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Simple, Easy to Adapt, and Highly Permissive

These are the three core components to the Ardent Circle's combat system; it's one that we've been using in a variety of guilds over the past decade, and we've had great success with its implementation, and find that it gives us the most flexibility at events.

Simple, and Easy to Adapt:

The rolls you'll find at our events are, typically, given out to everyone all at once. Other guilds tend to use a single player, turn based approach, which while great for small groups, drags, and slows down events to the point where players can easily fall off the wagon by feel bored.

 

For us, every turn (roughly every 8-10 minutes), you'll see one of three different types of roll sets, either a /roll 5, a /roll 10, or a /roll 20. These are posted every turn, so that they never get lost, and you don't need to scroll up. Keep in mind that the following examples don't take into account any buffs or perks from abilities or items, and that all the examples are just one possible set of rolls - and the number assignment, and actions, will vary depending on circumstance.

Last note, is that there will usually be a post before the rolls to describe the scene, or what's changing from turn to turn.

 

/5 rolls are for utility, or interaction. These rolls are great for smaller events that are intended for more personal engagement, as they can be character specific. If a player rolls a success, like in example B, they may get a private whisper with the clue/information.

E.G: Can you jump over this trench? /roll 5. 1-2, fall. 3-5, succeed.

 

Another example for the /5 roll could be this.

 

For those with keen senses, /roll 5. 1-2, hear and see nothing of import. 3-5, hear some subtle noise or notice a clue.

/10 rolls are for small event combat. Chances are, these will be the largest rolls you’ll have to worry about at events.

E.G: A bunch of jerks are charging at you with axes and spells. /roll 10. 1-2, injured. 3-5, struggle, or team up with an ally. 6-8, deal a minor attack. 9-10, deal five minor attacks, or two heavy attacks.

/20 rolls are for larger combat, or more complex situations. Chances are you won’t need to deal with this at too often, but at large events it can help to give a bit more variety.

E.G: Enemies are rushing at the group, all the while with the cave ceiling falling down all around you. Fight your way to the exit, and dodge the debris. /roll 20. 1-4, heavy injury as debris falls upon you. 5-6, take an injury in battle. 7-9, struggle against an enemy as you rush for the exit. 10-12, rescue an ally who is struggling, kill an enemy together, and push for the exit. 13-15, deal a minor attack as you dodge the falling debris, and push for the exit. 16-18, deal two heavy attacks as you rush for the exit. 19-20, manage to shield an ally from debris, and kill an enemy.

Another example of the /20 roll for larger events could be this.

E.G:  As you and your allies man the cannons, enemy bat riders swoop in towards the ship, attack from all sides. /roll 20. 1-4, miss. 5-8, kill three. 9-14, kill six. 15-18, kill ten. 19-20, miss your target, but accidentally hit a barrel of explosives on the enemy ship, causing a massive explosion.

 

Highly Permissive:

In all the examples above, you may have noticed that things are a bit vague; it simply says 'injured;' what does that mean? The idea behind is that we want to allow you, as the player, to paint the scene just as much as the DM. The dungeon master sets up the scene, sure; you know there are kobolds in the room, and falling debris - great, but they're not going to specify what exact details will happen to your character; that's for you to decide, based on your rolls. 

 

Throughout the event, you decide which enemies in the room you fight, and where you fight them. You get the freedom to emote for your enemies in most cases, too, including how they attack you, what kind damage they deal, and how you respond/react.

 

The reason for this is that we know that your characters are unique, and that no one enjoys the embarrassment of having their highly experienced, veteran paladin of seven hundred different battles get taken out by some weasely kobold. By leaving it unspecified, instead of the DM saying "You take a heavy injury when the Kobold hits you," we leave it to you, who knows, and writes your character best, and in turn we should get an emote that rings closer to:

"Twenty Kobolds leapt from the cave walls, swarming [character name]. He punched and swatted and kicked out with both feet, toppling to the ground, a heroic and valiant struggle as the paladin and the Kobolds tumbled down the cliff side, his knee slamming into a rock on the way down as he struggled to break free, all the while bellowing out as he bruised his knuckles on the faces of the vermin."

 

We're of the mindset that every emote should be epic, even if its an injury, and we've found that allowing players to write their own battles is one great way to encourage that.

 

This system also encourages players to collaborate, and you'll see many roll brackets that include something like "team up with an ally". Through this, we're encouraging players who roll in the middle of a bracket to take an opportunity to team up with someone who rolled terribly, and together they can do something special.

 

We certainly love to take our injuries and suffer horribly at events, but we also want to make sure that we're encouraging positive energy, providing immersive, memorable, and engaging battles/encounters, and fostering a collaborative, community driven experience

Combat System

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