Ok, so what's the best RPG combat system you've seen... and why do you think its the best?

RPGPundit

Criteria?

Rolemaster: best crits, best flexibility in choosing offense vs. defense, and your choice of weapons is always meaningful instead of just another flavor of d8.

If looking for a specific subset of a system, Scion/Exalted's tick-based initiative is the best for me. It's incredibly easy to track, and simple to grasp.

Fuck, Jim, you can´t answer the question!
It was not a real question!

He didn´t say,...ahh forget it, just merrily babble all you want.

:rolleyes:

Rolemaster hands down.

-Options for focusing on attack vs. defense.
-Weapon choice matters, as well as armor choice. Wearing full plate vs. a breastplate vs. full leather armor had very different effects.
-Crit tables ensured that each combat action was exciting.

Um , Best Combat System?

 GURPS - but you knew I was going to say that.

 In all the games I've GM-ed over the years its been the most felexible one to use with players.

- Ed C.

My Favorite Game! The reason? It's My Favorite Game, of course! :O

-clash

Quote from: KoltarUm , Best Combat System?

 GURPS - but you knew I was going to say that.

He said best combat system, not blandest.  

Quote from: jgantsHe said best combat system, not blandest.  

 Well "BEST" would be paint pellet guns in an area with good line of sight, you silly grinning puppy.  No dice or charts to argue about.

 - okay BEST , in my opinion I should have added to my earlier post.


- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarWell "BEST" would be paint pellet guns in an area with good line of sight, you silly grinning puppy.  No dice or charts to argue about.

 - okay BEST , in my opinion I should have added to my earlier post.

I'm just kiddin' ya, put away the bat'leth.  

For my money, I'll go with Cyberpunk 2020's Friday Night Firefight system.  

I have to say, though, I've never been really satisfied with any combat system.

Stargrunt II.

Encounter Critical.  Just broken enough to be useful.  Not broken too much.

Depends what you mean by 'best'. If you're after quick and easy, its Tunnels and Trolls. If you want to combine quick and easy with some more detail, then there are various ways of doing that with FUDGE. I don't really hold with close simulationist combat, so I don't really have any opinions on how to judge such systems.

Quote from: RPGPunditOk, so what's the best RPG combat system you've seen... and why do you think its the best?

RPGPundit

In order
Harnmaster

The best combination of realism and playability I seen. Has a good selection of tactical options combined with an excellent injury system that is both brutal and easy to track. You can't play with out the one page chart so if you lose it you are screwed. The good news it is a free download so replacing it is easy. Armor is a little tedious because you will want to layer and you need to add up the values for two dozen hit locations. However this is a one time thing for PCs and the current edition has a selection of premade common "suits" for GM and player use.

GURPS 4th plus GURPS Martial Arts 4th.
 Note that the Martial Arts means ALL martial arts not just empty hand east asian fighting styles. Everything from your basic sword and shield to the latest in early 21st century styles.

These two combined make for one of the most detailed combat system that is a damn good game that is grounded in research and actual experience. It also has cinematic options. However I STRONGLY recommend making cheat sheets for character and GMs to use to reduce book flipping. The problem isn't the rule persay is that there just so much.

GURPS Martial Arts also include expansion (optional) to the system presented in GURPS 4th. They include new manueveurs that allow Defensive Attacks and Committed Attack these allow fighters to pick a combination of attack power and defense in a more continous spectrum from All out to defense to All out Attack.

Feints haves been extended to allow for ruses (where you trick your opponent) and beats (where you literally try to beat their weapon or shield out of the way of your attack).

There are Injury rules for hits that do damage of more than half Health. Somewhat similar to D20's Massive Damage but more nasty and detailed.

Plus dozens of techniques for doing different thing with your hands and your weapons ranging from the realistic to crazy ass wuxia stuff.

Finally a honorable mention to Hero System

Enjoy
Rob Conley

Rolemaster, easily.  I'll echo what previous folks said about flexibility--plus, once your characters are actually rolled up, it runs really smooth, and there's always this air of lethality and unpredictability in combat, as well there should be.  Yeah, 99 times out of 100, the dark knight is going to slaughter the pissboy with the pitchfork, but every once in a great while, that pissboy can get lucky...