[Edit: Updated numbers from first post since the Vanilla probability distribution was flawed, effective difference was small though.]
While I love Eclipse Phase, the high (GM) task load during combat has always bothered me a bit.
In particular making two dice rolls for the most common action during combat (attacking) made me wonder if THIS part of the mechanics could be simplified, while keeping the OVERALL mechanics mostly in place.
Design Goals
- Minimal changes (i.e., no major rewrite).
- Localized changes (i.e., affect only outcome determination, don't touch weapons / armor balance).
- Easy to comprehend, logical and consistent (in line with other rules).
- Reduce GM task loading.
- Attack skill (e.g., Guns) and Defense skill (e.g., Fray) must still be useful.
- Overall outcome must approximately be the same.
- The Opposed Test during Attack becomes a Success Test.
- Defender's Fray becomes, and is applied as, an Attacker's modifier.
- Modifier is calculated as (Fray / -2 + 20)
- The general idea is, any roll of 2x D100 to determine a probabilistic outcome can instead be determined by a single D100. The 2x D100 can simulate a number of probability distributions, a single D100 is mostly linear. To have an approximately similar outcome, we need to match them somehow. This is what we try with the above rule / formula.
- The Offset +20 seems to even the field the best way for "average" values. For an attacker with "average" Attack(50), and a defender with "average" Fray(50), the overall chance to hit is still around 45% (Vanilla: 40%). Other offsets are possible, shifting the field (download and play with the Excel sheet).
- For extreme values of high/low Attack/Fray the there is a higher chance of auto-hits and misses than in Vanilla. However, both are (in my opinion) realistic, and can easily be compensated by established rules such as aiming, cover, or full defense.
- Hitting another player / NPCs now does not mechanically differ anymore from hitting a moving skeet, while still taking into account the target's Fray skill.
- To counter fact that bad defenders are now easier to hit than skeets, grant +20 for attacking "not actively evading" targets.
- Factors that affect the defender, would instead apply "inversely" or "inversely halved" to attacker (e.g., defender behind moderate cover: Attack(-20)). Admittedly, that would require rebalancing these factors, but there are only a few of them. Factors that affect Fray on the defender's side (wounds, traumas, ...) would simply alter the computed modifier normally.
- The system is more linear, rewarding higher (or penalizing lower) Fray.
- It is slightly more deadly, leading to shorter fights.
- It also incentivizes the use of environmental factors at low Fray, or against skilled Attackers.
- Emphasizes more the fact that you can't really dodge bullet actively (i.e., make roll) once it left attacker's gun. Modifier still accounts for the fact you made attacker's life harder (or easier) by your training.
- Fray modifier can be-precomputed and noted on character sheet.
- Fray modifier can itself be modified by size-based modifier.
- Allows GM eye-balling. For even more streamlined combat GM can now simply summarily announce overall modifier.
- Make / keep full defense as opposed test (now even better reflect the *action* of going full defense).
- Melee could either be converted, or kept as opposed combat.
