The Turn Based Combat Thread

PedroSteckecilo

Mexican Fugitive
Feb 7, 2008
6,732
0
0
People who hate Turn Based Combat please turn back to whence you came, this is not a thread for you. This is also not a thread to say why Turn Based is or isn't better than realtime. No, this is to be a discussion on the Systems used for Turn Based Combat in RPGs, SRPGs and the very rare Turn Based Strategy Game.

Not as clumsy or random as Real Time; an elegant gameplay style for a more civilized age

So, what are your favorite Turn Based Combat Systems? Why do you like these ones? What makes them special?

What changes, additions, modifications and new ideas would you like to see integrated into this fading, but still around, style of gameplay?
 

Baby Tea

Just Ask Frankie
Sep 18, 2008
4,687
0
0
The Civ series and the Disciples series are my favourite.
I'm not a JRPG person, though, so I can't really reference them too much.
 

Grenbyron

New member
Dec 31, 2008
178
0
0
Civ and Final Fantasy Tactics are two of my favorites. Its kind of a quasi-turn based but Ogre Battle was also good.
 

Grand_Poohbah

New member
Nov 29, 2008
788
0
0
I love turn based RPGs the ability to pick an attack and watch it be executed makes the combat look so much more crisp than I could ever accomplish with a real time game.
 

bad rider

The prodigal son of a goat boy
Dec 23, 2007
2,252
0
0
Final fantasy 9, first one I played. As in went for all the goods and really got into.
 

NDWolfwood5268

New member
Dec 3, 2008
101
0
0
I absolutely loved the FF8 system. Magic junctions to adjust attributes and attack characteristics made it seem much more intelligent than just 'this armor rocks' and 'this weapon pwns'. I had the best weapons, with one guy having sleep junctioned, another with poison, and the last with blind. This setup made me able to defeat every boss, including Omega weapon, but didn't reduce the game to easy mode.

I would faint if I ever saw this system integrated again with more options (more magical effects, fire/ice/thunder wasn't too great on weapons) and especially in todays graphics. Maybe particle effects emanating from the weapons based on the magic selected.

After FF8, all other turn based systems seemed sub-par to me. I long for the return of that majestic element of preparation needed for FF8 fights...
 

wewontdie11

New member
May 28, 2008
2,661
0
0
I enjoyed the combat in FFVIII very much. As stated, it's not as frantic as free form combat and allows for a little more tactics, which is always nice.
 

suiraclaw

New member
Nov 26, 2008
30
0
0
Pretty coincidence you made this thread the exact same moment as my user review featuring a game in this category.

I hated FFT on GBA, but the one on PS was pretty good. Besides that, fire emblem (played all GBA games) and tactics ogre were fantastic. Lastly, dofus arena keeps getting better.
 

scarbunny

Beware of geeks bearing gifs.
Aug 11, 2008
398
0
21
NDWolfwood5268 said:
I absolutely loved the FF8 system. Magic junctions to adjust attributes and attack characteristics made it seem much more intelligent than just 'this armor rocks' and 'this weapon pwns'. I had the best weapons, with one guy having sleep junctioned, another with poison, and the last with blind. This setup made me able to defeat every boss, including Omega weapon, but didn't reduce the game to easy mode.

I would faint if I ever saw this system integrated again with more options (more magical effects, fire/ice/thunder wasn't too great on weapons) and especially in todays graphics. Maybe particle effects emanating from the weapons based on the magic selected.

After FF8, all other turn based systems seemed sub-par to me. I long for the return of that majestic element of preparation needed for FF8 fights...
Agreed, just with out the sucky draw system.

I quite like the turn based nature of the Total War series, just skip the real time battles
 

Powerman88

New member
Dec 24, 2008
272
0
0
Turned based RPGs were born and died with Shinning Force for the Sega Genesis. I haven't played the game in years so this might be the nostalgia talking, but I remember absolutely loving everything about the game.

NDWolfwood5268 said:
I absolutely loved the FF8 system.
I don't mean to be a jerk and change the subject of this forum, but FF8 had to be about the worst FF game ever; in terms of gameplay systems, characters, and plot. The combat system was one of the most flawed i can think of; use summons every battle until the game is over. Not to start a flame war, but that game gets me so fired up because of its piss poor quality!!
 

Jandau

Smug Platypus
Dec 19, 2008
5,034
0
0
Galactic Civilizations 2 + Expansions. Epitome of 4X games. Can kill days without you even noticing. Just the right ratio of ease of use and complexity.
 

Graham

New member
Dec 5, 2008
83
0
0
bad rider said:
Final fantasy 9, first one I played. As in went for all the goods and really got into.
FF9's system was fantastic because it went back to the basics so well.

Personally though, of all the Final Fantasies I'd have to give it up for 6. The combat was straightforward and since the leveling was so customizable no two fights ever felt the same.
 

PedroSteckecilo

Mexican Fugitive
Feb 7, 2008
6,732
0
0
My personal favorites are as follows...

Shadow Hearts: From the New World, a sort of hodgepodge mix of Timed Hits and FFX's conditional turn based battles with a few new and interesting additions to it in the form of Combos and the chargeable special gauge.

Digital Devil Saga 2, I love the "Press Turn" system from these games, sort of a broader and more difficult system where Hitting an enemy's weakness gains you a turn, but hitting their strength, or missing your attack makes you lose one. Same rule applies to the enemies.

Persona 4, the "One More" is a great distilliation and faster paced distillation of "press turn" and the added Follow Up attacks and other such special actions from your allies really makes these battles fun. That and the All Out Attack is still a joy to enact and watch.

Valkyria Chronicles, I love the mix of the Potentials, the "Action Game" aiming and real time avoidance of enemy fire and how it's all framed in a nicely methodical turn based style.

Wild Arms 5, what can I say, I love the mix of seemingly standard Turn Based Combat with their amusing and innovative Hex Board System. That and team up attacks are always welcome and encouraged.
 

Vlane

New member
Sep 14, 2008
1,996
0
0
My favourite TBCS has to be the one in the SMT games. Preferably the one in DDS but the Persona battle system is also great.

I heard good things about the Chrono Cross (actually every Chrono game) battle system but I haven't played that.
 

MasterMuffinMan

New member
Aug 19, 2008
62
0
0
I liked KoTOR 1's combat system, there was a bit more freedom than in some Turn Based games. Personally, I got a kick out of lining up a load of attacks and then panning the camera round to watch the epicness unfold.
 

Vlane

New member
Sep 14, 2008
1,996
0
0
PedroSteckecilo said:
Digital Devil Saga 2, I love the "Press Turn" system from these games, sort of a broader and more difficult system where Hitting an enemy's weakness gains you a turn, but hitting their strength, or missing your attack makes you lose one. Same rule applies to the enemies.
Don't you lose two turns when your attack misses or use a skill which the enemy is strong to and gain a half turn when you use a skill he is weak to?
 

PedroSteckecilo

Mexican Fugitive
Feb 7, 2008
6,732
0
0
Chrono Cross had an interesting battle system that was similar to the one in Xenogears mixed with some interesting variations.

You had 7 Attack Points and 3 Attack Options per character, Weak attack took 1 Point, Medium Attack too 2 and Strong Attack took 3. Each attack increased the Accuracy of the next one and built up a Power Gauge that you could use to cast Spells and use Abilities. As well you had an Elemental Field at the top of the screen that changed everytime an elemental spell was cast, if you filled it up with an element you could cast a powerful summon using that element.