Playing BESM4 Unattended

21-Feb-2025 (Fri) @ 20:35:03

Since we play here in a forum environment, scatter across all time zones and don't have a specific schedule, I feel that needing a Game Master becomes an obstacle of playing. I can think of three possibilities:

Change the mechanic to a Roll Under, but that would mean possibly rewriting several mechanical rules.
Use a standard Target Number of 12.
Eliminate dice rolling altogether. There is an optional rule (at least in the Fourth edition: Extras book) that gives us this option.

Using a dice-less system would greatly speed up character interaction when resolving combat, and would lead towards more autonomy of Players. Here's some excepts from the Extras book, page 135:

QuoteHEDGING ON ALL ROLLS
Rather than rolling dice as normal, all character actions – attacks, defences, Stat and Skill rolls, etc. – use the game's hedging rules (BESM4, page 182). That is, all dice rolls have an automatic result of 7, with edges and obstacles increasing or decreasing this result by
1 (for minor modifiers) or 2 (for major modifiers) as outlined in the rules.

For opposed rolls, the two hedging actions for both participants cancel each other. Consequently, only the other roll aspects are considered, such as Stats, Skills, Combat Values, and roll modifiers.

QuoteONE ATTACK VALUE
Although having separate Attack and Defence Combat Values allow for specific differentiation in character concepts, many characters have similar values.
For example, it is rare for a character to have ACV at 12 and DCV at 6. To make diceless combats easier – much easier! – players and GMs are encouraged to only use a
single, unified Combat Value.

This means that modifying a character's Combat Value now costs the combined totals of modifying ACV and DCV separately. The Attack Mastery and Defence Mastery Attributes each cost 1 Point/Level and thus a combined "Combat Mastery" Attribute would cost 2 Points/Level – with each Level adding +1 to the character's Combat Value. Similarly, the two Ranged Attack and Ranged Defence Attributes at 1 Point/Level each would combine to create a new "Ranged Combat" Attribute costing 2 Points/Level and adding +2 to the
character's Combat Value in the selected situations.

QuoteExamine the following considerations that would oversee fast and efficient diceless combat:
» There are no game rounds. A single, calculated total combat roll comparison determines the outcome of the entire battle between opponents.
» Better attackers have the combat advantage.
» Inflicting more damage gives an advantage.
» Having more Health Points gives an advantage.
» Having a form of damage resistance (ie. Armour Rating) gives an advantage.
» Having extra attacks and defences gives an advantage.
» Being able to re-roll dice gives an advantage.
» Using personal Energy Point reserves to focus combat abilities gives an advantage.

CALCULATING A TOTAL COMBAT ROLL
So how would all these diverse parameters influence
the execution of diceless combat? Each character's total
combat roll is determined as follows (rounding down to
calculate each modifier):
Combat Value (modified by Attributes as appropriate)

+1 for every 10 damage the attack inflicts (Weapon Level x Damage Multiplier + Size Damage Modifier – but do not add any contribution from Combat Value)
+1 for every 20 current Health Points
+2 for every Extra Action Attribute Level
+1 for every Mulligan Attribute re-roll applied to this specific combat (which must be stated in advance)
+1 for every 10 Energy Points the character expends in this combat (which must be stated in advance – see Dramatic Feats, BESM4, page 195)
+1/+2 for applicable minor/major edges
-1 for every 10 damage stopped by the target's Armour Rating, if it is likely applicable in this combat
-2 for every Extra Defences Attribute Level that the target possesses
-1/-2 for applicable minor/major obstacles

What are your thoughts on this?

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Playing BESM4 Unattended

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