Unified Combat Round: take 1.

[Adam of The Old Kingdom]

All right then. the rough draft.

to allow all attack type to happen within the same timing of a combat round I needed to set a base line for all classes and then allow.

• The combat is 15 seconds. and contain 5 actions per round.

All forms of attack will need to plug in so in addition to HtH, we will add PSi, Ranged and Magic combat forms.
these forms will, over the life of a character add to the basic 5 action 15 second round.

the basic idea is that as you level, you will get a number of rapid actions. as in, a basic action can have an immediate follow up. this can be used to make 2 attack activities in the space of 1 action. such as some kicks, or aiming and firing, or a longer spell.
this also means that any class that grants attacks will be added as rapid actions. if players have more than 5 rapid actions, they may stack them to have 2 rapid actions. they may not stack more rapid actions than total rapid actions per round divided by 5. if rapid actions are not used in the round they are forfeit.

• Each combat type will closely resemble the current  HtH, because each basic action can be used for a spell or psi or ranged attack. but the bonus for the attack type will be taken from the appropriate combat type. HtH bonuses will not apply to other attack forms unless it it apt* for the spell or action.

*yeah, I just know there is some spell out there that uses a touch and PP based roll.

A class can have multiple combat types. if they do not they they can not access the normal bonuses for the attack type. for laughs every one starts with HtH basic and the Combat type for their primary class power.

Ranged combat, ie, guns, will link with specific WPs, so now WP, no combat type bonuses. yes, unarmed will need to be a WP.
so the extra part is the specific combat types, with basic advanced and special advanced (martial arts, assassin to name the known HtH types)

It is hoped that these few changed will allow most of the other things that plug into combat to be minimally changed, if at all (can you see my fingers crossed?) and to allow a common combat frame to allow all combat actions to happen reasonably but also allow juicers to fight cyborgs and ninja wizards.

[Adam of The Old Kingdom]

I have not provided actual tables because this is to present a concept rather than fill in the detail.

as a starting point, I wanted to take HtH as written and only remove the 2 attacks at level 1 which would be effectively replaced with the 5 base actions.

Magic combat would resemble the common class abilities for Wizard, Warlock, witch in that they get another spell action at some point, which would translate to a rapid spell action.

Psionics were very closely aligned to HtH, because it was conceptually aligned to actions of the mind. so Psi combat would again emulate the HtH table but with appropriate substitutes for psi power ups and actions.

Ranged. while I did flag it as the same as a WP I should have said WP archery. getting an arrow, aim and such cost actions, so the number of actions archery grants can be modified to align aim, load and fire actions to the 5 base actions and the per level rapid actions. this combat also had the view of working with modern guns. so short and medium busts as well as the concepts of Full Mellee bursts (replaced by action on action medium bursts) each WP would refine the general ranged combat frame to allow higher skill with a weapon type as WPs are meant to do.

[Adam of The Old Kingdom]

and while I think of it,
Boxing will have the 1 attack replaced with PE +2.
this will make it a body hardening and endurance skill, not "I did college boxing, look how it enhances my ninjitzu"