IAttackPotential

While attempting to sort out the Full Attack Budget issues (which I surfaced to priority while working on making UI for Choice Actions), I started refactoring IFullAttackBudget, which is implemented on action budget items that provide information during a full attack action. My refactoring led me to create IAttackPotential, and an emphasis on item slots (holding slots mostly, but also natural weapon slots) and weapon-heads rather than weapons as in the original implementation.

This seemed to work well for me through two-hand wielding, double-weapon wielding (with a few twists that I had to amend to my initial design), and natural weapon wielding (such as claws [potentially] in a holding slot).

Then I got to rapid shot. It is defined as providing an extra ranged attack, but for some reason I thought it only allowed an extra projectile weapon attack. The distinction is that a ranged attack can be a thrown weapon, and since I was focused on weapon-heads and item slots, holding a throwable dagger (or improvising a thrown anything else) would be blocked because the weapon head’s weapon wasn’t a projectile weapon.

And this will lead to a few further problems with my (new) current implementation…mainly I have to isolate any attack that uses rapid shot from sequence interference; that is, the extra attack should be at “full” attack bonus, not affected by iterative penalties, but affected by off-hand penalties. If the hand has run out of sequential attacks, the rapid-shot attack is still allowed.

Choices

I set myself on the task of implementing choice actions, and quickly came upon the “problem” of showing the choices when the action is no longer available. Solved with a LocalActionBudget “Choices” list that tracks the last choices for choice actions (for UI display and default when the choice action becomes available).

But this led me to full attack sequencing (especially with two-weapon and multi-weapon fighting), and all the problems with dropping, quick drawing, two-hand wielding, double weapon wielding, natural attacks, thrown, splatter and projectile weapons. Then trying to build a process to determine whether an attack is allowed, and what penalties apply.

I believe it will all come down to tracking “holding slots” rather than weapons or weapon heads.

Assume the first attack (as a regular action) is with a weapon wielded one handed, and the other hand is free (unarmed), wielding a shield, or wielding a weapon. Without two-weapon fighting turned on, only the one hand can attack, and possibly get multiple attacks if the base attack is high enough. If the weapon is dropped, a new one can be drawn (with quick draw) and continue attacking through the progression. This should be true whether the newly drawn weapon is one-handed, light, or two-handed.

Now assume two-weapon fighting is turned on when the first (regular) attack is made. The main hand attacks, the off-hand attacks, the combatant drops all weapons so that all hands are free, then draws a great-sword (two handed). If the base attack bonus is high enough for iterative attacks can the combatant make a second “main hand” attack even though the off-hand attack was used (assuming no improved or greater two-weapon fighting feats)? If the off-hand attack wasn’t used before drawing the great-sword, could the combatant then drop the great-sword, quick-draw a new weapon in the off-hand then continue with the off-hand attack?

So…not as easy as I first thought. Will take some noodling…