So, quick question.

Which system do you feel has the most realistic combat? It's one of my biggest complaints of D&D. "I quietly sneak up and stick my dagger into the guard." GM:" Ok he spins around with his draws his sword, he still has 40 hit points left." I know the GM can change the rules a bit to fit the intent, but I mean, just how many sword strikes can you expect one man to take?

I want something that resembles just how lethal combat really is. Real world I take a baton and hit you in the head, you're gonna go down.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is better in showing how strawberry combat can be, but even then it misses the realism of combat.

Any suggestions?
This message was last edited by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 07:03, Sun 17 July 2016.

In reply to Croatoan (msg # 1):

I'd either go with Riddle of Steel or Burning Wheel.

Any system will do, all you need is a house rule that drastically reduces the number of Hit Points characters have. If your dagger uses up all their Hit Points, your target is dead.

However, most games go the route of the Monty Python Black Knight simply because if the guard hits you just once, you're dead too - and most players don't find that gives them the game experience they want.

Be careful what you wish for. :)

For verisimilitude, you will never beat Rolemaster.  Full Stop.  Period.  End of Story.

However... there's a reason the game is less-than affectionately called: Chart Master.

It uses a chart PER weapon.

Armor is identified in 20 types...

The game is based upon a d100 - so yeah... the charts are banangrams-level of crazy.

In my 40+ years of RPGing I have generally found that the more detailed and 'realistic' a combat system gets, the more it slows down the game. Just when everyone is all excited and keyed up, just when a movie (real life?) would become frenzied and chaotic, the game descends into tedium as dice are rolled (often several times), charts are consulted, rules are dickered over. A few seconds of real time can takehours around a table (weeks in PbP).

And, as GamerHandle notes, PCs can end up dead with disconcerting regularity. Unless you go the pulp route and give PCs great advantages over NPCs.

Lol I got moderated... my first time. I don't post on community threads much. After 12 years in the military the  "S word" didn't even register as a profanity.


Anyhoo, yeah I can see where being more realistic would make your came super slow. If anyone watches Lindybiege on youtube (Historian/weapon "expert") he has a playlist about his gripes about Rpg combat that brings up good points.


I wish there would be a better balance. I mean I take my turn then just stand there and accept the strike against me (Only battle master can counter). It's a bit silly.


I will check out the recommended games.