A few combat house rule suggestions.

[notagoodusername]

Hi there.

Having run T20 a few times now, I have a few suggested house rules for combat. These aren't extensively tested as my games tend to be low-combat, so I'd appreciate feedback.

Autofire: When firing bursts or full-auto from a weapon, half the range increment, making it less effective against targets further away (this is based on me using rifle autofire on a range in training - but I could just be a bad shot

).

Wound effects: Every time Lifeblood is lost to a wound, make a Fort Save DC10+total LB lost or be stunned for three rounds minus CON modifier (or maybe just one round).

Wound penalties: Anyone below half LB recieves a penalty equal to half thier level (min 2) to all rolls. Anyone at 2 or less LB recieves a penalty equal to thier level. I used level, as a straight penalty is often too much or too little.

Rapid Fire Weapons: I'd allow any semi-auto and burst capable weapons to be fired as if the user has the Rapid Shot Feat (allowing two shots / bursts at a penalty). Anyone with the Rapid Shot Feat can make a third attack at a cumulative penalty. I'd possibly make the penalty for multiple burts -3 per attack instead of -2 so this doesn't become too much.

Area Fire (TA1): I'd make this a full-round action, and use the Panic Fire rules (also TA1) for any area fire used by people who move.

Any ideas and feedback is appreciated (though I'm going away for a while, so I won't be around to respond...).

Shane

 

[Vorlanth]

I understand about your issue regarding static modifiers being too much or too little (although I don't necessarily agree with it), but using 1/2 your level seems odd. Why penalize more experienced characters a greater amount for their injuries? That seems even less rational to me unless you have a good explanation. If some sort of across the board balance is what you're trying to achieve, why not just halve the skill/ability/stat bonus they're using (or half the roll). This would still provide a significant penalty but would avoid the odd choice (IMHO) of 1/2 character level and would mean that talented or skilled characters of any level have a better chance of success (which makes sense to me). Or make the penalty relate to the Con modifier - i.e. tougher individuals are better able to ignore the effects of pain. Just my Cr 0.02. Good luck.

 

[notagoodusername]

A level 5 Marine with a 15 Dex would be looking at, all-in, +7 or 8 (depending upon Feats as an attack bonus. A -4 would be great there, but is nothing to the level 15 Marine who is at approx +17.

Using half level means that it counters the exponential attack ability increase by level (as AC doesn't go up by level but BAB does). It makes wound effects nastier. It's purely metagame thinking that justifies this method, wherein all characters should be penalised significantly by wounds, which in RL penalise all folks significantly.

Edit - Ah, I didn't read your post properly the first time and missed your suggestion of halving the score. That would work (and fit in with my reasons above), especially if you added a 3/4 reduction ofr 2LB or less. Thanks!

Shane