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Old 04-24-2017, 12:30 PM   #38
Anaraxes
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Default Re: Balanced games for archers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dustin View Post
Make the melee guys roll faster
As clarified, the main thrust of the problem seemed to be the down time from the fact that archers attack at best on every other round, and often longer (without Fast-Draw or Aiming). So I agree: one partial remedy is to make sure the combat turns flow quickly. If your melee players are the sort that feel compelled to carefully count every movement point, checking and rechecking their path on the hex grid to squeeze out one hex closer or just skirt range that one attacker, then you'll have to convince them not to do so. One thing that might help is just setting a time limit, pointing out that even 15 seconds to finish your move is still fifteen times faster than the turn length.

Ultimately, though, there's no realistic fix for that problem other than to make melee slower (perhaps by making Evaluates or Feints something that have to get used in most melee situations). Or you can speed up archery (by doing away with the reloading and aiming delays). Heroic Archer helps some with the second point.

If the players really expect to lay down impenetrable withering arcs of fire with their bow, perhaps you should switch to modern equipment and let them find full-auto weapons. (Or just make low-tech ranged weapons cheesier so bows can do the equivalent, in the best tradition of Diablo. Rapid-fire options like that video that was running around a while back, or multi-shot tricks, and so on, just so the players get to roll an attack every turn.)
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