Initiative

At the start of each Round, all characters Test Savvy, representing their overall awareness of the rapidly changing situation. Those that succeed act before their enemies, those that fail act afterwards. Particularly quick or slow-witted enemies may impose a Boon or Bane on the Test.

Surprise

Characters who are surprised cannot act in the first Round of combat. In general, surprise can be determined diegetically based on the actions of PCs and NPCs. For certain situations, such as random encounters, each PC should Save vs Savvy, with a Bane for particularly stealthy enemies. Any PC that fails the Save is surprised and cannot act this Round.

Reactions

Unless clear from the fiction, the Referee should make a Luck Roll at the beginning of an encounter to determine the disposition of the opposing side.

 
Worst Possible (2) Offended, insulted, bloodthirsty, immediate attack
Pretty Bad (3-5) Hostile, may attack, threaten, or exort opportunistically
Middling (6-8) Uncertain, guarded, curious, wait for more information
Pretty Good (9-11) Cooperative, trading, recently-fed
Best Possible (12) Friendly, actively helpful, can be recruited

Actions in Combat

Each Round, a character may move up to their combat speed (usually 40 ft), and perform a single action. Common actions include:

  • Attack a target
  • Sprint at combat speed again
  • Cast a spell or activate a magic item
  • Retrieve or store an item in a non-handy slot
  • Lighten the load, dropping all non-handy items
  • Reload a crossbow
  • Quaff a swig of liquor
  • Ignite a torch or lantern
  • Attempt a gambit
  • Retreat from the encounter

Talking, shouting, dropping a held item, and other minor actions can be done freely.

Attacking

To attack an enemy directly, Test Violence against your target’s Defense. A Violence Test succeeds if:

1d20 + Violence ≥ Defense

A roll of 20 indicates a Critical Hit. The damage bypasses the target’s Grit and goes directly to Flesh.

A roll of 1 indicates a Critical Miss. Ranged weapons have their ammo depleted and melee weapons always suffer a Notch.

 

Most spells do not require a Violence Test, unless it requires the caster to touch an unwilling target. In all other cases, the spell’s description will note if a Violence Test is required.

Damage

On a successful hit, damage is rolled according to the class of the weapon used.

 

When an attacker rolls maximum damage, the attacker may choose Notch their weapon in order to simultaneously Notch their target’s armor or to apply a special effect based on their weapon’s damage tag.

Damage Tags

Weapons generally deal one of Crushing, Slashing, or Piercing damage, depending on the weapon and how it is being used. Certain damage types may be more or less effective against particular creatures. Additionally, a weapon’s damage tag determines the special effect it grants when the attacker rolls maximum damage.

 
Damage Tag Special Effect
Crushing Dazed. Target has a Bane to all actions.
Slashing Bleeding. Target takes 1d4 damage each Round.
Piercing Pinned. Target is immobilized in place.

Each special effect lasts until the target succeeds on a MIG Save.

Gambits

Gambits are combat actions that are not covered by a simple attack. These include shoving, tripping, disarming, grappling, etc. When performing a Gambit, a character opens themselves up to retaliation by their opponent on failure.

 

To perform a Gambit, a PC Tests the attribute most relevant to their attempted action, applying Boons and Banes accordingly. If the Test succeeds, the Gambit occurs. If the Test fails, the Gambit backfires, giving the opponent a free action to attack or otherwise hamper the PC.

Morale

Enemies have a Morale score from 0-20, representing their willingness to fight. Most creatures have 10 Morale. Other possible Morale scores, along with their odds of succeeding on a Morale Test are given below:

 
Craven Cowardly Impulsive Brave Suicidal
0 4 10 14 20
5% 25% 55% 75% 100%

Enemies should Test Morale when a fight begins to go poorly for them. If combatants fail their Morale Test, they will attempt to flee or surrender. A Morale Test may be triggered when any of the following happen:

  • An enemy is the first casualty of the engagement
  • An enemy leader dies
  • Half of the enemies are killed or incapacitated
  • A solo enemy first takes Flesh damage
  • A particularly frightening or spectacular event occurs

Flighty Hirelings with less than 10 Loyalty must also Test Morale under similar circumstances.