Combat in RPGs without tests: does it work and is it fun?
I'm a novice game master and beginner RPG creator, and I've been working for months on a survival horror action RPG system, somewhat like Savage Worlds or Call of Cthulhu, where ordinary people, with the help of faith and weapons, kill demons.
I wanted a system that didn't require that tedious combat test process:
Roll initiative and note it down, keeping it until the end.
Roll an attack test and possibly miss.
Roll damage and possibly it will be weak. And then repeat.
My idea so far is to use a card-based initiative and reaction system. Players draw cards, and whoever has the highest card starts. If they attack a creature, the next turn is that creature's, going to the next creature that hasn't acted yet with the highest card. Would this work?
For actions, I'm thinking of rolling a set of d6s, and each die is worth 1 action regardless of the value, but depending on the value, the type of action changes.
1-3 Strategic Action: Shooting weapons, moving, and general strategic support actions.
4-6 Violent Action: Physically striking, grappling, or using a melee weapon, and general aggressive actions.
The roll only dictates what your character can do, not whether they can or cannot. Would this work?
FEAR
I devised a mechanic where the GM rolls a hidden d6 at the beginning of each round. If a player rolls a die with the same value, the GM can steal the player's action and gain 1 terror point, which works like the fear points in Daggerheart.
I would like tips on this type of system without attack versus defense tests.