Game System:Combat
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Initiative
Initiative is the order in which characters act during combat. It has to do with the character's reaction time, taking into account their speed and ability of motion (Dexterity) and ability to perceive logical actions (Perception) that the character can take. Some characters have certain Qualities that augment their Initiative by making them specifically aware or quick to react. Initiative is determined with the following equation:
- [(Dexterity + Perception)/2] rounded down (rounded up with Acute Senses).
- plus a +3 bonus from Fast Reaction Time (if applicable).
- plus a +1 bonus from Situational Awareness (if applicable).
- plus 1d10.
Actions
An action is what a character does in a given turn. Depending on the character's Initiative on any given turn, she may be able to perform more or less actions than other characters in the same turn; this is detailed below under Extra Actions. There are three types of action a character can take during a turn of combat: Offensive, Defensive, and Movement.
Offensive: An Offensive action during combat is, quite simply, an attack. You roll the appropriate combination of traits (usually Attribute+Skill) with whatever modifiers are dictated by the combat maneuver you're using, and you hope you hit the bad guy! It's fairly simple. Offensive actions do count against a character's total actions in a given turn.
Defensive: A Defensive action during combat is, even more simply, getting out of the way! There are several ways to do this, and several traits that can be rolled. Usually, it involves Dexterity + Acrobatics for a full-on dodge; DEX + Brawl for a dodge or hand-to-hand block; and DEX + Melee for parrying with a weapon. Characters get as many Defensive actions as they need in a turn — so they do not count again a character's total actions in a given turn — but each one after the first is rolled with a cumulative -2 penalty (so the first one would be at no penalty, the second at -2, the third at -4, the fourth at -6, etc).
Movement: A Movement action during combat is any physical action that is neither Offensive not Defensive. Catching a falling object; running after someone, running from someone, leaping, climbing, swinging, picking yourself up, pulling out your weapon, transforming into your battle-shape… etc. Actual travel from point A to point B only counts as a Movement action if the distance is equal or greater than half the character's Yards/Turn. Movement actions do count against a character's total actions in a given turn.
Hiding: A character might choose to hide before or during a combat encounter to avoid conflict. The character can roll Dexterity + Larceny + Stealth Or Dexterity + Acrobatics + Sneaking versus their opponents Perception + Notice + Ambushes. If they have a higher roll, they succeed in hiding, which prevents them from being detected and also eliminates the opponent's ability to establish line of sight or eye contact.
Extra Actions
Extra actions in Eldritch are based on the character's Initiative roll at the beginning of a round. Their first action is taken at their rolled Initiative. Each additional action is taken at -5 Initiative (with other people going if their Initiative is higher than the original's -5) and with a cumulative -2 penalty for each additional action.
Once a character's Initiative reaches 0 or less, the character cannot act anymore in that turn. Once everyone has exhausted their actions, the round is over and Initiative is rolled once more. No character may take more than 5 offensive or movement actions in one turn. (This will be coded into the game, so no worries about the math).
Characters get as many defensive actions as they need, though each one is rolled at a cumulative -2 penalty.
Example: Demon Daisy has DEX 9, PER 4, Acute Scent, Fast Reaction Time, and Situational Awareness. Her total Initiative is 11. On her Initiative, she rolls up 20 (so she rolled a 9). That means she can take an action at Initiative 20, one at 15, one at 10, and one at 5. If Human Hank, who has DEX 4, PER 2, and Situational Awareness, for a total Initiative of 4 rolls up a 14 (so a 10), the actions would go as follows: Daisy (20), Daisy (15), Hank(14), Daisy (10), Hank(9), Daisy (5), Hank(4). And then the turn would end, and a new initiative would be rolled. If Daisy had rolled 23, she'd get 5 actions. But if she had (somehow) rolled 26, she'd still only get 5 actions; since no character can take more than 5 offensive or movement actions per round.
Attacking
If the character wishes to attack an opponent, he rolls the appropriate combination of Attribute + Skill for the type of attack he wants to make (depending on what maneuver he's using). The defender rolls their dodge, block, or parry to avoid the attack. The higher number rolled wins (ties go to the defender). Subtract the defender's Success Levels from the attacker's to determine the attack's net Success Levels.
Eye Contact
In the case of most psionic abilities and some magical spells, eye contact is required. The following applies to establishing eye contact:
- Psions or casters cannot establish eye contact with targets who are blind or have their vision impaired to an extent that eye contact cannot possibly be made (blindfolded, in a pitch black room, in a trance, a wall between them, at a distance of more than 20 yards).
- If the target attacked the psionic or caster in their last action, eye contact is considered established unless the target is incable of it (see #1).
- If the psionic or caster wants to purposely draw attention, they can roll Willpower + Influence vs. the target's Willpower (doubled). If they win, eye contact is established unless the target is incapable of it (see #1).
- If none of the above apply, consider there to be a 30% chance that the psion or caster can catch the target's eye. Use +roll 0. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, eye contact is established.
Line of Sight
Some spells or abilities require line of sight to a target to have effect. The following applies to establishing line of sight:
- The attacker has to be aware of the presence of the target. If the target is hiding, Perception rolls need to be made to have any idea of their presence before line of sight can even be considered.
- If there are blank walls, fully opaque cover, or excessive distance (such as having posed being on opposite sides of a large area like a park or the mall) between the attacker and their target, line of sight cannot be established.
- Some things may provide partial cover. These include trees, fences, vehicles, walls with windows, and dense crowds. In the cases of possible partial cover, consider there to be a 50% chance that line of sight can be gained by the movement actions of the attacker. Use +roll 0. On a roll of 1-5, line of sight is established, provided the attacker has succeeded in spotting them (see #1).
- If the target is not successfully hiding and there is no partial or full cover within reach of the target, or the target has attacked the attacker in their prior action, line of sight is considered established by default.
- Notes: Once line of sight has been established between two characters, it applies to BOTH of them with the exception of successfully hiding or taking movement to gain cover.
Limitations
So you wanna use a weapon. Well. There are limitations. Not everything is give give give; using a weapon has its disadvantages, too, there's gotta be some take, or the balance is tilted, the Force is whacked; and Yin stops dating Yang; and no one wants that! (Well, maybe Po, but who gives a crap what he wants)? Limitations based on weapons come in three different shapes and sizes (or rather, there's three basic limitations): the strength of the wielder (a character must meet the minimum strength requirements to use a weapon, or suffer a penalty); the size of the weapon (related to the first but only vaguely, the bigger the weapon, the harder it'll be to use in closed spaces - you may think your odachi is badass when you're dueling in a sunflower field, but let's see you get the same results in a narrow hallway); and finally, conspicuousness (how much negative attention does a weapon draw, and how hard is it to conceal)? Fortunately, all these things can be directly tied to a single trait: the weapon's damage multiplier (handily supplied for the most common place weapons in the table to your right).
Minimum Strength: To use a weapon one-handed, a character must have a minimum Strength equal to the weapon's (damage multiplier -2). So to use brass-knuckles or a stake, a character must have a minimum of STR 1. But to use a crowbar or a sword one-handed effectively, a character must have a minimum of STR 4. This is not to say that it cannot be used by weaker people - but for every level of difference above 2, the character gains a -2 in their roll to use that weapon. They just don't have enough physical strength to control it effectively. If the character chooses to use both hands, the penalties only start when the discrepancy is higher than 3 (using both hands lends the character more strength and stability towards using the weapon).
Spacial Comfort: Directly comparable to the minimum strength limitation, spacial comfort is important when fighting with weapons. The bigger the weapon is, the more space you're going to need to actually use it. To use a weapon comfortably, a character must have a minimum of the weapon's (damage modifier -2) yard radius to work with. For every yard less than that, apply a -2 penalty to using the weapon. So a character using a large knife or hatchet would need at least a two yard (six feet) radius to fight comfortably; while a character using an odachi (big sword) or a halberd would need at least a five yard (fifteen foot) radius to effectively wield their weapon. Using both hands doesn't help in this situation.
Conspicuousness: Bigger the weapon? Hard to conceal effectively. Taking precaution is always a good idea, and concealing your weapons well means that you've taken precaution. Still, it's pretty hard to hide a halberd or a battle axe. Characters trying to detect whether or not you're carrying get a bonus to their Perception + Larceny (or Notice) roll equal to the weapon's (damage modifier -4), against your Intelligence + Larceny roll to hide it. To hide a weapon, you only roll once; and the same roll is applied against anyone trying to detect any weapons. Obviously, patting you down gives them an extra bonus (+3), but if you were smart and used a duffel bag (or some other, equally effective method), their bonus becomes the weapon's (damage modifier -5). That said? If they open the duffel bag, it's curtains for you. At least, inasmuch as the element of surprise, I have a huge honking sword! goes.
Damage
If the defender wins, the strike is avoided successfully and no damage is dealt. But if the attacker wins, he gets to do damage. Damage can be determined in a variety of ways depending on the weapons or types of attacks or maneuvers used; and also, whether the attack is Lethal or Bash.
One of the big differences between Lethal and Bash damage comes in the form of the net SLs and how they figure into the equation. If the damage is Bash, your damage is [(STRxY*) + (net SLs)] - (target's Bash Soak). But if the damage is Lethal, your damage is [(STRxY*) + [(net SLs) x 2]] - (target's Lethal Soak). Net Success Levels on the attack count double when determining Lethal damage, which, while it may not seem like much, can really stack up when you get to the bare bones of it.
- Y = weapon/maneuver modifier.
See specific Qualities and Maneuvers to find out how to determine the raw damage of the attack. Subtract any soak (from Constitution and/or Qualities that the defender may possess). The resulting number is the total Life Points the defender loses from the attack. So the general formula for an attack is Weapon Damage Modified by Net SLs - Applicable Soak.
Example (Melee Bash): Human Hank has STR 3 and a baseball bat which does STRx5 Bash damage. He attacks Henry, a martial artist with Constitution 4 and Natural Toughness. Hank rolls 4 Success Levels on his attack roll, and Henry rolls 2 Success Levels on his dodge. Hank hits with 2 net Success Levels. He calculates his base damage and subtracts Henry's Bash soak from it. ((3 (STR) x 5 (Weapon modifier)) + 2 (Net SLs)) - (4 (CON Bash Soak) + 2 (Nat Tough Bash Soak)). Hank ends up doing 11 Life Points of Bash damage, and Henry will be smarting for a good while.
Example (Marksman Lethal): Deadshot Dina has standard 9mm pistol which does 10 x Net SLs. She attacks Reprax, a demon with Protection (Bullets) 2. She rolls 7 Success Levels on her attack roll, and he rolls 4 Success Levels on his dodge roll. She hits with 3 net Success Levels. She calculates damage: 10 x 3 = 30. To that, she applies Reprax's Protection (Bullets) 2, which grants him 12 Soak against bullet damage (30 - 12 equals 18). Dina ends up doing 18 Life Points of Lethal damage, and Reprax ends up really angry.
Damage Types: Kinetic and Substance
Maneuvers
Maneuvers are actions your character takes in combat when engaging an enemy. These maneuvers vary in difficulty and the amount of damage they inflict. They also utilize different skills, weapons, and abilities. Every character has full access to all the Basic Maneuvers, however, Advanced Maneuvers must be purchased at a cost of 2 Character Points each in Chargen, or 5 XP each after Chargen.
Basic Maneuvers
Basic Maneuvers are combat actions which are the reflection of general combat knowledge. Unlike Advanced Maneuvers, they are freely available to everyone, and do not require any character points or experience points expenditure to be able to use in combat.
Advanced Maneuvers
Advanced Maneuvers are combat actions which are the reflection of considerable focus and training in specific attacks. Unlike Basic Maneuvers, they are not freely available to everyone. Instead, they cost 2 Character Points each to purchase in Character Generation, or 5 Experience Points each to purchase after approval.
Atemi GripCommon among fighters who've learned the techniques reminiscent to Atemi Strike, the Atemi Grip goes beyond ignoring the victim's endurance and straight into making him useless for a few, often lethal, seconds. The victim must first be Grappled before this maneuver can be attempted. If the victim is grappled, the player rolls (Strength + Brawl -2) versus the victim's (Constitution + Willpower). If the attacker wins, the victim suffers severe numbness in the spot that was grappled, and the player receives a reductive penalty to all physical rolls equal to the number of net Success Levels (SLs) rolled by the attacker. Each consecutive action, the penalty is reduced by 1 as the numbness passes. |
Atemi StrikeSome martial art schools teach special techniques for snaking through an opponent's endurance with one's bare hands. This is one such technique. The player rolls (Dexterity + Brawl -2); if successful, the fighter strikes one of his opponent's vital points, causing agonizing pain. Damage caused by this maneuver ignores any natural soak (such as that gained from Constitution and the Natural Toughness Quality) though not preternatural or armor-based soak (such as the Protection Quality or any Armor the victim may have on). |
Catch WeaponDon't try it at home -- it's only for trained professionals. This maneuver uses (Dexterity + Brawl (or Thrown) -5). If the catcher's roll is not greater or equal to the shooter's (if an archaic weapon, we're not talking bullets here) or thrower's roll, the weapon attack does an additional +5 base damage (nothing like jumping into the flight path of an object built for harm). On the other hand, if the catcher's roll works, everyone around goes "woah!" and maybe "hey, you ain't human!" (That's bad). |
Damaging BlockSome martial artists are so well-trained, that they can harm people simply by applying force and power behind their own defense. The character rolls a classic Block, but applies a -2 penalty to it. If he succeeds in Blocking the attack, his attacker suffers (STR x 2) -- net SLs added as normal -- in Bash damage (with soak being applicable as normal) from the hard and fierce defense. This maneuver is only possible during hand-to-hand combat. To use this maneuver when being attacked by someone wielding a weapon, a Drama Point must be spent. |
Double Jump KickThe hero jumps high in the air and kicks with both legs (either at the same time or in quick succession), nailing two enemies at once. This works like a Jump Kick with a -4 instead of a -3 penalty on the roll, but two opponents can be targeted at once. Each target defends normally against the attack. This move is reserved for those with Dexterity 4 or better. The clumsy need not apply. |
Ear PopThe player attacks with a (Dexterity + Brawl -3) roll. If successful, the fighter slaps both of his opponent's ears with his hands slightly cupped, causing incredible air pressure to rush into his opponent's ears; the opponent suffers intense pain. It's a vicious maneuver, considered 'dishonorable' by some fighters. Damage is (Strength x 2) Bash; in addition, the victim must roll Constitution (doubled) with a penalty equal to the attack's -raw- SLs. If the number of Success Levels achieved is less than the SLs of the attack roll, the victim is stunned for the rest of the turn (or his first action, should the move be performed at the end of a turn), and capable only of defending (but not Full Defense). If he outright -fails- the Constitution (doubled) roll, he passes out and crumples to the ground, defeated. Note: Characters with the Honorable Drawback cannot perform this maneuver without making a Willpower (not doubled) check at a penalty equal to double the value of their drawback. |
Eye PluckA fairly gruesome and often considered dirty-as-all-get-out move, the Eye-Pluck is a difficult, but extremely effective way to incapacitate an opponent. The character roll (Dexterity + Brawl -7). If he hits, he does (Strength x 2) Lethal damage. If the attack does more than the victim's Constitution (doubled) in Life Points of damage, the victim loses an eye, which is now held by the attacker by the fingertips. Note: Characters with the Honorable Drawback cannot perform this maneuver without making a Willpower (not doubled) check at a penalty equal to double the value of their drawback. |
Prone FightingYour character has had extensive training in techniques that make use for fighting while crouched or otherwise prone. He can ignore the -4 penalty that comes with being prone for the purposes of defending and attacking during combat. |
Ranged DeflectionThis maneuver allows the character to Block or Parry ranged attacks. Thrown weapons can be Blocked (if there's a part of the weapon that isn't sharp) or Parried (with a weapon) with a (Dexterity + Brawl/Melee -2) roll. Launched projectiles (arrows, crossbow bolts, blowgun darts) can be deflected with the same roll, except the penalty is -4. No character can deflect bullets. Don't ask. Don't try. Don't even consider it for your special superbad NPC. Unless your name is Diana Prince and you wear red, blue and gold spandex-cum-armor and fly an invisible plane? Just no. |
SacrificeThis manuever allows a character to use a dodge action to place themselves between an attacker and their target, effectively redirecting the attack towards themself. To do this, the character needs to have a higher initiative than the attacker, but still have a dodge or dodges remaining when the attack happens. The character using the Sacrifice maneuver rolls a normal parry or deflection at a -3 (minus any multiple action penalties they've already accumulated) for each dodge and if they have more SLs than the attacker, they effectively parry or deflect the attack for the character they are defending. If they do not beat the attacker's SLs but do not fail the roll, they take the damage intended for the target. If they fail the roll (Total of 8 or less), the original target has to dodge anyway, and failure to beat the attacker means they take damage as normal. |
Sleeper HoldThe character must have his opponent Grappled by the neck before attempting this maneuver. Each action, the character may apply pressure to his victim's neck and surrounding areas, cutting off circulation. This requires a (Strength + Brawl -2) roll versus the victim's Constitution (doubled). Once the character reaches a number of net Success Levels equal to the victim's Constitution, the victim passes out and remains out for 5 turns plus one per each SL they acquired over the total needed to put them out. They can be woken up by medical attention, smelling salts, or being attacked. This maneuver also requires that the character maintain the grapple throughout its execution over several actions (if he can't knock out the victim in one try). If the victim gets free of the grapple, the character may try again, but has to start accumulating Successes from scratch. This move does no damage and is popular as a submission hold. |
Wall FlipYour character needs a nearby wall or solid object with a vertical surface. He also needs some serious moxie and moves. With all that, and a (Dexterity + Acrobatics -3) roll, he can do that awesome "run up the wall, flip over, and land behind the attacker" business. This is considered a defensive action. If not hit, The character adds a +3 bonus to all further defensive actions, and his next attack against the bloke he flipped over (and only that opponent). If he fails his Wall Flip maneuver, he suffers his own (Strength x 2) in Bash damage and winds up prone next to the wall. His style point tally sinks as fast as his chances for survival. |
Whirling SwordThis is a complex maneuver, swinging a sword or other balanced weapon (staff, fighting sticks, and so on) in a complex and non-self-debilitating pattern. Anybody who steps into range of the whirling sword is attacked. Even better, any close attack made against the character can be Parried. The character uses a (Dexterity + Melee -4) roll to attack and defend for the entire turn. This is a great maneuver against multiple opponents, but has a couple of drawbacks. It's the only action the character can attempt that Turn (regardless of Initiative-granted Extra Actions), and it does squat against ranged attacks (you might have heard of an archeologist who simply shoots whirling blade masters). The other problem is the maneuver cannot be used for long before the character gets tired. Every Turn after the first, the penalty for this maneuver is increased by another -2. |
Wrestling HoldThis is a half-nelson, full-nelson, or Twister finale, in which the character immobilizes the enemy, usually by grabbing him from behind and twisting one or both arms. This requires a successful Grapple. After that, the attacker must make a (Strength + Brawl -2) roll. The defender then resists with a (Strength or Dexterity (whichever is better) + Brawl or Acrobatics (again, whichever is better)) roll. If the attacker wins, the defender suffers a -1 penalty to all actions for every net Success Level in the Wrestling Hold attack until he breaks free or the attacker lets go. Otherwise, the defender remains Grappled. |
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Weapons
So let's say you get in a brawl. First thing you do is punch the guy, right? Wrong. First thing you should be doing is finding something to bash his head in with! Nobody ever survived a fight to the possible death by believing they could out-punch the other guy - because the other guy had a knife, or a mace, or a club, or something. Weapons are as popular in the modern age as they were back in the medieval ages - the only thing that's changed is the technology. The Dark Ages' battle axe has been replaced with a shotgun, and the Feudal odachi with an AK-47. Firearms of all types have replaced the more traditional weapons that were once used to fight the forces of evil. However, that doesn't mean that the weapons of old have become obsolete. Firearms may be more modern and effective against people, but demons, vampires, and the scourges of the underworld are often resistance, if not nigh-immune to bullets due to simple primal design; and still other beings can only be killed in certain ways that guns can't provide. Plus, having a gun attracts attention - never mind firing one!
It's due to these circumstances that when it comes down to it, those that have decided to dedicate their lives to fighting the forces of evil - or fighting the forces of good... or just... fighting the forces, whatever they may be - still carry on the age old traditions of martial arts, weapons training, and gory battle galore! Knowing how to use a weapon is only half the battle however: there are a few peculiarities about weapons that should be made clear before your character decides to pick up a scythe and play Grim Reaper with some demon heads.
Bashing
| Bash Weapons | |
| Damage | Examples |
| STR x 3 | brass-knuckles; fist-loads; gauntlet |
| STR x 4 | chair-leg; tonfa; nightstick; club |
| STR x 5 | lead-pipe; bat; short-stave; staff |
| STR x 6 | hammer; crowbar; mace |
| STR x 7 | warhammer; sledge |
Bash weapons work best when you're not necessarily trying to kill your opponent, so much as put them out of commission for a while. They're better at breaking bones, knocking people out, and generally can be found anywhere and are easily created in any given situation (a chair leg is always handy, brooms make good staffs, anyone can have a hammer, and who hasn't dreamt of taking a baseball bat to someone's head in the past?). This makes Bash weapons versatile and practical. Sure, you can kill someone with a Bash weapon - but you probably really wanted them dead if it went that far! It's also far easier to justify carrying around something dangerous, but not lethal, that can be used as a weapon, than a big honkin' sword, axe, or strange ninja stars. Plus, any knife worth having is a deadly weapon, and could get you in trouble with the law.
Lethal
| Lethal Weapons | |
| Damage | Examples |
| STR x 3 | stake; small knife; broken bottle; shuriken |
| STR x 4 | big knife; short spear; hatchet; sickle; chakram |
| STR x 5 | short sword; javelin; spear; crowbar (hook) |
| STR x 6 | sword; axe; scythe; guisarme |
| STR x 7 | big sword; battle axe; halberd |
| Firearms | |
| Damage | Examples |
| 5 x SLs | .22, .25, 5mm, 6mm |
| 10 x SLs | .380 ACP, .38, 9mm, .44, .45 ACP |
| 15 x SLs | 10mm, 11mm, .357 mag, 12mm, .41/.44 mag |
| 20 x SLs | Shotgun (12-Gauge), Rifles (5.56 mm, 7.62mm) |
| 25 x SLs | AK-47, Uzi, Tommy Gun, Assault Rifle |
That said? Lethal weapons kick ass. If you need to kill something? Lethal weapons are your best bet, short of firearms. And if that something is supernatural, you can probably chuck firearms out the window as it is. Sure, they're harder to conceal and you need a lot of training to be able to use them - but Lethal weapons let you do cool shit like chopping off people's limbs, beheading them, and cutting them to bloody ribbons. Everyone's wanted to have a katana at some point in their lives, and while you may have matured out of that particular anime-borne fantasy, we know deep in your heart you still wanna do some gorey, bloody damage. As with most weapons: bigger is meaner. The bigger the weapon is, the more damage it does, and the harder it is to control and use. Still: gore and blood, man!
Armor
| Armor | |||
| Armor | Bash | Lethal | Bullets |
| Leather Jacket | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Leather Armor | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Chain Mail | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Plate Armor | 10 | 12 | 6 |
| Bulletproof Vest | 8 | 5 | 12 |
| Combat Armor | 12 | 12 | 12 |
If you believe you should have access to armor, please put in a +request to staff explaining why your character would have it, and if approved, we’ll set a note on you which you can show other players to prove it is something you possess.
Mind you, walking around in a combat suit or a suit of armor is probably going to be very conspicuous and, just like having big old weapons, it’s going to attract attention and possibly hinder your movement at the discretion of the Narrator.
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