d20 Combo System

[Senevri]

Hi. Based on overactive imagination,
This thread, and thus this playtest.
the Tome of Battle of course, and on some level on Amechra's Impossible Warrior...
Oh, and a little bit of Exalted, too.

Google Docs link

the spoiler'd part doesn't have the nice formatting right now and it's incomplete.

d20 COMBO System

A combo is a full round action, requiring the use of a standard, move, and a swift action to activate. A combo consists of multiple techniques of Timing, Movement, Attack, Targeting and modifying Effects.

Fueling a combo: There should be some cost for activation. If action points are in use, those will do fine. Alternatively I suggest combo points:

A character has 3 combo points, + 1 per 6 points of base attack bonus. A character regains a combo point whenever they roll a natural 1 or a natural 20 on an attack. They also replenish themselves after 15 minutes of rest.

Maximum combo values per level:
1st   8 points
2nd   10 points
3rd   13 points
4th   16 points
5th   19 points
6th   23 points
7th   27 points
8th   31 points
9th   35 points


Terminology:
cost: cost as single / cost when used with multiple effects from same category
[keyword]: Keywords are rare modifiers to a technique
   single: A technique with this keyword can only be used once in a combo.
hit: A single successful attack roll vs. defense.
Timing:

Interrupt (special):
cost 1 pt per combo level
Effect: Activate the combo as an immediate action.

Delay (lv 1)
cost 1 pt
Effect: Use Delay action as a part of the combo. You may have Techniques in the combo which activate before the Delay.

Movement:

5ft step (lv1):
cost 0/5
effect: move 5 ft without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Basic movement (lv 1):  
cost: 2 / 3 (special)
effect: Move your base land speed.
special: The first movement in a combo always costs 2 points, while subsequent ones cost 3 points.

Attacks:

Basic attack (lv 1):
cost 3 / 4
effect: Make a standard attack against an opponent’s AC in your attacks range.

Combat Maneuver (lv 1)
Cost 2 / 3
effect: Use the Bull Rush, Grapple or Trip Combat Manoveur

Mountain Hammer (lv 2)
Cost 4 / 6
effect: Make a standard attack vs. AC ignoring damage reduction and hardness. Deal 2d6 points of extra damage.

Full Attack (lv 5)
cost 10/13
effect: make all your iterative attacks as normal for your base attack bonus, including any extra attacks for two-weapon fighting or haste and similar abilities.

Defenses:

Dodge (lv 2):
cost 3 / 5.
effect: Gain +4 AC during your combo;

Targeting:

Standard (lv 1):
Cost 0
effect: Roll attack vs. target’s AC

Emerald Razor (lv 2)
cost 4
effect: Roll 1 attack vs. target’s Touch AC.
special: The cost increases by 2 for each attack you roll as a touch attack.

Effect:

Boost (lv 1)
Cost: 1 / 2 pt
effect: Deal additional 1d6 points of damage with each hit

Might(special)
Cost: level of the combo.
effect: Add your base attack bonus to damage with each hit

Examples:

1st-level combos:

2x Attack: 2 basic attacks, total cost 8.
Move-attack-move: 2 moves, costing 5 and a basic attack costing 3. Total cost: 8

I think you could just also run this as guidelines for new maneuvers?

[Prime32]

Plug tiem

[Senevri]

Interesting. Any ways to (heh) combo these?

I was thinking that a strike  = standard action, as long as minimum level requirement is fulfilled, at least. Effect is roughly analogous to boost, and movement to move actions.

[Prime32]

I was looking for ways to combine it with that Limit Break system myself.


I'd say: remove ToB classes. All characters get maneuvers, but can only use them via Combo Points.

[Senevri]

Not mentioned in this thread, but I used 6 points as a baseline with 1 point being a swift, 2 being move and 3 being a standard action.
So basically, if you divide a level's points by 6, you get what's 'appropriate' for a boost of that level... although it's somewhat inaccurate. F'r ex, you couldn't use Might on a 9th level swift action and Boost would only be 3d6 per hit. OTOH, if you calculate a Full Attack + maximum boosts for 9th level, you get a more accurate result.

I think about 16 points is appropriate for a 9th level swift action, but that is effectively putting it on same level with wizard spells, which can be a bit scary, when looking at melee folks.

[veekie]

I was looking for ways to combine it with that Limit Break system myself.


I'd say: remove ToB classes. All characters get maneuvers, but can only use them via Combo Points.

Hmm, what if you gave combo points with BAB. PERMANENT BAB that is, not temporary.

[Senevri]

Yeah, keying stuff on permanent BAB is a good idea, for the most part.

What about tiers? Let's say tier 1 (lv 1-3) combo costs 6 combo points (using prime32's system for gaining combo points), a tier 2 (4-6) cost 12, and a Tier 3 (7-9) costs 18? Cap for combo points would be 5 + BAB. Thus, full BABs get Tier 3 combos at level 13, and pure mages cap at tier 2, which they won't even reach until lv 17.

Oh, BTW, since I'm lazy, I'd be delighted to get suggestions for techniques to add to my little combo system.