DwD Studios
Resistance Checks in Combat
Sat, 04/20/2013 - 11:18am | 
ether
Hi, everyone. I'm new to the forums, but have been enjoying BareBones for a short while. I really dig the system, the openness of the designers, and the overall presentation.
That said, I'd like to use the system more, but a couple of bugbears are giving me pause.
The first is the basic resolution for resisted actions, specifically those pertaining to combat (the second is a topic for another thread).
My understanding of the system suggests that characters don't really get much better at defending themselves. They just become more dexterous, stronger, or tougher (or they get a shield). Since attacking is based on (1/2 attribute plus scaling skill) and resistance checks are based on (attribute alone), attack skill is almost always likely to outstrip defensive capability, especially over time.
In a system with ablative, constantly scaling HP like D&D, that model works, as HP becomes a buffer representing dodges and near misses (at least ideally); however, in BareBones Fantasy, a character's health is also almost-but-not-quite fixed at a relatively low point, suggesting a one can expect higher frequency of successful attacks with more significant consequences. The latter I don't mind, the former I don't like, but can live with, but the two together worry me. Am I missing anything?
To what extent would things break if one were to, say, allow the warrior skill to boost physical dodge/parry resistance checks?
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BareBones Fantasy RPG is not associated with Skaldcrow Games' Bare Bones Multiverse, despite similar names. Check out Glenn's products by clicking here.
I like warrior melee skill for defense, representing a character's ability to defend themselves with their weapon in hand. But only if they have a weapon that can absorb the impact of the opponent's weapon. It's just like the spellcaster using a spell for defense. To me, DEX only represents the character's ability to dodge, not their ability to stop or deflect an incoming blow.
I think, with it, you could also declare where you want to deflect a blow to on a critical success. On a critical failure, the damage comes from your own weapon or your weapon is broken.
Don't forget, too, that as a person improves either abilities or skills, their critical failures diminish and their critical successes increase. Eventually they could have 1 critical failure (You can never have less than 1) and 9 critical successes hiding in each percentile roll.
If you look at it by the numbers, it's almost exactly even. To raise a skill gives you 10% more to make a successful hit with whatever, be it spell or weapon or what have you. The total required to raise a skill from 0 to 6 is 63 DP. That is a net gain of 60 points (since the first level was probably free, a full 63 if it was not) for 60%. The character raising DEX, for instance, to increase his resist, spends the same 60 DP to defend. A character always has the prerogative to spend differently. If he wants to be a 'glass cannon' he's welcome to buy just offensive skill instead of defense. It allows the player that option, but the two do seem, at least to me, to be fairly balanced out so far as point expenditure.
That's just my take on it though, your batteries might run on a different amperage. :)
Actually, it's cheaper to develop levels, especially in the beginning. But if levels exceeded 6th, then it would become cheaper to develop abilities after 6th. I did the calculations for an article I'm writing.
However, if you have two skills based on the same ability, such as frequently happens with LOG, then it is cheaper to develop the ability after the third level in each skill. Though you will tend to lack the benefits granted by skills at higher levels, such as special effects of spells related to level, like the portal ability of transport.
I am not referring to skill versus skill. I am not referring to the price of Abilities to raise skills, I am referring to the resist check afforded by the ability versus the cost of raising the skill to have a more effective attack, which is what the OP is asking about. My apologies for not being more clear.
In other words, a skill costs 60 or 63 points to gain 60% to attack
Higher DEX (to physically resist) also costs 60 points for 60 Resist
Thus making the cost of both the same in the long run. Yes, in the short term, skills are cheaper, but overall, it washes.
To bounce of Neolithicwolf post, raising DEX adds directly to your defensive capability, but so does smart tactics. In addition to using a shield it's expected that over the course of your adventuring career you'll get access to better gear to be able to defend yourself better. The game isn't abstracting BP <> defense, it's expected as you grow your character you'll gain gear/scrolls/spells/etc. to better defend yourself. Example:
Bracers of Defense allow a free resistance check (no multi-action penalty).