Topic: Combat Companion

[Arioch]

Back with a minor question: how should we handle weapons ranks given by adolescence? Just sum up all the ranks and let the palyers ditribute them between culture-related styles?

[dutch206]

I know it is only an optional rule, but I would also like to see profession bonuses for the new character classes.  Right now, I am using the bonuses for Ranger, Bard, and Monk.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Back with a minor question: how should we handle weapons ranks given by adolescence? Just sum up all the ranks and let the palyers ditribute them between culture-related styles?

Yes, that sounds pretty fair.

I know it is only an optional rule, but I would also like to see profession bonuses for the new character classes.  Right now, I am using the bonuses for Ranger, Bard, and Monk.

What type of level bonuses? Basic? or one of the more extended options? If Basic, then I would actually, give them each 1.5 points per level (rounded down), with a half point to spell casting (and for the other Semis as well - also rounded down).

[Arioch]

Back with a minor question: how should we handle weapons ranks given by adolescence? Just sum up all the ranks and let the palyers ditribute them between culture-related styles?

Yes, that sounds pretty fair.

Thanks! 

[Dark Mistress]

Something I would love to see is a web enhancement either by fans or ICE of a host of sample styles based on real life styles and fantasy based ones. If I had more free time I would do it. But working and going to school full time just flat sucks.

[twh]

I don't mean to be a bother, but regarding the typos I presented earlier in the AbtP table, I was wondering what the corrections would be.  I'm working on a campaign-specific version of the armor chart and I need the proper numbers.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

I will look and give them to you tomorrow...

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Soft Leather (AR 3)
UMxP: The individual pieces add up to a penalty of -21 but the Full Set penalty is -26.
UMnP: Pauldrons/Cuirass penalty is -3 but Shirt penalty is -2.  Gauntlets penalty is +1 (should be -1?).  Full Set penalty is -6 but, assuming Gauntlets penalty should be -1, the individual pieces add up to -7.

It should be -21, not -26 for the full suit.
It should be -1, not 1 for the gauntlets, and the Shirt should be -3, and the total for a full suit should be -7.

Rigid Leather (AR 4)
UMxP: None of the assumed sums add up here.  Also, Bracers penalty is +8.  Should this column perhaps look like MxP for AR 7 and 8?
Cost: The individual pieces add up to 29 sp but the Full Set price is shown as 25 sp.  Pauldrons/Cuirass cost is 11 sp but Shirt cost is 10 sp.

Shirt should be -32
Curiass should be -24
Bracer should be -8
Shirt should be 11 sp
full suit should be 29 sp

Reinforced Leather (AR 5)
MnP: Greaves and Boots each show -0.5 penalty which is different from the -1 penalty for the other individual pieces (all other AR have same value for all pieces).  Penalty of -0.5 also disagrees with Full Set penalty of -10 (-1 penalty makes everything balance out).

Greaves and Boots should both be -1.

[twh]

Fantastic, Rasyr, thank you so much for your effort!

[Erik Sharma]

Just wanted to give some feedback from yesterdays session where we implemented most stuff from Combat Companion (CC) except the Combat Styles (Want to try out one rule at a time). First came the AbtP rules and the new condensed Combat System.

From the players the reaction on the new AbtP rules was very positive, they liked the freedom in how to design their own armors and how easy it is to slowly upgrade their armor to more match their Maneuver in Armor skill. This seems like a keeper.

We didn't have any combats in this session so a more detailed Feedback on the Condensed Combat System will have to wait. So far both me and the players seem to think the new Condensed System is great. Only concern I as a GM has is that the single crit tables is gonna get repetive but that is for the future to show but I do like the idea for the specific ones for each Attack type. And as I understand if the feedback is positive there is possibility to expand these tables later.

Didn't have time to try out the new Combat Styles option, but explanied it to the players to see if there was any interest and to be honest they became fire and flames about it so it's probably gonna be implemented too in the future.

For the new Professions I don't have much to say. I know atleast Champion will be on of the list of favourites from the old D&D players that have been missing a Paladin-like profession to play. Overall they seem like very entertaining professions.
 Ohh and almost forgot the Sphere of influence tables for the Champion spell lists is great. Very helpful for me when designing my own Deities and will probably use it for the other pure Channeling users too to expanded their options in picking their extra base lists to more reflect their type of deity.

Overall I was very sceptical at first of the new rules but decided to give em a try, and so far the experience has been very positive. Easy and very playable options.

Good work keep it up!

Edit: Forgot to ask about this, how do you handle Holy and Slaying Weapons in the new Condensed system. Do you use the crit roll and apply it to the Holy/Slaying column on the table in Arms Law (and add it to the normal crit) or do they just get a mod. on the new crit table?

[Dark Mistress]

Ok we sorta played last night. We had 2 players not show, so instead of starting the game or calling it off. I decided to make a few pregen characters real fast, melee types that use the new rules and let the rest do a series of mock encounters against mobs and each other to test things out. Below was the general over all feeling by the end of the night.(keep in mind we basically did combat non-stop for like 5 hours)

New armor rules where great just all around, especially the piece meal armor rules and how manuvering works with it.

Liked that each weapon group had it's own chart. Though the comments was more they wished they was broken up even more than they was. (questions about some of the weapons having a higher max dmg but a - to OB. they found some of them strange like the Longbow for example)

They liked the style creation over all. A few quirks here and there they disagreed with. But i put that more up to individual tastes than anything, but they all did like the idea of making styles and having options to use in combat.

There was only one real complaint. By the end of the night crits where turning up more and more often being the same as already done. While some said it needed the 5 columns again others just said it needed a bigger list. But they did all think that after a couple of months of playing the short crit list would get repitious.

[twh]

Another question, if you don't mind.

In Table 03-04 the Heavy Cloth MxP entries for the individual pieces are not all the same.  On all other armors each individual piece has the same modifier but on AR2 the MxP mod for helm, bracers, and greaves is -2 and the mod for all the other pieces is -1.  The numbers add up so maybe this is correct, it's just not consistent with the other armor ratings.  Is this correct?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

yes

[twh]

Thanks again.

[dutch206]

My gaming brain is running in a million directions at once this week. 

I am exploring the Bronze age, but I am also left wondering how the Combat Companion rules would affect Space Master.

I hate myself for asking questions like this.  The last time I asked something like this, I ended up having to write an article for the vault. *(the GM's Screen)

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

I hate myself for asking questions like this.  The last time I asked something like this, I ended up having to write an article for the vault. *(the GM's Screen)

So? I take it you are volunteering again?   

[dutch206]

Fortunately for me, I flunked High School Algebra four times.  I couldn't begin to understand how to do the formulas for combat tables.  I knew that class would come in handy for something!

[twh]

Translating tables for my group and found another math error in the Armor Table.  Rigid Leather Full Set DB is listed as 13 but the sum of the individual pieces rounds to 12.

[PiXeL01]

Now that I got my hands on the Final version and skimmed it again, I have one question. It seems that alot of the artwork was changed. I was just curious of the reason for this change. Personally I feel that the "old" art was better, but since that might be "recycled" artwork the editors might have felt the need for some new. Plus I see Mick Jackson is off the list. I really enjoyed him during my time playing Shadowrun 2 and was overjoyed to see him take part in the other game that holds my passion.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Yes, all of the art in the beta release was re-use art, and we always try to include at least some new art if possible.

And yes, Mike Jackson is a great artist and we love it whenever we can get new art from him. However, we don't select the artists for each project, our art director, Jeff Laubenstien does that.