Rules - Combat
- Rounds & Actions
- Zones & Range
- Melee/Ranged Combat
- Weapons
- Health & Damage
Rounds & Actions
Round
A round is about 5-10 seconds. The point in initative order at which you can act is called your turn. A *stretch* is about 5-10 minutes, its used for some talents and abilities. A *shift* is about 5-10 hours, it is used for long tasks, exploration, travel, resting and healing.Player Initiative
At the start of combat, players draw an initiative card from a deck of cards. Low cards act first. *Alternative*: players roll a single die each to determine the player order, ties are decided by the players.GM Initiative
Each enemy has a static default initiative score listed in it's stat block. The GM draws a number of initiative cards equal to the number of players. *Alternative*: The GM rolls a number of dice equal to the number of players plus one and pick the highest value, if this beats all of the player rolls, then GM goes first.Turn Order
All characters and enemies are placed on a single turn track in descending order of their initiative (from highest to lowest, alternating between player and GM). Any remaining enemies act at the end of the round.Actions
Characters get a total of 3 actions per round.Usually you cannot use the same action more than once per turn. Some talents allow you to take the same action again in the same turn.
Some actions allow you to *split* the dice, allowing you to use the same action more than once in the same turn. but you have to divide the number of dice you are going to roll on each action. You can divide however you want, but each action should have at least one *attribute* die and one *skill* die.
All actions are refreshed at the start of the round.
Examples of actions :
Move, Attack, Aim, Reload, First Aid, Intimidate, Cast a spell
Special Actions
- Aim - If you aim, your next ranged attack gets a +2 modifier.
- Reload - Some ranged weapons like bows and slings need to be reload every turn before you attack with them. For crossbows, you can keep your weapon loaded while you execute other actions.
- Dual wielding - If you are fighting with two one-handed melee weapons, and one of them is a light weapon, you can use another action to use the Attack action again in the same turn, as long as you are using the other weapon. in this case, you need to split your dice pool. Which means you must divide the number of dice from your Melee skill however you want. Your first attack is made with some of the dice from your pool, and the second attack uses the remaining. Weapon bonus dice are added after you split your pool.
- Stand Up - If you are prone, you can stand up and move with the same action, but you must succeed on a Mobility roll.
- Jump - You can move and jump in the same action, but you must you succeed on a Mobility or Athletics roll.
- Disengage - If there are enemies in close combat with you, you must succeed on a Mobility roll to move. You need one success for each enemy close to you. If you fail, you take one Stress, and must spend an extra action to move. If the character doesn't have any actions left, he cannot move.
Out of Turn Actions
A player can attempt to take a single action out of it's turn. To do this, you must roll an AWARENESS check. If the check succeeds you can execute your action before the action that you are interrupting (this action still count as one of your 3 actions). If you fail the check you get a point of Stress. You can attempt this action only once per round.If the player wants, he can delay one of his actions to happen after his own turn.
At any time before the end of the round, the player can interrupt to use his delayed action. A delayed action happens after the current character or enemy turn.
Reaction
Reactions are defensive actions your character takes when he is attacked. The character has a number of Reactions equal to the AWARENESS score minus 1.During combat, you spend Reactions to try to dodge or block attacks directed at the character.
If the character is attacked and you have no Reactions remaining, the character cannot dodge or block the attack.
Reactions are restored at the beginning of the round. Some attacks can only be *dodged*.
Zone & Range
A conflict is typically played out using a map.
The map is divided into zones. A zone can be a room, a corridor, or an area of ground.
Ths size of the zone can varies depending on the environment, but is usually no larger than 25 meters across.
Zones can have features, which may affects the actions performed within them.
Examples:
- Cluttered: roll for Mobility when move into the zone. Failure means you fall.
- Dimly lit: Perception and Ranged attack rolls get a -2 modifier.
- Cramped: The character can only crawl and its impossible to use Heavy weapons like axes.
Range
The distance between your character and an enemy is divided into five range categories.- Close: The enemy is in the same zone, at arms-length, threatening the character.
- Short: A few meters away, in the same zone.
- Medium: In an adjacent zone, up to 25 meters away.
- Long: Up to one hundred meters, or four zones away.
- Distant: As far as the eye can see.
Movement
As an action, a character can move from one zone to another adjacent zone.If there are one or more enemies close to the character, to be able to move to another zone you must make a Mobility roll.
You need one success for each enemy close to you. If you fail, you take one Stress, and must spend an extra action to move.
If the character doesn't have any actions left, he cannot move.
During your movement you can attempt to jump (roll Athletics), or open an unlocked door as a free action.
Melee / Ranged Combat
To attack in Melee the character must be in the same zone as the enemy. Some weapons allow
the character to attack enemies in Melee from an adjacent zone.
When you attack in Melee, you make a Melee roll and add the weapon bonus.
If the attack succeeds, it causes damage equal to the number of successes plus
the weapon base damage.
Enemies defenses are pre-calculated, and they can reduce the amount of damage caused.
Enemies have a pre-calculated damage on attacks.
When an enemy attacks a character, you can use a reaction to make a defense roll.
A character has a number of reactions per round equal to his Agility Score -1.
The number of success reduces the damage the character would take.
The most common defense rolls are:
- Mobility - agility based skill to dodge attacks.
- Melee - if you have a shield or a parrying weapon, you can try to block the attack.
To attack with a Ranged weapon, you roll a Marksmanship skill plus the weapon bonus, then apply the following modifiers:
| Factor | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Aim | +2 |
| Close range | -3 |
| Short range | - |
| Medium range | -1 |
| Long range | -2 |
| Distant* range | -3 |
| Large target | +1/+2 |
| Small target | -1/-2 |
| Dim light | -1 |
| Darkness | -3 |
If the character is close to the enemy, there is a -3 modifier to the attack.
*If you want to attack an enemy that is one range category farther than the max allowed by the weapon, you must use an Aim action, with a total -3 modifier to the attack.
Weapons
- Bonus - Indicates if the weapon grants any bonus to the attack.
- Damage - Indicates the base damage of the weapon. This is the damage caused if the attack succeeds.
- Range - The maximum range you can attack with this weapon. If not defined you must be at close range to attack with this weapon.
- Weight - How many regular items the weapon counts as for encumbrance.
- Features - Any special properties, including the type of damage the weapon causes (B - Bludgeon, P - Piercing, S - Slashing)
Melee Weapons
| Weapon | Bonus | Damage | Range | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unarmed | - | 1 | - | B |
| Knife | +1 | 1 | - | S, Light, Throw |
| Dagger | +1 | 1 | - | S/P, Light, Throw |
| Falchion | +1 | 2 | - | S/P |
| Shortsword | +2 | 1 | - | S/P, Parrying |
| Broadsword | +2 | 2 | - | S/P, Parrying |
| Longsword | +2 | 2 | - | S/P, Heavy, Parrying |
| Two-Handed Sword | +2 | 3 | - | S/P, Heavy, Two-handed, Parrying |
| Scimitar | +1 | 2 | - | S/P, Parrying |
| Handaxe | +2 | 2 | - | S, Throw |
| Battleaxe | +2 | 2 | - | S, Heavy |
| Two-Handed Axe | +2 | 3 | - | S, Heavy, Two-handed |
| Mace | +2 | 1 | - | B |
| Morningstar | +2 | 2 | - | B |
| Warhammer | +2 | 2 | - | B |
| Flail | +1 | 2 | Short | B |
| Wooden club | +1 | 1 | - | B |
| Large Wooden club | +1 | 2 | - | B, Heavy, Two-handed |
| Heavy Warhammer | +2 | 3 | - | B, Heavy, Two-handed |
| Staff | +1 | 1 | Short | B, Two-handed, Parrying |
| Short Spear | +1 | 1 | Short | P, Throw |
| Long Spear | +2 | 1 | Short | P, Two-handed |
| Pike | +2 | 2 | Short | P, Heavy, Two-handed |
| Halberd | +1 | 2 | Short | S/P, Heavy, Two-handed |
| Trident | +1 | 2 | Short | P, Two-handed |
Ranged weapons
| Weapon | Bonus | Damage | Range | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock | - | 1 | Medium | B |
| Knife/Dagger | +1 | 1 | Medium | S/P |
| Axe | +1 | 2 | Medium | S |
| Spear | +2 | 1 | Medium | P |
| Sling | +1 | 1 | Medium | B, Reload |
| Short Bow | +2 | 1 | Medium | P, Reload, Two-handed |
| Long Bow | +2 | 1 | Long | P, Reload, Two-handed |
| Light Crossbow | +1 | 2 | Long | P, Reload, Two-handed |
| Heavy Crossbow | +1 | 3 | Long | P, Reload, Two-handed, Heavy |
Health & Damage
Stamina
Stamina represents how much the character can endure punishment in combat. Stamina is defined by the character's class, plus his BODY score.
When an enemy attacks and hits the character, reduces his Stamina by the amount of damage caused, after reducing the damage by his defense and armor.
If the character's Stamina reaches 0, the character is broken and any futher damage causes 1 Wound.
Stamina is usually recovered by resting or healing, but some talents can also recover Stamina.
Wounds
Wounds represents physical trauma suffered in combat, they are more dangerous than the small cuts and bruises represented by losing Stamina.
For each Wound you suffer, roll on the physical critical injuries table.
Wounds require longer periods of resting or magical healing to be restored.
Stress
Stress represents your mental and emotional resilience. You can accumulate Stress up to your SOUL score without any effect.
Any Stress above the character's SOUL score, adds Stress dice to your rolls.
When a Stress die results a success, this success is NOT added to your success total, however the character gains 1 WP.
When a Stress die results on a failure, this is a critical failure, and the character gains a condition.
After resting, Stress always resets to 0.
Conditions
When you roll Stress dice, and it results in a critical failure the character gains a condition.
The condition may vary according to the Attribute used in the roll that resulted in failure.
When the character is already afflicted by a condition, the number of critical failures must be greater than the current condition level to increase the condition.
If the number of critical failures is lower or equal to the current condition level, the character receives an extra Stress.
If any condition goes over level 3, the character is broken and suffers a critical injury.
- Body/Agility - Exhaustion - Exhaustion reduces your number of actions by 1.
- Mind/Awareness - Dazed - Reduces your number of reactions by 1.
- Soul - Fear - When afraid you are unable to use your skills effectively, on any roll you reduce the total successes by 1.