[Homebrew] How I Run Combat

[Captain Rachel]

I've run two games, a one-shot and a 3/4 session long game. For the one-shot I just used a slightly modified version of Judoom. (I made it a multi-doctor adventure. We had 9, 10, Amy, Rose and... some other companion, I forget who.) When I ran this one-shot I used the DWAITAS combat system... at first. We ended up fighting 2 times in the Judoom game and after our first fight everyone realized that it wouldn't really work for us, so I quickly came up with my own system.

When it came time for my second, longer game, I looked over the DWAITAS combat system and decided to just make up my own version. We used this system in the longer game and it worked quite well.

Despite the changes the players actually stuck to the "spirit" of the original system, that is they tried to only really fight once they'd exhausted all other options and even when they fought they were mostly non-violent, attempting just to knock out their enemies or otherwise make it so the Party could run back to the TARDIS.

My Combat System
Basically this is a modified D&D initiative roll, although there are two ways that players roll initiative. One is for ambushes, the other is for times when everyone knows they're about to get into combat.

For Ambushes: 2 d6 + Awareness (+/- Trait) = Result

• Trait = any Trait that affects awareness.
  
• Good traits add points, bad traits subtract. (Example: Keen Senses = +2)
  
• The Player/NPC who rolls the highest number goes first.
  
• The Player/NPC who rolls the lowest goes last.
  
• If two people get the same number both roll 1 d6 and whoever gets the higher number goes first.

For Non-Ambushes: 2 d6 + Resolve (+/- Trait) = Result

• Trait = any Trait that affects resolve.
  
• Good traits add points, bad traits subtract. (Example: Cowardly = -2)
  
• The Player/NPC who rolls the highest number goes first.
  
• The Player/NPC who rolls the lowest goes last.
  
• If two people get the same number both roll 1 d6 and whoever gets the higher number goes first.

For Either Version Of Combat:

• I have my players roll initiative once, at the beginning of combat. The numbers they roll last until the combat is finished. (You could have everyone re-roll initiative at the beginning of every round, if you want.)
  
• Players/NPCs have the ability to hold their actions, so someone who rolled a 10 can wait until the 5s go to act.

[NurseRani]

Rachel, this looks like a terrific house rule. May I borrow it for our game, with your blessing ?

We borrowed a bit from D&D too - hit points. Calculated from attributes. And it makes combat run a lot easier.

My hopes - that our talented compiler, Mr. Harry, will add this to his next set of files.

Karma, for you, Captain !

[Captain Rachel]

Feel free to borrow this! I'm glad that I was able to inspire/help you. Maybe you can help me by passing along how you calculate hit points using attributes?

I've been using the DW system of damage, where you temporarily reduce one of the attributes, but I'm not too happy with how it works. So how do you do it?

[NurseRani]

I use a system of "lethal" and "subdual" or "stun" hit points borrowed from an old FGU game called Daredevils, and also Mental Hit Points for mental attacks, like a psychic attack, for example.

To find a character's Physical Hit Points I add together the physical attributes (Coordination & Strength) with the more generic Presence and Resolve. And for the Mental Hit Points, Awareness+Ingenuity+Presence & Resolve.

I use Presence and Resolve in both calculations because they seem to represent both mental and physical traits. And because it takes all the attributes into account somewhat according to the rules.

This would give The 10th Doctor 16 Physical HPs, and 22 HPs for resisting mental attacks.

It works pretty well for our game since we play a faster, more action-oriented game than maybe the designers originally intended.

[Captain Rachel]

Hmmm... I might start using this. I like how you've got mental hit points, which I'm gonna assume are for telepathic shindigs. I might end up multiplying the end so that I don't have to entirely re-stat some weapons I've given damage points to. Probably I'll do X2 whatever number they come up with.

[NurseRani]

Yeah, the mental HPs are for, say, a dangerous Dalek mind-probe or something like that. Along the nature of the Dlaeks probing Romana's mind in Destiny of the Daleks.

I like the idea of multiplying - what weapons have you statted out ? You could post them in the write-ups section. I'd love to see them.

[Captain Rachel]

I haven't stated out too many weapons. Mostly I'm just using weapons the game already has / other people have made. I don't have most of my notes with me right now, so the only thing I know I've stated out is a pistol that UNIT/TW player characters have, which is a 5 (2/5/7).

I'll probably multiply the numbers cause I want this to be a fun game / the sort of game where my players don't have worry "too much" about their health.

[NurseRani]

...the sort of game where my players don't have worry "too much" about their health.

We like a good, cinematic game too. And Doctor Who never was meant to be that much of a combat-centered show.

I think I'm going to double our values as well, just too keep the PCs safe and sound (right now we're dealing with The Hoix in Venice) -

So, the official formula is:

Coordination+Strength+Presence+Resolve x2 = Physical HP
Awareness+Ingenuity+Presence+Resolve x2 = Mental HP

Thanks for the idea of doubling the score. I honestly never would have thought of that.

If you ever need weapons statted, or write-ups on Aliens, I love doing either one. Since I got Aliens & Creatures I love writing up aliens.

[Captain Rachel]

Thanks for the offer! I'm currently good with stats, since I "front loaded" a bunch of the stating/creating adventures. I'm always open for interesting creature/adventure ideas.

You can see the game I'm running here ----> dwaitas.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=campaigns&action=display&thread=1521

[NurseRani]

Rachel, I looked at the post about your games and they look like a ton of fun ! I would love to sit in on a session and play some time. It has been a long time since I actually played. I usually GM. My group relies on me to interpret rules, write house rules, and so forth.

My favorite games to work with & tweak are C7 Doctor Who & Decipher's Star Trek game using the "CODA" system.

The way we do it, we have one Timelord character we call The Professor (no, he doesn't have a companion named Gilligan !) - his full Gallifreyan name is Abelardiganoel so he calls himself Prof. Abelard Gan.

The Professor has a Movellan companion - I think I posted her stats here in the forum somewhere. I owe Mr. Harry some gadgets and haven't posted them yet.

Currently Prof. Gan is in Italy with Shalla (the Movellan) and two other companions he picked up in the early 1870s when he saved Earth from an invasion of Triffids.

Right now Gan is trying to stop the Hoix from invading Earth. And then I want to use Doctor Who to introduce a campaign of Aces & Eights (a Western RPG) since Aces & Eights is set in an alternate history Earth. Perfect as a "spin off" of our Timelord adventures.


And we have an adventure planned