2 years ago or so I GM:ed MC, and while some things with 2D20 are cool, some other things are not. One of these things were combat. It is sloooooooow to say the least. We ended up changing it so that we did not have any bodyparts to care about at all, but it is still clunky especially with the whole momentum mechanic.
Has anybody thought of a simplified combat system? I do have some ideas, but wanted to check first.
Have you tried the Mutant Chronicles adaptation for Savage Worlds?
This is an official variant edition of the core book, so it should be easy to adapt.
What exactly was so slow in your experience.
The Momentum mechanics are at the very core of the 2d20 system - every 2d20 variant for all the other 2d20 based RPGs uses them. So it is an integral part that is not easily to be replaced or even dropped.
In my experience, some practice for players and GM helps a lot. The Momentum spends, even the individual costs are soon known by everyone and used without delay.
And even before they’re memorised, it should be possible to put together a cue-card list as an aide-memoire. There’s possibly one already out there on t’interweb somewhere.
While MC3 is the earliest iteration of the 2d20 system, and thus more involved than e.g. STA, Momentum is still a key mechanic throughout 2d20. If you wish to do without that, but keep the MC setting, the Savage Worlds version could well be an easier solution than rewriting 2d20 without Momentum.
I will take a look at the Savage World’s version. It does not matter about memorizing, people are always taking their time trying to decide HOW to spend their momentum.
Christoffer, I share your views. I would however recommend an alternative. Savage Worlds isn’t too bad but it was kind of a bandaid to the 2d20 problem given that there was so little converted over. I was planning on going that route but it wasn’t worth the time when I already like a slightly House Ruled 2nd edition just fine and it was easier to translate the parts from 3rd that are missing into second than it was to translate basically everything from 3rd into Savage Worlds. I have a substantial number of products and both homebrew and compilations from 2nd edition that you are free to use if you would like. Let me know if you are interested and I can get you what I have.
*Just to be clear I think Modiphius did a great job with the setting over all and brought it to like in a way that the OG guys never did (except the areas around White Star and the Ancients. That was a decision making process that I do not think I will ever understand) but the 2d20 system just grinds my gears on pretty much every level. But again the Mod crew did a great job with the books for lore, life, and feel.
MC3 is unfortunately loooking a bit old now compared to newer 2d20 games. It has the most attributes, skills, has subskills, damage for hit locations.
Compared to say Achtung! Cthulhu, MC3 is quite slow. Personally I’ve not found it that slow in play with players who know the system, but try looking at some newer version.
I wouldn’t reccomend Savage worlds. I’ve never found it that fast in combat, and it breaks very easily. It was designed for Deadlands. I tried the rifts version and it just didn’t work well at all.
Have you worked the conversion yourself at all or know anyone who has?
My larger issue with 2d20 (aside from that its core it does nothing innovative and only adds steps and complexity to a basic roll) is that it seems like a gimmicky way to force players and GMs to work more collaboratively. Now there is nothing wrong with maximum collaborative play but I am opposed to a core mechanic existing to force the issue when it may not need to be forced at all.
On top of the idea of potentially playing using a more refined 2d20 I would also suggest doing as I have done and just porting over 3rd edition fluff and some critters into 2nd edition. 2nd can be cumbersome as well but if you just play with the mass combat rules as a standard its pretty quick and still quite tactical.