RPG system ponderings....

[winneganfake]

On Momentum

Playing around on some PS2 games definitely brought this thought to mind again. Namely how in a lot of combat-based games, there's often bonuses that rack up as you successfully score combos, which let you score further combos, which in turn allow you to finish off with even more powerful moves.

Part of my brain's insisting on building an add-on system that'd have the same effect. Namely, a successful attack nets you a bonus for the next attack (whether it's an extra die for a pool system or a point-bonus, or whatever) These bonuses stack up, like this:

Attack One: Success (+1 die on the next attack)

Attack Two: Success (+2 die on the next attack)

and so on. Note that these bonuses all would just be applied towards a to-hit type of roll, rather than damage or anything. Which of course, means that as the bonus dies stack up, pulling off harder and harder moves becomes easier and easier.

Then there's combo breakers. They wouldn't occur when the comboing character fails a roll- that would just drop the bonus count back down by a die. Instead a combo could be completely broken by a successful opposing roll by an opponent. Which even with a diepool system would make a combo with a good amount of momentum fairly hard to break. not sure if I like that or not.


Anyways that's my system pondering for the day. And yes, I realize that someone's probably already fully worked this system out before this. I just like to do the thinking myself sometimes.Comments and crits are as always welcome.

Comments

[m1sfit-t0y.livejournal.com]

Hmm...

Well I think it all depends on what aspect/feature that additional bonus is supposed to reflect in combat. Is it taking into account that your opponent is staggered? Or you are worsening a previous wound?

I mean, if it's supposed to be showing that the opponent is staggered, wouldn't there also be a modifier to counter that bonus if--say--the opponenet is giant-sized or a stronger build or an exceptional combatant. All opponents wouldn't necessarily reel back the same.

I think those kind of modifiers could be reserved for more specialized attacks/weapons.

Just my two cents.