Playing the Game
Paladins of Awoudan is a tactical roleplaying game; this means strategic combat is an integral portion of the game. Combat is not the only fun part of play however. Rituals and martial practices allow characters to perform unique and powerful skills outside of combat.
Weavers can scry on an army from afar and then summon a flood to wash the army away. Divines can gather special herbs to make cures for diseases, wounds, and curses. Rangers can scout the nearby land and remain undetected, finding prey or important adventure locations.
While some feats may grant a useful stat benefit, such as divine armor granting Arbiters a +4 DEF bonus while wearing robes, you are also encouraged to spend them to attain useful skills for actions outside of combat. Oftentimes these abilities can determine the outcome of a battle before one begins.
The Golden Rule
A fox can do fox things. What does this mean? It means the reality of the world prevails over any mechanic. In D&D 4th edition, there is a way to build a barbarian who uses their fists as throwing weapons. This build is dubbed “rocket fists”. Rules As Written, it can work, but I would never allow it. It doesn’t make any sense, you see.
This extends into combat as well. The GM should give out worthwhile bonuses and penalties to attacks based on character actions. For example, the Maul is a heavy weapon that’s 6 ENC and has d12+STR for attacks. If a Maul wielder attacks a wiry, 1 foot tall rabbit, feel free to impose a -6 attack penalty. Is this unfair? No. It would be difficult to swing a massive hammer in a way that a rabbit could not dodge. But what if the Maul wielder attacks a knight in heavy plate armor? Give them a +6 bonus, crushing weapons like a maul would be especially effective against armor. And if the knight were knee deep in a bog, why not have him fall prone, even start drowning?
Now you might be thinking, “hang on, how do I determine these bonuses in a fair way?” Well, there is no perfect method. It requires you and the GM to trust one another. The bonuses don’t have to apply to every attack, just significant situations. When in doubt, be inspired by the following tables:
| General Attack | Modifier | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Weak | -4 | Target gains an advantage over you |
| Ineffective | -2 | |
| Effective | +2 | |
| Excellent | +4 | You gain an advantage over the target |
| Attack | Situation | Modifier | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushing | Target is very agile | -4 | They shift to avoid you |
| Crushing | Target has hardened skin, carapace, or natural armor like scales | +2 | Crack their armor |
| Crushing | Target is heavily armored | +6 | Push or knock them prone |
| Piercing | Target is heavily armored and your weapon lacks the force to pierce armor | -4 | Your weapon is disarmed or damaged |
| Piercing | Target has a weak point and you have a clear opportunity to strike | +6 | If you wound, add +10 to the wound roll |
| Slashing | Target is wearing little to no armor | +2 | They gain the bleeding condition |
| Force | Target is very heavy | -2 | Forced movement is less effective |
| Force | Target is very light | +2 | Forced movement is more effective |
| Flaming | Target is surrounded by powerful waters or winds | -4 | Burning condition is negated |
| Flaming | Target is wearing something highly flammable | +4 | They gain the burning condition |
| Freezing | Target is near a great source of heat, such as a pyre | -4 | Slowed and immobilized conditions are negated |
| Freezing | Target is wet or standing in water | +6 | Their stamina is drained |
| Shocking | Target is wearing metal armor and touching a metal or wet surface | +2 | The attack jumps from them to what they’re touching |
Not sure what type of attack you’re performing? Check what your weapon is capable of. Again, use real-world logic.
- Crushing Weapons: hammers, maces, certain polearms
- Piercing Weapons: polearms, daggers, swords, bows
- Slashing Weapons: axes, swords, certain polearms
Magic attacks should be obvious. If there is fire coming out of your hands and you’re attacking someone in the water, you know what happens.