Re: (TFT) An Even More Radical Re-Imagining of TFT...

["Neil Gilmore" <raito@raito.com>]

> As the leading heretic in this email list*, I thought I'd run a new idea
by
> y'all that I've been toying with for TFT.

As the guy with possibly the fewest house rules (other than being able to
buy Fencing for more than just Sword), I'll reply.

> TFT fails to take into account a fighter's defensive skills, unless he
> chooses the "defend" option. Numerous fixes have been suggested, ranging
> from to hit modifiers to separate parry rolls. I even suggested that
fighter
> be allowed to reduce or increase their DX by whatever number they wish -- 
> but that modifier is also applied to all attackers. None of these ideas
has
> been entirely satisfactory though my players love the last suggestion.

The various UC skills also allow defensive skills to enter into play.

I could see allowing a figure to reduce their DX in order to reduce
opponent's DX, but not increase it. If you don't have the technique, going
all out does NOT guarantee that you'll throw an effective blow.

> Also, it's very hard for highly skilled fighters to cut down large numbers
> of faceless hordes ala the Conan movies.

Personally, I don't see this as a problem. Read "On Thud and Blunder"
www.sfwa.org/writing/thud.htm, for the reasons why.

> Handle all combat as a series of opposed rolls. I use d20s in my TFT
> campaign rather than 3d6, so my examples will reflect this. Just
substitute
> 3d6 if appropriate.
>
> 1. Movement occurs normally. But when combat occurs, handle things
> differently per the following rules:
>
> 2. Roll 1d20 for each figure and add the figure's DX and any applicable
> modifiers. Do this for all figures that are (a) attacking; (b) casting
> spells; (c) doing any action requiring a roll. Each figure makes a melee
> "attack" on every enemy figure in its front hexes. A figure's melee attack
> succeeds if his roll equals or exceeds the roll(s) of the target(s).
Combats
> can be handled in groups where convenient. A missile attack, spell casting
> attempt or other task succeeds if the modified roll is 21+.

Too many dies rolls. It removes the simple elegance of a single die roll for
combat. It is, however, a good way to do opposing rolls. This can be quicker
than the usual TFT alternative, where both figures involved roll until one
fails, or one gets a critical success. This can take quite a long time if
the figures involved have high applicable abilities.

> Options and Comments
>
> 1. Of course, the math can get flaky. One solution would be to express the
> attribute as a + or - number, with a 0 being the current equivalent of 10.
> So a fighter with an adjDX of 12 would have a +2 modifier. Success for
> missile spells and attacks happen on an 11+. That makes the calculations a
> bit easier.

Personally, I dislike the d20 system (for TFT anyway), because I rather like
the bell curve of 3d6 (though I do recognize the problems with extreme
abilities). In both d20 and 3d6, an score of 10 represents 50% chance of
success. But in d20 11 represents 55%, and in d20 60-some%.

In my (real-world experience, if that can be said to apply), the 3d6 system
more closely models reality. At the rarified upper levels of skill, a point
difference makes much less difference than a point at the mid-level. And at
the low level, nobody's hittig anybody.

> 2. On a d20 system, critical hits occur on a natural 20 (then roll 1d6 1-3
> automatic hit; 4-5 double damage; 6 triple damage) and failures on a
natural
> 1 (then roll 1d6 -- 1-3 automatic miss; 4-5 drop weapon; 6 break weapon).
> For 3d6, simply make 16, 17, and 18 work like 3, 4 and 5 (and vice versa).

Your crits happen with slightly more frequency than with 3d6 -- 10/200 vs
10/216, and within that 30/60, 20/60, 10/60 vs 36/60, 18/60, 6/60 (numbers
massaged to make it easy to compare them). But you knew that.

> 5. A defending figure adds 5 (or 3 if using 3d6) to his roll, but never
hits
> a foe.

This definitely messes up the bell curve.

Neil Gilmore
raito@raito.com
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