HaploScape: Keep the strategy half, drop the luck half!

[Anitar]

Inspired by this thread (and the input of sarashinai in particular), I present:
~A WAY TO PLAY HEROSCAPE WITHOUT LUCK BEING INVOLVED AT ALL~

...That's all I've got for an intro, so let's get on to the rules.


1. Combat

Forget everything you know about rolling combat dice. When you attack in this system -- normal or special attacks -- your full attack goes up against the attacker's full defense. Even if the attacker isn't strong enough to inflict any wounds (as will be the case against Deathwalkers), you can still reduce their defense for the rest of the round. I recommend representing defense loss with upside-down wound markers. If defense drops below zero (for example, because a figure loses its defense bonus mid-round), treat it as zero anyway.

--example--
Two Venoc Vipers (3 Attack) vs. One Deathstalker (5 Defense, 1 Life)
Viper 1 attacks with 3 Atk. Deathstalker loses 3 Def.
Viper 2 attacks with 3 Atk. Deathstalker loses its remaining 2 Def, and the remaining point of attack inflicts a wound. Deathstalker is destroyed.

Additionally, because this system heavily favors squads, all Unique (and Uncommon) Heroes gain the following special power:

Heroic Defense: When defending against a normal or special attack from a common or squad figure, reduce the attack's power by 1. Yes, this modifies special attacks. Yes, it can be negated in the same way as any other powers.

2. Die-Rolling Powers

Instead of randomizing results for such chancey powers as Mind Shackle and Frenzy, the results come in a preset order: Start with 10. Each subsequent "roll" adds 7, and subtracts 20 if it goes above that. These numbers are tracked separately for each army card. I recommend leaving a d20 on each such card with the current number face-up.

--example--
A Venoc Viper squad uses Frenzy.
First attempt: 10.
Next: 17. Frenzy activates.
Next: 4 (add 7, subtract 20).
Next: 11.
Next: 18. Frenzy activates.
Next: 5. And so on.

3. Falling, Leaving Engagement, and similar damage.

For each combat die worth of damage you receive from regular or major falling, or leaving engagement attacks, you receive half a wound. Don't ask me how to represent this on squads; I honestly have no clue. Nope, remove that. You alternate between receiving a wound and being safe. Each player has one result for "half wounds" shared by all of their figures, which begins each game at not-wounding.

Extreme falling damage and molten lava damage are always lethal.

4. Initiative

Everyone's initiative roll is the same round-to-round normally. Simply average the printed Move number of all your surviving army cards, then double it. Everything else is the same.

5. Individual Special Power and Official Scenario changes

Spoiler Alert!

Self-Destruct (Deathwalker 7000):
Rolls a 10 every time. Basically the same as any d20 power, but it only works once so don't bother keeping track.

Tough, Adjacent Tough 1, Warforged Resolve, Iron Resolve, Iron Tough, Reinforced Defense, Strong Defense (Gorillinators, Hatamoto Taro, Warforged Soldiers, Heirloom, Iron Golem, Nhah Scirh Cultists*, Fortress Door, Breakable Wall Section):
Instead of "adding automatic shields", these powers-- like Heroic Defense-- block 1 point of attack (per auto-shield) before it can do anything.

One Shield Defense (Crixus, Migol Ironwill):
Instead of defending normally, you may lose 1 Defense and take 1 wound.
Not very useful except against really strong attackers, just like the original. Only works if you have defense remaining.

Leaf of the Home Tree Aura (Acolarh):
Activates if you roll a 16 or higher, rather than using Valkyrie dice.
This makes it MORE likely to work by about 2%.

Rod of Negation 16 (Morsbane):
Because it simply will not do to have a guaranteed destruction effect on any figure from a range, rolling a 20 only inflicts negation. To compensate, the minimum roll is now 15.

Counter Strike, Evil Eye Defense, Evil Eye Protection, Arcane Riposte, Lumbering Bully (Charos, Izumi Samurai, Kozuke Samurai, Kaemon Awa, Tagawa Samurai, Tagawa Samurai Archers, Captain America, Tomoe Gozen*, Kantono Daishi*, Gurei-oni, Torin, Sharwin Wildborn, Ogre Pulverizer):
Instead of equalling the number of "excess shields", the strength of the counter equals any defense the defender has remaining. Like attacks, it reduces Defense before Life.

--Example--
Feral Troll (3 Attack, 1 Defense, 8 Life)
attacks
Izumi Samurai (5 Defense, Counter Strike)
The Samurai loses 3 defense to the attack. 2 defense remains, and thus the counter has 2 power. 1 point of that removes the Troll's sole point of defense; the other is taken as a wound.

Deadly Shot, Deadly Strike (Omnicron Snipers, Zetacron, Minions of Utgar, Migol Ironwill):
When attacking, for each point of attack you have, you can (as applicable) subtract two Defense or Life from the defender instead of one. Note that you cannot use a single Atk point to remove one of each.

Fire Blast Special Attack (Erevan Sunshadow):
Use a d20 roll to determine whether the "all-skulls" effect succeeds. The required roll is:
for 2 Attack, 16-20.
for 3 Attack, 18-20.
for 4 Attack, 20.

Maul, Venomous Sting, Lethal Sting (Deathstalkers, Wyvern, Rechets of Bogdan):
Use a d20 roll to determine whether it succeeds. If you roll 18+, double the power of the attack (or, in the Rechets' case, destroy the defender).

Scarab of Invulnerability, Glyph of Nilrend, Glyph of Oreld:
Use the current d20 result of whichever figure activated the glyph. If it doesn't have one, use the result of the nearest figure you control who does.

Autoload Special Attack (Laglor):
Always results in attacking twice. The first attack only has 2 power, to simulate one of the dice landing on the "blank" Valkyrie symbol.

Blind Rage Special Attack (Sir Hawthorne):
Always results in attacking twice, which was the average result anyway.

Zombie Onslaught SA, Encircle SA, Arrow Volley SA (Zombies of Morindan, Ashigaru Yari, Roman Archers):
Increase Attack value to 8.

Glyph of Mitonsoul, Helm of Mitonsoul Aura, Soul Devour, Glyph of Sturla (Runa, Shades of Bleakwoode):
To prevent abuse of this d20 system, these operate in reading order from the player's perspective: starting at the far end, in rows from left to right. (an arbitrary yet consistent order, which I already established would be a good thing)
In the case of Sturla, the army cards are what's being ordered by position.
In the case of Soul Devour, it's the Shades.
In both Mitonsoul powers, it's the potential victims.

Heroic Defense Aura (Hatamoto Taro):
Allies' defenses are multiplied by 1.5 and rounded up, after applying all other modifiers.

Orc Battle Cry Aura (Ornak):
Allies' normal attacks are multiplied by 1.5 and rounded up, after applying all other modifiers.

Ullar Enhanced Rifle SA (Deadeye Dan):
This is calculated in the same way as leaving engagement attacks and falling damage.

Defensive Agility (Warriors of Ashra):
Their defense cannot be reduced from melee attacks.

Stealth Dodge (Krav Maga Agents, Deathwalker 7000):
Their defense cannot be reduced from ranged attacks, AND one additional point of damage is always blocked.

Marked for Destruction (Deathcommander Mark 3*):
Adds 1 attack.

Jandar's Dispatch (Sir Gilbert):
X always equal 2.

Ullar's Bolt of the Witherwood, Glyph of Bolt of the Witherwood (Atlaga the Kyrie Warrior):
Always succeeds. However, you must designate the army card of its target at the start of the game, and it will not work on anyone else.

Gift of the Empress Aura (Empress Kiova):
It takes 2 points of attack rather than 1 to strip each point of defense from the affected figures.

Mortal Strike (Master of the Hunt):
Double inflicted wounds. Yes, this is strong and kills heroes. Yes, that's just about exactly what it does in vanilla 'scape.

Sharpshooter (Deadeye Dan):
In the interest of preventing him from becoming a massively field-influencing threat once his d20 roll gets high enough, it will fail on anything less than 21 on the first two order markers. To compensate, he only needs an 18 on the third.
(if the scenario rules permit a turn that does not use a numbered order marker, it also requires a 21)

I'll be filling in the rest of this huge mess later. There are so many figures, and so many scenarios. C3V and SoV figures will come last.


Any and all feedback is welcome. Besides suggesting that I should stop doing this. That feedback is unwelcome; I have come too far to stop now.

[sarashinai]

First, I think this idea is awesome and I fully endorse it... Except for the name... AWFUL! :P

Second, I recommend against using d20s to track the value as they could easily roll over to a wrong value. I suggest using a table with a checkmark spot or a clear token to mark the space.

Third, I don't like the notion of half wounds but if you MUST. Then I suggest rounding all halved damage down (minimum 1).

Fourth, I think your method of determining initiative is AMAZING and should be put on a plaque somewhere where people can gaze upon it in wonder. Except it requires division and then multiplication. Why? What was your reason? Why not just add them up?

[El T]

I have to give this idea a big thumbs down.

The thing that makes the strategy of heroscape so fun and exciting is that you have to incorporate luck into your strategy, and account for luck in planning ahead. Without luck, the game is one-dimensional.

Sorry.

[Anitar]

Originally Posted by sarashinai

Second, I recommend against using d20s to track the value as they could easily roll over to a wrong value. I suggest using a table with a checkmark spot or a clear token to mark the space.

The token could work too. Not the checkmarks though; those are too permanent.

Third, I don't like the notion of half wounds but if you MUST. Then I suggest rounding all halved damage down (minimum 1).

I'm not so fond of them either. But the rounding wouldn't work so well, given the small number of "half-wounds" that tend to be inflicted at a time.

Fourth, I think your method of determining initiative is AMAZING and should be put on a plaque somewhere where people can gaze upon it in wonder. Except it requires division and then multiplication. Why? What was your reason? Why not just add them up?

Because you shouldn't get to go first just for having MORE army cards. A team with 5 cards of 4 move would be slower than one with a single 8-move card, despite totalling 20.

[sarashinai]

Originally Posted by Anitar

Because you shouldn't get to go first just for having MORE army cards. A team with 5 cards of 4 move would be slower than one with a single 8-move card, despite totalling 20.

And why the doubling?

[Anitar]

Originally Posted by sarashinai

And why the doubling?

Because otherwise, the +8 from the Glyph of Dagmar would be HORRENDOUSLY high. Even doubled, it's still a lot.

[sarashinai]

Originally Posted by El T

I have to give this idea a big thumbs down.

The thing that makes the strategy of heroscape so fun and exciting is that you have to incorporate luck into your strategy, and account for luck in planning ahead. Without luck, the game is one-dimensional.

Sorry.

Of course, every gamer will have a preference of game style. I'd suggest, though, that it's not really luck that you're talking about but probability.

If luck was required to make a game fun and exciting then no one would play chess. Both Heroscape, dice-less or not, and chess work of principles of probability and prediction. How much information can you integrate into your mental simulation and then how well can you use that simulation to make choices.

A dice-less Heroscape takes unpredictability of any given action out of the picture and replaces it with more long-term predictive planning.

[sarashinai]

Originally Posted by Anitar

Because otherwise, the +8 from the Glyph of Dagmar would be HORRENDOUSLY high. Even doubled, it's still a lot.

Would you add the glyph bonus after the averaging and doubling?

[Anitar]

Yes.

[Agent Minivann]

So how does Stealth Dodge work?

[Anitar]

Originally Posted by Agent Minivann

So how does Stealth Dodge work?

"I'll be filling in this huge mess later."

Same with such unusual powers as Counter Strike, Defensive Agility, Helm of Mitonsoul Aura, and anything that adds automatic skulls/shields.

[sarashinai]

How about:

Stealth Dodge
When the Deathwalker 7000 (for example) is attacked by a unit who is not adjacent, as long as Deathwalker 7000's current Defense exceeds the attack by at least 1, the Deathwalker 7000's Defense is not reduced by the attack.

Counter Strike
I think this should work with the straight values. It means that you have to be more strategic with mixing ranged and melee attacks against CS targets; whittle them down first and then close in. I know Anitar's preference is to make it only 1 wound but I think this makes them underpowered.

An alternative, which I think would be neat and extends Anitar's system is to have the response from Counter Strike become Defense reduction on the attacking unit rather than wounds. The reduction would only come off at the end of the defender's next turn.

Defensive Agility
This is just the adjacent equivalent of Stealth Dodge, so it would work the same way.

Helm of Mitonsoul Aura
According to http://heroscape.wikia.com/wiki/Runa, the Helm of Mitonsoul Aura is a d20 power and would use Anitar's d20 result chart.