Musing... combat and die rolls and math

 

How Many Rolls are too Many Rolls?

Well, here I am in front of a set of dice. Everyone loves dice. Well, not everyone, but most gamers like their dice. I have a few with sentimental value, other than that they are just pieces of plastic. I am not a dice person. For several years I just made up numbers at the table. I sorta CKed my own character. After a time, Steve suggested I change dice. I told him I quit using dice. To which he responded, “If you’re just making up numbers you might as well hit something once in a while.” My numbers were always low. “Will of the gods” I said. I switched to flipping through a book and picking out the first page number. I eventually went back to dice.

My first die. it was a dWTF

 

So, it is my impression players like rolling dice but are not fond of the math. I like the math behind the die roll but consider it a labor to do. I wish there were something that could just crunch out the result. But alas, the brain is still the go to device. So how many rolls should a combat optimally take?

Currently there is initiative, to hit roll, damage if any, to hit roll, damage if any. That is a minimum of thee rolls and a maximum of five rolls (sans any other craziness). What if it was all one roll? What if it was seven rolls? How much is too much math? I don’t really know. I do know that I want to know. But I also know that I can’t know. Everyone will have a preferred number. I basically have to decide what I like and see if others like it as well. 

This is not what I seek.

Simple. Keeping it simple is almost always the best manner in which to handle conflict resolution in a ttrpg. Almost always. More complexity typically only results fin more die rolls and more record keeping with little added to the game. On the other hand, the more complexity, the more decision making, and options. Everyone likes options. I can’t help but think of Tunnels and Trolls and Rolemaster. One had too few decision making Avenues and one had too many (though honestly by todays standard I think Rolemaster is on the low side).

So here is my thought. Combat. One roll. You either get hit or hit. A monster has a combat number, say an orc has a combat number 10. Player rolls and adds whatever. If the roll is 11 or better, the attack succeeds and damage is the difference in the roll and the combat number. If the roll is less than ten, the character is hit with damage by difference. Armor is damage reduction and weapons are damage modifiers.

Hmmmm…………..