Endurance!

 One of the interesting and often ignored rules of Classic Traveller was 'expending' points of Endurance to make melee attacks or sprint. CT was often about resource management. This rule was dropped from subsequent editions of the game. No one seemed to like it =I get six good shoots then I'm -3 to hit with my chainsaw? Something like that despite the fact that most people had a plethora of guns and could fire enough rounds to darken the sun.

I don't want to suggest using Endurance/blows, I have no desire to be lynched. However, what if Endurance could be expended to allow extraordinary efforts? Reserving this for PCs or important NPCs would improve a group's odds of survival, especially if you're using old style simultaneous action turns. It will also give players an incentive to cut and run rather than engage in long running fights. Once their Endurance runs out, no more playing action hero. As with all combat, your Endurance score is not changed due to wounds until after the combat. If you have Endurance 10, you have 10 Endurance for paying for Extraordinary Actions. Take six damage and your Endurance and points are reduced to 4 for the next fight. Endurance points are restored with 30 minutes rest, or sooner if you practice better living through chemistry! Drugs artificially increasing Endurance may increase the Endurance points as the referee judges. Endurance may be used for Extraordinary Actions affecting Psionics.

Here are a few Extraordinary Actions for consideration. 

  1. Double Move -what it says. Make a full move and attack or a half move, attack and then a half move again.
  2. Wild Swing -take Disadvantage (or a -1)  to hit and Advantage (or +1) to damage.
  3. Duck -Disadvantage (or -2) to be hit for one turn. You may not attack. If you are using Initiative, this move doesn't affect it.
  4. Double Attack -make an extra attack.
  5. In the Groove -Take Advantage on any roll.
  6. Power Strike -Add 1d6 to unarmed damage.
  7. Preemptive Attack -If you are using simultaneous actions your attack or action occurs first and te effects of any wounds you inflict are implemented immediately. If you take an enemy out they do not return fire. If you are using Initiative treat this as Surprise. If two or more characters pull this trick, they roll Initiative against each other but all their actions take place before anyone else acts. 
  8. Surprise Attack -Halve an opponent’s armor for one attack. this will only work once in a single fight. Everyone is watching you after this.
  9. Hard Body -Reduce damage of an attack by 1d6.
  10. Re-roll -Fail a roll and try it again.
More cinematic games may allow a character to use two or more points per turn. I assume no liability for any of this. :D


Comments

  1. I remember reading the endurance rule and thought it....interesting. We never really got into any melee fights in any of the games I've played or run. While I like the extraordinary actions (and have a few games that do this sort of thing via fate/grit/action/fortune/whatever fits the game motif point system) it is not something I'm likely to use when playing Traveller. It does allow for a more cinematic approach though if you want to play that sort of Traveller game. But a good idea!

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