Dueling Sabers Feedback & Discussion

[atgxtg]

[CRMcNeill]

[atgxtg]

[CRMcNeill]

To paraphrase a friend of mine, "The difference between a puppy and a roleplayer is that eventually the puppy will stop whining."
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

So, as I was cleaning up some redundant files from previous attempts to make lightsaber dueling rules, I came across a couple possible optional rules that might be of interest. The first is pretty complete, while the second is mostly just a vague concept at this point, but here they are:

1). At the beginning of every round, both sides may choose to apply a modifier to their speed and strength, similar to the Fast / Balanced / Strong form options found in the Jedi Knight 2 video game. In essence, a Jedi may shift up to 2D into either his Lightsaber skill or his Damage, so long as an equal penalty is applied against the one he doesn't choose. For example, a Jedi could choose to apply a +2D bonus to his Lightsaber skill, but the cost would be a mirrored -2D penalty to Damage for that round. In combat, a Jedi would use this by combining fast moves to set up an opponent with an Off-Balanced result or some other penalty, then switch to power moves in the next round in an attempt to inflict major damage in the next round.

2). This is purely theoretical, but I'm considering allowing Jedi who have skill dice in a Form to have a better understanding of how to counter that Form (in the form of either dice bonuses to the Jedi or penalties to his opponent).

Thoughts?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Bren]

[CRMcNeill]

[Bren]

Ewwww!!!

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

I know in the films lightsaber combat also involves a lot of movement. It makes sense realistically, because most formalized fighting styles involve movement to gain a positioning advantage over one's opponent, and to enhance one's own motions. It also makes sense cinematically, because two characters in motion allow the fight to transition from one location to another. Yet WEG is very vague on how this applies in combat.

Here's some of my random thoughts:

1). In any combat round, a character who rolls melee combat may also make a Cautious Move (1/2 Speed). He may choose the direction of the Move unless he is the subject of a Force Back or Off-Balance result, in which case, the direction of the Move is chosen by his opponent.

2). The character may choose to make a larger Move, but suffers a -1D MAP for Cruising Speed and a -2D MAP for High Speed. A character can not make an All-Out Move and a Combat roll in the same round.

3). The movement options for characters in Melee Combat would be relatively linear (Forward, Backward or Side-Step). There could also be advanced moves whereby a character could use a pass technique such as a slide or a force jump to land behind his opponent. I don't see either move presenting a dice bonus to either combatant, but it could be well used as a clearing maneuver to take one's-self out of a dangerous position.

4). I'm also thinking that there could also be terrain modifiers for things like fighting on stairs or while balancing on a pipe over a river of molten lava...


This is pretty much just random musings, but the idea is there. I'd appreciate some input...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Bren]

Often in RPGs in general we have treated characters who have been engaged in melee as pinned and unable to freely move. Typically, for Star Wars when we do use battleboards, maps, or miniatures (which is not all the time) we tend to follow that custom. But what you are proposing sounds more similar to the movies and frankly a more mobile combat sounds interesting. It's one reason I wanted a push back option was to create some tactical motion in combat.

If you like Forms then the abilty to move should be affected by the Form e.g. Ataru seems more mobile - in a jumpy, bouncy, flippy, twisty sort of way - than the other forms. Having been watching a lot of Clone Wars TV show lately that is also how Asoka seems to fight - which is why I thought she was an Ataru practitioner despite what is described as her Shien backhand.

I've also been thinking in the last couple of days that some sort of Stunting-like option or ability to change the type of contest would fit what we see in the movies and TV show. That would explain how Jango Fett and Cad Bane are able to get away or get the upper hand vs. Jedi. They use some other ability - jet pack, jet boots, wrist rockets, etc. to switch the contest from a straight up fight to something where they have the edge. That also seemed to match a fight between Asoka and Grievous where Asoka seemed to use her jumping, ducking, and bouncing off walls abilty to avoid Grievous once it became clear that she couldn't beat him lightsaber to lightsabers.

No clue yet how to implement something like this without adding annoying complexity and exceptions to an elegant system.

[CRMcNeill]

[Bren]

[CRMcNeill]

[Bren]