Ian's Homebrew

Basic Balance Math

—

by

Ian Story
in

To Hit Chance

  • Fighter melee strike: 70% (level 1)
  • Fighter ranged strike: 60% (level 1)
  • Rogue debilitating melee strike: 80% (level 1)
  • Wizard ranged strike: 60% (level 1)
  • Wizard spell save: 70% (level 1)

Ranged Attack Balancing

Cover is plentiful and effective. Taking basic cover gives -4 to attacks. Taking full cover gives -6 to attacks. Raising a shield gives -2 to attacks. Being hit by a melee attack disrupts cover, including the cover provided by a shield.

Ranged attacks further than 30 feet away have a -2 attack penalty.

Many spells can deflect incoming ranged attacks or reduce the damage they deal.

Damage

  • Fighter 1-action melee strike: 1.00
  • Fighter 1-action ranged strike: 0.80
  • Rogue Debilitating melee strike: 3.50
  • Wizard 2-action CANTRIP single-target ranged strike: 1.40
  • Wizard 2-action CANTRIP small AoE: 0.68 (save for half)
  • Wizard 2-action CANTRIP large AoE: 0.50 (save for half)
  • Wizard 2-action FOCUS single-target ranged strike: 2.80
  • Wizard 2-action FOCUS small AoE: 1.36 (save for half)
  • Wizard 2-action FOCUS large AoE: 1.00 (save for half)
  • Wizard 2-action EMPOWERED single-target ranged strike: 3.50
  • Wizard 2-action EMPOWERED small AoE: 1.70 (save for half)
  • Wizard 2-action EMPOWERED large AoE: 1.25 (save for half)

Expected Damage Output / Round

  • Melee fighter: 1.15
  • Ranged fighter: 0.76
  • Rogue (based on debilitating strike every other round): 1.40
  • single target Wizard (0.67/1.75/2.67) against OPEN target: 1.32
  • single target Wizard (0.67/1.75/2.67) against COVER target: 0.88
  • small AOE Wizard (0.67/1.75/2.67): 1.81
  • large AOE Wizard (0.67/1.75/2.67): 2.00

Thoughts on Ranged Combat

To make the numbers work out for the kind of gameplay I want to encourage, ranged attacks need to deal less damage than melee attacks. A fighter getting into the enemy’s back lines should be bad news for the enemy. At the same time, I want wizards to be able to do significant damage to front-line enemy combatants. So maybe the solution isn’t just to nerf ranged damage, but to build in significant defenses against ranged attacks that only back line troops can avail themselves of.

Some options:

  • Cover
  • Deflection spells
  • Steep accuracy penalties with distance
  • Bunched enemies can shield each other