Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Eliminating attack rolls in melee combat

Varyon · 02-02-2023, 05:10 PM

An immediate concern is how to handle characters who don't get a defense - due to the attack coming from behind, the character having just done an All Out Attack, or whatever. If we treat attacks as automatically hitting, even an unskilled combatant can stab one who just All Out Attacked in the eye with 100% accuracy. Of course, an easy fix there is to just have the attack roll, but essentially having two different ways to resolve melee combat is going to get confusing.

I'd also argue that the "automatic hit, roll Defense at +0" situation should be with the attacker having effective skill 14 or 15, rather than 12 or 13. With skill 12, there's a sizable chance (~25%) of missing outright, while with skill 14, this chance (~10%) has dropped low enough I'm more comfortable dismissing it.

02-02-2023, 05:10 PM	#2
Varyon Join Date: Jun 2013	Re: Eliminating attack rolls in melee combat - Is it a crazy idea? An immediate concern is how to handle characters who don't get a defense - due to the attack coming from behind, the character having just done an All Out Attack, or whatever. If we treat attacks as automatically hitting, even an unskilled combatant can stab one who just All Out Attacked in the eye with 100% accuracy. Of course, an easy fix there is to just have the attack roll, but essentially having two different ways to resolve melee combat is going to get confusing. I'd also argue that the "automatic hit, roll Defense at +0" situation should be with the attacker having effective skill 14 or 15, rather than 12 or 13. With skill 12, there's a sizable chance (~25%) of missing outright, while with skill 14, this chance (~10%) has dropped low enough I'm more comfortable dismissing it. __________________ GURPS Overhaul