Dark Fantasy Core Set/Combat


 * 1) Pre-round chaos: This is usually everyone trying to shout actions, make hasty plans, or other activities before the start of the actual combat round.
 * 2) Initiative: Done individually: 1D10 plus/minus modifiers. Every 10 full points of this roll are an extra action. Order progresses from highest to lowest. Interrupts & some other actions (such as being knocked down) can move a character up or down in the initiative order regardless of the roll. Grappling actions are always at the end of the round--do not even bother with rolling initiative.
 * 3) State actions: Say what you are going to do. Changing your action needs a successful Wits check. Waiting for an action means the Game Master counts down the initiative until you act or give up waiting. This may also require a Wits check to start the new action after waiting.
 * 4) Attack roll: 1D20 plus modifiers; must exceed the target's armour class. A natural 19 or 20 is a critical hit--meaning the actual pip rolled before modifiers shows "19" or "20". A natural 1 or 2 is a catastrophic failure. Criticals hit automatically & cannot be defended. These do additional harm to the target such as double damage, broken bones, damaged armour, penalties to other rolls, or even instant death. Critical failures harm the attacker in embarrassing & often painful ways. The total amount rolled over 20 adds to the damage done. Regardless of armour, rolls under 5 total for melee or under 8 for ranged attacks miss the target.
 * 5) Defence: 1D20 plus modifiers; must exceed the total attack roll. Critical hits or surprise attacks cannot be defended. Success on the dodge, parry, or block roll means the attack was not successful. Parries add the skill level with the weapon to the defence roll. One parry may be made for every 2 levels of skill. Unskilled parries suffer a -5 familiarity penalty & requires an action. Dodging always requires an action. Blocking is a parry with a shield.
 * 6) Damage: Weapon damage, plus (possible) strength damage, plus the amount rolled over 20, plus other possible mods. Double damage from a critical hit applies to the total, not just the base. Using a weapon two-handed adds 1/4 the strength attribute to damage. Damage received is subtracted from hit points, then life points when no hit points remain. Shock is equal to the damage received, after subtracting for damage resistance & reduction. Shock is applied as a penalty for all actions for the remainder of the round, and for the next initiative roll.
 * 7) Resolution: The Game Master determines the fallout of the actions & of the round.

Each round is about 4-6 seconds, or 10 per minute. Time is flexible for storytelling, & not used to hard real-world standards.


 * First combat: -6 initiative, -4 to hit, & -2 damage; halved for those who witnessed battle before but didn't participate.

Attacking With Two Weapons Or Shield Use
Both weapons must be light, or one light & one medium encumbrance. If using a shield, the only requirement is that the weapon must be usable one-handed.


 * Attack only: one extra attack per action, but no defence
 * Attack & defend: one extra attack with the second weapon after the last attack of the round with the primary; parry as usual, but only with the second weapon
 * Defensive attack: parry once with the primary & once per skill level with the secondary
 * Total defence: parry once per skill level with each weapon; no attacks

Ranged Attacks
Ranged weapons subtract two for attack & damage for every range increment beyond the first. Ballistic arcs require at least 1/4 the linear distance as a ceiling. Thrown weapons have a maximum of five range increments, device-driven have a maximum of ten. Firing into melee means the target has 40% cover from others. This can be adjusted 10% either way by an aware target. Hitting a moving target subtracts one for every 5 points of their movement (actual, not maximum). Moving while shooting causes a -1 per point of movement. There is an additional -3 familiarity penalty for unskilled use with a ranged weapon, in addition the the -5 normally.

Charging
Charging does double damage. Setting a weapon to receive a charge does double damage to the charger. In either case, normal initiative is usually not needed & multiple attacks are generally not possible. Jump attacks, dropping down on someone from above, and the like is considered a charge.

Hand parries
Hand parries still cause damage even if successful: 1 point for stabbing & 1/4 damage from hacking or smashing.

Grappling
Grappling is done at the end of the round; do not roll initiative. Grab attacks must only hit the reflex armour class. Breaking a hold requires a contest of strength or agility. Unskilled grapplers suffer a -5 to the contest.

Disarming
Disarming To disarm, roll 1D20 plus attack bonuses & the defender rolls 1D20 plus parry bonuses, just as with an attack. The high roller determines if the defender keeps his or her weapon. Using both hands gives a +4 to either roll. Ties result in the weapons locking up. The attacker loses his or her weapon on a natural 1 or 2 on the attack roll, or if the defender rolls a natural 19 or 20.

Assistance Bonuses
You can aid another in their actions. This gives a +3 for proficiencies or attribute checks, or increases apprenticeships by one level. Flanking is when you are being assisted in attacking another. Both attackers receive a +3 on the roll. Attacking a helpless foe, one on the ground, or a strike from behind (if unnoticed) gives a +4 to hit. Attacking from the ground causes a -4 penalty.

Combos
Combination actions, or combos, are when more than one skill is combined into a single action. These aren't intended for starting characters (being developed in play) & don't require skill points.

Sample combos

 * Drunken Stagger: useful to fool people into thinking that you are more intoxicated than you really are; requires Acting and Dodge; your dodges look more like happy accidents
 * Faux Mastery: you can make items that look like masterpieces to all but the most careful checks, but don't have the same cost (in time or money) to make & don't perform as well as the real deal--it's very pretty junk; requires Forgery & an appropriate crafting skill
 * Jump Kick: also called a flying kick; requires both skills and does double damage if both checks are successful
 * Parry/Grab: requires Grab and Hand Parry; you may grab automatically with a successful parry; may also be combined with Wrist Lock
 * Reverse Turn Kick: this spinning kick requires Dodge and any kick skill; roll to dodge first and if successful, roll to kick; this only uses one action total
 * Sticky Hands: requires Dodge and Grab; you hold onto your opponent with one hand (a light touch is all that is needed), and read his or her actions; you receive a +3 on dodges against that person, and may have cover from their body against attacks from others
 * Voynich Cipher: requires Distinguished Expertise, Literacy, & either Arcane Symbols or Glyph Writing; you can craft a fake spellbook or scroll that seems legitimate to all checks except that it doesn't actually contain any real occult knowledge; most mages will assume they just didn't understand it properly to use; alternatively this can be used to craft an unbreakable secret code--unbreakable as it doesn't really encode anything

Fighting defensively
+2 to parry, but -4 to attacks

Total defence
+2 to armour class & double the number of parries (i.e. once per skill level); dodge twice per action; may be combined with fighting defensively if still armed, but cannot attack; total defence takes the whole round

Hit points
Hit points are subtracted from damage received before life points. When all hit points are lost, make a Willpower check to stay conscious.

At zero or fewer life points, roll system shock to avoid lapsing into a coma. At negative life points, take an additional wound equal to the total negative number each round, if untreated. -5% penalty to the system shock roll for each negative point.

One wound is received for every 10 points of damage from an attack. Each wound causes an additional point of damage at the end of each round until treated.

Damage reduction
Damage reduction subtracts one from every attack per point of reduction. Damage resistance is the percentage of the damage that is avoided & is figured before damage reduction.

Saving throws
Saving throws are a 1D20 roll made to avoid something harmful. An endless number of these rolls & their associated bonuses are possible. As with attacking, a natural 1-2 is a catastrophic failure & a natural 19-20 a critical success. A successful roll can either avoid the damage or other hazard completely, or can reduce it by half, depending on the nature of the problem at hand.

Armour Considerations & Encumbrance
Armour class may be measured as reflex, fortitude, or total. For most attacks, only the total needs to be used. Reflex armour class is without the benefit of protective armour covering. Fortitude armour class is without the benefit of actively trying to avoid being hit.

Trained
 * No Encumbrance: No penalties
 * Light Encumbrance: Skill penalty (swim, climb, sneak, acrobatics, etc.)
 * Medium Encumbrance: ¾ Speed penalty, skill penalty
 * Heavy Encumbrance: -2 Initiative penalty, 1/2 Speed penalty, skill penalty
 * Very Heavy Encumbrance: -8 initiative penalty, -8 attack penalty, -5 damage penalty, 1/3 Speed penalty, -12 additional skill penalty
 * Heroic Encumbrance: Barely able to move/fight, -12 initiative penalty, -10 attack penalty, -8 damage penalty, skills nearly impossible -20 additional skill penalty, 1 point of fatigue per round

Untrained
 * No Encumbrance: No penalties
 * Light Encumbrance: -2 attack penalty, -3 additional skill penalty (swim, climb, sneak, acrobatics, etc.)
 * Medium Encumbrance: -2 initiative penalty, -3 attack penalty, ¾ Speed penalty, -5 additional skill penalty
 * Heavy Encumbrance: -5 Initiative penalty, -5 attack penalty, -2 damage, 1/2 Speed penalty, -8 additional skill penalty
 * Very Heavy Encumbrance: -10 initiative penalty, -12 attack, -7 damage, 1/3 Speed, -15 additional skill penalty
 * Heroic Encumbrance: Barely able to move/fight, -15 initiative, -12 attack, -10 damage, skills nearly impossible -25 additional skill penalty, 1 point of fatigue per round

Weapon encumbrance isn't affected by training.
 * Light: either hand
 * Medium: one-handed at a -2 initiative penalty
 * Heavy: must be two-handed
 * Very Heavy: two-handed with -2 initiative penalty & -1 attack penalty
 * Heroic: -5 initiative penalty & -3 attack penalty; heroic encumbrance weapons receive no 2-handed damage bonus

Evasion
Evasion is used for dodging multiple attacks. Roll to dodge at a -6 & apply the result to all attacks for the round, regardless of number. This counts as total defence.

Cover
Cover is when part of a protective or concealing object is between you and your foe. Each 5% cover subtracts one from the attack roll for both parties. 90% is the maximum cover that still allows counter-attacks.

Falling
Falling damage is based on the landing surface, typically 1D8 or 1D6 per 10 feet fell. Save vs. crushing blows for half damage at a target equal to half the distance fallen in feet.

Fatigue
Fatigue is caused by being too tired & worn out, from actions, the environment, et cetera. Each point of fatigue subtracts one from every roll while fatigued.

Fire
Being on fire or walking through very hot flames causes 3D6 damage per round; save against heat/fire for half damage. The target for the saving throw is equal to the damage received, but for continuous contact with flame the target number for the saving throw is equal to the cumulative damage. Torches do 1D4 + Strength damage as a smashing attack, +2 points for the flame. Flaming arrows likewise do an additional two points of damage. This is applied to the total, rather than as a separate "attack" for damage reduction purposes.