RP-PvE Rolling system -<Bloodied Blades>

[Rargnasha]

Mok-ra!
Lately we've had some interesting RP events where we've put a little rolling system to use. So I thought I'd make a forum post where I write a bit about it for everyone to use as they please!
It's still in it's development, and I have a feeling that the more we use it, the more we'll learn to change it to suit our needs and wants!

So, no more beating 'round the bush, let's get to it!

Introduction:
How does the system work? While it might seem complex at first glance, then it gets really simple after you've given it a few swings! So don't let the walls of text crit you to death!


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To make a move in combat, you need to simply do a /roll
An enemy has three values.
Offensive, which means when the enemy hits you. [OV]
A Defensive, which means if you roll above this, you manage to wound the enemy! [DV]
And an endurance value, which shows how many wounds an enemy can take before he dies. [EV]

Now, let's take a look at a treeant ancient.
Ancient [OV]: 1-30 [DV]: 35+ [EV]: 6
The ancients are tough basterds and sport huge trunk-like arms which they use to crush and smash their enemies. However, they're huge and very hard not to hit if you can avoid getting squashed!

So, let's pick this one apart, look at, and explain the different values.
The ancients Offensive Value is 1-30, this means that when you roll to engage the ancient, and you roll between 1 and 30, the ancient hits you!
Now, how bad the ancient hits you, how wounded you become and such, is entirely up to yourself!
Players do not have Endurance points like enemy NPCs does, you decide yourself when you go hug the floor, and how gravely you're hit!

Next up we have the Defensive value, which is 35+.
This means that as long as you roll over 35 points, you manage to wound the ancient!
However, ancients are tough opponents, and can sustain 6 wounds [EV] before they're vanquished!

Now, some of you might notice that there is a gap between it's OV (1-30) and it's DV (35+), if you roll between the OV and DV, you neither manage to wound the enemy, nor are you wounded yourself!

Now, how many times can you attack an enemy, or can an enemy attack you?
This system is dependant on Rounds.
A player has one roll in each round.
This roll decides what happens, if the player gets hit, misses but isn't hit, or hits!
However, with multiple people it can get confusing who strikes when, and who emotes when!

Now, the initiative system can look rather confusing upon the first glance, but don't worry! After a few tries it'll come to feel rather fluent and logical!
Everyone does their /roll at the beginning of a round, and in the order the rolls appear, is the order in which the orcs do their emotes!

For this purpose I will use five orcs to explain the initiative system.
Rargnasha, Krogon, Orok, Drogu and Garros will be our five orcs for this purpose.

Our little pack of wolves are facing off against an Son of Cenarius in the Stonetalon mountains, who has the following stats:
[OV]: 1-30. [DV]: 55+. [EV] 4.
All the orcs are eager to engage the Son of Cenarius in battle, so they all roll as quickly as they can!

---Round one---

Rargnasha rolls 57
Krogon rolls 35
Orok rolls 12
Drogu rolls 77
Garros rolls 22

As soon as everyone have rolled, we see who starts and in which order we'll go on. In our case it's Rargnasha who starts, then Krogon, then Orok, then Drogu and last Garros.

Since Rargnasha rolled over 55, he manages to wound the monster!
Krogon rolled 35, and is neither wounded nor manages to wound. However, being the Blademaster he is, he emotes that he gets in a few strikes at the monster, however, none of them wounds the monster greviously, and as of such, does not count towards the wound score!
Orok rolls below the monsters Offensive Value, and emotes how the Son of Cenarius smacks him across his face with it's talons - Ouch! However, not wanting to get wounded yet, he emotes that he sidesteps and only gets a light slap!
Drogu, rolling over the monsters Defensive Value, manages to wound the monster as well! Which he then emotes (Badassedly)
Last we have Garros, who rolled 22, also under the Offensive score.
However, Garros thinks it'd be fun to sneak up behind the hooved monster, and emotes that he gets hit in the face by a hoof!

Since all our players have rolled, round one is now finished, and a new round can begin, however, this time some of the other players are faster at rolling!

---Round Two---

Krogon 70
Rargnasha 23
Orok 72
Garros 1
Drogu 92

Since Krogon appeared as the first roll this time, that means that he goes first and wounds the monster!
Rargnasha is next up and emotes that he gets entangled by roots summoned by the monster!
Now, the monster only has one wound left, and since Orok rolled over it's Defensive Value, his wound kills it. He emotes how he cleaves off the monsters arm, killing it!
Now, since the Son of Cenarius is dead, it can't hit Garros, even though he only rolled 1! Likewise, Drogu can't inflict a wound on it either, since it is already dead!

In short, this means that all actions from and against a monster are anulled after it dies.

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Examples of combat
Here are a few examples of how some of the different rolls can turn out! Starting with rolling a creatures 'Offensive Value'

'Watering it down'
Rargnasha rolls 22 as he engages the ancient, since this is rather early on in the event, he decides that he's not going to sustain any major wounds or bruises yet.
Rargnasha charges at the treeant, letting out a challenging roar, however, the treeant meets his charge head on, by thrusting one of it's trunklike arms at him. However, he manages to raise his shield and stagger back from the force of the blow!

'Taking it'
Karak is figthing a song of Cenarius, seeing that he only rolled 15, he decides to take the wound like a man, and emotes how it's talon gives him some deep cuts along the side of his cheek!

'Combining them'
Rargnasha and his little pack is figthing an Old One Tentacle, these are viscious things with an OV of 1-40 and a DV of 41+!
In the first round Rargnasha and Karak both roll under the OV of the Tentacle, they then agree upon OOCly that it'd be fun if the tentacle would pick up Rarg and throws him at Karak!

'Being dramatic'
Rargnasha and his little pack of wolves are figthing the Old One General, the Big bad boss of the event. Everyones up and being awesome, so Rargnasha decides to add a bit of drama to the fight against the baddie! As he rolls 22, against the Old General with an OV of 1-40, he decides that the General picks him up and smashes him against a ruin, effectively knocking him out and leaving the rest of the figth (Or a few turns!) To the rest of the group!


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Examples of rolling between OV and DV. [WiP]

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Examples of rolling over DV [WiP]

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Critical Hit

There are two sorts of Critical hits. Normal critical hits, and Dire critical hits.
A Normal Critical hit is when you roll a natural 90-99 when attacking a monster, this is where you show off your skills and deliver a strong blow to the enemy! A Critical hit is worth TWO POINTS of damage, which you can split as you see fit! Figthing a single enemy? Dump both points down on his head! Figthing two? How about pulling off something cool and deal one point of damage to each of them!

On a DIRE critical hit you score an immediate killing blow on all but boss monsters. Even if another would score the killing blow in this turn due to initiative, your roll will count as the first wound being put on the monster this turn, unless you have other plans!
This is your time to shine and type out a badass emote of how you kill the enemy!
Should there be more than one monster and/or a boss, then a DIRE critical hit will count as four points of damage that you can distripute as you see fit!

A critical fail will be a clean 1 out of 1-100.
When you roll a critical fail, the world is just against you, it can be a particularily wounding strike to your character, pulling out an 'epic fail' or otherwise just failing, critically.

Things considered added to the system:
Buffing
Healing
Defending (/others)

[WIP]

[Tarag]

Seems cool.

As for criticals might aswell do it the top rolls equal badassery, bottom rolls equal complete failure sorta way.

100=critical strike of ultimate badassery
You get to be super awesome for a moment, perfect time for a one liner.
Example: *with one heroic slice from his two handed axe Ork Axesmash severs the leg of the anicent in half, as it falls over he steps back slowly putting on his wolfmask*
"Timber."

1=oh sweet jesus, time to wound yourself with your incredible stupidity and possibly harm people around you aswell...
*ork Axesmash charges in towards the enemy. In his bloodlust he manages to not notice a local thornbush. As he rushes through his cloth pants get stuck, confused and with a sudden lack of clothing Ork sees the ground approaching quickly before everything is suddenly black*

[Nimmosh]

This is an interesting way of combat and one I have never used or had the opportunity to before. As my character is only level 43, it will be invaluable at my lower level, so thanks for sharing this method!

[Sadok]

I've had a chance to see this system at 'The Battle of Borammus' Poppa' (and a prototype in Ashenvale), and I have two comments.

1. The system in practise is simple, fluid and -fun-. It makes RP-PvE encounters considerably more interesting and adds vital substance to powerful mobs that would otherwise be oneshot in our fancy gear.

2. Your write-up functions well as a fully-comprehensive ins-and-outs look at the system, but for a beginner (such as myself), the sheer scope of such a guide is... just a little terrifying. I had little idea what was going on until the battle was actually underway. Preparing a 'cliff notes' shortened version (maybe with a diagram or two) for idiots such as myself might therefore be a good idea.

EDIT: Tarag's critical idea is also a good one, and one I personally kept in mind whenever I rolled very high/very low. Would be nice to see that officially incorporated into the system.

[Rargnasha]

I think the most urgent problem that needs solving is what you refer to in your 2nd point Sadok.
I need to somehow boil it down to an easily edible short version.
I am thinking if OV, DV and EV might be something to cut a bit too, for example making:
OV into "A" (For Attack - This is where the monster hits you)
DV into "D" (For Defence - This is how much defence the monster has, roll above and you wound it!)
EV into "E" (For Enduranc -This is how many wounds the monster can take before it goes down)

It's a problem that the system currently has, that the majority of those who've seen it have noted upon as well.

[Lars]

I would say that a "roll timer" could be usefull. Say 30 seconds. IF you miss it you don't act that round.

[Rargnasha]

Updated Critical hits!
A roll of 90-99 now counts as a Normal critical hit, dealing 2 points of damage, this is not an instant kill unless your target would die from the damage!
A roll of 100 clean now serves as a DIRE critical hit, dealing 4 points of damage or instantly one-shot any none-boss monster of your choice.

[Kaigron]

i like this, when i log in i'm gonna see if you can give me a quick demonstration if thats ok

[Kintka]

I like this idea. I've just started reading the forums so forgive me if my my next suggestion already has a topic. Maybe to work with this idea you get an xp system incorporated. Such as that by doing certain events, like training characters get certain xp to spend on skills like dodge or crit ability. Which might effect their rolls. Either adding a bonus because they are badass at finding weak spots. Likewise rolls might be affected by injury. Therefore substracting from the roll.

Just an additional idea.

[Sabryla]

Tried and Tested this method while we were in DWM

Brings a nice element of mortality and equality to the game such as an 85 officer being hit by a mob while a new rrecruit manages to crit and maybe even slay it Also stops slight god-moding by the fact we're all 85 and epic geared, and we can all still be wounded in battle RPly

A nice element that i believe we should implement more...

[Vilirok]

I like. I used to use a less thought-out version on another server, but this is much better. Can't wait to be part of an event where it's in use.

[Drevan]

Bamp.