The other day I wrote about changing how enemy NPCs work in Hammercalled, but today I want to detail changes in the combat system to match the changes to NPCs and make a better game in general.

Simplicity for Better Fights

One of the things that is a core ideal of Hammercalled is doing stuff as quickly as possible. My general idea of the setup of gameplay is that if you can go fast without losing people, that's best.

Right now Hammercalled has a really complex distance and initiative system. The new threat system is intended for asymmetry, but that lags behind the current combat setup.

Changing this is going to make things simpler and faster.

I want to do away with initiative entirely. It's one of four derived attributes right now, and the other three are all resources. As such it is a mechanic that lacks any similar concept, and rolling initiative was slowing down combat.

The new system will use simultaneous resolution of combat.

This gives a little less complexity, but it's things that hit us in every character creation (ouch) and every combat.

Character creation is supposed to take about fifteen minutes and be able to be half-finished if you want to get into play quickly and fill in details later.

Initiative is a lookup in the rulebook that wastes time, and the end result is iffy.

Also, the system was encouraging no-threat encounters, because a strong PC could kill most enemies instantly if their initiative was high, ending fights in a meaningless exercise.

Distance Changes

The new distance system is PC agnostic. NPCs get a range and the PCs can engage from where they are or advance, and location is no longer a status effect.

This will make the system more concise and less confusing.

Weapon Qualities

Most of the weapon qualities may need to be rewritten, but most should work without change.

Once change I'm considering is handling the damage per round qualities better.

I'm not sure how this will work, but it's an issue right now.

What this means for Segira

Right now I have to get some stuff retooled for Segira, but it's not that much. If you look at the adventure so far the only scripted fight scene just needs to be converted to the new threat model.

It won't take too long, though. This change isn't really responsible for the delays, just my poor work process.