Halivar
First Post
I need to create a house-rule for d20 to simplify combat distances and remove the combat grid altogether.
I'm currently writing a MUD from the ground up to model d20 rules as closely as possible, and I ran into a major snag: the combat grid. In a MUD, there is no concept of "distance". Everyone is in the "room" together. I thought at first about implementing a grid for every "room", but I now recognize how ludicrously complex that would make combat. Sooo... I have developed a method of removing the map grid altogether and I'd like comments or suggestions.
Melee groups
At the start of every fight, opposing sides are in separate melee groups. A melee group is a set of PC's, NPC's or monsters in which each member of the group can effect melee attacks and touch spells against any other member of the group. IOW, all members of the group are considered within 5 feet of each other.
A player may use a move equivalent action to leave a melee group or change melee groups. If a player leaves a melee group, they become a melee group of one person. If they later enter another melee group, they use one move equivalency for changing melee groups. Leaving a melee group provokes attacks of opportunity from all other members of the melee group.
In order to make an attack, a character must first enter the target's melee group. Doing so provokes an attack of opportunity from all other members of the target's melee group other than the target itself.
If a character starts their turn alone in a melee group with more than one combatant, that character is considered flanked for opposing members of the melee group.
A rogue may sneak attack after entering a melee group with only one member (the target).
Ranged Attacks
Ranged attacks (and ranged spells), unlike melee attacks and touch spells, can be used on any character regardless of whether they are in the same melee group or not. Note that ranged attacks into a melee group with friendly characters suffers a -4 penalty without the Precise Shot feat. Ranged attacks on targets in the same melee group receive the +1 bonus from the Point-Blank Shot feat.
Any spell that affects multiple targets and requires a minumum distance, such as chain lightning, will instead require all targets to be in the same melee group.
Area of Affect Spells
AoO spells affect all characters in a targeted melee group (possibly including the caster unless the spell specifically rules this out).
Example of Play
Suppose we got two groups: FtrA, RogA, ClrA, and WizA vs. FtrB, RogB, ClrB, and WizB. Both sides start out as separate melee groups:
Group1: FtrA, RogA, ClrA, WizA
Group2: FtrB, RogB, ClrB, WizB
FtrA gets initiative. He charges into Group2 to attack FtrB, provoking attacks of opportunity from RogB, ClrB, and WizB in GroupB. RogA sneaks off into his own melee group to prepare to sneek attack. WizA casts invis and likewise sneaks off. ClrA buffs and stands. Now we have:
Group1: ClrA
Group2: FtrB, RogB, ClrB, WizB, FtrA
Group3: RogA
Group4: WizA
FtrB F/A's FtrA (still not flanked because he did not start his last turn by himself in Group2). RogB sneaks off (proving AoO from FtrA) to wait for WizA to show up again. ClrB casts un-buff on FtrA, and WizB steps out of the group, too.
Group1: ClrA
Group2: FtrB, WizB, FtrA
Group3: RogA
Group4: WizA
Group5: RogB
Group6: ClrB
Next round. FtrA F/A's FtrB, but now he's flanked for FtrB and WizB. RogA enters ClrB's Group6 and sneak attacks. WizA drops a fireball on Group2, hitting FtrB, WizB, and FtrA (WizA is chaotic, I guess). FtrB F/A's FtrA, RogB jumps WizA for sneak attack, and ClrB goes to town on RogA. WizB tries their chances by themeselves (AoO from FtrA). Our groups end round 2 like so:
Group1: ClrA
Group2: FtrA, FtrB
Group4: WizA, RogB
Group6: ClrB, RogA
Group7: WizB
I think the paradigm of "spread out for safety" applies equally well to the melee group system as to the map grid. Mages want to be as far away from melee fighters as possible, and no one wants to get swamped by multiple foes.
Am I missing anything possibly important?
I'm currently writing a MUD from the ground up to model d20 rules as closely as possible, and I ran into a major snag: the combat grid. In a MUD, there is no concept of "distance". Everyone is in the "room" together. I thought at first about implementing a grid for every "room", but I now recognize how ludicrously complex that would make combat. Sooo... I have developed a method of removing the map grid altogether and I'd like comments or suggestions.
Melee groups
At the start of every fight, opposing sides are in separate melee groups. A melee group is a set of PC's, NPC's or monsters in which each member of the group can effect melee attacks and touch spells against any other member of the group. IOW, all members of the group are considered within 5 feet of each other.
A player may use a move equivalent action to leave a melee group or change melee groups. If a player leaves a melee group, they become a melee group of one person. If they later enter another melee group, they use one move equivalency for changing melee groups. Leaving a melee group provokes attacks of opportunity from all other members of the melee group.
In order to make an attack, a character must first enter the target's melee group. Doing so provokes an attack of opportunity from all other members of the target's melee group other than the target itself.
If a character starts their turn alone in a melee group with more than one combatant, that character is considered flanked for opposing members of the melee group.
A rogue may sneak attack after entering a melee group with only one member (the target).
Ranged Attacks
Ranged attacks (and ranged spells), unlike melee attacks and touch spells, can be used on any character regardless of whether they are in the same melee group or not. Note that ranged attacks into a melee group with friendly characters suffers a -4 penalty without the Precise Shot feat. Ranged attacks on targets in the same melee group receive the +1 bonus from the Point-Blank Shot feat.
Any spell that affects multiple targets and requires a minumum distance, such as chain lightning, will instead require all targets to be in the same melee group.
Area of Affect Spells
AoO spells affect all characters in a targeted melee group (possibly including the caster unless the spell specifically rules this out).
Example of Play
Suppose we got two groups: FtrA, RogA, ClrA, and WizA vs. FtrB, RogB, ClrB, and WizB. Both sides start out as separate melee groups:
Group1: FtrA, RogA, ClrA, WizA
Group2: FtrB, RogB, ClrB, WizB
FtrA gets initiative. He charges into Group2 to attack FtrB, provoking attacks of opportunity from RogB, ClrB, and WizB in GroupB. RogA sneaks off into his own melee group to prepare to sneek attack. WizA casts invis and likewise sneaks off. ClrA buffs and stands. Now we have:
Group1: ClrA
Group2: FtrB, RogB, ClrB, WizB, FtrA
Group3: RogA
Group4: WizA
FtrB F/A's FtrA (still not flanked because he did not start his last turn by himself in Group2). RogB sneaks off (proving AoO from FtrA) to wait for WizA to show up again. ClrB casts un-buff on FtrA, and WizB steps out of the group, too.
Group1: ClrA
Group2: FtrB, WizB, FtrA
Group3: RogA
Group4: WizA
Group5: RogB
Group6: ClrB
Next round. FtrA F/A's FtrB, but now he's flanked for FtrB and WizB. RogA enters ClrB's Group6 and sneak attacks. WizA drops a fireball on Group2, hitting FtrB, WizB, and FtrA (WizA is chaotic, I guess). FtrB F/A's FtrA, RogB jumps WizA for sneak attack, and ClrB goes to town on RogA. WizB tries their chances by themeselves (AoO from FtrA). Our groups end round 2 like so:
Group1: ClrA
Group2: FtrA, FtrB
Group4: WizA, RogB
Group6: ClrB, RogA
Group7: WizB
I think the paradigm of "spread out for safety" applies equally well to the melee group system as to the map grid. Mages want to be as far away from melee fighters as possible, and no one wants to get swamped by multiple foes.
Am I missing anything possibly important?
