* Combat Rules
Combat Rules:
Movement:
Number of Attacks per Melee Round:
* Most characters will have a single standard attack per melee round.
* Classes like the Warrior will develop more as they level up.
* Given appropriate situation, surprise attacks, attacks of opportunity and ripostes can provide additional attacks.
* Certain weapons, such as select energy weapons might have a Rate of Fire that will greatly increase your number of attacks.
* To balance the insanity of a RoF 3 per attack weapon in the hands of a high level warrior with paired weapons and 3 attacks per melee,
all energy weapons fired past their usual RoF have an increased chance of jamming, overloading or other issues that increases 10% cumulative chance per shot after and require a "Cool Down" time to reduce these effects from happening. In addition fortunately the only energy weapons with a RoF of 3 are low damage weapons. Unless stated in the weapon description, treat the "Cool Down" time to be
one full melee round per full dice of damage the weapon inflicts.
Surprise:
Sometimes an enemy may be lying in wait to ambush the characters or the characters just clumsily waltz into an area without being aware of their surroundings. The GM, depending on the situation may allow a last second check of the appropriate type to detect an enemy about to surprise them.
Combat Roll Dice:
To start everyone uses a D20.
Warriors and some other classes will gain a bonus dice at higher levels for their rolls.
* These additional dice DO NOT increase the natural to hit amount and are considered an additional bonus only. Only the roll of the D20
is considered for determining Natural to hit numbers for critical strikes or determining fumbles. Even if you have an additional dice
to roll with your D20, a natural one on the D20 results in a critical fumble and failed roll.
Base Chance to be Hit:
This determines the amount needed to hit a target. Dexterity bonuses DO NOT affect Base Chance to hit. [That is for Dodge and Parry instead.]
* Roll of a Natural One is always a critical fumble.
* Roll of a Natural Twenty is always a critical hit.
* [Some character classes at higher levels receive lower numbers for critical hits.]
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* Base Chance to Hit at point melee range: 10
* Base Chance to Hit at short ranged attack: 12
* Base Chance to Hit at medium ranged attack: 14
* Base Chance to Hit at long ranged attack: 16
* Base Chance to Hit at very long range attack: 18 (Please note such attack if they hit usually do half damage)
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* Target Moved During Combat Melee Round: -2 to hit
* Target has partial cover: -2 to hit
* Target is Unarmored: -2 to hit
* Target is in Light Armor: 0 modifier to hit
* Target is in Medium Armor: +2 to hit
* Target is in Heavy Armor: +4 to hit
* Target is Unencumbered: -2 to hit
* Target is Lightly Encumbered: 0 modifier to hit
* Target is Medium Encumbered: +2 to hit
* Target is Heavy Encumbered: +4 to hit
* Target is Prone/Unconscious/Immobilized/Stunned: +4 to hit (Non-combat round no roll required)
Size Modifiers to Hit Targets:
Targets will be easier or harder to hit based on the difference in size. Most Player Character races in this game will be considered Medium sized for game purposes. A character suffering from the Cultural Mutation of Dwarfism will be considered a small target and one suffering from Gigantism would be considered a Large target.
Size: Modifier to hit:
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Colossal +8
Gargantuan +4
Huge +2
Large +1
Medium 0
Small -1
Tiny -2
Diminutive -4
Fine -8
Secretion Attacks:
Some creatures, such as Carrion Crawler tentacles when hit have a chance of secreting a toxin that might make it's way past DR. To determine if such attacks are successful, determine if the armor is full environmental or sealed, such as alien armor.
* The amount rolled EXCEEDING the to hit requirement plus any Secretion Bonus must exceed the DR of the armor.
[Example: If you need a 12 to hit a target and the target has a DR of 5, then you must an 18+ to cause a secretion hit, unless you have a secretion bonus.]
* Secretion bonus WILL NOT increase your base chance of hitting, it only helps secretion attack get past armor.
* Secretion bonus just neutralizes the bonus of DR to protect you against a secretion attack, unless armor is full environmental/sealed.
If enveloped within something like a Gelatinous Cube or covered in Slime, for example, the secretion attack will be MUCH higher.
Unless stated in the creature/attack form description use the following for such situations:
* Partially enveloped, add +5 to any existing Secretion Bonus, with a cumulative +1 each melee still partially enveloped.
* Fully enveloped, add +10 to any existing Secretion Bonus, with a cumulative +2 each melee still fully enveloped.
Attack of Opportunity:
An opponent who turns and runs in melee or passes directly in front of the character in combat is a potential victims of an attack of opportunity. Anyone may make an attack of opportunity in a combat melee, however the following limitations apply:
* Non-Warriors: You may make a single attack of opportunity per combat melee, plus one more for every full five levels of you character.
*Warriors: You may make a two attacks of opportunity per combat melee, plus one more for every full three levels of your character.
* Unless a given ability specifically states that it CAN be used with an Attack of Opportunity assume that it cannot be combined, with the exceptions of usual bonuses to hit/damage and critical hits.
* If some ability, psychic power or sorcery has somehow doubled your attack rate, it will double how many attacks of opportunity you can make in any applicable combat melee round.
Events that can provoke an Attack of Opportunity:
* Running past a opponent.
* Fighting on the run though opponents.
* Getting back to your feet near an opponent.
* Mounting/Dismounting a steed near opponents.
* Full round actions, such as spell casting of non-instant spells.
Free Actions:
Between Class Abilities and other abilities/advantages your character might seem to be developing multiple "Free Actions".
To restrict this, one cannot have more than two "Free Actions" below fifth level.
This is NOT an indication of available "Free Actions" but a statement of LIMITATIONS on "Free Actions".
Maximum Free Actions: Level:
2 1-4
3 5-9
4 10-14
5 15
Exception: If an ability specifically states it allows for more OR your character has been some how accelerated by some kind of haste - like spell or time ability.
Initiative:
D20 + Initiative modifier
Any time a player rolls same as a minor NPC, PC goes first. If the NPC is a major encounter, such as a god, village leader, major villain, etc... In the case of a major NPC encounter have both participants in the tie re-roll to see who goes first.
Damage: Hit Points:
If a character loses half or more of his/her (at full) hit points in a single attack, they must make a Fortitude check at -5 or be knocked unconscious for 1D4 melee rounds. Once awake, your character will need to regain their footing, which will take an action.
Even if they save, they will be stunned for one melee round. In either case, once they recover, they will be -2 to all actions for the next 2D6 melee rounds. Unless the character is immune to being Stunned. In which case, the penalty will be -1 to all actions for the next 2D4 melee rounds instead.
Damage Resistance: (DR)
Damage Resistance or Damage Reduction is the amount reduced damage of any strike that hits the target or in some other way hits.
A critical hit will ignore half of a target's DR. Even if the halved DR still absorbs the damage, the target will still take at least 1 hit point of damage from a critical strike. Since critical strikes do double (or more) damage, this applies to potential worn armor quality reduction.
Consult the Quality Chart if wearing armor. Any damage exceeding the DR may decrease the quality rating of the armor worn.
Dodge:
This gives dodge bonus to base chance to be hit. If this brings it above 18, treat this bonus as a temporary Damage Reduction bonus.
* Dexterity Modifiers affect dodge actions.
* Dodge roll can also be used to increase your Reflex save by your dodge bonus.
* Dodging requires maneuvering room and cannot be done in a confined space.
* If the target is surrounded at close range, he/she is at -2 to his/her Dodging Defense.
* If unarmored, there is no attack penalty on following action.
* If light armored there is a -1 to next attack or skill check.
* If medium armored there is a -2 to next attack or skill check.
* If heavy armored you lose next action/attack.
* Dodge can only be performed if you can perceive the attack coming. This includes psychic or mutant powers that grant one a form of sixth sense or 360 degree vision for example.
REVISION
Any character can attempt to dodge, assuming they possess the limbs necessary. Two or more functional legs for example.
Knockback:
This maneuver is an attempt to push or bash an opponent back and give you some breathing room and possibly knock them off their feet.
You must make a strike check with only modifiers Physical Skill and knock back specialization or if used, a shield bash attack with knock back specialization as a bonus. The target can attempt a dodge or parry, though a parry of a knock back attack is done so at a -2. If successful the target must make a Reflex check or be knocked off their feet. This attack only works on targets of the same size category or smaller. Smaller targets get a +2 before parry or dodge to avoid this attack and may also apply this bonus to their Reflex check. Smaller target might be able to take advantage of smaller stature to be less directly in the way of the attack, such as dodging between the attackers legs, for example.
A knocked back target is moved one (5 foot) space per bonus of your strength on the attribute modifier (not damage bonus). If target is knocked off their feet, they must spend their next action to recover their footing. The distance a target is knocked back can also be modified by their encumbrance. A medium encumbered target will be knocked back one less space and a heavy encumbered target will be knocked back two less spaces, however in addition the medium target has a -2 to their reflex check for footing and -4 for the heavy encumbered target.
You can attempt to knock back a target into another one, however the other potential victim must be directly behind the one you are knocking back and within range. You must call this BEFORE attempting to knock the target back and if successful, you must make a secondary strike attack with only your basic melee bonuses, unless you have class abilities that are used with this type of attack. If successful, treat the second target as being afflicted by a knockback, but at half any bonus or penalties applied to the first target. This cannot escalate further to a third target, unless you performed a critical strike on the first roll on the first target and the third potential target must also be directly in line with the first two for this to be possible. All targets must be within your size range as well. Third target is not affected by any bonus or penalties, just a base roll to see if target is affected or not.
Please note targets knocked back in front of or nearby hostiles are open to attack of opportunity if the potential attacker is capable of any more in the given melee round.
Parry:
NOTE: Some attacks might be judged to big/bulky to be effectively parried, such as being stepped on by Cthulhu or charged by a Triceratops and you should try to dodge instead.
* Dexterity Modifiers affect dodge actions.
* If unarmored, there is no attack penalty on following action.
* Your Weapon Proficiency bonus to hit also applies to a parry roll.
* if light armored there is no penalty
* if medium armor there is a -1 to next attack or skill check.
* if heavy armored there is a -2 to next attack or skill check.
(Exceptions: -1 If using a shield or your are a master in the weapon type. Only -2 if Expert.)
* Parry can only be performed if you can perceive the attack coming. This includes psychic or mutant powers that grant one a form of sixth sense or 360 degree vision for example.
* Any time you parry an attack consult the quality charts to see if the weapon has been reduced in quality or destroyed by the attack.
* Any character who parries with a Natural 20 may get a Riposte against his/her attacker, but ONLY if the attacker did not hit you with a critical roll with their strike. The amount of free critical Ripostes cannot exceed one if below third level. After that you may get another
free critical roll Riposte for every three full levels of your character. These are conditional Ripostes.
* Parrying Energy based attacks. If not using a shield, you may attempt to parry an energy bolt from a blaster, laser, cosmic ray, etc.. if it is a single fire pulse, but not a ray or beam. This is done at -6 to the parry roll and may damage or destroy your weapon in the process. A shield does not have a penalty to parry, but may still be damaged or destroyed by the blast.
* Parrying Force Swords and other Force/Energy Melee Weapons: This is done like a normal weapon and assumes that if successful you have parried the flat containment shielded side of the weapon and not the energy blade edge. Your weapon still potentially takes QR damage
but it will be based on the absolute minimum damage that the energy melee weapon inflicts by itself (no strength or class ability modifiers.) If the parry has failed, the attacker has the option of cutting though. A cut through treats the defender's weapon as being two levels less on the QR table before damage inflicted. If the defender's weapon is destroyed, any excess damage goes though hitting the
defender, subtracting from armor first.
Riposte:
* This is part of "Expert" and "Master" Proficiency in a melee weapon.
* With "Expert" proficiency:
* You can Riposte any time you exceed your attacker's hit roll by five or more.
* You may Riposte once per melee, plus once more per Dexterity bonus (if any).
* With "Master" proficiency:
* You can Riposte any time you exceed your attacker's hit roll.
* You may Riposte thrice per melee, plus once more per Dexterity bonus (if any).
* In both cases of Expert and Master proficiency you can make above and beyond your currently available Riposte limits if you have rolled
a Natural 20. (or lower if you have a lower natural critical hit) See section on Natural 20 Parry Ripostes at the end of Riposte section.
Armor Damage:
* If DR of armor is exceeded, consult the Quality Chart below to see if the armor is damaged.
* Any time armor is damaged and the QR reduced, also reduced the DR of the armor by the that amount to a minimum of one unless armor
is destroyed.
Shields and Parrying:
* Unless you are prone or attacked from behind you get a +1 to your base defense just carrying a shield.
* If you make a Parry with your shield you get any bonuses provided by shield proficiency.
