[freeroleplay] [Fringe] Conflict System

[Ricardo Gladwell]

On Sat, 2006-12-02 at 15:25 +0000, Samuel Penn wrote:
> On Saturday 02 December 2006 14:54, Ricardo Gladwell wrote:
> > On Wed, 2006-11-29 at 00:27 +0100, Pitt Murmann wrote:
> > > If the quality is high, the defender, who attempts not to be hit, must
> > > provide a high quality defense to prevent the attacker from landing a
> > > blow. This is often resolved by subtracting the defense from the offense
> > > to determine a total quality, be it a number of successes, a difference
> > > of two intermediate values, or whatnot. Once the quality is determined,
> > > the damage has been dealt and there is no need to make another die roll
> > > to involve an additional random factor.
> >
> > That would be a simpler, faster and perfectly viable system, but at a
> > corresponding loss of strategy IMHO: the above system doesn't easily
> > model a strong but slow or a weak but agile fighter. Depending on which
> > ability is used for attack rolls (Strength or Agility) only one kind of
> > tactic will prevail.
> 
> You could fix the damage done. A person with Strength 3 does 3 damage.
> Maybe a really good hit does +1, a glancing blow does -1, and another
> modifier for having a big weapon.

But doesn't this start separating the hit system from the damage system,
which is what Pitt was trying to avoid in the first place? It is only
another step to roll for damage here. It depends on exactly how simple
and fast you want your combat system to be.

> > > The defender may wear armor to reduce
> > > the effect of the attack, but the quality of the attack should be
> > > determined by the homonymous action and not an additional damage roll
> > > that renders the defense a make-or-break deal.
> >
> > Why not? Armour doesn't prevent you from being hit, it only mitigates
> > the damage. Similarly, a dodge action doesn't reduce damage but allows
> > you to avoid being hit altogether.
> 
> Actually, a dodge can reduce damage - if you're moving away from a blow,
> it will have less impact (I've seen this demonstrated, and it works
> well if you're in mail or plate).

I'm not sure that would apply in all situations. If you're dodging a
bullet, for example, it does about the same amount of physical damage
regardless of where it hits your body (whether it blows a hole in your
arm, your leg or your abdomen). It's only when it hits a vital organ
(i.e. the attacker precisely targets your torso) that the attack (as
opposed to just the damage) becomes Critical which is sort of what I
have tried to model with Fringe combat.

> > > The same applies to social conflict. Given the environment and
> > > circumstances, the ferociousness and bitterness of an insult is
> > > determined by an attack that can be countered and reduced in a similar
> > > way by the respective rhetorical or logical means.
> >
> > Couldn't a ferocious and bitter insult also be countered by another
> > ferocious and bitter insult?
> 
> Leading to a flame war...

:)

> The way HarnMaster works is that there are certain types of attack,
> and certain types of defence (for physical combat). There's a grid
> that then gives you the results based on success/failure. Certain
> defences are good against some attacks, but useless against others.

Sounds like a good idea, I'll have to try and pick up a copy of that
game.

I wanted to minimise the need to refer to tables as much as possible so
that players only need to look at the results of the dice to determine
success.

> Different onlookers may also come away with a different
> impression of who won - some people may think the insults funny,
> and therefore effective, whilst more logical witnesses may see them
> for what they are and realise the insulter didn't have a leg to
> stand 
> on.

Perhaps social conflict could be modified depending on roleplaying, so
that if your character makes a witty remark which makes the *players*
laugh out loud a bonus is gained.

Kind regards...

-- 
Ricardo Gladwell
President, Free RPG Community
http://www.freeroleplay.org/
president at freeroleplay.org