Initiative!

[Khamulcalle]

It looks like the Initiative roll is so very importaint, if you have 2 combatants which has same stats, same amount of CA same Strike rank, when they roll their Initiative co mbatant A rolled 15 and combatant B rolled 14 this gonna mean that if the combat would take 10 Combat Rounds to complete, combatant A would have been able to strike combatant B 20 times, but the combatant B would only been able to strike at A 10 times...this sounds very tough, cause the only thing that seperated them where the Initiative roll at the beginning (15 beating 14)

Should there maybe be a possibility to change the Initiative during the fight?

Btw...we noticed that the first attack roll is very importaint later in the attack so you should have 2 pairs of D100's cause there are many places where they want you to roll an Opposed Roll vs the first Attack roll, and often we could not remeber what we had roll cause we had rolled for maybe a Combat Manuvuer.

So use 1 set to determen the attack roll and put that aside, and then use another set of dices

/K

 

[PhilHibbs]

I always roll fresh at the start of each round

 

[Khamulcalle]

Great, that was just what we wanted to hear, thanks!

/K

 

[Loz]

The rules recommend you re-roll initiative if there is any substantial change in combatant's circumstances, but all its really a question of how much book-keeping you want to do.

 

[Khamulcalle]

It feels that to much is at stake to let the outcome of just 1 die roll, it really means that the guy that wins this roll (wich is pure luck if they have the same SR) will have twice the amount of attacks vs his opponent.

/K

 

[danskmacabre]

Being on the more parryng side isn't all bad though, bad things can happen if you fumble your atttack and the other guy parries well.
Straight one on one combat doesn't seem to happen that much in scenarios I have run so far.
The ebb and flow of combat seems to have people tactically moving about, using bows, trying to stay out of range among just a few things and not just attacking and parrying.
At least in my experience anyway.

 

[Khamulcalle]

Thanks for the reply, din makabra dansk!

Btw, does your players (and you) have trouble with keeping the original attack roll in your head, when it comes to all the Opposed Tests (example: Evade vs the original Attack roll). We though that we could use 2 sets of D100's so when you roll the Attack roll you put those dies aside and continue with another set of dices and thus dont forget what your first roll where.

 

[Verderer]

I would think it's too much work to reroll initiative every round? But I am rather used to the idea of fixed initiative, unless circumstances change (we've played GURPS for one...)

For us, it didn't take long to start saving the die roll. It comes naturally after a while, you just leave the dice standing there. Even the most unconscionable dice-fondlers among us have grasped the importance and leave them dice alone. :lol:

 

[Jujitsudave]

From what I've seen, combat lasts rarely much more than 1 round.

 

[weasel_fierce]

Most fights are fairly few rounds.

Having extra dice can be handy, if your players aren't keen on keeping track of stuff in their head. Just use two sets with different colours.

 

[Deleriad]

As said most fights don't normally last very long and rolling for initiative each round wouldn't add much.

As an option, you could let a character who gained a CM use that CM ro re-roll their initiative or force an opponent to re-roll theirs.

 

[Khamulcalle]

As said most fights don't normally last very long and rolling for initiative each round wouldn't add much.

As an option, you could let a character who gained a CM use that CM ro re-roll their initiative or force an opponent to re-roll theirs.

We talked about this. Funny that you mentioned that. I think that is a good idea to use a CM to maybe get the upper hand on Initiative.

When we playtested today there was not a single fight that was longer than 2 Combat Rounds (there where limbs flying all over the place) The fights are VERY leathal...

/K

 

[danskmacabre]

Thanks for the reply, din makabra dansk!
Btw, does your players (and you) have trouble with keeping the original attack roll in your head, when it comes to all the Opposed Tests (example: Evade vs the original Attack roll). We though that we could use 2 sets of D100's so when you roll the Attack roll you put those dies aside and continue with another set of dices and thus dont forget what your first roll where.

We have no problems with that as I have downloaded a combat tracker and laminated it. Then use an Erasable pen to record the combat.
I use it so I have the SR, number of CAs etc for each participant in a fight (including the NPCs, creatures).
Whenever someone does something, I record the actual dice roll in a box for every CA, so I can refer back to it as necessary, that way I don't have to use more dice to preserve an earlier roll.
For me, without a combat tracker I would find MRQ2/Elric very difficult to manage.
For all games systems I run I use a combat tracker (Even for Pathfinder). It just makes life easier for everyone.

The combat tracker I use for MRQ2 is this one.
http://mrqwiki.com/wiki/images/1/1e/002_CombatTrackingSheet.pdf

 

[danskmacabre]

I agree, with all the combat actions, so far the longest combat I have run is 4 rounds against the main boss and his minions.

Compare that to Pathfinder where tonight we did a boss fight, it went for 15 rounds, but if you divide that by say 3 to consider CAs per round in MRQ2, it's not that different.

 

[Khamulcalle]

Thanks for the combat tracker, I think it will be very useful, thanks

/K

 

[Redcrow]

Defensive Combat Maneuvers like Overextend, Riposte, and even Trip Opponent can really change the tide of combat and make one character go from fighting on the defensive to fighting on the offensive rather quickly.

I also haven't experienced combat lasting more than a few rounds. So far its either all the bad guys are dead or the PCs are beaten to a bloody mess and trying to make a run for it after just a few rounds of combat. And thats one of the things I really like about MRQ2. I enjoy some combat in my RPGs, but I prefer it quick, tense and vicious.