Ideas for House Rules

             I put out a poll to my players detailing some ideas I had for the game. A few things were split quite evenly between "meh" and "sure!", so I don't know what I will add. I have also been struggling to find the energy to write up a new document for it recently, which sucks. However, combat tweaks are something that people WERE interested in! Here are a few of those that I was thinking of implementing. For the players: let me know what you think of these.

DECIDE

            Source. DECIDE is an alternate combat system, which asks the defender to choose their defense before either party has rolled during an attack. Multiple defenses in one turn also have penalties. Consecutive Dodges are at -1 per Dodge, consecutive Parries are at -4, and consecutive Blocks are at -8. These penalties last until your next turn. Sometimes, choosing to not defend is strategic! 

Damage Resistance and Edge Protection

Source. Damage Resistance has been split into two statistics: Damage Resistance (DR) and Edge Protection (EP). Damage Resistance reduces the damage, while Edge Protection converts non-crushing damage into crushing if it is not exceeded. Armor Divisors apply to both.

Example: Horace the Wimp strikes at Josiah with a short sword. Josiah declares a Dodge. Horace succeeds his Long Blade roll, and Josiah fails his Dodge. Josiah is wearing armor that provides DR 1, EP 2. Horace’s short sword deals 1d cut,. He rolls a three on damage. This is reduced by one from the DR, meaning there is two points of damage remaining. This damage does not exceed EP, and thus, is now crushing damage. Josiah takes 2 injury from this blow.

Health Saving Throws

“Saving Throws” for death and consciousness are now made at (HT/2)+3! This makes high HT characters possible to kill by normal means and brings lethality to high level play.

New Parrying Modifiers

There are new modifiers for weapons when parrying, generally based on their construction. Weapons without a hand guard have a -1 to Parry, including axes, maces, and polearms.

Two-Handed and Unready

 "Double Dagger" or "Two-Handed and Unready" weapons can attack multiple turns in a row, at a -3 penalty. If you attack using a weapon like this on your turn, you may not parry with it until your next turn begins. 

Changing Posture in Armor

Making change posture maneuvers while above Encumbrance level 0 takes longer time. For each posture change, add a number of seconds to change posture equal to your encumbrance level (e.g. crawling to kneeling at Encumbrance 3 takes four seconds).

Parrying with Unbalanced Weapons

Making a parry after striking (or vice versa) with an unbalanced weapon is generally impossible. However, this is no longer the case. Add a -4 penalty to Parrying or striking with a weapon if you’ve already used it this turn to strike or if you used it last turn to Parry a strike.

Ranged Weapons and Dodging

            Certain missiles have penalties to defending against them. There are two separate penalty groups: one for dodging and one for parrying/blocking. As a note, thrown weapons can be parried, but missile weapons cannot be. Thrown weapons are at a flat -1 to defend against, arrows and similar projectiles are at -2 to defend against, and almost all spells are at a flat -3 to defend against.

Shields and DB

            Shields now provide a penalty equal to their DB when wielded without Shield Wall Training to attacks using the non-shield hand. This can be bought off by purchasing Shield Wall Training.

Damage Progression

            Damage progression for weapons is as in the Basic Set, except swing is equal to thrust+2. Follow procedures for Modifying Dice+Adds when determining basic damage.