Using Rate of Fire for melee attacks

[Kelly Pedersen]

I'm trying to model a melee innate attack that involves multiple, very fast, strikes. They all happen in effectively a second, and they all have to be delivered to the same target. I think using Rate of Fire would model this nicely - can anyone point out reasons that this might be unbalanced?

[Blackseasofinfinity]

Originally Posted by kelly_pedersen

I'm trying to model a melee innate attack that involves multiple, very fast, strikes. They all happen in effectively a second, and they all have to be delivered to the same target. I think using Rate of Fire would model this nicely - can anyone point out reasons that this might be unbalanced?

I actually did a little looking into that when I designed this ability: http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...&postcount=661

I love the idea of using it for melee (in unrealistic campaigns, of course), but I'm not so sure on balance because for 300 attacks, you'd just have to put +300% on a melee, St-Based attack, and you're destroying worlds.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Blackseasofinfinity

I love the idea of using it for melee (in unrealistic campaigns, of course), but I'm not so sure on balance because for 300 attacks, you'd just have to put +300% on a melee, St-Based attack, and you're destroying worlds.

But you only actually hit with a number of attacks equal to your margin of success divided by your recoil. That puts a limit on it, even if you're targeting something with a huge SM, like a planet.

[Blackseasofinfinity]

Originally Posted by kelly_pedersen

But you only actually hit with a number of attacks equal to your margin of success divided by your recoil. That puts a limit on it, even if you're targeting something with a huge SM, like a planet.

Ahh, nice point. Well, then -I'd- allow it ;)... probably because what's cooler than striking 300 times in a round?

[SandmanBr]

Originally Posted by kelly_pedersen

But you only actually hit with a number of attacks equal to your margin of success divided by your recoil. That puts a limit on it, even if you're targeting something with a huge SM, like a planet.

Just add Very Rapid Fire, from Powers... if the target is close, you hit all shots...

[PK]

Originally Posted by SandmanBr

Just add Very Rapid Fire, from Powers... if the target is close, you hit all shots...

No, that's only close stationary targets, like inanimate objects or bound and gagged opponents. Against any target capable of movement, you get (1 + (MOS*2)) hits. Still a helluva lot . . .

[laserdog]

Originally Posted by kelly_pedersen

I'm trying to model a melee innate attack that involves multiple, very fast, strikes. They all happen in effectively a second, and they all have to be delivered to the same target. I think using Rate of Fire would model this nicely - can anyone point out reasons that this might be unbalanced?

How often do the strikes hit?

If you want it to be an all or nothing thing, sort of like a very specific combo move, than I think that's best modelled by linking a number of discrete melee innate attacks together.

But if it really is a blurred flurry of blows where the skill roll determines how many of the strikes actually land, than RoF seems a the perfect way to model it.

If you're trying to capture the former with RoF (I succeed by 0, all RoF 300 hits land!) that is definitely not balanced.

[Kelly Pedersen]

No, Rapid Fire is definitely what I want to model the attack. I was just checking if there would be horrific, world-destroying consequences if I slapped it on a melee attack. :-)

[HeroPenguin]

Originally Posted by kelly_pedersen

No, Rapid Fire is definitely what I want to model the attack. I was just checking if there would be horrific, world-destroying consequences if I slapped it on a melee attack. :-)

Other than the fact that it's illegal in the RAW to do so, seeing as a melee attack has no such stat as RoF? (see B112, Melee Attack's description)

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by HeroPenguin

Other than the fact that it's illegal in the RAW to do so, seeing as a melee attack has no such stat as RoF?

Yeah, I knew about that one. :-) I just wanted to check if it was unbalanced to put RoF back on the ability.