Sizing 'em up in WOD: Combat

By Miguel Valdespino (MiguVal@aol.com)

Introduction

In a dark corner of a dark corner of the city, two fighters circled. "Where is the wise one who introduced me to the ways of the wind?" calls the man with the shaved head.

"Dancing and spinning, spinning and dancing," parroted the twisted other, "a much prettier path than your Way."

Quickly the mad one leapt with flashing claws, slashing the side of the yet-unmoving brother. Ignoring the pain, the mage saved his action to catch the leg as the beast continued into a flying kick. With one motion, the leg snapped, with a second, the neck.

"Goodnight, Flies-On-the South-Wind. May your spirit finally fly free."

Description

One aspect of combat that I have never seen done well in any game system I have owned is sizing up your opponent. In most of the fights I've seen the participants spend much more time dancing around, watching, throwing test blows, looking for an opening. They get into it for a while, then they break and circle again. Usually only enraged or stupid people just get in and don't stop. In most games, the most efficient way to fight is to get in your opponent's face and trade blows until one is down. Good role-players would sometimes try this, but the systems often put them at a disadvantage.

a WOD:Combat adds the detail aspect that a few types of chronicles need. The two I've found it especially helps are Werewolf:TA and it is a must for the unofficial Highlander rules. In fact, it was watching Highlander that inspired me to put these rules down.

Combatants may choose to size up an opponent at any time during combat (you can also watch somebody outside of combat, but that won't give you much information on his fighting technique). While evaluating your opponent you may move or defend yourself, but you may not attack in any way. You may feint, but may not follow up with an attack next turn. Of course frenzied combatants cannot size up their opponents.

The roll is made by rolling Brawl+Perception (substituting Do or Melee when appropriate) vs. a difficulty of 9. If you succeed you get one die for every four successes (or fraction thereof) which you may add or subtract from any single roll during that combat, maximum of one die per roll per combatant. On a botch, the Storyteller gets to use that die against her sometime during that combat. Modifiers are as below:

Same fighting style	-1 difficulty
Fought each other previously	-1 difficulty
Same master	-1 difficulty
Taught opponent	-1 difficulty
Feint	+1 die
Opponent attacks while you're studying	+2 die

Difficulty can never go below 6. One die is given for the first, fifth, ninth success, etc.