Basics of ANOTHER combat system. This is a response to Charles Taylor's post on his blog, Spells and Steel.
Relevant stats:
Constitution
Dexterity
Strength
Attack
Defense
Effort
Armor
For a fighter, attack is a bonus equal to level. Effort is a pool, from which you spend points. Fighters get 6 + constitution bonus at first level, 1d6 + constitution every level thereafter. Defense is 12 + dexterity bonus.
Before you are attacked, you may spend a number of Effort points to increase your Defense against that single attack. You may spend up to 5 Effort points per attack. This maximum increases periodically as the fighter gains levels.
The attacker then rolls a d20 and adds Attack. If the result is equal to or greater than the Defense, the attack hits. Damage from melee weapons adds Strength bonus, damage from ranged adds Dexterity bonus. Damage directly decreases Constitution. If you take at least half your current Constitution in damage, you are stunned for 1 round.
Armor acts as limited additional Constitution points. It gets worn away by damage before your Constitution does. Any damage to armor must be repaired later.
A natural 20 automatically hits, ignores armor, and deals maximum damage.
Resting for little while will return any spent Effort.
If you are not carrying a weapon suitable for parrying, you must spend 2 Effort points for every 1 increase in Defense.
Relevant stats:
Constitution
Dexterity
Strength
Attack
Defense
Effort
Armor
For a fighter, attack is a bonus equal to level. Effort is a pool, from which you spend points. Fighters get 6 + constitution bonus at first level, 1d6 + constitution every level thereafter. Defense is 12 + dexterity bonus.
Before you are attacked, you may spend a number of Effort points to increase your Defense against that single attack. You may spend up to 5 Effort points per attack. This maximum increases periodically as the fighter gains levels.
The attacker then rolls a d20 and adds Attack. If the result is equal to or greater than the Defense, the attack hits. Damage from melee weapons adds Strength bonus, damage from ranged adds Dexterity bonus. Damage directly decreases Constitution. If you take at least half your current Constitution in damage, you are stunned for 1 round.
Armor acts as limited additional Constitution points. It gets worn away by damage before your Constitution does. Any damage to armor must be repaired later.
A natural 20 automatically hits, ignores armor, and deals maximum damage.
Resting for little while will return any spent Effort.
If you are not carrying a weapon suitable for parrying, you must spend 2 Effort points for every 1 increase in Defense.
