No peace for the heathen — Dominance and Narrative combat
Game Design Log #14
In a previous post, I mentioned a “theatre-of-the-mind combat-system”, which I have been modifying to use in No Peace For the Heathen.
However, while testing it, I realized that it was unnecessarily cumbersome in some places, and in the end I decided to return to a more “traditional” theatre-of-the-mind combat-system by using “combat-zones” (a concept used by other fantasy ttrpgs as The One Ring, 13th Age, Ryuutama, Index Card RPG, etc…)
But there was still something that didn’t feel right, as while I was writing this simplified version, my mind split up into two…
For one part, I wanted to give space for fast-paced, nimble combat. But I also wanted to have space for more crunch, advancement, and a way for players to use war-bands to fight against conquistadors, thinking that gathering people against the northern invaders will be a natural outcome of the game.
So, in the end, I decided to give space to these two ideas, and I ended writing two combat-modes:
Narrative combat
Combat that does not use exact measurements between adversaries and does not need a map.
It has a free flowing form and everything that is not an attack is achieved by players by rolling to change the narrative and gain dominance.
Use for shorter more fast pace combat that can be interlocked with other events that do not enter in the realm of direct combat, as a chase, a heist, an escape, etc…
It is always the decision of the players if they want to use narrative combat or tactical combat (skirmish), even if they aren't leading a war-band.
Skirmish (tactical combat)
Combat that uses measurements between adversaries and needs a map and a ruler.
Used when players are commanding a war-band or when they desire a tactical mode of combat.
Allows to gain War-experience, that can be used to buy tactics for their war-band.
Both of these combat modes use the same “trigger” that I show you in this previous post for their combat-loop; you can do anything you want, taking multiple turns, until what you do doesn’t damage anyone, or gets you harmed.
However, they differ in the ways the PC/NPCs can influence the combat and their position in it: In the skirmish-mode they do it through their strategical decisions on an actual map, and through the interaction between the space and their abilities. In the narrative-mode, they do it through a meta measurement of all their strategical decisions, which I call dominance:
Dominance
Measure of the strategical, psychological and violent dominance that one PC/NPC has in combat.
Dominance is added to all attack/defensive rolls.
It has a maximum value, Max-Dom, beyond that value characters can’t add to their dominance. For starting character Max-Dom=4. This Max-Dom value can be improved expending XP.
It always starts at zero, and it is reseted to zero at the end of combat.
Dominance can change, increase or decrease, by the actions of PC/NPCs.
To change the value of dominance a PC/NPCs has to declare how they want to change the narrative, and then roll, against a DC set by the GM, to see if they are able to change it. This change is represented by a change of dominance in them or other PC/NPC, in a value of +d/-d. For starting character d=1.
This “d” value can be improved expending XP.
Every time a character increases their dominance to Max Dom, they earn XP.
Dominance is meant to incentivise creative action in combat, giving a positive feedback loop to its use; the more you use it (by earning XP when reaching Max Dom), the better you can get at it (by expending that XP on increasing Max Dom and/or d), which gives a space for character progress through combat.
Using dominance, this is how the narrative combat looks like:
Narrative combat loop
If someone does damage to someone else, a combat begins.
Players always have the first turn. You decide who goes first.
You can attack or act until you get hurt in combat, by loosing Blood (HP) or getting a condition, or until what you do doesn't hurt anyone.
→
Damage attacking = Your Roll [d20 + weapon-die + dominance] – Opposed Roll [d20+ weapon-die + dominance].(if it is negative you get the damage)
If a player gets hurt in its turn, then any adversary can act.
→ Note that only if you get hurt in your turn an adversary gets to act. You can always decide to attack and then do something that does not hurt anyone, ending your turn without triggering an attack from an adversary. This ensures that the next turn goes to the next PC.
Then the next player takes their turn (who just played decides who goes next).
3 zones of narrative combat
In narrative combat there are three zones of combat:
Ranged of enemies.
Ranged of allays.
Close.
PCs/NPCs in ranged zone can attack anyone in any zone.
PCs/NPCs in close zone can only attack characters in the same zone.
Area effects in close zone affects all the characters in that zone.
Area effects in ranged zone affects only the targeted character.
Ranged zone can only exist if all enemies in the close zone are engaged in close combat, or if a character is in an unreachable position.
→ On top of a steep cliff shooting downwards, on top of a building without stairs, at the other side of a furious river, or in any place where an adversary can’t make a run to hack you.
Ranged attacks
Ranged weapons are superior in combat, as you can’t get hurt attacking with them.
Reload a ranged weapon is an action that does not do damage, and ends your turn.
You can use ranged weapons only if:
Is the first round of combat.
You are in ranged zone.
You are in close zone and every adversary in the close zone is engaged with someone of your side.
→ Ranged weapons are deadly but slow to use. You have no time to shot with a ravenous adversary running towards you. Make your first shot count.
Non-attack actions: changing the narrative, movement and dominance
You can roll to change yours or other character dominance in +d/-d.
“d” is how fast your character can win dominance (d=1 for starting characters).
You must describe what you do to change yours/their dominance.
Example: Throw dirt in someone eyes to make them blind (-1 to their dominance), make someone trip to attack them on the floor (-1 to their dominance), get the higher ground (+1 to your dominance), intimidate someone (-1 to their dominance), make a display of brutality (+1 to your dominance) etc...
To leave a zone of combat you have to roll DEX against
DC = 10 + Number of enemies in the combat zone – free item slots.
By leaving a zone of combat you can enter a new combat zone or flee.
You can hunt someone fleeing if your number of free item slots + your DEX modifier is greater than theirs by leaving the zone of combat.
To change the narrative in any other way that may have a direct outcome beyond changing a character dominance, you have to declare what you wish to accomplish and then roll against a DC set by the GM.
Examples: Disarm someone, push someone from a cliff, cut someone’s limbs, beating someone unconscious, steal something, hide, kidnap someone from combat, move someone out of an unreachable position, etc...
END of narrative combat
All alive characters get the shaken (-1) condition.
The condition has to be placed in any empty item-slot. If there are no free slots then the player has to drop an object to give space to this condition.
Now comes more testing to see how robust is this simple system.
Also, I want to go deeper in the skirmish mode, in which I have channelled all of my desire to play skirmish games, and it's a perfect excuse to get my friends to play a skirmish game. Maybe next time I will tell you more about it!