Need Help With My Combat System Please

I may not be the person to help but I'll try.

- Does "3 Attack Dice" = 3d6 ?
- If so, why are there 6 possible results instead of 18? Is each die resolved separately?
- If each roll is resolved separately one would say, "Each player starts out with three attacks using a six-sided die".

- If the 3d6 is combined (ie. for a single attack) there would be a roll range for the listed results (ie. 3d6, 3-5 = "hit"; etc.)

- "Boss" - Are you using the word "boss" when "villian" or "monster" or "mini-boss" is actually the case? A "Boss" is usually the last obstacle to victory. "Mini-bosses" usually are level/stage gatekeepers.

- What is a "boss" die?
- What is a "hard" die?

- Are there Hit Points (HP)?

- According to both the "Enemy" and "Boss" die roll results, they can only "block" or "miss"; not "hit". Correct? You state they hit you x times. When did that occur?

Note: If my questions express a basic understanding you think I should have but don't, I apologize. Just say, "Thank you but I'll wait for other answers". LOL!

I think I get the system you're describing, but have to agree that the terms you're using don't make it very clear. Would suggest you name the different dice after colors or somesuch and switch the terminology on the defense dice from "Miss" to "Blank".

Also, your description only seems to include player attack and monster defense. Not the reverse.

Anyway, to help balance things, you may benefit from using a spreadsheet to determine the amount of average damage or blocking each die will yield.
The basic 3d6 player attack has each die granting a 33.3% chance of a hit. So, on average, a starting player will hit for one damage.
(This doesn't take into account the monster defense, which is a separate roll.)
Each face of a d8 has a 12.5% chance of coming up, so the 2nd level die adds half a point of average damage.
The 3rd level die adds an average damage of .75, which brings the player up to 2.25 average damage.
...And so forth.

Using a spreadsheet to analyze and adjust your attack and defense averages may help balance things out.

To be honest, i would start from scratch.

Unless i'm mistaken, you're using 10 different custom dice. It is quite expensive to produce those, for little actual benefit for your game.

What else is there, apart from this combat system?
How coplex is the game? Are you sure you even need all those dice?

Perhaps you ought to ask your question directly first, without all that explanation.
What is it that you want to achieve?
Balance?

Further, most of us would like to know. What happens when you do damage on an enemy?
And can an enemy fight back? (Which would be logical)

Just dice rolls would only yield results for 1 roll. Is what you are seeking a calculation of results?

You are "Bjorn the Keltic Dwarf". You have Attack +3. You are level 1 and therefore use a Standard D6 for your attacks. Using your "Battleax" you do 1d6 + 2 Damage.

Your opponent is "Shystra the Red Dragon". She has a Attack +5 and is level 3 using a Standard D10 for her attacks. Using her "Fire Breath" she does 2d6.

Now both "Bjorn" and "Shystra" attack, the higher of the two proceeds.

Bjorn uses his Standard D6 and rolls a 4. Now he has Attack +3 ... Total = 7.
Shystra uses her Standard D10 and rolls a 5. But she has an Attack +5 ... Total = 10.

Therefore Shystra wins the initiative and then rolls 2d6 = 8 damage.

Something like this - simple, allows progression and leveling, allows bonuses and penalties such as cursed weapons, etc.

You can use dice "combos" like a Level 5 Fighter "Vanguard the Brave" could use 2d6 as attacking dice. He is equipped with a Long Sword (Attack +4).

So if he was to attack "Shystra the Red Dragon", he would have an attack between 6 - 16. Shystra attack is 6 - 15.

Almost at PAR for two more powerful combatants... This would make a close but fair battle. And since Dragons are reknown to be powerful, this means it would take a Level 5 character to defeat a Level 3 Dragon!

Of course you will have TONS of FUN balancing all the dice and stats!

But that's what designers love to do! Enjoy... lol

Using Character Class Tables, you could have a Character Sheet that has the following Leveling/Progression tables for Attack.

** Remember **: The modifier (+X) is dependent on the Weapon used (for example)

Table For the Fighter/Warrior Class:

Level 1 = 1d6 = 1-6
Level 2 = 1d8 = 1-8
Level 3 = 1d10 = 1-10
Level 4 = 1d12 = 1-12
Level 5 = 2d6 = 2-12
Level 6 = 3d4 = 3-12
Level 7 = 2d8 = 2-16
Level 8 = 3d6 = 3-18
Level 9 = 1d20 = 1-20
Level 10 = 2d10 = 2-20
Level 11 = 2d12 = 2-24
Level 12 = 3d8 = 3-24
Level 13 = 4d6 = 4-24

This allows you to create a Play Mat for each character/class.

Anyhow this shows you how you can use Polyhedral dice to accomplish a progress/leveling mechanic. It may be simpler than your earlier ideas - but I think you can work-out the details. You'll find much more flexibility in such as system...

And plenty to BALANCE!

Update: You could also include tables in a rulebook. But I think a Player's Game Mat would be cooler. But both options are available to you.

You might be able to get your custom D6 done by manufacturing blank d6 and getting high-quality stickers printed. I've looked into it at a couple of places, and it typically turns out cheaper than doing all plastic.

As for your multiple hits concept with having characters have access to more damage as they progress in levels, is your game designed to feel like a dungeon crawl sort of game? Just seeing dice with hits reminds me of either Dragon Dice or Hero Quest (they are both very different games, but something about your system echoes both).

The first thing with balance, especially in a dice game that is not mutually exclusive (as in, rolling a sword on one dice does not alter the chance of rolling a sword on the next dice) is that no matter how many tests you roll, average probability is going to elude you. I say that because it is still dice, and freak rolls throw off your tests. The only way to be certain that your balance is appropriate is to test, test, test again. Plus, looking to your balance notes above, you seem to be getting more difficult for higher levels of monster...which is the idea, right?

Once you have the core rules built, the best way to test is to give the rule book to someone who has never seen your game before, hand them all the bits they need to run a prototype, and then shut up and watch them. This little play test will poke all sorts of holes in your game. If you want to make something to sell, then the number I see most frequently is 100 people playing with at least 100 hours of playtime between them, and you and the time you put in doesn't count. Thats how you will find balance. Often times we think things can be balanced mathematically, but I have found over multiple game designs, that a mathematic balance really doesn't seem to ever work out quite as well as a play test balancing does.

One option you may have considered already that would be much cheaper than custom dice is to use cards (if you're set on dice, ignore all the following). I have often found that cards are more useful than dice in the games I have put together. You would need probably 4 small-ish decks. 1 for hero attack, 1 for hero defend. 1 for monster attack, 1 for monster defend. Hero attack would be a mix of "swords" and "blanks", with some cards have 1, 2 or 3 swords on them. Higher level means draw more cards. Hero defense would be the same idea.

Monster cards would have to be graded. 1 deck could serve your weak, moderate, strong, and boss categories. Each card would have 4 ratings (maybe you're familiar with the zombie spawn cards in Zombicide? same idea). If you're up against a level 1 weak monster, you reference the first line. A level 1 hard monster would reference line 3. A multi level boss monster would reference the 4th line on multiple cards.

Anyway, sorry for how long it is. Hopefully you find something useful, but if not, then hopefully at least your eyes dont hurt now.

Mike

There are tonns of ways how to do it.
Here's an example of a very basic system, which has progression built-in, uses 4 custom 6-sided dice of the same type and resolve everything in a single roll.

Assume your monsters have a single stat called "threat level".
And your hero has a "level" stat.

In battle you always roll the same amount of dice. Let's say 4.
On some of the faces of the dice there are "success" results, depicting a sword or whatnot.

Before battle you compare the level of the hero with threat level of the monster.

If your level is higher, you need to roll 1 success. If it's equal - 2. If it's lower, then 3 successes are required to defeat the monster.

If you defeat the monster by rolling enough successes - you collect the reward, according to the monster's description. If you don't defeat the monster, you suffer a penalty.
Penalty may be different for different monsters, making the choice of who you fight an additional layer of the game.
One monster can wound you, while the other may steal your item, or teleport you somewhere etc.

This is just an example of a different approach. There are many more other approaches that might work.

2d10 (0-100%) Is all one really needs...for anything.

In the above case, player character (PC) rolls %, adds bonus conferred by his level and compares this to the monster's difficulty; described by the % needed to hit (which could exceed 100%). Use same/similar mechanic for monster vs PC.

One could follow the "to hit" % roll with another % roll to determine % hit points (HP) damage incurred.

d10s are readily available, no extra printing cost, no convoluted rules/explanations.