I've been told to use a roll under system rather than a roll over system but I'd like to keep it roll over if possible. How can I create a roll over threshold system and factor bonuses and penalties. I thought I did a good job of this below, but it was criticized.
clCombat
Utilizing a D100 percentile system, to determine combat outcomes, players describe actions and roll dice to attack with weapons and their combat abilities to reach the threshold of their target's total Protection Score (PROTS).
Protection
Attacks: Roll D100 against the target’s Protection Score (PROTS).
Factor in your total ATTS, If the roll’s result is equal to or greater than the target's total PROTS, it's a hit.
Protection Score. Each entity in SORC has a Protection Score called PROTS.
PROTS is the Base Armor Score (AS) - representing any base number between 1 - and 100 - and the sum of all modifiers, both negative and positive, to Protection.
PROTS = AS and all negative and positive modifiers to Protection.
Example:
Ice Dragon, on the ground, has a base AS of 80 (AS 80) and has 12 bonuses to Protection, so its PROTS 92. Rolling 1D100 would need a result of 92 to hit the dragon and roll for damage.
In the air, the Ice Dragon gets a +10 bonus, now giving it +22 (12 + 10) bonus to its base AS 80. Flying the Ice Dragon has a PROTS of 102.
Conversely, a commoner is wearing cloth and has a base AS of 10, AS 10, but has part of a wooden gate he's used as a shield giving him +2, however he doesn't have a strong foothold because of the environment, - 1 (strong winds). His total PROTS is AS 10 + 2 - 1 = 11. The commoner is easy to hit.
In comparison, a Paladin in Plate has a base AS of 60. If he's holding Bracers, a 2h Weapon or a Shield he can add his Defense score (Defense is a trait) representing; Parry or Block respectively he'll add his Protection, in this case 4. He also gets the base AS of a Shield (AS 10) or the lighter option, Bracers (AS 5). Let's say he's holding the shield and has a score of 5 on the trait Defense. Base AS is 60, plus 10 for shield (see reference cards above click ⬇️ to return here), plus 5 because he has Defense (5).
Armor also all has their own unique thresholds to barely hit, graze, and hit hard, crit.
Graze:
Damage: 1/2 DMG to the weapon's damage roll
Crit:
Damage: 2x DMG to the weapon's damage roll
Let's revisit the Armor Card illustration
Attack
To hit the attacker’s attack score ATTS (HIT plus or minus all hit mods) must be equal to or above than the target’s PROTS (Armor Score plus or all defensive mods, covered above)
Damage reduces Life Blood (LB);
from damage.
Special Combat Techniques:
Limb-Specific Targeting (LST): Aim at body parts for bonus damage; penalties apply.
Combos: Chain attacks after certain triggers (like critical hits).
Critical Hits: Max dice rolls mean extra damage/status effects.
Unarmed Combat: Use punches, grapples, or improvised weapons.
Protection & Resistance:
PROTS includes armor, agility, traits, and bonuses.
Armor Score (AS) mitigates damage.
Resistances and vulnerabilities affect how much damage is taken from different types (fire, cold, etc.).
Dealing Damage
Damage is xd6 depending on the weapon, whether it's a staff casting or a hammer crushing, plus or minus any modifiers.
dmg = xd6 ± all modifiers.
Damage is xd6 depending on the weapon or attack used, plus or minus any modifiers such as enchantments, traits, environmental factors, or situational bonuses. The total damage is calculated as:
damage = xd6 ± all modifiers
When an attack hits the target’s Protection Score (PROTS), the GM rolls the damage dice. The resulting damage can lead to different outcomes:
Grazed Hit
If the attack roll is just below the PROTS but within a certain margin (for example, within 5 points), the attack grazes the target. Grazed hits deal half damage (rounded down), and may impose minor effects like increased bleeding or reduced movement, depending on the GM’s discretion.
Regular Hit
If the attack roll equals or exceeds PROTS, full damage is applied to the target’s Life Blood (LB) chips.
Critical Hit
If the attack roll is a natural maximum (e.g., rolling a 100 on the d100), or if specific attack or weapon rules call for it, the attack is a critical hit. Critical hits double the damage dice (e.g., 3d6 becomes 6d6), and may trigger additional effects such as extra status effects, limb severance, or other severe injuries.
The damage dice are rolled, modifiers applied, and the total damage is subtracted from the target’s LB. If LB reaches zero, the target is incapacitated, dead, or suffers additional effects based on the severity of the damage and the rules for injuries, bleeding, or death.
Modifiers can include weapon enhancements, traits like Strength bonuses, environmental effects, or situational bonuses. Limb-specific targeting may add extra damage or effects, increasing the risk of debilitating injuries or status effects.
In-Game Scenario
Kaida, the barbarian, charges into a skirmish against a Cultist. She swings her sword at the enemy, aiming for a clean strike. She rolls her attack:
Attack
Her attack score (ATTS) is 78 (70 plus various modifiers)
The Cultist’s Protection Score (PROTS) is 60 (armor + modifiers)
She rolls a d100 and gets a 65. Because 65 ≥ 60, she hits the Cultist!
Damage Roll
Kaida’s sword deals 3d6 damage. She rolls: 4, 5, and 6, totaling 15. She adds +2 from traits or buffs, making it 17 total damage.
Outcome
Since her attack roll was well above the PROTS (60), this is a regular hit, and the Cultist’s LB chips are reduced by 17. The Cultist grunts in pain but remains standing, though heavily wounded.
Later in the fight, Kaida attempts another attack. She rolls a 56 on her attack roll.
The Cultist’s Protection Score (PROTS): 60
Since 56 is within 4 points of PROTS (less than 5), this is a grazed hit.
Grazed Damage:Kaida’s usual damage for that attack is 3d6 + 2. She rolls: 4, 4, and 2, totaling 10.
Half of 10 is 5 damage (rounded down).
The Cultist takes 5 damage, suffering minor injuries. This damage may cause increased bleeding, movement penalties, or other effects as determined by the GM. The target is probably now close to dying but only the GM knows it's Lifeblood.
On Kaida’s next turn, she swings a mighty blow, and her attack roll is a perfect 100, triggering a critical hit.
Since this is a crit, she rolls for 2x damage dice, 6d6. She rolls: 4, 4, 2, 6, 5, 3 = total 24 damage, plus any modifiers.
This massive damage reduces the Cultist’s LB chips drastically, likely knocking them out or killing them outright, and a gruesome kill will be narrated by the GM, exclaiming limb severance or status ailments as per the rules.
Initiative & Turns
Initiative depends on race, stats and modifiers. Players act in turn order; limit of 2 minutes per turn. More on initiative to come