Post by bizarrojoe on Mar 14, 2013 9:33:00 GMT -5
A concern that was recently voiced during gameplay was that the many of the skills offered in LAW (charisma, stealth, etc.) were sorely underutilized, and seldom seemed worth the cost to upgrade. So we've been working on some house rules to allow many skills to have an added combat effect. Here's an untested draft of what I came up with so far:
Skill Combat Effects
Each player may exercise one combat skill per encounter at a cost of 1F per skill level. This cost cannot be absorbed by magical artifacts. Players with multiple skills to choose from may attempt to exercise a different, additional skill during an encounter, but at double the fatigue cost and a +4 roll penalty.
*On your first turn, declare your intent to use the skill as your action. Pay the fatigue cost, and roll the skill check. If the roll passes, proceed as dictated by the combat effect description on your second turn. If the roll fails, you may still attack an enemy at 4/DX on your second turn (your special attack may have faltered, but you still have a chance to hit something). Combat skills that were intended to target multiple enemies now only target one enemy (your choice). Remember: Even if you pass the skill roll, you still have to pass 3/DX on your second turn to hit your targets.
Example: An elven archer wants to attempt a triple shot on a party of goblins. He moves into position (which he can do since he’s not actually going to shoot this turn), and declares that he will try and triple shoot. He rolls 3/DX and passes. The next turn, he fires three arrows from his current position; each arrow fired must pass 3/DX in order to hit their targets. If, however, the archer failed to pass the 3/DX test for triple shot, he could still recover some dignity by passing 4/DX with a single arrow on his next turn.
Skill Combat Effects
Each player may exercise one combat skill per encounter at a cost of 1F per skill level. This cost cannot be absorbed by magical artifacts. Players with multiple skills to choose from may attempt to exercise a different, additional skill during an encounter, but at double the fatigue cost and a +4 roll penalty.
| Skill | Combat Effect |
| Charisma | Taunt: Target one creature within your MA on 3/IQ. That creature will focus on you for a number of turns equal to your skill level. |
| Leadership | Inspire: Boost an ally’s skill level (their choice) by +1 for the duration of the encounter on 3/IQ. Leadership skill levels = number of allies affected within your MA. |
| Survival | Suck It Up: Shrug off 1 point of damage per skill level on 3/ST. This is an immediate reaction to an attack that inflicts damage on you; you do not lose your next turn. |
| Thief | Quick Draw: Swap readied weapons during your turn on 3/DX. This can be performed at any time during the turn, and does not count as an action. |
| Acrobat | Evasive Maneuvers: Shift a number of hexes equal to your skill level on 3/DX. Shifting out of a Zone of Control does not provoke an attack from enemies. This action may be taken before or after you have moved this turn. |
| Stealth | Backstab: Move up to 2 hexes per skill level (to a maximum of your MA) and attack an adjacent target engaged in combat with an ally on 3/DX; add 1D6 to the damage roll. This is an immediate reaction to an attack on an ally; you do not lose your next turn. |
| Axe* | Spin Slash: Your next attack affects all adjacent enemies on 3/ST. |
| Mace/Club* | Bloody Bludgeon: Your next attack shatters an enemy’s shield or armor on 3/ST. |
| Bow* | Triple Shot: Your next attack fires three arrows on 3/DX. |
| Polearm* | Killer Kebab: Your next attack moves enemy to an open hex adjacent to you on 3/ST. |
| Sling* | Massive Migraine: Your next attack prevents an enemy from acting or moving (DM’s choice) on 3/DX. |
| Sword* | Adrenaline Rush: Your next attack may be followed up with another attack on 3/ST. The second attack may be on the same enemy, or a different enemy ½ MA away. |
*On your first turn, declare your intent to use the skill as your action. Pay the fatigue cost, and roll the skill check. If the roll passes, proceed as dictated by the combat effect description on your second turn. If the roll fails, you may still attack an enemy at 4/DX on your second turn (your special attack may have faltered, but you still have a chance to hit something). Combat skills that were intended to target multiple enemies now only target one enemy (your choice). Remember: Even if you pass the skill roll, you still have to pass 3/DX on your second turn to hit your targets.
Example: An elven archer wants to attempt a triple shot on a party of goblins. He moves into position (which he can do since he’s not actually going to shoot this turn), and declares that he will try and triple shoot. He rolls 3/DX and passes. The next turn, he fires three arrows from his current position; each arrow fired must pass 3/DX in order to hit their targets. If, however, the archer failed to pass the 3/DX test for triple shot, he could still recover some dignity by passing 4/DX with a single arrow on his next turn.
