. I'll stick to what I've got -- already spent thousands (aussie$) on the D&D books -- and my troupe are not all combat-focused players.

 

[Water Bob]

I'm jealous, sounds great to have that level of tactics build into the basic rules. I'll stick to what I've got -- already spent thousands (aussie$) on the D&D books -- and my troupe are not all combat-focused players.

Check out a Conan RPG core rulebook if you ever get the chance. I bet you'll be impressed.

My guess is, since Magic is completely changed and made very are in the Conan universe, they needed something to liven play. So, they invented the combat maneuvers (that have been adopted by other games and imported into D&D even). So, there's stuff, as you have in D&D, like the feint through the Bluff skill or the demoralize opponent through the Intimidate skill. Then, there's a lot more. Like Dance Aside, which allows you to immediately move a free 5' step, if you are dodging (not parrying), and if the attack roll is half or lower than your Dodge defense. Or, there's the Pantherish Twist that you can use when two foes have you flanked. You try to move to a side and have each foe attack each other--what happens depends on DEX throws. Stuff like that.

 

[Water Bob]

Another thing I'd like to see implemented, besides a reason to move around the battlefield, is a reason to use unarmed attacks while in melee.

How to implement this and keep it fair?

I've got an idea.

What I want to have a tad more unarmed attacks as you see in this clip:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b6got4G4Ys"]YouTube - Fight scene from the film Centurion 2010.[/ame]


And in this fight scene from Spartacus.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o1HsidznrM&feature=fvst"]YouTube - Spartacus Blood and Sand - Crixus Vs Pericles 720p HD[/ame]



See the headbutt? The punches? The elbow? The kick? See the grapples?

They come up in fights, and I want them more often in my d20 Conan game.



What I'm think of is this:

When a nutural "1" is rolled on the attack throw or defense throw (we use the alternate rule where you roll your defense, not let it be a stagnant number), you've opened yourself up to either an armed or unarmed counterattack.

This is a version of an Attack of Opportunity.

Use a -4 penalty if attempting an attack that does lethal damage (with your weapon or unarmed). No penalty for an attack that does non-leathal damage (so, here come your headbutts, kicks, punches, elbows, etc).

I'd also use the rule whenever a natural 20 is throw on any Defense throw, except the defender attacks his foe.

Thoughts?





EDIT: So, the rule would be--

Roll natural 1 on Attack throw? Defender gets....

Roll natural 20 on Defense throw? Defender gets....

Roll natural 1 on Defense throw? Attacker gets...


Choice of...

Grapple (without defender getting the AoO)

Unarmed Attack (without defender getting the AoO)

Lethal Unarmed Attack (without defender getting the AoO, but attacker suffers -4 penalty)

Counterattack (with offhand weapon, but suffers -4 penalty)

Shield Bash (at a -4 penalty)