[PnP] noob questions part II

[Albert Sales]

Scott M <scottee.mac at gmail.com> wrote:    1) Regarding tactical combat, do any of you folks have house rules for
combatants who wish to flee?

The way I read the rules, it sounds like if two combatants begin the
movement portion of the phase adjacent to each other, and either
wishes to fight, both must fight (and end the movement part of the
phase).

The obvious fix is to allow either combatant to flee, allowing the
other to take a free attack AND allow that attacker to move as well.
So, a slower combatant cannot flee from a faster one, but a faster
combatant can flee from a slower one, he just may have to endure one
or more free attacks in the process.

Does that sound like what any of you folks are doing?
   
  This is one of those places that is technically semi-covered by the rules.  If you disengage (at 1 PMR  -HR), you are granting your opponent advantageous position (-5 on their attack).  If you turn-tail and run, and don't have something to help you (like a ledge), you are giving him an undefended rear attack (-15).  As a house rule, you may attempt to dodge the opponent.  Both parties may move in the missile-fire phase of the following round.
  How a disengage works:  You increase your attack priority to after your opponent, and in place of attacking, you move 1 MR back to put them in throwing range.  Next phase- You are using a thrown weapon, but opt to move away.
  How a Flee Works: You turn and run from your opponent.  Since you were deemed engaged, he still gets his attack.  Since you turned, he has you flanked, and you are not defending.  If you are the target, hope your friends will make it because (as in reality), those attacked in a retreat don't.
    2) Weapon damage. I really like the idea that most weapons do similar
damage (I never understood in D&D why a dagger would do 1d4 and a
great sword would do 1d12 - seems like either would kill with a well
placed hit). However I think there should be SOME varience in damage
beyond the WSB. Maybe 1d8 for light weapons vs 1d10 for heavy/two hand
weapons. Have any of you used similar house rules?
   
  Early in my playing, I had thought this too, but what is the purpose of a bigger weapon?  You gain reach (lower combat priority/ attack sooner), you get through armor better (the extra size does that), and you can actually bust your target's shield on a shield hit.  On those deadly hits, your weapon has a chance to survive.  The only place that a bigger weapon does more damage is against a bigger opponent (not covered by any rules), and that would only really apply to severe and deadly hits.  The only HR I made for this is to apply some or all of the WSB to the SB in deadly hits against decidedly larger foes.  In my opinion, this is the only place it makes good sense.  Perhaps the various hits could have some tweeking added to the WSB, but I think it is fine how it is.
     Another observation here: Average damge.  1d6-1 = 1d4, 1d6+1 = 1d8, 1d6+2 = 1d10, 1d6+4 = 1d12+1.  By reducing this to d6+, the damage is made less random.  A heavy sword is not going to deal 1 point, but a 3 point minimum (glancing off nothing less than chain) makes sense.  Any less of a hit would truly be a miss. 
    3) The Communicate spell. As written, the target of a Communicate
spell cannot attack or cast spells while he is still affected by it. I
choose to read that as the target cannot attack or cast spells while
actively communicating (rather than just affected by it), otherwise
the spells seems to be overpowered for a base MP1 spell. Am I reading
that right?
   
  Participation in this spell is voluntary, to my interpretation.  If one side wants to attack, the spell clears itself, readying both, and they can enter combat in the next phase.
    4) Switching weapons: the rules make it clear that if a melee
combatant moves adjacent to an archer, and the archer has already
fired, that the melee combatant can attack without fear of
counterattack. That's fine, but what about the archer switching
weapons even if no melee combatant moves adjacent to him? Does it cost
any movement to switch weapons? It sounds like weapon switching is
free so long as the character only makes either a missile attack or a
melee attack, but not both. I just want to make sure I'm doing that
right. Also, if this is the case, can I assume a character can only
switch weapons once per phase? Finally, what part of the phase does
the switch happen? (I assume during the movement portion).
   
  Weapons are drawn in the movement and missile-fire phase to my interpretation.  To put an MR cost to it, a weapon would cost about the square of it's weight to put away (double that for bows and crossbows), half that to draw, and half an MR to drop (regardless of size).  Swords draw faster than this (maybe half a point), bows, spears, and polearms slower (maybe half a point).  Any weapon can be drawn taking a full-phase.
     To simplify or speed this, use a base draw time of WSB+1, -1 for swords, +1 for bows and poleweapons.  Double this for putting the weapon away, and make the drop free with a draw.

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