Battle Rules

Combat scenes

A combat scene is any part of the story where fighting or fierce opposition happens. In a combat scene, characters interact in short, intense, opposing exchanges, and every action affects someone else. This usually covers fights, chases, ambushes, escapes, or even just a tense negotiation where every second counts.

Because combat scenes are special, we replace ordinary free narration with "rounds" and "acting in order".

Before combat starts

A fight always involves more than one side, so before combat starts, the first task is to work out who the opponents are.

Work out the characters' sensory ranges. A character with a larger sensory range, who notices a target sooner, can warn others about a target that hasn't noticed them yet. This counts as showing hostility, and that character is considered to have started a surprise round. In the surprise round, characters who haven't noticed the target still can't act, but a target that was hostile to begin with may be able to act in the surprise round.

Deliberate hiding

Without special abilities, deliberate hiding has three conditions:

First, to hide deliberately, you must choose a target and declare when you start (the target doesn't need to be in your sensory range; for example, if the character sees a sentry 500 meters away, they can already choose to hide from that sentry. There can be several targets).

Second, what you hide can be either the hostile act you are about to make in a sneak attack, or your own whereabouts.

Finally, to hide your intent, see the "Subterfuge Skill". To hide your whereabouts, see the "Stealth Skill".

For hiding with special abilities, see the "Detection and Locating" rules.

Sensing hostility

Sensing hostility means noticing, before combat starts, that a target means you harm.

Even when nothing stops you from making out the target, judging whether they are hostile, and so whether to enter combat, is hard.

As soon as one side shows hostility, both sides enter combat.

But unless side A shows hostility from the moment it enters side B's sensory range, side B usually can't enter combat at the same moment it perceives side A. (Of course, B can also declare hostility first. Then A, who hasn't shown hostility yet, is the one caught by surprise, even if A meant to get close and then turn hostile to surprise B.)

Drawing a weapon, going on alert, launching an obvious attack, and so on all count as showing hostility.

A subtle attack may, depending on the circumstances, make the other side think you have shown hostility (for example, when only two sides are present and one is suddenly hit by an invisible fist, it will most likely assume the other side did it).

A character can't sense hostility from a target they can't locate at all, but they can sense hostility from a target at an approximate location or a pinpointed target.

Surprise rounds

Because of "sensory range", "deliberate hiding", and "sensing hostility", not every unit in a fight realizes the fight has started when it begins. All units that have realized it get a short window to act before the units that haven't. This is called a surprise round, and a surprise round always has an initiator.

In the surprise round, only the units that started the surprise can act.

If a character is immune to surprise, they can join the surprise round and act in it whether or not the surprise worked on them.

In a surprise round, a unit that can act can take only one move action, one standard action, or one swift action; the number of free actions is still unlimited.

Combat begins as soon as the surprise round starts. Every unit that can act in the surprise round makes an Initiative roll (that Initiative carries over into the normal combat rounds), and the results decide who acts first in the surprise round. As a special rule, the initiator always acts first, whatever their Initiative, that action must be a hostile act, and the initiator can't use a readied action or delay.

In the surprise round, units that can't act count as flat-footed at the Unranked level. For what flat-footed means, see below or the "Conditions" page.

Note: once combat has started, without special abilities, a target can't start a surprise round even if it sneaks successfully again, or even becomes impossible to locate, because everyone is already on guard. That changes only once the ST declares the fight over.

Example of triggering a surprise round

Character A brings two henchmen to negotiate with character B, and the ninja C secretly guards character B.

A and B begin negotiating. Ninja C palms a shuriken and uses his ability to hide deliberately. Although he has entered the sensory ranges of A and his two henchmen, none of the 4 people present notice him. He takes a readied action, and because of how readied actions work, he counts as having taken no action, so still nobody notices him.

Character A suddenly turns on B mid-negotiation and tries to pull a pistol on character B.

A is the initiator of the surprise round, starting it by showing hostility, and his surprise-round action goes to drawing the pistol. If his two henchmen knew in advance that A would turn, they can also act in the surprise round; otherwise, like B, they can't act in it.

Assume the two henchmen can act in the surprise round too.

Before A can draw his pistol, C's shuriken kills him. Only now do A's two henchmen discover ninja C, and they carry on with their surprise-round actions.

Example of a surprise round in play

Following an earlier example, here is the standard flow of a surprise round. The parts in parentheses show what the ST and PCs are working out in their heads.

ST: you spot a Shadowfang Dragon lying on the grass. What do you do?

Alphabet (player, melee): my hands are suddenly itching to hunt a dragon.

ST: then you enter a surprise round. Each of you gets one action.

Entering the surprise round, each character gets 1 action; free actions don't count.

Alphabet: I use a move action to run to the dragon's north side, 2 meters away from it.

Suzi (player, support): then I move to the east side, 15 meters away.

White Night (player, melee): I move to the west side, 2 meters away.

Shiyue (player, ranged): I move to the south side, 10 meters away.

Each player uses their action, finishing the surprise round. This time everyone chose to surround it, and nobody attacked.

ST: as you finish surrounding it, the Shadowfang Dragon catches your scent. The fight is on. Roll Initiative.

ST: Shadowfang Dragon Initiative: 1d10+12 = 2+12 = 14

Alphabet (player, melee): Initiative: 1d10+9 = 6+9 = 15

Suzi (player, support): Initiative: 1d10+10 = 10+10 = 20

White Night (player, melee): Initiative: 1d10+5 = 1+5 = 6

Shiyue (player, ranged): Initiative: 1d10+16 = 3+16 = 19

If the surprise round didn't deal with every enemy, roll Initiative and enter standard combat turns.

ST: the order is Suzi, Shiyue, Alphabet, Shadowfang Dragon, White Night.

Confirm the order of action.

Initiative

At the start of combat, every unit that didn't roll Initiative in a surprise round rolls Initiative once. Then all the combatants' results are ranked from highest to lowest, and everyone acts in that order.

Although it is called a roll, it isn't really a roll: it isn't affected by any ability that adds to a roll's DP or result, unless the ability says so.

The Initiative roll is 1D10 + Initiative modifier, and the result is called the Initiative score.

The Initiative modifier is Dexterity + Composure ± relevant modifiers.

Without special abilities, a character keeps the same Initiative score every turn.

If two characters have the same Initiative score, the one with higher Composure goes first. If their Composure is also the same, the one with higher Dexterity goes first. If that is still the same, roll 1D10 to decide. If both characters are on the same side, they can decide between themselves who goes first.

A unit that hasn't acted yet in the fight counts as flat-footed at the Unranked level. For what flat-footed means, see below or the "Conditions" page.

Changing the Initiative order

Special circumstances can change the Initiative order.

In that case, use the following rules for the new order:

There are generally two cases: changing the Initiative value, and changing the position.

When the Initiative value changes, note the new Initiative:

If Initiative goes up (acting earlier): if the new value comes after the current position in this turn's order, the unit acts as normal when its turn comes. If the new value comes before the current position, the unit skips a round and acts as normal next turn.

(For example: there are 5 units, A, B, C, D, and E, with Initiative A: 25, B: 20, C: 15, D: 10, E: 5. C gains 6 Initiative, rising to 21, so the order becomes ACBDE. If the current position is A, then after A acts it is C's turn, and C acts as normal. But if the change happens when the current position has already reached B, then after B acts, C's position is before B, so it only takes effect when C's turn comes around next turn. This makes C skip a whole round.)

If Initiative goes down (acting later): note whether that player has already acted this turn. If they haven't, they act as normal when their turn comes; if they have, they are skipped.

(For example: there are 5 units, A, B, C, D, and E, with Initiative A: 25, B: 20, C: 15, D: 10, E: 5. C loses 6 Initiative, dropping to 9, so the order becomes ABDCE. If the current position is B, then after B acts it is D's turn, and after D acts, C acts as normal since C hasn't acted this round. But if the change happens when the current position has already reached D, then after D it is C's turn, but C has already acted this turn, so C is skipped and it goes straight to E.)

Changing the Initiative position follows the same rules as changing the value.

Delaying

At the start of your round, before resolving anything or taking any action, you can choose to lower your Initiative and let others go first. You must declare an Initiative number no higher than your current Initiative score, then adjust your place in the order to match the new score. In this case, you count as not having acted this turn. This is called delaying.

Joining a fight already in progress

Sometimes units join a fight that has already started, as a third party or as reinforcements for one side.

Every unit that joins midway rolls Initiative and, in the turn after the current one (that is, after the last unit in the current order finishes its round), slots itself into the order by its result and joins the fight.

Joining midway doesn't create a surprise round, because the units on the battlefield already know the fight has started.

Actions in a combat scene

All the action descriptions below assume two things:

Special abilities aren't considered (some special abilities temporarily or permanently change what action something takes).
Items are within easy reach (for example, a sheathed weapon hanging at the waist or on the back, a quiver on the back, throwing knives lined up neatly in a belt pouch, and so on).

Free actions

Speaking, working a gun's bolt, cocking a hammer, and the like are free actions if they have no special significance.

Pushing or kicking aside an effortless obstacle while moving (such as an empty cardboard box in your way, or weeds on the path) is a free action. The ST decides what counts as an effortless obstacle. Something that looks like it can be kicked aside but is actually heavy may hurt the character (for example, an empty cardboard box upside down on the ground with a stake inside).

Immediate actions

Dropping prone from a standing position.

Swift actions

Working the bolt of a bolt-action rifle, or something similar.

Taking out a small item stored somewhere easy to reach. For example, a test tube tucked in a shirt's breast pocket, or a dart from a dart pouch.

Move actions

Making one move, up to your speed in distance.

Controlling a vehicle or riding a mount under normal conditions.

Jumping or climbing some distance. Depending on the situation, a short jump or a low climb can be part of a move. This also includes flashy stunts, such as leaping up to grab a chandelier and swinging over a table.

Drawing a weapon from its sheath. Taking a bow off your back. Taking something out of a pocket.

Changing an automatic pistol's magazine. Loading a single-shot rifle. Loading a revolver with a speedloader. Loading a bolt into a light crossbow. Cocking a light crossbow. Loading a shell into a cannon.

Opening a closed door.

Taking a drink of water (or another liquid). Eating a bite of easily chewed food or a small dose of medicine.

Parrying.

Picking up an item.

Getting up from the ground.

Standard actions

Making an attack. A melee or ranged attack, including unarmed attacks, weapons, throwing, Archery, firing a gun, and so on, is a standard action.

Taking an item out of a belt pouch.

Casting a spell or using a special ability, unless stated otherwise, is a standard action.

Putting a weapon away. (This means stowing it. Letting go and dropping it on the ground is a free action.)

Deciding the attack type in combat

Some resources state whether an ability is melee or ranged, and some don't say anything at all. In such cases:

If the effect describes or expresses it as melee, it is a melee attack, and unless stated otherwise, melee-related abilities such as reach apply by default.

If the effect describes or expresses it as ranged, it is a ranged attack, and unless stated otherwise, ranged-related abilities such as range apply by default.

If the effect's description doesn't say, it is neither a melee attack nor a ranged attack, and the resource sets its area, range, reach, and so on separately.

In general, any act in a resource with the word "attack" in it is an attack. Attacks generally come in these types: melee attacks, ranged attacks, and spell attacks. They can be split further into melee Brawl attacks, ranged Brawl attacks, melee Blade attacks, ranged Blade attacks, Firearms shooting, Archery shooting, Firearms melee attacks, ranged spell attacks, melee spell attacks, and so on.

In such cases, effects that apply to "attacks" all work as normal.

For example: if your attack rolls gain a 6 DP enhancement bonus, every act with the word "attack" in it gains that bonus.

What counts as an attack

When an ability or act includes the word "attack", it is an attack.

When it targets [one target], subtract the target's defense from your DP. If there is no specified target, but every unit in an area, don't subtract defense.

Special: rolls such as STR + Blade or DEX + throwing don't subtract defense.

Attacking each target in an area separately

Attacking each target in an area separately isn't an AoE.

When you attack each target in an area separately, make a separate attack roll against each target.

When you use such an ability, you can still only attack targets you have located.

These attacks are still single-target attacks in Essence, so you still can't affect swarm creatures.

Area damage

In general, unless stated otherwise, area damage of Technological Essence and Natural Essence doesn't tell friend from foe, and includes yourself. Supernatural Essence area damage, unless stated otherwise, doesn't affect you if you are inside the area, but affects everyone else.

In general, saves against area damage can gain certain bonuses, and Armor Defense, Shield Defense, and Natural Armor can also be added to saves against area damage.

Some traits of area damage also work against these bonuses:

[High Speed]: if an ability that deals area damage has High Speed, targets take a 1 DP penalty on Reflex saves against that area damage. This penalty only applies to the Attribute and Skill part of the save. Anything that ignores the High Speed advantage ignores this effect as normal (the same applies below).

[Armor Piercing]: if an ability that deals area damage has Armor Piercing, and the target's Reflex save includes bonuses from armor, shields, or Natural Armor, Armor Piercing breaks through those defenses as normal.

[Spell Piercing]: if an ability that deals area damage has Spell Piercing, and the target's Reflex save includes bonuses from supernatural abilities, Spell Piercing breaks through those defenses as normal.

[Overpower]: if an ability that deals area damage has Overpower, and the target's Reflex save includes bonuses from parrying, Overpower breaks through that part of the defense as normal.

Unless stated otherwise, area damage based on an attack roll or weapon doesn't inherit High Speed, Armor Piercing, Spell Piercing, or Overpower from the attack or weapon.

Melee attacks

Base reach: natural weapon Size / 2 (at least 1) + Blade weapon Size / 3.

Brawl attacks

You make a basic melee physical attack with a natural weapon against one target within your reach.

This is a standard action.

The Brawl attack roll is STR + Brawl rating + natural weapon damage - target's defense ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the natural weapon used for this Brawl attack.

A Brawl attack's damage cap is Strength + Brawl rating + natural weapon damage ± relevant modifiers.

Unless stated otherwise, the fists, feet, and claws of a typical creature have a natural weapon Size of the creature's Size / 5, teeth a Size of the creature's Size / 50, and a tail a Size of the creature's Size / 3.

Unless stated otherwise, a typical humanoid's natural weapons are both fists (including both claws, both elbows, and so on) and both legs (including both feet, and so on).

If a non-humanoid creature has a tail, the tail also counts as a natural weapon (several tails count as one), and so do its teeth (several mouths or sets of teeth count as one).

Blade attacks

You make a basic melee physical attack with a Blade weapon against one target within your reach.

This is a standard action.

The Blade attack roll is STR + Blade rating + Blade weapon damage - target's defense ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the Blade weapon used for this Blade attack.

A Blade attack's damage cap is Strength + Blade rating + Blade weapon damage ± relevant modifiers.

Ranged attacks

Note: if you can't perceive a target's position (for example, the target is in total cover, out of your line of sight, or for some other reason), you can't attack it even if it is within your range, because you have no line of sight to each other.

Ranged throwing attacks

You make a basic ranged physical attack with a throwing weapon against one target within range.

This is a standard action.

The ranged [Light Throwing Weapon] attack roll is DEX + Athletics rating + weapon damage - target's defense - range penalty ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the throwing weapon used for this throwing attack.

The ranged [Heavy Throwing Weapon] attack roll is STR + Athletics rating + weapon damage - target's defense - range penalty ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the throwing weapon used for this throwing attack.

A throwing attack's damage cap is Strength + Athletics rating + weapon damage ± relevant modifiers.

Every throwing weapon has a base range. If it has none (such as an improvised weapon), its base range is 10 meters by default.

A throwing attack's maximum distance is base range x Strength x 1.

The range penalty is 2 DP on the attack roll for each full multiple of the weapon's base range the target is beyond.

If you don't meet the weapon's minimum Strength requirement, you take a 2 DP equipment penalty on the attack for each point of Strength you are short, and you can't use it at all if you are 3 or more short. You also take an extra 2 DP range penalty for each multiple of the weapon's range beyond the first.

Ranged Archery attacks

You make a basic ranged physical attack with a bow against one target within range.

This is a standard action.

The ranged Archery attack roll is DEX + Archery rating + weapon damage - target's defense - range penalty ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the weapon used for this Archery attack.

A ranged Archery attack's damage cap is Archery rating + weapon damage x 2 + the weapon's Strength requirement.

A bow's maximum range is 8 times its base range.

The range penalty is 2 DP on the attack roll for each full multiple of the weapon's base range the target is beyond.

If you don't meet the weapon's minimum Strength requirement, for each point of Strength you are short you take a 2 DP equipment penalty on the attack, the attack's maximum distance drops by one range increment, and you take an extra 2 DP range penalty for each multiple of the weapon's range beyond the first. If you are 3 or more short, you can't use it at all; you may not even be able to draw a stiff bow.

A bow must be used with both hands; you can't use one one-handed.

Ranged Firearms attacks

You make a basic ranged physical attack with a firearm not categorized as "Artillery", or a crossbow, against one target within range.

This is a standard action.

The ranged Firearms attack roll is DEX + Firearms rating + weapon damage - target's defense - range penalty ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the weapon used for this attack.

A ranged Firearms attack's damage cap is Firearms rating + weapon damage x 2.

A firearm's maximum range is 5 times its base range.

The range penalty is 2 DP on the attack roll for each full multiple of the weapon's base range the target is beyond.

Ranged artillery attacks

You make a basic ranged physical attack with a firearm categorized as "Artillery" against one target within range.

This is a standard action.

The ranged artillery attack roll is INT + Firearms rating + weapon damage - target's defense - range penalty ± relevant modifiers. Each success deals 1 damage, and the damage type and grade are set by the weapon used for this attack.

A ranged artillery attack's damage cap is Firearms rating + weapon damage x 2.

Artillery's maximum range is 4 times its base range.

As a special case, artillery weapons usually have the [Bombardment] trait. To bombard, see the "Item Keywords" entry.

Aiming at an enemy and attacking

This is a full-turn action.

Ranged attacks can generally follow this rule to aim at a target, but you can only aim at a target within 3 times your base range and within your sensory range. After that, you make a ranged attack against that target and gain a 1 DP aiming bonus and 1 point of damage cap on that attack.

You can hold off attacking and aim for several rounds in a row, attacking once you finish aiming, to gain a bigger bonus. Each round of aiming gives a 1 DP aiming bonus and 1 point of damage cap. If you do this, you can gain at most a 5 DP aiming bonus and 5 points of damage cap.

If you take another standard or move action before shooting, or are hit by someone's melee attack, you lose this benefit.

Defensive actions

These rules describe actions that improve your defense.

Total defense

This is a standard action.

Because you are doing everything you can to dodge your enemies, until you next take another standard action, your Dodge Defense gains a dodge bonus equal to your Base Defense. You also gain a dodge bonus of DP equal to your Base Defense on saves against area damage.

Also, if you can see an enemy attacking with a firearm, you aren't affected by the [High Speed] that the weapon gives to that enemy's attacks.

Sustaining this effect takes concentration.

Brawl parry

This is a move action.

Until the start of your next round, you gain a parry bonus to defense equal to your Brawl rating.

If your natural weapon has the [Parry] trait, you can add the natural weapon's Size (for natural weapon Size, see Brawl attacks) to the parry bonus. This part of the defense is called Shield Defense.

Blade parry

This is a move action.

Until the start of your next round, you gain a parry bonus to defense equal to your Blade rating. You must be holding a Blade weapon to parry.

If the weapon you hold has the [Parry] trait, you can add its Size to the parry bonus. This part of the defense is called Shield Defense.

Taking cover

Taking cover is an effective defensive act. In combat, a character can prop up an object they can carry or move in front of them, or hide behind trees or walls, or gain cover from smoke or clouds. It helps both for hiding and for avoiding attacks, and is especially good against ranged attacks.

When a target is attacked, first check whether it has cover. Draw a line from any point of the attacker's position to any point of the defender's position; if there is something in the way, the target counts as having cover. So cover is usually directional: it only gives cover against attacks from a certain direction.

With cover, a character gains cover defense, which depends on the character's build and the size of the cover: cover's Size - your Size + 4, up to 8. Cover defense of 2 counts as light cover, 4 as partial cover, and 8 as heavy cover. When the object covering you is twice your Size, it counts as total cover.

The character also gains the same amount as a cover bonus on Reflex saves against area damage.

Of course, a character can also pick up or carry an object and prop it in front of them to make cover (picking up an item is a move action). If the character can lift the cover and can still move this round (for example, with an ability that lets them move as a swift action, or by moving with their standard action), they can move with the object while staying in cover.

Different objects may also give different amounts of cover. In general, an object that gives you cover must at least (in a realistic sense) be able to block the character. Some objects, such as a Size 4 spear, may work worse as cover than others, or not at all; likewise, a character who can't be fully hidden behind an object may get different cover. The ST rules on these cases.

Special: using an object with [Parry] isn't taking cover but parrying. In that case you gain Parry Defense and Shield Defense, not cover defense.

Special: if the attacker has an ability that gets around total cover to locate and attack you, you don't count as being in total cover against it. For example, an area attack, or radar locating paired with a [Penetrating] attack, which deals damage to you after breaking through your cover.

Special: cover that can be passed through, such as clouds, mist, or smoke, only gives cover by blocking sight, so apart from total cover, it gives no other cover effect.

Total cover usually also keeps the enemy from knowing exactly where you are. But because the cover has a size, the enemy can still roughly tell the area you are moving in.

If the total cover comes from blocking sight with something that can be passed through, like clouds or smoke, and the enemy has some way to see through it (such as blindsight), they can attack and locate you as normal. Or the enemy can try attacking the area where they think you are; if you happen to be there, they affect you as if you were at an approximate location.

Shooting from behind cover

You lean out from behind cover, make a ranged attack, and duck back behind it.

Your DP takes a penalty equal to half the cover defense you have. If you are in total cover, you can't make the attack.

Special attack actions

Special attack actions are attack actions you use in place of a direct attack.

Charge attacks

This is a full-round action.

You first use a move action to move up to an enemy, then make a melee attack. Count how far you moved in a straight line before reaching the enemy: each meter gives you a 1 DP enhancement bonus on the attack roll and costs you 1 point of Base Defense.

This can't give you a bonus higher than your Strength, and can't drop your Base Defense below 0. You can't charge farther than your speed.

When charging, you must move in a straight line, and there must be a clear, unobstructed path between you and the target, with nothing hindering your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles). A "clear, unobstructed path" means: first, you must be able to move to the nearest square from which you can attack the target. (If that space is occupied or blocked by something, you can't charge.) Second, if any line from any point in your starting square to any point in your ending square would pass through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or is occupied by a creature, you can't charge. (A helpless creature doesn't block a charge.)

If you have no line of sight to the target at the start of your turn, you can't charge it.

Special: in a surprise round, a character can charge as a standard action, but their maximum movement becomes half their speed.

Special: if a character has a special ability that limits their charge only by Strength, they can ignore the Base Defense limit; the part beyond their Base Defense becomes an untyped defense penalty.

Special: if a character has a special ability that frees them from the charge penalty, their maximum DP from a charge is still limited by Base Defense and Strength, unless stated otherwise.

All-out attack

An all-out attack is a standard action, and you can only use it once per round, however many standard actions you have.

You make a melee attack and gain an enhancement bonus equal to half your Strength, up to your Base Defense. Then you lose the same amount of Base Defense for 1 round.

If, after you have used an all-out attack, your Base Defense drops to 0 or lower for some reason, you also lose your Dodge Defense, Insight Defense, and Parry Defense.

For example: your Base Defense is 5, your Parry Defense is 3, and your Strength is 7. You make an all-out attack and gain a 3 DP enhancement bonus, leaving 2 Base Defense. The enemy has High Speed 3, so your Base Defense drops to 0, and since this happened because of your all-out attack, you lose your Parry Defense. After the enemy's High Speed takes away your remaining Base Defense, it still has 1 point left, which can trigger certain abilities.

Trip

A trip is an attack action that makes someone lose their balance.

This is a standard action.

You make a Brawl attack against the target. This attack counts as an Unranked touch attack and deals no damage. If you hit, the target makes a DEX + Athletics (Balance) or STR + Athletics (Balance) roll opposed by yours. If you win, the target falls prone. If the target is flying, its mobility drops one step; if it was clumsy, it falls straight down, and if its mobility was perfect or it hovers, it is unaffected. The target also gains stall points equal to the difference between the two rolls. The mobility drop and stall points last 1 round. On this attack, you take a 1 DP untyped penalty for each point by which the target's Size is larger than yours.

Some manufactured Blade weapons let you make trip attacks; those weapons usually say so. In that case, you make a Blade attack instead.

Bull rush

A bull rush is a violent charge you start. It represents shoulder checks, ramming with an arm, and the like.

This is a standard action. As a special case, you can also attach it to a charge attack.

With one attack, you choose either "knock back" or "knock down". On this attack, you take a 1 DP untyped penalty for each point by which the target's Size is larger than yours.

If you hit, you deal no damage and instead make a STR + Brawl (Bull Rush) roll. The target chooses to oppose with STR + Athletics (Balance) to hold you off, or with DEX + Athletics (Balance) to get out of your way (or at least soak the force of your rush).

If you win and chose knock down, you knock the target down, and it falls prone.

If you win and chose knock back, each point you win by knocks it back one meter.

Also, if you chose knock back, then in the following cases you can push it along for a number of meters equal to your margin of success or until your speed runs out, whichever is less:

When you knock the target back, you can still move with a move action; or you started the bull rush with a charge attack and still have movement left from the charge.

As a special case, if your opponent successfully holds off your bull rush, they can choose to bull rush you as an immediate action. You take a 2 DP untyped penalty on the contest.

As a special case, some natural weapons or manufactured weapons let you make bull rush attacks. In that case, you can add the weapon's damage to your bull rush roll (even with a manufactured weapon, the roll still uses Brawl).

Overrun

This is a move action, or a combat maneuver used as part of a charge.

An overrun means you push past a target by force or skill.

You can roll STR + Athletics (Overrun) or DEX + Athletics (Overrun), opposed by the target's higher of Strength or Dexterity. If you succeed, you get past the target and keep moving. If you fail, the overrun fails: you are forced to stop in front of the target, and your move action ends.

Feint

A feint tricks your opponent with a false move.

This is a standard action.

You make an INT + Subterfuge (Feint) roll, opposed by the target's PER + Empathy (Read People). If you win, the next time you make a melee attack against that target, it loses all its Base Defense and Dodge Defense. That attack must be made before the end of your next turn.

If the opponent spends a full-round action readjusting before you act, you lose this benefit.

Grapple

A grapple is a "grab your opponent" action.

Make a melee Brawl attack. If you hit, you deal no damage and instead make a STR + Brawl (Grappling) roll. Your opponent chooses to oppose with STR + Brawl (Grappling) to break free, or with DEX + Athletics (Escape) to slip away (this is called the grapple contest). If your natural weapon is suited to grabbing enemies (such as a bite, claws, tentacles, or a barbed tail), you can add its weapon damage to this roll. If you win, you have a firm hold on the opponent: you are both grappling each other, and the target is grappled.

If several people are grappling, everyone is grappling everyone else, and the target is grappled.

In the grapple contest, the smaller one takes a penalty equal to the difference in Size. If the target is especially large, you can choose to climb onto it instead of grappling it. For the rules, see the "Misc. Rules" page.

Some [Flexible Weapons] can be used to grapple. In that case, roll Blade instead of Brawl.

In this state, you and your opponent lose your Base Defense against attacks from third parties, and your opponent takes a penalty equal to how much you won by on attacks, parries, and special abilities that need body movement. When someone attacks either of you, there is an equal chance of hitting either one (roll 1D10: 1-5 is you, 6-10 is the grappled target). This chance should shift with the difference in Size: if the target is 1 Size larger than you, add 1 point; if it is 3 Size larger, add 2 points; and so on. (If you are Size 5 and the target is Size 6, roll 1D10: 1-4 is you, 5-10 is the target. If you are Size 5 and the target is Size 8, roll 1D10: 1-3 is you, 4-10 is the target.)

In this state, a third party can also grapple either of you, following the normal grapple rules.

In a grapple, anyone other than the grappled target can start to move. If they do, they automatically leave the grapple and move normally. If they want to move the others in the grapple along with them, and one or more of the others already in the grapple object, they must make a separate grapple contest against each one who objects. If they fail, they can't do it; if they succeed, they can move everyone in the grapple, but only at half speed.

Example: A grapples B, then C also grapples B. Then C wants to throw B, and A objects. C and A make a grapple contest. If C succeeds and A doesn't let go of B, C can throw A and B together.

Note that if you grapple at range, there is no risk of hitting the wrong person. You also don't lose your Base Defense against third parties' attacks, and defense is worked out separately for attacks. When grappling at range, if your Size is larger than the grappled target's, you get no bonus, but if the target is larger, it gets its bonus as normal.

If you have an ability that extends your reach beyond 3 meters, and you successfully grapple using the extended reach, check whether the reach goes away. If it doesn't, it counts as a ranged grapple. If it does, treat it as forcibly moving the target to you, following the movement rules for grapples.

The grappled target can, on its own action, spend a standard action to start a contest and try to break free; the grappler is the passive side in that contest.

The grappler can let go of the grappled target at any time.

While grappling, you can attack the opponent in the grapple, but only with natural weapons or manufactured melee weapons of Size no more than your Size - 3. To attack the opponent in the grapple, you must first start a grapple contest and win it. Then you can attack the opponent with STR + Brawl; each success deals 1 bashing damage. Even with a manufactured weapon, you still roll Brawl, and you can only ever deal bashing damage. This is a full-round action.

Starting a grapple is an attack roll. If the target uses an immediate action to leave your reach, the roll still goes ahead as normal, as if the target had left your attack range; if you hit and the grapple succeeds, the target's move fails and it doesn't make that move. If the opponent knocks you back, you can still make the attack roll as normal, as if the target had left your attack range; if you hit and the grapple succeeds, it means you grabbed the target just before being knocked back, so the target moves with you the distance you were knocked back and is still grappled by you as normal. In this case, the target's forced movement doesn't need to follow the movement rules for grapples.

Pin

A pin is a "keep your opponent from acting" action.

You and the target must be grappling each other, and the target must be grappled. You can spend a standard action to start a pin roll. You roll STR + Brawl (Grappling), and your opponent chooses to oppose with STR + Brawl (Grappling) to break free, or with DEX + Athletics (Escape) to slip away (this is called the pin contest). If you win, you have a firm pin on your opponent: you are both pinning each other, and the target is pinned.

If several people are pinning, everyone is pinning everyone else, and the target is pinned.

In the pin contest, the smaller one takes a penalty equal to the difference in Size.

If the grapple was made with a Flexible Weapon, roll Blade instead of Brawl.

A pinned target can't attack or move. You can move it along with you at half speed; otherwise, the grapple rules above apply. If you won by more than the opponent's Strength, you can use the opponent's body as cover.

The grappled target can, on its own action, spend a standard action to start a contest and try to break the pin; the grappler is the passive side in that contest. If the grappled target wins, the pin ends and becomes a grapple.

While pinning, the winner of the pin can attack the pinned target as normal.

Binding

Binding is a "tie up your opponent" action.

You can only bind a target that is helpless or willing. You also need materials, such as rope.

You spend 1 minute making an INT + Larceny (Binding) roll and note the successes. Those successes are the DC for the target to escape the bonds.

You can choose to reinforce the bonds. Each reinforcement also takes 1 minute and an INT + Larceny (Binding) roll, and half the successes are added to the DC.

You can keep reinforcing, halving the successes again each time, until there are no successes left.

To escape the bonds, the target makes a DEX + Athletics (Escape) roll with an interval of 1 minute, and escapes once its total successes exceed the DC.

If a bound target loses the ability to act (for example, wrapped up like a mummy, or strapped to a chair from head to toe), it counts as helpless.

Throwing a target

Throwing someone is an action you start to throw a target you are grappling.

To use this action, you must be grappling a target; you don't need to pin it.

As a standard action, you throw a target you are grappling. You make a STR + Athletics (Heavy Throwing) roll, and the target makes a roll of its higher of DEX or STR + Athletics (Balance). For each success, you can throw the target 1 meter. In this contest, you take a 1 DP penalty for each point by which the target's Size is larger than yours.

After you throw the target, if there is an obstacle behind it with a Hardness above 2, the target takes lethal physical damage equal to the remaining meters, which counts as falling damage. (Abilities that reduce falling distance work against this damage, and targets immune to falling damage are also immune to it.) If the obstacle behind the target has a Hardness of 2 or less, the target and the obstacle both take bashing physical damage equal to the remaining meters, which also counts as falling damage.

Please note: throwing a target means you are strong enough to do so, so work out carrying capacity before making this roll. In any case, as soon as you make this roll, your grapple or pin ends at once.

Called shots

This means aiming an attack at a vital spot on the enemy's body.

A called shot is usually part of an attack action, so it can be part of a Skill or Technique.

Depending on where you aim, you take a certain untyped penalty on the attack. If the target is aware of the attack and still has its Base Defense (meaning it isn't flat-footed or held), it gains a dodge bonus to defense equal to your penalty.

You can only make called shots against targets within your sensory range (usually your sight range).

Called shots at different spots have different special effects, depending on the situation. Here are some examples:

Head: 4 DP penalty. Every 2 damage dealt causes 1 stun point; the target makes a Fortitude save, and each success saves against 1 stun point.

Eyes: 4 DP penalty. Every 2 damage dealt causes 1 dazzle point; the target makes a Fortitude save, and each success saves against 1 dazzle point.

Abdomen: 4 DP penalty. Every 2 damage dealt causes 1 nausea point; the target makes a Fortitude save, and each success saves against 1 nausea point.

Ribs or bridge of the nose: 4 DP penalty. Every 2 damage dealt causes 1 pain point; the target makes a Fortitude save, and each success saves against 1 pain point.

Disarm: 3 DP penalty, no damage. The target opposes with STR + Blade; if it fails, a manufactured weapon that isn't a [Fist Weapon] slips from its grip and falls to the ground. If the attacker attacks with a hand or a similar natural weapon, they can take the weapon. (A disarm isn't a vital-spot attack.)

Sunder: 3 DP penalty, no damage. The target opposes with STR + Blade. If the target wields the weapon in both hands, it gains a 4 DP bonus; if the target has the "Weapon Familiarity" Feat for that weapon, it takes a 4 DP penalty. The larger side gains a bonus equal to the difference in Size. Each success deals one damage to the weapon or shield, and must get past the item's Hardness. (A sunder isn't a vital-spot attack.)

Throat: 6 DP penalty. The target makes a Fortitude save against the damage taken. For each point the attacker wins by, they can raise 1 point of this attack's damage one step (bashing → lethal → aggravated).

Temple: 12 DP penalty. The target makes a Fortitude save against the damage taken. For each point the attacker wins by, they can raise 1 point of damage from this attack, or already on the target, one step (bashing → lethal → aggravated).

Note: natural weapons are immune to disarm and sunder.

Note: if the target holds several weapons, a disarm or sunder can only choose one of them.

Note: none of the condition points from called shots stack.

Note: if the target is only within your approximate perception range, or you can't pinpoint it, you can't make a called shot against it.

Coup de grace

When a target is unconscious, asleep, petrified, helpless, or in a similar state, a character can declare that an attack against it is a coup de grace. This isn't an action; it is part of the action of attacking the target, so it can be part of a Skill or Technique.

It has no effect on creatures with no vital spots (such as slimes or constructs) or on objects. For some creatures, you must pass an Investigation roll (or another, as the ST decides) to find their vital spot. For some finely built machines or robots, cutting off the head or piercing the central processor kills them just the same, so they also count as having vital spots, and you can declare a coup de grace against them.

Every attack die on this attack counts as a success, with no rerolls.

On a coup de grace, you still subtract the target's effective defense from your DP, and the damage cap still applies.

For these states, see the "Conditions" page.

Misc. rules

Aid

Choose a target you want to help, then take a readied action, readying to help when it takes its next specified action.

When it takes that action, the aid takes effect. You make the same roll as its action, and the target gains a DP perfect bonus equal to your successes on that roll.

If it doesn't take the specified action, your readied action doesn't trigger.

You can only aid Skill rolls, such as climbing, swimming, or grappling. You can't help a target with defense, attack, Will, or similar rolls.

Multiple effects

When a weapon with several special effects deals damage once, in the usual case, all its special effects apply.

When multiple pieces of ammo with different effects, or the like, deal damage, if even one round among them has no special effect, the damage has no special effect at all. If every round has a special effect and they all differ, the ST picks one of them to apply.

Overflow damage

When a character takes more damage than their current Health can hold, the overflow damage isn't counted, but the fact that it overflowed is.

For example: a character has 2 healthy Health and takes 5 lethal damage. For Health, the character's Health becomes 2 points full of aggravated damage; the 1 point of overflow isn't counted, but it is established that damage overflowed.

This matters because some special cases need to know whether damage overflowed, such as Diehard.

Some resources say otherwise and do count overflow damage.

Cultivation methods, footwork arts, and protective qi

Abilities that use the same action can't be used at the same time. For example, if you spend a standard action on an [All-Out Attack], you can't also activate Bajiquan's [Inch Power] (because both cost a standard action).

Beyond that, abilities marked as cultivation methods, footwork arts, or protective qi can't be activated together, even if they cost different actions (for example, Nine Luminaries Speed and Motion-Sense Combat). But within one turn you can use a cultivation method, a footwork art, and protective qi, one of each.

Footwork arts: lightness skill, Nanaya body arts, and the like belong here. They are ways of controlling how the body moves, and only one can be used at a time.

Protective qi: usually it can be used together with any footwork art, Technique, or Skill.

Cultivation methods: cultivation methods are usually passive abilities and stack with everything, but they are still limited by the stacking rules for other actions.

Pulling your punches

For when you want to do something, but hold back.

Before the roll, you declare how many successes you will give up on it.

Then roll as normal, and subtract the successes you declared from the result.

Giving up defense

For when your opponent wants to attack you and you don't want to defend.

You can give up these defenses: Base Defense, Dodge Defense, Insight Defense, and Parry Defense. You can of course also choose not to use defense extra successes.

Multiple-attack penalty

The multiple-attack penalty means that within the current turn, being attacked has opened gaps in your defense, giving the next attacker an opening.

In general, each time you are attacked within the same turn, your Parry Defense takes a 1-point defense penalty from multiple attacks. Once your Parry Defense reaches 0, it comes off your Dodge Defense, and once your Dodge Defense is gone, it comes off your Base Defense. At most this strips away all your Parry Defense, Dodge Defense, and Base Defense. When your Base Defense reaches zero, all defense extra successes from Legendary Dexterity and Legendary Perception disappear.

The attack doesn't have to deal damage, or even hit, because just being attacked is enough to make you split your attention.

The standard flow of an attack

(Editor's note in the source: a surprise round description is still to be added here.)

Following an earlier example, here is the standard flow of an attack. The parts in parentheses show what the ST and PCs are working out in their heads.

ST: the fight is on. Roll Initiative.

ST: Shadowfang Dragon Initiative: 1d10+12 = 2+12 = 14

Alphabet (player, melee): Initiative: 1d10+9 = 6+9 = 15

Suzi (player, support): Initiative: 1d10+10 = 10+10 = 20

White Night (player, melee): Initiative: 1d10+5 = 1+5 = 6

Shiyue (player, ranged): Initiative: 1d10+16 = 3+16 = 19

Roll Initiative.

ST: the order is Suzi, Shiyue, Alphabet, Shadowfang Dragon, White Night.

Confirm the order of action.

Suzi: I'm using Creature Enhancement. (Rolls) ww 20a10+3 = 8+3 = 11. Just write how you got your dice (Attribute + Skill + X, then roll and say how many successes you got). I got 11 successes. I'm raising Alphabet's Strength by 10 for 1 round. Then I parry with my dagger, and my turn is over.

This player is casting, so the spellcasting rules apply. The move action goes to parrying.

Shiyue: I shoot the Shadowfang Dragon with my pistol. My attack DP is 18, and it has High Speed 5. I'm also paying 1 Willpower for another 3 DP, for 21 DP in total. I'll use 3 extra successes on this attack.

This player declares the attack mode, the starting attack dice, and the special traits the attack carries.

ST: (this Shadowfang Dragon's defense is Base Defense 8 + Dodge Defense 1 + Insight Defense 1 + Natural Armor 6 + deflection defense 2, for 18 defense and 2 extra successes. High Speed 5 breaks 5 points of Base Defense, leaving 13 defense. Shiyue's 21 DP minus 13 is 8 DP.) Your attack dice are 8 DP. The Shadowfang Dragon will use 2 defense extra successes.

The ST works out the PC's attack dice from the enemy's defense, and the defender declares how many defense extra successes it will use before the attack dice are rolled.

Shiyue: (rolls) ww 8a10 = 6. My base successes are 6; minus the 2 defense extra successes, plus my 3 attack extra successes, I end up with 7 successes.

Roll the attack dice, add and subtract the relevant extra successes, and work out the final successes.

ST: (this Shadowfang Dragon has 20 Health in total and took 7L of damage, so it is now 13 healthy + 7L.) You pull the trigger and punch a finger-thick, bloody hole in the Shadowfang Dragon. Its jet-black scales can't stop your bullet at all. Bright red blood flows from the wound. The Shadowfang Dragon roars in pain, but its movements aren't much affected.

The ST works out the damage dealt and describes it.

Shiyue: (from that description, I can roughly tell the Shadowfang Dragon doesn't have the [Bulletproof] trait. If I really dealt 7L, then judging by "its movements aren't much affected", the damage I dealt is still only a small share of its total Health.) My turn is over.

From the ST's description, the PC infers how much damage they dealt, then takes other actions.

(This passage is excerpted, with cuts and polishing, from the session log Chronicles of the Overseer.)

Unless the PCs got the relevant information in the story, or have certain abilities, they have no right to know what the enemies they face have for defense.

Likewise, unless they have the right ability or information, PCs shouldn't know how much maximum Health the enemies they face have.