Dear All,
After reading many reviews (overwhelmingly positive) I finally purchased BBF along with the Keranak setting book. I went ahead and got the bundle packages since I didn't want to have to print the material off myself. I am so far very pleased with my purchases. I was looking for a rules set to replace my current B/X D&D game. While I love B/X D&D (and will continue to play it at times), my group was looking for--in short--something that allowed for a bit more creativity and flexibility during character creation, a bit more flare/options during combat (without hindering the play speed), and the ability for spellcasters to have more of a continuing role after casting more than just a few spells (i.e., the whole stop and recuperate/memorize conundrum). BBF has fit all of these requirements easily.
We had our first character creation and short play session last night. It was a blast. Character creation was fast and simple; yet it allowed for that bit of creativity we were looking for by allowing players to mix-and-match among the class/skills. Play was smooth; combat was fast; and, for our first go around, the combat came across as very cinematic and dynamic. Because of the multiple action rule (with the accompanying -20% penalty) the players' characters were able to do many things during a turn that spiced encounters up nicely. Even when creatures got quickly toasted by the characters, the amount of actions made the encounter seem longer/more action-packed (in terms of turns) than the actual number of combat turns would have seemed to indicate.
We do have a few questions, however. The first involves the free MOV allowance. Each character can move his/her MOV as a free action each turn. Ok, that's fine. What about when a character breaks the MOV allowance up and uses them between actions?
For example, an elf character has a MOV of 9. On the elf's turn and initiative, he moves 4 of his 9 spaces to get into a better position for an upcoming spell(free action; and I saw nowhere in the rules that limited a spellcaster from moving during a turn in which they intended to cast a spell . . . unlike B/X D&D). The elf successfully casts Offensive Strike (an action, but no penalty). Then the elf decides to take some additional cover by moving another 5 spaces toward a nearby treeline. Now, that 5 more spaces brings the MOV total up to 9, which is under his MOV allowance for a turn. So, is this allowed? Or, does this require some kind of DEX check? During the game, I saw no problem with this whatsoever and allowed the players to do such actions granted that it did not exceed the MOV allowance. Nevertheless, we just wanted to check against what the "official" ruling was (setting aside for a moment that I, as the GM, had a right to run it the way I felt was appropriate at the time. I understand this, but we still would like feedback for upcoming play. Again, we are just starting.).
Now, take the same exact example above. The elf has just moved 4 spaces, cast a spell, and moved another 5 spaces. A moment later in the same turn, a nasty orc charges up to the elf and swings a huge battle axe at him. The orc rolls successfully. When the elf rolls his resistance (DEX), is this roll at a -20% (since the elf has already cast a spell); OR, is the elf at -40% because of that additional MOV made after he cast the spell (even though it was within his MOV allowance)? During the game, in a similar situation, I ruled on-the-fly that the player only needed to make a -20% resistance check. Had the character "sprinted" (successful or not), or had the character had to make some kind of DEX check for jumping over something, I indicated that it would have been -40%.
Now, based on my above rulings during the games. The player realized he could get very creative with movement (which I had no problem with as it created a very dynamic and entertaining game). The same elf is later a short distance (2 spaces) from two companions engaged side-by-side in melee with two orcs. The elf won initiative and decided to hold his action with specific directions that after the orcs had attacked his companions (he wanted them to incur action penalties since he felt his companions were doing fine) he intended to burst from the treeline run past the backside of the occupied orcs, attacking as he ran by. Basically, the player was attempting a "move-by"-like maneuver common in other games. So after the orcs attacked, the elf initiated his held turn by doing the following:
1) he ran two spaces to the backside of the first orc (free MOV action)
2)sliced at the backside of the orc with his longsword (action, no penalty (note: orc was disadvantaged at 2:1,+ -20% for attacking earlier in the turn and + another -20% for also defending against the attack of the another player that turn; result = no defense = beheaded orc after the player rolled successfully)
3) the elf then continued to move one more additional space to the backside of the other adjacent orc (I ruled on-the-fly that the player would incur no penalty since, like the above examples, it was within the MOV allowance of 9 for the elf). The "special effect" is that the elf is not actually stopping as he is running by the orcs.
4) the elf then sliced at the backside of the second orc with a -20% penalty since this was the second rolled action. This orc was similarly disadvantaged, but survived the nasty blow.
5) Finally, the elf kept moving by completing the rest of his MOV allowance (another six spaces), and ending his turn.
Basically it was like an elf-samurai move-by with the elf running and slicing at the two orcs as he ran by them. Now, the above is how I ruled it in the game, and it was fine and fun. But we were all just curious as to how others are handling such movement in their games.
I have a few other questions. But I have rambled on enough for my first post. Thanks for the time and help. And thank you for a great game! Again, we had a blast.
Cheers,
cupofcoleslaw
BareBones Fantasy RPG is not associated with Skaldcrow Games' Bare Bones Multiverse, despite similar names. Check out Glenn's products by clicking here.
Oh, I should also note that I do not normally allow a player to engage in melee and then simply opt to disengage and move on (without some sort of retreat penalty opening them for another attack). However, in the above example, the two orcs were already engaged with other players and the elf was running by and attacking from behind.
Cheers,
Phillip
You performed MOV actions just fine. BBF likes to keep things simple. Being a "free" action, MOV does not count against the accumulated action penalty. Though you might consider, for yourself, allowing additional MOV actions, in excess of the free action, that are not free.
2 seems fine to me, I think.
3 and 5 seem fine as long as he is continuing to move the 9 spaces.
4 seems confusing. You only gave the elf a -20 penalty for that action, though he had already performed multiple actions. Am I missing something?
Dear Ascent,
Thank you for the reply.
>>"4 seems confusing. You only gave the elf a -20 penalty for that action, though he had already performed multiple actions. Am I missing something?"
That's the point of the question. Are those additional Move actions, although under his MOV allowance of 9, counted as additional actions? If not, then the elf had only one prior action, the first attack on the first orc. So the second attack is only a -20%. Now, if you count moving after the first attack--even if the character has not used the 9 spaces of MOV---as an action then the elf should have received a higher penalty. Again, that is what we are wondering . . . how the free MOV allowance per turn can be used. Must it be used at once all together? Or, can it be broken up and used between other actions? Technically no dice are rolled for movement unless the character is trying to sprint or has to make so kind of check for avoiding an obstacle. In last example I posted, the elf simply moves along a line of 9 spaces (which is equal to his move per turn) during which he attacks twice (first attack no penalty, second attack -20).
I hope this clarifies my position.
Again, thank you for your time and help.
Sincerely,
Phillip
Dear all,
I guess what I am asking is this. Does the free action move only pertain to the first instance of movement, regardless of whether or not the character actually makes a full use of their allowed movement? In other words, the character gets one free move action regardless if that character moves one space, or moves the full allowance.
Does that make sense?
Cheers.
Oh, I seemed to have confused the orc's actions for the elf's actions in #2. In that case, you did fine on #4.
So you did everything right. Yes, it can be split up.
If the elf were to stop to strike or strike the same target twice, I would rule that 2 spaces of MOV be sacrificed because of stopping to make the strike, and starting up movement again. Such takes time. Otherwise, if they're all performed as fluid movements with single attacks on each target, I would provide no MOV penalty.
Dear Ascent,
Again, thanks a lot for reading through all of that and providing feedback. I really appreciate it.
Cheers,
Phillip
Glad to help.
Oh, also, I would recommend applying the character's DEX bonus/penalty to MOV.
>>"Oh, also, I would recommend applying the character's DEX bonus/penalty to MOV."
Most definitely. Since it was our first session and we were just getting the hang of things I specifically told them that I was going to neglect applying too many modifiers (as discussed on pg. 32 of rulebook) to actions. Now that everyone has gotten the hang of the basics I informed them that based on situations and declared intent of actions there may be modifiers (positive or negative) to actions (including specialized forms of movement).
Cheers
I read this this and you did eveything by the book.
The thing to remember is MOV is free. I also wouldn't penalize the character by making different attacks etc. That MOV score allready assumes you are taking actions on your turn. I mean, your MOV doesn't get penalized for the resistance checks you may take before your turn etc.
I think some folks get confused by breaking up the move OUTSIDE of the character's turn. You didn't do that, which is great!
Combat can be very fluid with this system. And you'll probably hear this from players with caracters of INIT of 3: "I should have saved some actions for defense!". :)
Dear Jasales,
Thanks for the feedback. We were hoping we did it "right." In fact, the consensus was to go ahead and check online, but if we were doing it wrong then perhaps we would houserule to keep it that way because it was a blast. Again, it opened up a lot activities for players to undertake during their turn.
>>"I mean, your MOV doesn't get penalized for the resistance checks you may take before your turn etc."
This is good advice and good to know.
>>"And you'll probably hear this from players with caracters of INIT of 3: "I should have saved some actions for defense!". :)"
Oh yea. This was picked up on by the second turn of the first combat encounter!
Cheers
>>"And you'll probably hear this from players with caracters of INIT of 3: "I should have saved some actions for defense!". :)"
Oh yea. This was picked up on by the second turn of the first combat encounter!
And think about this. You don't need an edge or feat called wild/all-out attack to replicate this. It happens naturally by what your players choose to do! Sure go all out and then suffer the consequences if you don't kill your opponent. Or be so cautios as to not even attack, but just hold the line by using what, an edge/feat? No. By simply doing it.
So far, each player I've introduced this to, has left the table all grins and has bought the book and wants to play again.