Alternatively, it could be a d4 tactics roll with a d8 table, and tactics modifiers of +0 to +4

This was my thought initially as well. The trick would be to not make this too Gloomhaven-esc. So the tactics would have to be a bit more broad in nature, and not things that each individual monster does, but more that they do as a group. I like the idea of having that uniform tactics concept, because it might give the players some predictability as they learn more about what Tactics exist

I love those monster types. That will always be in my design, haha. Just not sure how it would fit yet into this concept

Agreed about this is the sort of game that would have morale. I think my goal behind this concept would be to trim down combat and hopefully speed it up dramatically. Not sure if it would thought

I need to extrapolate on it but totally agree that i like the concept

Maybe I did a poor job of explaining this. I've played a lot of 4e, and I enjoyed it, but I found it to be way too much of a tactical miniatures game then what I want to design. I'd definitely play it again, but i'm trying to speed up that aspect. Mainly because i'd like to have 3 or so "encounters" in a session if I could to make progress feel like its happening compared to the 1.5 hr encounters that 4e tended to have. In the example I gave I was trying to denote that you would be speeding things up a lot. You would practically have no "movement". Different positions and setups would just occur from turn to turn. Then it becomes way more tactical in the sense that you are now dealing with the current setup or positioning.

@@jfacegames7354 Okay, so having listened to the video again, here are my thoughts. The game that most resembles the kind of combat system you're suggesting (to me) would be Burning Wheel. In Burning Wheel, ranged combat, melee combat, and debate have their own subsystems (called Range and Cover, Fight, and Duel of Wits, respectively). Though the details of each differ, the premise of each is as follows. Each round, both sides secretly select three actions for their "volley" (action set). Within each system, there is a matrix of actions that interact differently with each other, like a very elaborate game of paper, rock, scissors where you add over a dozen more options. Once each side has arranged their volley, they play out in order: both sides reveal their first action and they occur simultaneously, then the second action, then the third. Once a volley has concluded, the round is over and, if both sides are still standing, they secretly select three actions for their next volley, until the conflict ends. Future games produced by Luke Crane that are derived from Burning Wheel (such as Mouse Guard and Torchbearer) have simplified this conflict system because it is virtually fucking unplayable without the aid of a computer to incorporate all of the effects that occur from damage along with the matrix along with the advancement system. And no part of these systems really ever incorporated a battle map, IIRC. The reason I bring up these conflict systems from Burning Wheel is as a cautionary tale. Granted, the Pressure System doesn't employ the intricate damage and injury mechanics that Burning Wheel does. But whenever you get a chance, check out this video by Trevor Duvall of Me, Myself, and Die regarding Burning Wheel: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a5x5lbuXqeCypYU.html

That was just all done in Owlbear 2.0

Haha, fair point. But I’d also argue that 60-80% of most TTRPG books are how to do combat. Unless it is almost pure RP/Theatre of the mind. Or it has a lot of Lore, but that isn’t “how to RP”, that’s just the setting you can use. So in that context the hardest part is to design the combat mechanics, so that’s where I’m focusing currently 😁

@@jfacegames7354 fair enough 😅 I would like to have more mechanics for RP also. To me it seems the RP is purely an "aesthetical" component. Maybe it's just me 😁

@RilliEki I like to consider RP mechanics as “guidelines” or bumpers in a bowling alley. They should help facilitate but not be the main focus? I could be way off base on this, but I think about how Forged in the Dark or Band of Blades organizes the play session to hopefully facilitate RP moments