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Some RPG systems are obviously more of a faff than they need to be, but it's not obvious where the faff lies, so I've made a system to guestimate it. Overall, I want something like 'Big-O notation' (a method for rating sorting algorithms). I want to prioritize measuring across different domains, even at the cost of sacrificing a little accuracy.
The basic idea is to count how many steps you have to take to resolve an action, and give each step a rating. Actions like 'adding two numbers' cannot be compared to 'rolling 3D10' perfectly, so I'm relying on rough ordinal ratings, i.e. 'adding 2 numbers' takes less time than rolling 3D10, so it should have a bigger faff-rating.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââââŽâââââââââŽââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ â Type (Abrev.) â Rating â Example â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââŠâââââââââŠâââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ⥠â Standard Addition (A) â 1 â Add Initiative Bonus â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââžâââââââââžââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââĪ â Unique Addition (U) â 2 â Add Initiative Bonus with Fatigue Penalty â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââžâââââââââžââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââĪ â Dice roll (D) â 2 â Roll 1D10 for Initiative â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââžâââââââââžââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââĪ â Dice pool (P) â 3 â Roll 4D10 and count how many are over '6' â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââžâââââââââžââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââĪ â Record information (R) â 3 â Note 3 HP lost â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââžâââââââââžââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââĪ â Tactical Decisions (T) â ? â Deciding which spell to use â ââââââââââââââââââââââââââīâââââââââīââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Let's have a look at D&D's 3rd Edition, and look at a player's shortest possible round:
Our total is 9, but clearly, the example lacks a lot of other possible scenarios. I don't know what to do about this, so my usual tactic is to count all optional actions at half their usual. I picked 'half', because it seemed easy. Science has abandoned us, and I can only shrug at any complaints.
With that in mind, let's add some more to D&D's round, with the assumption that we've hit:
That's a total of 15. Halving these optional attacks, and adding the initial one brings the total to 16.5.
Measurements can get even worse once we consider open-ended rules. For example, let's take the World of Darkness systems.
In theory, a WoD attack roll could simply miss, but when rolling 6D10, one of them will almost certainly hit. And weapons don't need to be used, but if they aren't, then we need to do additional movements with Bashing, Damage, such as only applying half to vampires.
At this point we've already reached a rating of 20 - higher than the worst realistic result with D&D, and we have plenty more options. It's not clear how many attacks one could have in WoD - with Celerity 5, you get 5 extra attacks, so I guess at least 5. A character (but not a player character) might have 10 extra attacks, so do we just multiply everything but initiative by 11? It's not clear where the limits of extra options come in, so I guess a reasonable ball-park figure is just to add each option once.
This brings our total up to 27 with a single extra attack. At this point, you you'd be better off playing D&D while dropping each die in a bowl of treacle.
The average D&D fighter has 5.5 HP, and the average Damage dealt with a two-handed sword (a reasonable starting weapon) is 5.5. If the fighter hits 50% of the time, that makes the average round's Damage 2.75, so two level-1 fighters might take 3 rounds before the battle's over.
While Wolf's a little harder to eyeball. We know what a level 1 fighter looks like, more or less. But a starting-out character might look like anything.
Since WoD characters all have 7 HP, fights can't go on too long, but it's hard to stick much of a number on that.
Take a system like Fate Core, and you'll notice it's much more streamlined. However, Fatecore achieves this mostly by removing parts. It cannot represent the difference between a knife and a sword - both are simply 'I roll to attack'. It cannot represent a fighter with big muscles fighting a well-trained fencer - both are simply 'I have the attack skill at +3'.
WoD and D&D compare similarly in this field, although WoD is a little better, as it distinguishes Brawl, MÊlÃĐe, and Firearms, while D&D simply has a bonus 'to hit'. Of course, the cost of this bonus is that we add those stats together during every roll.
You can't do anything with the conclusions from this system (nobody cares D&D got a rating of 9), but the journey remains informative. It's important to recognise every barrier placed between the players and the conclusion of a combat scene, and important to get out of the mindset of 'you just roll this', as if a roll didn't take up much time when done every other round.