Melee combat bonus?

[Bob Weaver]

Whether we are talking about Brawling, Unarmed Combat, Martial Arts or Blade Combat, has anyone ever used a ruling whereby a more skilled fighter adds his skill level to the damage throw as well as the to-hit throw? This should reflect better aiming, targeting weak spots or nerve centers, etc.



In straight by-the-book Bk1 combat, it is not possible for a fighter to one-punch an 'average' NPC. Brawling is 1D, and average stats are all 7, so no way to reduce END to 0 in one blow. Seems to me Mr. Street Fighter (Brawling-3) should be able to do that.



Just a thought.



Bob W.

 

[Fovean]

This is where the Effect mechanic from Mongoose Trav shines. Anything rolled over the to hit number is applied to damage.

The spirit of CT’s multiple differing DMs based on skill level and situations seems to allow for a similar mechanic without breaking the rules.

 

[kilemall]

In my modified CT/Striker version, skills are allowed to add to hit location. My hit location is basically 3D Head/neck, 2D chest/thoracic/thigh, 1D arms/legs, so more likely to get a solid body/head blow and rack up damage that way.


The other correlating chart is for penetration, don't know that I would want to add pen to that, I'm usually leaving that to arms/armor definition. I think I would only add in more penetration for things like doubled BD strength/robot strength/psionics/advanced blade materials.



Beyond a certain point, fists or muscle-powered melee is just not getting through the advanced armor, at least in a non-cinematic universe.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

In straight by-the-book Bk1 combat, it is not possible for a fighter to one-punch an 'average' NPC. Brawling is 1D, and average stats are all 7, so no way to reduce END to 0 in one blow. Seems to me Mr. Street Fighter (Brawling-3) should be able to do that.

Where is the heroic-ness in that? Fights are knock-down-drag-out events. Critical success rolls are where KOs come from.

 

[mike wightman]

Make it a trade off.

Use your brawling skill to add to your chance to hit or to your chance to do damage.

Brawling 3 could be +3 to hit, +2 to hit and +1 damage, +1 to hit +2 damage or +3 to damage.

 

[Golan2072]

This is a good ruling. I might also say add DM+2 to damage if STR is 9+ (or 10+?).
However, if you really want martial arts to take a prominent part in your game, I'd say give instead an additional damage die to unarmed damage per 2 points of Brawling skill (rounded down). So that Brawling-3 MMA fighter will do 2D damage in brawling, and a Karate master (Brawling-4) will do 3D!

 

[coliver988]

Make it a trade off.

Use your brawling skill to add to your chance to hit or to your chance to do damage.

Brawling 3 could be +3 to hit, +2 to hit and +1 damage, +1 to hit +2 damage or +3 to damage.

I like that.

Another game system also translates the fighting skills such as melee / brawling as the ability to have a bar fight where the damage is essentially only temporary. I.e., the next day all is healed (just sore) rather than the normal 1-2 hit points/day recovery. This was to allow bar fights to be more fun w/having to worry about dying (0 = knocked out). Of course, things could get out of hand...(obviously not D&D where you are miraculously cured after sleeping regardless)

 

[mike wightman]

I agree with Golan too, any Str DM should also be included in the hit/damage trade off...

 

[kilemall]

Hmm, another QND would be to rule the skill defines how many parries and attacks the character can do per round. So it's not the one fist hit that does it, it's the follow-on roundhouse kick AND blocking the amateur's one punch.

 

[mike wightman]

The close combat rules already for a bit of tactical flexibility. You can opt to strike with weakened blows in order to preserve your full strength blows. So if you realise you are up against a low skilled opponent you can save the hard hitting stuff for later.

 

[BlackBat242]

Of course, things could get out of hand...(obviously not D&D where you are miraculously cured after sleeping regardless)

Only in the more-recent "versions" of "D&D".

In the original 1974 D&D rules, the revised D&D rules published during the 1980s, and both of the editions of AD&D (late 1970s & late 1980s), unless magic was used healing was slow - an injured being could spend weeks recovering from wounds that never took him/her/it to unconsciousness.

For example, without any care other than bed-rest, you recovered 1 hit point per day - many mid-level characters could receive 20 or more hit points of wounds in a single fight without coming close to unconsciousness.
If you engaged in "strenuous activity" (fighting, walking/hiking more than a few minutes, etc) then you recovered NO hit points for that day!

 

[atpollard]

Only in the more-recent "versions" of "D&D".

In the original 1974 D&D rules, the revised D&D rules published during the 1980s, and both of the editions of AD&D (late 1970s & late 1980s), unless magic was used healing was slow - an injured being could spend weeks recovering from wounds that never took him/her/it to unconsciousness.

For example, without any care other than bed-rest, you recovered 1 hit point per day - many mid-level characters could receive 20 or more hit points of wounds in a single fight without coming close to unconsciousness.
If you engaged in "strenuous activity" (fighting, walking/hiking more than a few minutes, etc) then you recovered NO hit points for that day!

Which is why EVERY party had a Medic ... I mean Cleric.