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From: req@snow.UUCP (Russell Quin)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Critical Hits in Combat
Message-ID: <519@snow.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-May-85 14:18:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: snow.519
Posted: Mon May 20 14:18:37 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 16-May-85 03:32:12 EDT
References: <5055@ukc.UUCP> <14018@watmath.UUCP>
Organization: Computer Science Department, Warwick University, UK
Lines: 42


> I'd like to ask for people's opinion on Critical Hits
> (if you play a role-playing game that makes use of the concept).  Do
> Critical Hit systems speed combat or slow it down?  We've only been using
> a critical hit system for a month or two in a SF campaign, and contrary
> to expectations, it has speeded our combat.  Yes, you have to make an
> extra roll to find where someone has been hit, but very often it means
> that the players or their opponents go down a LOT faster and fighting
> ends much sooner.  Have other people found this, or is it just the way
> we carry out melee?
I've been using the Rolemaster cambat system for a few months.  Briefly, most
hits do a number of HitPoints damage, but a Critical Hit means a lookup on a
table (e.g. slashing/crushing blow/puncture) which gives a description of a
specific injury (sprained wrist etc...).  The effect is that extra detail is
given on criticals, less detail on other hits.  The ToHit and Damage rolls are
combined so that there is less dice rolling, and combat is generally MUCH more
viscious than AD&D/RQ! -- ANYONE can die from a single blow!

Critical hits can help to add an atmosphere of excitement;  but it is not a bad
idea to temper them with critical failures.  From ecperience with AD&D, I'd
suggest MAXIMUM damage on a critical success is simple & effective.  If you use
a table, remember that the detail you are adding may not be in the spirit of
the (NOT blow-by-blow) combat system.  Ask yourself whether a dagger could have
got the same result on your table as a two-handed battle axe...
> 
> As a matter of fact, how DO other people conduct melee?  Tight time limits
> on how long someone can think before acting?  Fairly loose?  Any gimmicks
> that make it faster or more interesting? 
Time limits are only imposed by my impatience.  But I do find irksome the
player who looks up the spells in great detail before casting.  A certain
amount of consideration is appropriate, but not a full Simplex Mini-Max
calculation based on Hit Die Of Enemy/Expected Amount Of Damage/Expected
Duration of Melee/....... Aaaaargh!
It helps many players if they are given a graphic representation of the
situation;  when I asked about the use of Artwork in frp, I found that many GMs
use acetate/glass sheets to draw a quick map with a grease pencil or felt tip.
I use a folder of blank computer paper from the ends of old printouts, so that
I can save them from one session to another.
Use of figures seems to help.
-- 
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