Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

[Hierax]

For Fantasy Hero I'd like to put some more emphasis on Sword & Sorcery Showdowns sort of like Western gunfights and Samurai swordfights but between Warriors vs. Warriors, Wizards vs. Wizards, and Wizards vs. Warriors (Zatoichi meets the Man with No Name meets Conan meets Mordenkainen).

 

I kept putting this off waiting for the new Western Hero to come out to base it off of, but since it never has, and sadly looks like it never will, there doesn't seem to be any point to delaying any longer.

 

I'd like to provide a wide variety of modifiers for use in these Showdowns -- bonuses and/or penalties for the character's inborn talents, learned skills, as well as specific types of equipment and spells being used. Fast Draw and High DEX and/or Lightning Reflexes are obviously going to be used a lot. I've touched on some options for Initiative in the Weapon Speed and Casting Times thread but Fast Draw is related.

 

The goal here is to give tough tactical decision choices and add flavourful variety to these Fantasy showdowns.

 

What sort of modifiers would you give to weapons and spells for purposes of Fast Drawing and/or Initiative to differentiate them from one another?

[Nolgroth]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Good thing you mentioned this. Okay, since I am actually using weapon speed and casting times, here is how I would do it.

 

• Unless a weapon is readied at the first phase of combat, the Weapon Speed modifier is doubled.
  
• Fast Draw reduces the additional Weapon Speed penalty by 1 per every 1 that the Fast Draw skill is made by. This only reduces the additional weapon speed that is incurred because of drawing the weapon.
  
• Combat Skill Levels have an additional option; they can now also be used to offset Weapon Speed modifiers. Every 3 point (or higher) CSL that applies can decrease the penalty by 1. Obviously any Combat Skill Levels used to offset Weapon Speed cannot be used to gain a bonus to CV or DC.
  
• Skill Levels in the appropriate magical discipline can be used in the same way to offset casting times. Again, Skill Levels used for this purpose cannot be used to gain a bonus to the Spellcasting roll.
  

[Hierax]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

All of these look good, Thanks!

[Manic Typist]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Wands are faster than staffs? That's all I've got.

[drunkonduty]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

What is this weapon speed factor of which you speak? I've not heard of this before (well, not since 1e DnD.)

[Nolgroth]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Emulating 1st Ed AD&D was sort of the purpose. Not an official rule.

[drunkonduty]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Ah. So, how do you do it (game mechanic speaking that is)? Cos I do like the idea in general. The fact that someone with a battle axe can swing as quickly as someone with an epee kind of bugs me and I wouldn't mind an option for otherwise.

[Nolgroth]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

In general, I call mine Attack Speed and it applies to Weapons, some Combat Maneuvers, and Spells.

 

Attack Speed is a minus to DEX, Only to Determine initiative order. I purchase it as a sort of Negative adder of 1-2 points and use the Lightning Reflexes costs for a single attack a guideline. Lightning Reflexes can, in turn, counter the Weapon Speed partially or completely. Weapon Speed has no direct impact on the Speed Chart itself, but very long attacks (Haymaker for instance) increase the Weapon Speed, which may cause the attack to land in the next Segment.

 

Since I haven't actually tested the mechanic in play, I am working on the (general) idea that Attack Speed is roughly based on Active Points /10 * Handedness requirements. For spells, it is merely Active Points /10 unless it is a spell that is cast outside of Combat. Summon Familiar, for example, has a 1 hour casting time and so does not technically have an Attack Speed. I am still working on how Combat, Special, and Martial Maneuvers play into the Attack Speed. I'll keep you posted.

[drunkonduty]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Ah, interesting.

Please do, it sounds like you've got a good idea going there.

 

cheers,

Glen

[Nolgroth]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Thanks.

[dmjalund]

Re: Sword & Sorcery Showdowns - Fast Draw and Initiative Modifiers?

 

Another idea for speed factor Users STR - weapons STR Minimum