Post by Duke on Sept 10, 2021 1:34:43 GMT
Egad!
I just read through that and I realized that I had forgotten to elaborate just how the Mook Sweep speeds things up (beyond dropping lots of opponents in a hurry, I mean).
Determine which "level" this encounter is going to be. Let's say that it's going to be a an extremely talented Player Character in a non-supers genre or even a super in a supers game, and they are going up against common thugs. This is _easily_ the "Version 2" Mook Sweep target levels.
Attacker rolls to hit. Determine his level of success. Divide this number in half (round against the Player). This is the number of Mooks the Character has successfully struck with his attack(s).
Determine the "Combo" level-- we are using V2 in this case, so did he succeed by 4? Here's the fast way to do it: Drop the To-Hit target number by 4, and determine his number of successes. Divide this number in half (again, rounding down). This is the number of Combos the Attacker has scored. Note it (or remember it, if you're some sort of super good memory guy
), as at this point, it is subject to change.
Determine the number of "Instant CON-Stuns." The easiest way to do this, for V2, is to take the original To-Hit target number and reduce it by 6 (and the math-savvy GM will note that you can take the currently-reduced-by-4 target number and reduce it by 2 more. Either way is good). Determine his levels of success against this number, and again, divide it in half, rounded down. This is the number of Instant CON-Stuns the Character has scored. Note it, as it, too, is subject to change.
Reduce the original To-Hit number by 9 (or the now doubly-modified To-Hit number by 3 more) and determine the number of successes, again dividing that number in half to determine the number of Instant Knock-Outs and note that as well.
The entire idea of the Mook Sweep is that the highly-capable Player Characters have completely overwhelmed their opponents, who had no idea just how dangerous an opponent they were facing and were thus totally unprepared for the speed, skill, and mechanical precision of the Player Characters' attack. As people react and adapt, it's assumed that the very best results come very early in the attack, so apply these results as follows:
Apply Instant KO's first. Each IKO cuts a combo in half. That is to say that the IKO is assumed to have happened on the first blow-- get narrative with it: surprise, nerve strike, glass jaw-- whatever gets the Players stoked!
Carry the second blow of the Combo forward (you have used the first blow). Do this with every IKO scored (in really mismatched scenarios, it's possible to score two or three IKOs. It's rare, to be sure, but it is possible). All targets who have suffered IKOs are assumed to be at a negative STUN score equal to -1(REC+1).
It is at this point that, assuming there are opponents still standing, the Attacker will roll his damage dice, and then apply all ICS results.
As with IKO, all ICS results are assumed to have been scored with a single blow, which means cutting more combos in half. For each ICS result, carry forward a single "unused" combo strike, just like above with IKO. All targets who have suffered ICS are assumed to have taken an amount of STUN damage necessary to keep them CON Stunned for 1 or two of their Phases (GM's choice, of course, but when using the V2 scale, I tend to go for 2 Phases, and a single Phase for V1) plus 2. _However_, if the amount of damage done in the dice is greater than this amount, then the target will have suffered the amount of STUN rolled on the dice (yes: this means ignoring defenses, but these are mooks, and we're trying to speed things up, and you have scored a legit CON-Stun (well, as legit as any House Rule, anyway). All you are doing at this point is making it worse.
Now it gets fun! Apply all remaining "whole" Combos first (narratively, this isn't what you're doing; it just makes it easier to do the bookkeeping, since the end results are identical anyway). Remember that each "full" combo applies only to one specific target-- you can't bank them up to apply against targets you didn't hit (unless the GM is really looking to speed things up, of course). If the first target to receive a full Combo is CON-Stunned on the first blow, the Combo may be "split" and the second strike rolled forward with those other second strikes you've been saving. If he is not CON-Stunned, then apply the damage again to simulate the second half of the Combo. Check for CON-Stun (remember to add the STUN totals together for this-- again: these are mooks, and your Player Character is amazing. ). If he has not been CON-Stunned, apply any carried-forward strike from a pervious combo (adding the STUN again-- let's note that when doing the COMBO thing, the target's DEF counts; you didn't score an IKO or an ICS on this guy; you're just pounding on him). Continue adding any carried-forward strikes from previously split combos until they are exhausted or the target is CON-Stunned. No matter which happens first, move to the next successful target, and repeat.
Repeating: apply this target's personal Combo to him; check for CON-Stun. If he is not CON-Stunned, apply any remaining carried-forward strikes (again: adding STUN results together to determine CON-Stun) until strikes are exhausted or the target is CON-Stunned.
Once all the Combos are resolved, the Player Character may-- just may-- find himself still in possession of a carried-forward strike, perhaps even two! Or more! (really, really unlikely, but we don't want to interrupt their dreams) If the PC has carried-forward strikes once he has resolved all targets against whom he scored Combo results, he will move on to any remaining (or "single strike" targets). The Player has a choice to make here: if he has Combo targets who are not yet CON-Stunned, he may apply any carried-forward strikes remaining against these targets until they are CON-Stunned, _or_ he may carry the additional strikes to his single-strike (last remaining) target or targets, meaning that he make make his single-strike targets into Combo targets until he has used all of his remaining carried-forward combo strikes. Just like with any Combo targets, the Player may continue to add strike after strike until either he runs out or the target is CON-Stunned (once the target is CON-Stunned, the Attacker must move on to the next target: the sweep depends on speed and skill even more than savagery).
Once the successful attacks are all resolved and all targets are either knocked out or CON-Stunned, there _may_-- I have never seen it happen, but there _may_ still be a strike or two carried forward. At this point, the Character may either quit the attack or he may opt to deliver the blows. They are to be applied in order, starting with the first still-conscious combo target and moving forward from there.
Again: this is the _mechanics_ of the thing. This whole round-robin thing isn't happening according to the mechanics; it's happening _all at once_, against multiple targets, the Player Character moving and whirling and dodging and dipping and striking, raining down blow after blow (or lightning bolt after lightning bolt-- whatever the attack happens to be) picking and selecting targets back and forth according to skill, timing, and opportunities provided by his inferior opponents.
I think that last part-- "narrative"-- is why there are no optional rules like this-- rules designed especially to speed combat. Yes: the system is 40 years old, but it still works for this. You see that at the heart of all this, the only thing I have really done is tweak the existing sweep / multiple target attack rules a bit. (Though I did downplay my biggest tweak: when Mook Sweeps happen at my table, they are a single full-Phase action for the Player Character from start to finish. However, he still has to obey END rules (though as noted in an earlier post, Combo results only pay END on the first strike-- that's right: no extra END for those carried-forward strikes) for the STR or Power used.
The problem here, at least as I see it, has never been the system. The problem really seems to be the fan base, who all _love_ to hear about things like house rules and corner-cases, etc, but ultimately will come at you with torches and pitchforks if you express that your rules are meant to address a _problem_ with the rules. The fan base will admit to "quirks" and "minor glitches," but they can't accept that not doing meticulous counts and an hour of math for every combat is somehow _not_ the most perfect part of this game.
>sigh<
I just read through that and I realized that I had forgotten to elaborate just how the Mook Sweep speeds things up (beyond dropping lots of opponents in a hurry, I mean).
Determine which "level" this encounter is going to be. Let's say that it's going to be a an extremely talented Player Character in a non-supers genre or even a super in a supers game, and they are going up against common thugs. This is _easily_ the "Version 2" Mook Sweep target levels.
Attacker rolls to hit. Determine his level of success. Divide this number in half (round against the Player). This is the number of Mooks the Character has successfully struck with his attack(s).
Determine the "Combo" level-- we are using V2 in this case, so did he succeed by 4? Here's the fast way to do it: Drop the To-Hit target number by 4, and determine his number of successes. Divide this number in half (again, rounding down). This is the number of Combos the Attacker has scored. Note it (or remember it, if you're some sort of super good memory guy
), as at this point, it is subject to change.Determine the number of "Instant CON-Stuns." The easiest way to do this, for V2, is to take the original To-Hit target number and reduce it by 6 (and the math-savvy GM will note that you can take the currently-reduced-by-4 target number and reduce it by 2 more. Either way is good). Determine his levels of success against this number, and again, divide it in half, rounded down. This is the number of Instant CON-Stuns the Character has scored. Note it, as it, too, is subject to change.
Reduce the original To-Hit number by 9 (or the now doubly-modified To-Hit number by 3 more) and determine the number of successes, again dividing that number in half to determine the number of Instant Knock-Outs and note that as well.
The entire idea of the Mook Sweep is that the highly-capable Player Characters have completely overwhelmed their opponents, who had no idea just how dangerous an opponent they were facing and were thus totally unprepared for the speed, skill, and mechanical precision of the Player Characters' attack. As people react and adapt, it's assumed that the very best results come very early in the attack, so apply these results as follows:
Apply Instant KO's first. Each IKO cuts a combo in half. That is to say that the IKO is assumed to have happened on the first blow-- get narrative with it: surprise, nerve strike, glass jaw-- whatever gets the Players stoked!
Carry the second blow of the Combo forward (you have used the first blow). Do this with every IKO scored (in really mismatched scenarios, it's possible to score two or three IKOs. It's rare, to be sure, but it is possible). All targets who have suffered IKOs are assumed to be at a negative STUN score equal to -1(REC+1).It is at this point that, assuming there are opponents still standing, the Attacker will roll his damage dice, and then apply all ICS results.
As with IKO, all ICS results are assumed to have been scored with a single blow, which means cutting more combos in half. For each ICS result, carry forward a single "unused" combo strike, just like above with IKO. All targets who have suffered ICS are assumed to have taken an amount of STUN damage necessary to keep them CON Stunned for 1 or two of their Phases (GM's choice, of course, but when using the V2 scale, I tend to go for 2 Phases, and a single Phase for V1) plus 2. _However_, if the amount of damage done in the dice is greater than this amount, then the target will have suffered the amount of STUN rolled on the dice (yes: this means ignoring defenses, but these are mooks, and we're trying to speed things up, and you have scored a legit CON-Stun (well, as legit as any House Rule, anyway). All you are doing at this point is making it worse.
Now it gets fun! Apply all remaining "whole" Combos first (narratively, this isn't what you're doing; it just makes it easier to do the bookkeeping, since the end results are identical anyway). Remember that each "full" combo applies only to one specific target-- you can't bank them up to apply against targets you didn't hit (unless the GM is really looking to speed things up, of course). If the first target to receive a full Combo is CON-Stunned on the first blow, the Combo may be "split" and the second strike rolled forward with those other second strikes you've been saving. If he is not CON-Stunned, then apply the damage again to simulate the second half of the Combo. Check for CON-Stun (remember to add the STUN totals together for this-- again: these are mooks, and your Player Character is amazing.
). If he has not been CON-Stunned, apply any carried-forward strike from a pervious combo (adding the STUN again-- let's note that when doing the COMBO thing, the target's DEF counts; you didn't score an IKO or an ICS on this guy; you're just pounding on him). Continue adding any carried-forward strikes from previously split combos until they are exhausted or the target is CON-Stunned. No matter which happens first, move to the next successful target, and repeat.Repeating: apply this target's personal Combo to him; check for CON-Stun. If he is not CON-Stunned, apply any remaining carried-forward strikes (again: adding STUN results together to determine CON-Stun) until strikes are exhausted or the target is CON-Stunned.
Once all the Combos are resolved, the Player Character may-- just may-- find himself still in possession of a carried-forward strike, perhaps even two! Or more! (really, really unlikely, but we don't want to interrupt their dreams) If the PC has carried-forward strikes once he has resolved all targets against whom he scored Combo results, he will move on to any remaining (or "single strike" targets). The Player has a choice to make here: if he has Combo targets who are not yet CON-Stunned, he may apply any carried-forward strikes remaining against these targets until they are CON-Stunned, _or_ he may carry the additional strikes to his single-strike (last remaining) target or targets, meaning that he make make his single-strike targets into Combo targets until he has used all of his remaining carried-forward combo strikes. Just like with any Combo targets, the Player may continue to add strike after strike until either he runs out or the target is CON-Stunned (once the target is CON-Stunned, the Attacker must move on to the next target: the sweep depends on speed and skill even more than savagery).
Once the successful attacks are all resolved and all targets are either knocked out or CON-Stunned, there _may_-- I have never seen it happen, but there _may_ still be a strike or two carried forward. At this point, the Character may either quit the attack or he may opt to deliver the blows. They are to be applied in order, starting with the first still-conscious combo target and moving forward from there.
Again: this is the _mechanics_ of the thing. This whole round-robin thing isn't happening according to the mechanics; it's happening _all at once_, against multiple targets, the Player Character moving and whirling and dodging and dipping and striking, raining down blow after blow (or lightning bolt after lightning bolt-- whatever the attack happens to be) picking and selecting targets back and forth according to skill, timing, and opportunities provided by his inferior opponents.
I think that last part-- "narrative"-- is why there are no optional rules like this-- rules designed especially to speed combat. Yes: the system is 40 years old, but it still works for this. You see that at the heart of all this, the only thing I have really done is tweak the existing sweep / multiple target attack rules a bit. (Though I did downplay my biggest tweak: when Mook Sweeps happen at my table, they are a single full-Phase action for the Player Character from start to finish. However, he still has to obey END rules (though as noted in an earlier post, Combo results only pay END on the first strike-- that's right: no extra END for those carried-forward strikes) for the STR or Power used.
The problem here, at least as I see it, has never been the system. The problem really seems to be the fan base, who all _love_ to hear about things like house rules and corner-cases, etc, but ultimately will come at you with torches and pitchforks if you express that your rules are meant to address a _problem_ with the rules.
The fan base will admit to "quirks" and "minor glitches," but they can't accept that not doing meticulous counts and an hour of math for every combat is somehow _not_ the most perfect part of this game. >sigh<