My House Rule - Combat Actions

[Solomani666]

Here are my changes to the actions rules:

* Characters have 3 minor actions per combat round + dexterity bonus with a minimum of 2 minor actions.
* A character may make a hasty (Snap) attack using a minor action at -2.
* The maximum number of attacks a player can make is their weapon skill +1 with a minimum of 1.
* This does not include reactions etc.

For instance:
A character with Dex-7 and Weapon-1 can make a normal attack followed by a snap attack at -2.
(In the real world this is called 'double tapping'.)

A character with Dex-9 (4 minor actions per turn) and Weapon-1 can make up to 2 normal attacks.

Any combinations of snap or regular attacks is up to the player as long as they have the minor/significant actions and do not exceed the limitation of their weapon skill.

 

[GarethL]

A very minor house rule that I use is that the free attack granted when a foe in melee moves is a 'reaction', it doesn't come up a lot, but it seemed logical and makes escape from melee a little more viable if you set things up right,

 

[GarethL]

BTW I like the snapfire rule, I'd been mulling over something similar.

 

[haveahappy]

EDIT: double post.

 

[haveahappy]

Here are my changes to the actions rules:

* Characters have 3 minor actions per combat round + dexterity bonus with a minimum of 2 minor actions.
* A character may make a hasty (Snap) attack using a minor action at -2.
* The maximum number of attacks a player can make is their weapon skill +1 with a minimum of 1.
* This does not include reactions etc.

I personally think that just makes DEX even more of an uber-stat than it is now. High DEX characters already get really good skill bonuses (and therefore do more damage too!) so I don't think I'd compound that by giving them more actions in the combat round. If they want to attack twice they can take the -2 penalty to each attack IMO (dual weapon rules).
You can already draw, aim and fire in the same turn.......

A very minor house rule that I use is that the free attack granted when a foe in melee moves is a 'reaction', it doesn't come up a lot, but it seemed logical and makes escape from melee a little more viable if you set things up right,

To quote Shane Hensley when asked about this in regards to the Savage Worlds rules - "cowardice deserves to be punished!"

 

[arcador]

It's a good rule; elegant, simple and uses the existing rules for foundation.

Keep in mind though that an excellent shooter becomes even deadlier with snapshots. While it's ok for the players to kick ass around, an NPC who can end one of them in one round might be dangerous.

It also makes Dexterity even more valuable (action points now).

 

[Infojunky]

(action points now).

Mmm... Action Points..... I have a base Translation of Snapshot/ACQ into Mongoose terms... Using Dex + Int as the basis for action points...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Take a machinegunner with skill-2 and Dex+1. He has 4 minor actions and can make max 3 attacks per round.

He surprises a party of four adventurers. In the first round he makes one normal attack action and two snap attack minor actions, using full auto so making an attack roll against all four adventurers for each action.

Each adventurer receives three attack rolls and are hit about twice in the ambush round. Each hit does about 10 damage so each adventurer receives about 20 damage and is knocked out instantly.

TPK in one round without letting the adventurers roll a single die...


These rules are way overpowered. Think what a good player character with some skill augmentation and a vehicle mounted light autocannon can do...

 

[GarethL]

Something else I'd been mulling over was some sort of suppression rule, and a friendly-fire rule for autofire (in my last game we had quite a lot of autofire into melee!),

To quote Shane Hensley when asked about this in regards to the Savage Worlds rules - "cowardice deserves to be punished!"

Well, fair point, but equally savage worlds is a much more heroic system (nothing wrong with that - but it does mean that what works with one system might not work with another),

I felt it utilised the current rules framework well, and made the decision to attack or not meaningful (and it gives the players a chance to withdraw from melee if they need to - so it slightly improves player survivability),

 

[-Daniel-]

Take a machinegunner with skill-2 and Dex+1. He has 4 minor actions and can make max 3 attacks per round.

He surprises a party of four adventurers. In the first round he makes one normal attack action and two snap attack minor actions, using full auto so making an attack roll against all four adventurers for each action.

Each adventurer receives three attack rolls and are hit about twice in the ambush round. Each hit does about 10 damage so each adventurer receives about 20 damage and is knocked out instantly.

TPK in one round without letting the adventurers roll a single die...

You say this like it is a bad thing. ...... Just kidding. :mrgreen:

I agree with AnotherDilbert, you don't want to make it too easy for either NPC or PCs to do so much so quickly in a single round. You want, for play's sake, to have exchanges in combat. At least that is my opinion.

 

[haveahappy]

Well, fair point, but equally savage worlds is a much more heroic system (nothing wrong with that - but it does mean that what works with one system might not work with another)

Very true.

It's not game-breaking by any means - as opposed to giving high DEX characters more actions which just seems way OP.... and combat centric too.

They already get better initiative, better skill bonuses for most weapons, more damage (from effect), and can dual wield by taking a penalty....

 

[Solomani666]

Take a machinegunner with skill-2 and Dex+1. He has 4 minor actions and can make max 3 attacks per round.

He surprises a party of four adventurers. In the first round he makes one normal attack action and two snap attack minor actions, using full auto so making an attack roll against all four adventurers for each action.

Each adventurer receives three attack rolls and are hit about twice in the ambush round. Each hit does about 10 damage so each adventurer receives about 20 damage and is knocked out instantly.

TPK in one round without letting the adventurers roll a single die...


These rules are way overpowered. Think what a good player character with some skill augmentation and a vehicle mounted light autocannon can do...

Good point.

Auto fire is always a significant action.

I sometimes further divide combat rounds into minor/significant actions.