Re: First look at Leroy's 3rdEd SJ combat system

In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Sat 06 May, Terry Masson wrote:
> I reckon his system works dead well as far as skill and feats go, the
> only think I didnt like is that ships weapons are still not
> representative of their size (ie, a 1 ton weapon does NOT take up that
> much room on a ship, etc) and that despite his spatial tons being
> smaller, all ships in his system seem to work out smaller aswell :S 

I need to take another look at the weapons...


> For the most part I think it works, and having things like pilot,
> operate rigging, and so on and so forth really add specific individual
> skills that allow PCs and NPCs to take a bigger role in the general
> workings of a ship.  These were the main attractions for me, I dont
> think I could ever go back to a system wherein every given pilot has
> the exact same measure of skill in brief combat rounds.

I've played a number of games using different systems where you
find there are new skills your character requires for specific
environments, like caving, underwater, or space travel.  If you
take these skills, yes the character does well in that
environment, but you may find your character is too specialised
for other environments, where the actual adventure takes place -
that is what I mean by skills dilution.  Worst case, the campaign
changes and you have dead skills.

Reading the 3rdEd rules carefully, the skills of a water sailor
are covered by standard skills plus Profession (sailor), so I
would have thought space sailors are the same.  Think about
putting a Rogue character on a ship - they have most of the
skills already, all they need to do is add a new Professional
skill, which makes sense to me.

As for piloting, give the pilot various special tricks that they
can attempt, with DC, and then get them to make a Concentration
roll - better focus means you can bend the magic to do fancier
things.  If you really want to, add a Spelljamming Combat Feat
that gives +3 to these rolls.  If the DM doesn't like any of
these tricks, they just don't allow them in their games.


> Tilaurin.
> 
> On 5/7/06, Dreamer <dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk> wrote:
> > I was interested to look at this, and a lot of work has obviously
> > gone into it.  This looks like a good compromise between the
> > 3rdEd individual combat system, and the SJ ship combat rules.
[snip]

> > In summary, with a quick skim, this looks like a well worked-out
> > combat system, though it goes into more detail than I would
> > probably use.  If the issues with regard to Skills and Feats, and
> > crew abilities, were modified I think this might make a good
> > basis for a 3rdEd SJ combat system.  DMs who wanted to add more
> > detailed Skills and Feats would then be at liberty to do so.
> >
> > Again, please note: I am not a wargamer, or DM of ship-to-ship
> > skirmish warfare, which this system seems well suited for, and I
> > may have misunderstood the reason why certain parts of the rules
> > exist.

-- 
Dreamer
dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/