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Synthalus
Learned Scribe
USA
170 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Jul 2011 : 18:27:30
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How would one orchestrate a high speed battle using the d&d mechanics? For example - two barbarians skiing down a moutain trying to melee fight. Is Skiing even possible or are there any examples of it in the forgotten realms?
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"That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die."
— H.P. Lovecraft (The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories) |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2011 : 19:05:30
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Skiing is well-known in Rashemen at the very least, and I imagine is wide-spread throughout the North, though I'm afb right now and can't come up with any references off the top of my head.
As for the battle, it depends on what edition you're playing. I play 2nd Edition, so I'd require both of the barbarians to have the skiing proficiency. Each round they'd roll a contested proficiency check. The one who succeeds can choose what they want to do: attack, accelerate, decelerate, turn. Their opponent then gets a chance to react. There's some charioteering rules in the Old Empires sourcebook that I'd modify, but you'd get a nice, quick system for having a fight down a mountain.
I'd also throw in a second wrinkle, though. Any time a player missed a proficiency check, and each time they are successfully hit, they need to immediately make a second check or go sprawling in the snow, taking damage (and losing, if they're fighting because they're racing after a Thingy). Penalties to the roll would apply, depending on damage dealt, and/or total damage taken. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2011 : 22:45:53
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Hmm, so upon review of Old Empires, the chariot race wasn't as helpful as I was thinking. Instead I would modify either the steeplechase through the City of Brass from Secrets of the Lamp, or the Nautical Combat section from Of Ships and the Sea. Nautical combat is closer to the example I was giving: each character rolls their proficiency check, and the winner gets to decide whether they attack, close, or evade (or ram, I suppose). If you want to get really fancy, you could give the character who wins the roll a bonus to attack in proportion to how well they won the opposed roll.
As you may have guessed, I wouldn't try for anything too realistic. Unless you have a pressing need to have your mountain end in a cliff, you can have the combat take however long it takes, and then decide how far they traveled when it's done. Or you can just flat out say that they have X number of rounds until Y thing happens. The important part is how they relate to each other, not the specifics of the terrain. You can give your players that in your (hopefully frenzied) description of the scene. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1073 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jul 2011 : 00:32:33
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Probably ask for a dex check to make an attack roll, but generally I'd let the player do something like that just for asking and make the rest up (falling over/hitting a tree etc) as we went along
Cheers
Damian |
So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005 |
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bladeinAmn
Learned Scribe
199 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2011 : 22:09:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Synthalus
How would one orchestrate a high speed battle using the d&d mechanics? For example - two barbarians skiing down a moutain trying to melee fight. Is Skiing even possible or are there any examples of it in the forgotten realms?
In 2e, a bipedal (demi)human has a movement rate of 12 (and a pony has a walking speed of 6, but is 24 in a gallop; a wild horse has a walking speed of 12, and is 48 in a gallop!); a potion of speed makes the bipedal (demi)human moves at a double rate, thus w/the potion effects, moves at 24.
So depending on how fast they're going on while skiing, that should be the movement rate you go for. If they're skiing at 2.5x their normal (walking) rate, then that's 12 x 2.5 = 30; or if 3x their normal (walking) rate, then that's 12 x 3.0 = 36.
Now, another consideration is that unlike quaffing a potion of speed, skiing isn't magical; thus stating, the lack of magical effects need to be accounted for, such as the character's mind not being able to keep up w/the new, fast & natural movement, unless he/she is used to such movement. But more specifically to your example, what I juss wrote might be a moot point, as the characters in your example are barbarians, who've spent their entire lives in living outdoors in predominantly cold weather, living by hunting & their wits. So perhaps, specifically & exclusively in the barbarian's case, skiing while fighting may be exactly akin to quaffing a magical potion of speed. |
Edited by - bladeinAmn on 31 Jul 2011 22:15:58 |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4704 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2011 : 23:17:18
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Down hill skiing combat is almost impossible.
Most skiers need two ski poles, no hand left for a weapon. Further unless using range weapon skiing next to foe is hard to do.
Possible ways in order to conduct any kind of battle requires high skilled skiers.
I can see one tactic ski a little slower to get behind the foe, then speed up and catch with ski pole in back.
Other possible ideas include skiing side by side using ski pole to trip or stab, try to nudge one to run into a tree or ski in front, turn and set for a charge. These options however run the risk of skis crossing causing both to tumble,likely breaking at least one of the four skis.
Even a high skill, non pole using skier would have a hard time using a weapon without loosing balance.
Oh there is always a chance, so if you want a quick fight, I would use the Dex roll, vs. Dex save for each attack. First two hits wins. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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High Speed Battles?
