Battle Time
In the Atomic RPG System, Battle Time Game Mode has the most rules, but it is fast and keeps the fun going. Combat encounters don’t grind to a halt over interrupted actions and character doing many actions. Players do one, then done. Moving on!
Players of the Atomic RPG System will find that combat stays fluid and exciting. All players get a chance to do something every round. No matter what kind of RPG action is going on. The one exception to this is when a player character is dead. The Atomic RPG System feels that players should always get to play!
Combat is exciting and fluid. This allows players to stay in character and engaged. Atomic RPG System has shorter rounds helping players stick with the action and to know what is happening. Each player has a completely customized toolbox of weapons and abilities to use against any enemies they encounter.
Best of all, Atomic RPG System groups will be able to have lots of encounters because of the ease of which they are presented, stepped through, and ultimately overcome.
To keep order during the life and death struggles of combat, Battle Time is broken down into a series of rounds. On each normal round all of the players and the Game Master will be able to take one turn. On these turns the players will have access to the following things they can do.
The order of Battle Time is determined by everyone rolling Reaction checks. The highest Reaction rolls will go first.
Being Ambushed
The order can change slightly if the player characters are ambushed or if they themselves do the ambushing.
In this case, the ambushers always go first, and those that get ambushed will go second.
Reactions will still be rolled to determine an order, but those doing the ambushing are automatically faster than those that were ambushed.
Player Character’s Turn in Battle Time
In every turn during Battle Time, each Player Character will be able to:
Perform an Action
Move
Use a Free Action
What a player character can do in Battle Time is restricted. Events happen quickly but everyone wants to get their turn in, so it is important to keep strict order in the Atomic RPG System to keep the game flowing.
Perform an Action
Use a Power
Use a Skill
Activate a Magic Item
Use a Basic Attack
Use a Combat Maneuver
Move
Players can break a Move into separate “mini” Moves if they wish.
Example: Bob’s Speed is 8. He wants to heal 2 people. Bob can Move 2, use a healing Power(Action) on one character. Then Move 3 and use a healing potion on the second character(Free Action). Then Move away 3 more Spaces.
Free Action
Speak up to 25 words.
Use Defensive only Disposable Items.
(Such as potions, elixirs, charges on a wand etc.)
Aid Another in a Skill Check
Dropping an Item.
A player character doesn’t have to use all parts of their turn if they do not want to. They can forgo any part of their turn. These actions are given up until the players next turn.
- Powers that include movement count as an Action and not a Move.
Delaying Your Turn in Battle Time
You may delay your turn if you wish to go later in a round.
You may want to delay your turn if you are waiting for a group member to act or waiting for an answer to a question. If you Delay and then act later in that same turn, your Reaction order will change to the new place in which you acted. If you do not act while you are Delaying your turn, you will go back to your original Battle Time order at the end of the turn.
Talking in Battle Time
Talking during Battle Time can be very distracting, so every player needs to be sure to keep the subject on the game at hand.
Characters are able to talk during a round and even out of turn though they should keep this very limited.
First, very little time is actually passing in the game so there is no time for long discussions or debates about tactics.
Second a character should be limited to how much real talking and discussing is going on. For the most part characters should be limited to 25 words or 15 seconds during Battle Time. Players can speak up out of turn as long as they have already acted in the Encounter.
However, the Game Master can moderate this and allow players more or less talking during Battle Time depending on the situation.
Players should strive for speaking in character 100% of the time in Battle Time.
Atomic RPG System Battle Time Definitions
When a player character tries to hurt or hinder another player character or non-player character, it is considered an attack. The attacking player rolls a d20 die with the Attack Bonus and other modifiers added to the d20 roll to determine a final number. If this number is equal to or greater than the other player’s Defense of the same type, the attacking player is successful.
- Players must be able to Perceive the target to attack it.
- There must be a clear path between the attacker and the defender. Walls, trees, pillars and other solid, static barriers can block the attack. If a line can be drawn between the outside corners of the attackers space to the outside corners of the defenders space without both being impeded the attacker has a clear shot.
- Other characters or creatures will not block attacks, though they may provide Combat Modifiers. If a line can be drawn between the outside corners of the attackers space to the outside corners of the defenders space with only one being impeded the attacker has can attack but the defender will have Cover Modifiers.
A Critical Hit in the Atomic RPG System is when a player rolls a d20 for an Attack roll and it the dice stops on a 20. This Attack always hits, no matter what the targets Defenses are.
All players will roll a Critical Attack on a result of 20 on a d20 dice. However, this can be modified through Specialties, Atomic RPG System Items, and many other effects including some of the Advanced Optional rules.
If a Atomic RPG System character has a modified Critical Hit roll, the attack still only automatically hits on a roll of 20. If a Atomic RPG System character has a Critical Attack roll of 18 or higher a roll of 18 or 19 will have to hit the target’s Defenses.
When a player scores a Critical Attack the Damage of their Powers are maximized. Damage dice that a player would have rolled instead results in is the maximum possible result. So instead of rolling 8d6 (eight six sided dice) the player would just multiply them instead (8 x 6 = 48). The damage of the players attack would be 48+ all of the players other modifiers.
When a player scores a Critical Attack the Penalty of their Powers are increased. The player can add their characters Tier to the Penalty imposed for 1 round.
Normally with defensive effects (those that help allies) no Attack roll is needed because the ally would accept the benefit. However, a player can elect to make an Attack roll when using their Healing Powers and effects in an attempt to roll a Critical Heal. When a player attempts this they are also risking missing their target. If the players attack misses the targets Defenses then they receive no benefit from the attempt.
Healing dice that a player would have rolled instead results in is the maximum possible result. So instead of rolling 8d6 (eight six sided dice) the player would just multiply them instead (8 x 6 = 48). The Healing of the players attack would be 48+ all of the players other modifiers. This can offer a lot of excitement to the role of a healer where they may otherwise just sit back and “auto heal” other players.
Normally with defensive effects (those that help allies) no Attack roll is needed because the ally would accept the benefit. However, a player can elect to make an Attack roll when using their beneficial Powers and effects in an attempt to roll a Critical Benefit. When a player attempts this they are also risking missing their target. If the players attack misses the targets Defenses then they receive no benefit from the attempt.
If the roll results in a Critical then the player can add their Character Tier to the benefit they just bestowed for 1 round.
Defenses are what protect you from harmful effects. These defenses are based off your Traits and are further modified by Specialties, Atomic RPG System Items, Powers, and other conditions such as Environmental Effects.
These Defenses are the target number that an opponent will have to roll with their Attack Roll to affect the target.
A Fumble is when a player rolls a d20 sided die and it results in a 1. A Fumble means that whatever the attempt was for the roll automatically fails.
Characters will be moving around a lot during Battle Time in an attempt to be in the most advantageous position to attack their enemies.
- Character Speed equals the Spaces a character can move.
- Characters cannot move through enemy spaces.
- Characters can move through allied spaces.
This is a generic At Will Power that all characters have access to. It is listed on the character sheet and scales with character level.
It allows players to always have access to a damaging Power so they can still do things if and when their own Powers are exhausted.
Another set of At Will Powers that are available to all characters. These Powers help them handle a wide variety of situations.
Many players find these very useful as they are Powers they have but do not have to spend any of their own Character’s Power Points for them.
For a detailed run through of Combat Maneuvers see the page dedicated to them here: Learn More About Combat Maneuvers
Here is a quick list of what is available;
- Knock Around | Used to move an enemy.
- Exploit Weakness | Used to lower an enemies Defenses.
- Head Games | Used to try to make an enemy attack you.
- Reckless Offense | When you need to charge into battel quickly.
- Careful Defense | When you just want to avoid getting hit.
- Parley | Used to try to de-escalate a situation into Turn Time.
A Power is an action the character can do with a wide variety of effects.
Order of Effects in Battle Time
Sometimes it comes down to a Hit Point here, a Minor Action there. Whatever it may be players need to sort out what happens when. When this happens it is important to know the exact order of when things will happen to the player on their turn. Here is the breakdown of the exact order of events.
Beginning of a Players Turn
All ongoing detrimental effects need to be accounted for. This means the player will take bleeding damage or other ongoing affects at this time.
Middle of a Players Turn
In the middle of a players turn is when they take all of their actions and do whatever it is they need to do. If they have any beneficial ongoing effects they are still active at this time helping the player. These would be things like bonuses to Attack or Defenses.
End of a Players Turn
All Ongoing beneficial effects take effect now such as any ongoing Healing or Recovery. If this is the last round of them working they finish at the end of the players turn.
Atomic RPG System Battle Time is Fast, Fun, and Furious
As you can see there are a lot more constraints when it comes to Battle Time. These are necessary to have clean, fun, and fast battles and conflicts in the Atomic RPG System. The Atomic RPG System is streamlined and fun. All players get to participate and the glory is spread between everyone in a Atomic RPG System game. So sharpen your swords and charge your blasters and jump into Battle Time with the Atomic RPG System.