Combat 101

[Head Moderator]

Rules for Quest & Mission Combat
- First and foremost, the DM has the first, last, and final say. If you have an issue with how a DM is running something, bring it up to a Moderator AFTER the quest or mission.
- Dice are Rank Dice (no set dice)
- Life is half your dice + your Endurance + Willpower + Skill + Item.
- Class and Profession bonuses allowed!
- Magic Items & Enchanted Items allowed!
- Choose CM's or Spells per Combat!
- Two spells or CM's per combat unless you have something that gives you more!
- Skills allowed!
- One defense skill in use at a time!
- One attack/combat skill in use at a time!
- Remember your Innate Skills and Constant Skills
- Please time stamp all logs.

Per Combat
- 2 CM's or Spells unless you have something that grants you more uses.

Per Turn
This is what you can use on your turn of combat in one round.
- Innate Skills
- Constant Skills
- 1 "other" skill whether it is a one-time skill or a skill you've activated. This includes Legacy Skills.
- Previously activated skills if applicable.
- 1 CM or Spell. You may not use CM's and spells in the same combat. Choose one or the other.
- 1 Loot Item unless it is something that is considered constant like Combat Finger Sleeves or Arcane Finger Sleeves, or gloves that make your weapon catch on fire all combat. Be sure to "activate" any enchants that need it, using that as your one loot item that round, then count it the rest of the combat.
- 1 Weapon Enchant unless it is something that is constant such as "Phantom" or something that adds a bonus to every attack you make. Be logical, ask the DM if you aren't sure. If it's a one-time special enchant, you can use ONE.


Fighting
- Make your attack.
- Target states their Defense DC (10 + their Quickness Bonus)
- Roll your d20 to see if you hit, add your Strike Bonus (+Quickness).
- If your Strike hits their Defense DC or is higher, you hit them.
- If you hit your target, roll your combat rank dice.
- Add your Strength (melee) or Quickness (ranged) or Intelligence (magic) bonus to your roll.
- Roll your weapon/unarmed tech damage dice.
- State the end number of attack for the DM!

Example:

Tesarik One: Seeing the monster heading for her, she pulled out both of her swords (dual wield skill), and headed right for the thing. Right hand slashed one way, left hand slashed the other way as she attempted to strike the creature.
OnlineHost: Tesarik One rolled 1 20-sided die: 20
Tesarik One: ~*~ Tesarik One scored 2 poynts damage ~*~
Tesarik One: (23)
Tesarik One: Hit!
OnlineHost: Tesarik One rolled 2 52-sided dice: 38 24
Tesarik One: ~*~ Tesarik One scored 7 poynts damage ~*~
OnlineHost: Tesarik One rolled 2 6-sided dice: 4 6
Tesarik One: (+1)
Tesarik One: 7 + 4 + 6 + 1 = 18

Defending Yourself

- Before the actual fight even begins you should have stated your Defense DC to the DM/Proctor.
- Your Defense DC is 10 + Quickness. So if you have 2 points in Quickness your Defense DC = 12. Your attacker must roll a 12 or over to hit you.
- If your attacker hits you, then state any protective measures such as a skill, armor, etc. the DM/Proctor only gives a few moments to state, so keep up with what's going on!
- Your Armor is subtracted from the damage; for instance if you have armor that gives you a +5 DEF and the damage rolled on you is 10hp, you take 5hp damage.
- You may use one defense skill at a time!

[Head Moderator]

Critical Strikes, Fumbles & Misfires

Critical Strikes
- If you roll a "natural 20" (which on a 1d20 is a 20) it is considered a critical strike and it gives double damage of your combat rank dice roll ONLY.
**Special Note: If your critical is redirected, only the normal damage is redirected. Not the extra effect done by a critical.

Critical Failures
- If you roll a "natural 1" (which on a 1d20 is a 1) then you've made a critical failure. Which is no mater what, an automatic miss.
- Roll a 1d6

1 - You stumble when you attack, your target gets a full attack upon you instantly.
2 - You trip and fall, and lose a turn righting yourself again.
3 - You drop your primary weapon and must take a turn getting it back. (This is the primary weapon. If player does not have a "primary" then the weapon that would most benefit them to keep, is dropped.)
4 - You injure yourself. Roll your dice and take that damage yourself.
5 - You've swung too wide and hit another ally. Roll to determine who you hit, then roll your dice, they take that damage.
6 - You're lucky, nothing happens except you miss your attack.
((If the roll does not apply, such as an unarmed fighter dropping a weapon, or in a one on one spar hitting an ally, reroll failure roll))

Gunpowder Weapons Misfire
- If you roll a 1 on your Strike, roll another dice, a 1d6.

1- The firearm explodes, damaging the weapon. The weapon must be repaired before you can use it again, costing 1/4 of the gun cost. If using dual guns, only one breaks.
2 - The weapon's firing mechanism jams. Fixing the problem takes one round.
3 - Recoil from the weapon causes you to drop your weapon, takes a turn to reclaim the weapon if you still wish to use it.
4 - An imperfection in the muzzle causes the shot to go astray. Roll randomly to see who in the vicinity that the gun hits.
5 - You shoot yourself in the foot, roll your dice and take that damage yourself.
6 - Miss as usual.

Critical Failures using a Bow
- If you roll a 1 on your Strike, roll another dice, a 1d6.

1- The bow snaps, damaging the weapon. The weapon must be repaired before you can use it again, costing 1/4 of the weapon cost.
2 - The bow string snaps. Fixing the problem takes one round.
3 - You fumble using your bow, causing you to drop your weapon, takes a turn to reclaim the weapon if you still wish to use it.
4 - Something goes awry and your arrow hits someone in the vicinity. Roll randomly to see who in the vicinity that the arrow hits.
5 - You shoot yourself in the foot, roll your dice and take that damage yourself.
6 - Miss as usual.

Critical Failures using Magic
- If you roll a 1 on your Strike, roll another dice, a 1d6.

1 - You stumble while casting attack and the disruption in concentration makes the spell fizzle.
2 - You magically blind or stun yourself for 1 round
3 - Magical backlash leaves you unable to cast for 1 round
4 - Magic hits you instead of someone else
5 - Hit an ally with your magic instead.. Whoops.
6 - Miss as usual.

[Head Moderator]

Special Attacks
These are special attacks anyone can choose to make at any given time. Please state you are using one of these when you do it.

**When Using These, You May NOT Use A Skill As Well unless the skill states specifically it works for this particular special attack. These In Essence Take The Skills Role In Your Action.**

- Body Shield: You can take a hit for another person by jumping, running or diving in front of them if you are logically close enough to do so. You may ONLY body shield someone ONCE per round, no flitting about trying to body shield everyone. All damage goes to you. This must be logical! You may not use anything except your own armor or items to protect you (no using skills like evades, reflects, counters, bonuses or the like).

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- Bull Rush: Instead of attacking you can attempt to push a foe backwards. Both make strength checks, if you roll higher than you have effectively pushed/shoved/carried the foe and pushed them as many feet as your final strength number (d20+Strength bonus).

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- Coup de Grace: If a target is helpless (such as being unconscious or asleep) you may make a coup de grace attack upon the target and gain the bonus of a critical attack, double the dmg you roll with your rank dice. This can be done on missions/adventures with permission of the DM, and only to NPC's.

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- Grapple: This special attack allows for you to grab your opponent and pin them while you subdue them. The only damage done during a grapple AFTER the initial grab is Strength and Weapon Damage if reasonable and applicable (I.E.: Small one handed weapons like daggers or unarmed techs). Skills that allow traits to replace strength can not be used to deal damage or improve position.

Only skills or enchantments/improvements that specifically say they are for a grapple are allowed to be used as well as skills adding to strength or escape checks, depending on the situation. No armor can be used to defend against damage done in a grapple, though gear which adds to strength or escape checks can be used as normal for the appropriate checks.

When two people are grappling, they can only deal with one another. They cannot engage in other actions including attacks upon other opponents, healing allies, etc. This is not true for other opponents or allies, however. Attacks can be made, both targets are assumed to have defense DC 10 while they are dealing with one another. A healer can also heal someone involved in a grapple. It is DM's judgement whether or not those attacks/heals/etc. have a chance of hitting the wrong target.
DM also reserves judgement on whether other skills can be used to instantly escape a grapple (ie: combat teleportation should reasonably work for it, things that require more concentration like regular teleportation should not, but DM has final say.)

The one who is in control of the grapple (called "Grappler" in these rules), can break it and stop it at any time.

Step by Step, How It Is Done

[HASH]1) Grappler rolls a strike on the Target. If the Strike Hits (this is where the grapple begins for both parties) they grab the target and roll a normal damage hit, including rank dice, weapon damage (if applicable), and trait points. It is now Target's turn.

[HASH]2) On Target's turn, they choose what they wish to do from the following:
--Deal damage = Damage is dealt to the grappler, using half the total strength and weapon/unarmed tech damage. Once this is done, move on to the next turn.

--Improve position = Opposed strength checks (skills/items that increase strength, as well as grapple-appropriate skills may be used). If the target loses or ties, nothing happens and it moves on to the next turn. If the target wins, they become the grappler and their opponent becomes the target, and the turn moves on.

--Try to escape = An escape check may be rolled. YOU NO LONGER NEED THE ESCAPE ARTIST SKILL TO DO THIS, THOUGH IT WILL ADD TO YOUR ROLL. Resolve as improve position; escape test vs. grappler's strength test. If the target wins, they are freed, and combat will continue as normal.

[HASH]3) If grapple continues, on Grappler's turn the Grappler may do one of the following:
--DAMAGE: You may roll for an unarmed attack, natural attack (claws/bite), or light or one-handed small weapon attack upon the target. You get weapon damage + Strength Bonus. It is now the Target's Turn.

--RELEASE: You may release the target at any time, and the grapple ends.

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- Non-Lethal Strike: There are times when even the most battle hardened warrior knows it is likely best to knock their target out as opposed to knock them dead. This allows any person to try to knock somebody out cold. When stating this attack, you may use no other skill. You roll strike normally, and damage to include trait and weapon damages. When you get the damage total, you cut it in half. The attack was meant to stun not kill (use the flat of the blade, the haft of an axe, a fist to the chin, etc.) so it deals only half damage.

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- Pulling Your Punch: For some reason, there are times when you want to deliver a blow a little softer than you would at other times. You may land a blow upon an enemy with not the fullest force available to you. To "Pull Your Punch" you may opt to NOT add the Trait boost to damage. Your rank dice will always be used, and if you used a weapon, you will always add that. ONLY the TRAIT boost to your damage total may be pulled. If you do NOT use this Special Attack, you MUST apply all damage as normal.

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- Delay Action: You have the right to hold your attack in a fight. Pulling yourself back and waiting for just the right moment. You must state this on your turn. When you do, your whole action will be held until your adjusted turn comes into effect later in that round. This action means that you willingly taking a position lower in the Combat Order. Once this is done, you may NOT undo it. You will be held in the position you asked for when delaying your action.

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[Head Moderator]

Special Circumstances
These are some possible situations that will effect your character during the course of your game play.

- Innate Skills  are skills that are permanent for your character. Even in matches where it says "No Skills" you will see they allow Innate Skills. This is because they change the RULE you go by.
Example: Normally you roll Rank Dice + Strength Trait for damage. With Dexterous Fighter, you roll Rank Dice + Quickness. The rule has changed for you so what was a "skill" is now simply just a "rule" for your character.


- Hit Point Altering Skills: There are many skills that help boost hit points in this game. Some of them do it once you are wounded, some are once a day, some once a combat. There are however only a select few that do it on a more permanent basis. Meaning that they are always in effect (constant) or that they use another trait instead of Willpower or Endurance to figure your hit points. Much like the Innate skills, these "skills" become "rules" that define your character. So as before, do not get hung up on the word "skill" when speaking over these.


- Scoreboard Placement Skills: If multiple people in a match or in an Adventure find themselves with a skill that places them in the first place on the scoreboard, how that is determined is simply by rank. The one with the highest rank is allotted first place followed by the second, then by rolled order for the rest.


- Counter Attacking: Two of the most widely used skills are Acrobatic Backstab and Counter Attack. Hands down, you go on a mission, you will see one of these used in every combat. With that said we clarified some of this before, but I want to mention it again. These are for like based attacks. Meaning that melee counters melee, ranged counters ranged, magic counters magic.
Example: If you are using a sword and somebody across the fighting area uses a bow and misses, you do not simply get to run all the way over and claim a counter attack.


- Redirected Attacks
When an attack is turned back, only the damage done is turned back. No special effects, weaknesses, magical hiccups, racial/flaw weakness, not critical damage either. Only the normal damage is returned.


- Wrong Defense?
If you are attacked and you try to use a defense, but that defense is nulled or just does not apply, you have squandered your chance. Such as if an area suddenly erupts with flame, and you say "Oh! Sidestep!". You have lost your chance to instead maybe teleport out of the area if you have the ability to do that. Once your attempt is nulled you are left with no other option than to eat the damage. Meaning, only the appropriate defense points may be used to subtract the damage total.


- Helpless Target
If you are stunned, pinned or otherwise helpless (such as made to lose a turn) where you cannot react to attacks, you will lose all your Quickness Bonuses to your Defense DC while you are in said condition. Turning your Def DC to 10 while you are unable to take any action against attacks.
Special Note: If you are subject to a lose turn, it does not mean that you simply miss your chance to attack, it means you are helpless until you are free to act.  Whoever initiated the effect (such as the lose turn), it is in effect until the BEGINNING of that initiator's next turn.


- Surprised
If you fail your roll to spot or detect an ambushing enemy or even a trap, you are caught by surprise. The DM may decide that those skills you have to evade or redirect damage are forfeit. When you are "Surprised" you only are allowed your defensive measures (Armor, Loot, Unarmed Techs, etc) to reduce damage. After all, you can not properly evade something that you simply did not see coming.


- Weakness
If you are weak, be it racial or other, any wounds suffered by said substance are multiplied times 2 unless it specifically says 1.5.  If this weakness is applied to a weapon/vocation (poisoned, bludgeoning, silver, fire, piercing, etc.) ONLY the weapon/vocation damage rolled is multiplied (such as 1d5 piercing dagger, no rank dice, skills or traits) to avoid confusion. DMs can and will change this depending on their play style, but in High Impact Spars and Scar Matches only the weapon/vocation damage is affected by racial or flaw based weaknesses.  Other activities (Training Spars, Arcane Duels, etc) do not include racial or flaw based weaknesses to avoid confusion.  Other flaws are still applicable in Training Spars, just not weakness based flaws.

When applying defense, first you multiply the damage caused by the weakness, apply it to any other applicable damage for that attack, and then subtract the applicable defenses from armor or skills. 


- If My Weapon Has (Substance) Another Is Weak Against, What Gets The Double?
Only the roll from the weapon/unarmed tech damage will be multiplied unless the DM says otherwise.
Example: Bob is a Ruby Shield (2d80), uses a Silver Dagger (1d4). He hits a Lycan with a racial weakness to silver. Bob would roll his rank dice, add any skill, add any trait. THEN he rolls his weapon. Multiplying the Weapon Damage, and the Weapon Damage ALONE by 2, as the WEAPON was what had the silver in it.


- Attacking Underwater
Harder to hit, harder to wound beneath the waves. All strikes suffer a -5. Total damage is reduced by 1/4^th unless you have a skill or loot item that allows you to attack normally.


- Shooting Into Combat
The skill "Combat Marksman" is for people who use ranged weaponry, so that you do not chance and hit an ally while shooting into melee. This is only necessary if one of your allies is engaged in combat with the target you are attacking. If you do not have Combat Marksman and you attack a creature engaged with an ally, then the DM will roll to see which one you actually hit. There is an option....you may instead take a -5 to your Strike Roll, and you lose the chance that you might hit an ally; though you may lose the chance of hitting the enemy as well.


- Effects of Levels of Fear
Shaken: -1 to all rolls
Frightened: -2 to all rolls
Fear Stricken/Terrified: -4 to all rolls


- Effects of Levels of Sickness
Dizzy/Ill: -1 to all rolls
Nauseated: -2 to all rolls
Sickened: -4 to all rolls


- Effects of Levels of Tiredness
Tired: -1 to QCK and STR
Fatigued: -2 to QCK & STR
Exhausted: -4 to QCK & STR


- Fighting Blind/In Magical Darkness/Darkness or when Blinded
If you have Low Light Vision, and are in low light such as moon, stars, torch, ambient light, you hit what you aim at.
If you have Darksight, and are in NON-magical darkness, you hit what you aim at.
If you have Blindfight, you hit what you aim at.
If you have none of those, then you roll to hit your intended target. Then after you roll 1d(number of targets in the melee + 1). Each person gets a number, and the highest number is a miss. The number rolled is who or what you hit. Use Scoreboard to determine what numbers are to whom.


- Magic v.s. Mundane
Items in this game are either magic or mundane. They MUST be clearly marked in the Dossier as either magic or mundane. Some things, are simply not mundane, no matter what (such as a flaming sword). Some enhancements are in fact able to be mundane. If your item/good/tool/trinket does not say mundane and has an effect it will be counted as magical. This is the rule. There are no arguments. Also, you must have a good, solid and legitimate reason marked with the item in your dossier as to why it is mundane (such as it was made by Artisan crafting points, or it is Herbs that heal not magic, etc etc). Simply putting "mundane" in an effort to have a weapon work in a null magic zone is not going to work. Keep in mind that it is up to the DM to decide if Legacy weapons work in null magic zones.