Combat Proficiency

In a simple game, the combat proficiency of a character or creature is a simple numeric value from 1 to 5 for mundane expertise levels, and 6 to 10 for supernatural or magical, or divine levels.

So we have some intuitive possibilities for general combat proficiency:

Peaceable Civilian: +0
Street Thug: +1
Trained Martial Artist: +2
Seasoned Combat Veteran: +3
Elite Battle-hardened Warrior: +4
Elite Imperial Bodyguard: +5
... and anything above is someone magical, supernatural, demi-divine, or godlike.

In terms of the natural world - the same:

Small harmless animal/herbivore: +0
Small predator, or herbivore with some defensive prowess: +1
Canny predator, or herbivore that partakes of ritual combat in mating season: +2
Efficient predator, or large powerful herbivore: +3
Alpha predator, or large aggressive herbivore: +4
Super predator, or massive herbivore +5
... and anything above is something magical, supernatural, demi-divine, or godlike.

In the simple game, when such a creature or character makes an attack, roll the base dice (such as a simple d6) and add it's attack bonus (or more properly, 'combat proficiency bonus'). The total result represents the power and effectiveness of the attempt.

Any defensive move by the target would be a roll of the same, a base dice, plus the 'attack bonus' (which in this case of this simplest game, acts as a generalized 'combat proficiency' bonus that also reflects defensive ability).

These examples above do not take any weapon, armour or shielding into account, and presume the attacker and defender are using their limbs or other natural weapons and armour (unless you want to separately and additively deal with different offensive and defensive biologies such as the fang(s), claw(s) and nails, or scales and hide, etc.).

In a slightly more complicated game, the combat proficiency of a creature or character is split between offensive and defensive values, and these are mapped similarly as above, in the basic example: 1-5 and 6-10 for both attack and defense.

Next, read about Strength, an important attribute in combat.

See also: