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Paladins of Awoudan (alpha)

Combat

Sequence

A skirmish is a series of rounds and turns. In a round, every character takes one turn. A round represents about six seconds in the fiction, but they can technically be shorter or longer. Time is simulated poorly, do not perform Newtonian analysis of combat. On your turn, you can take a standard action, a move action, and choose to perform additional stamina actions.

The full combat sequence is as follows:

  1. Determine surprise. The GM determines if any characters are surprised. This may involve any check they wish as there is no perception skill. If the players are attempting to surprise, they could make a stealth check with DEX. If they’re the ones who may be surprised, they could roll INT to piece together that the location is perfect for an ambush. But most of the time, the surprising party will succeed at surprising their targets.

  2. Determine positions. This game requires a battle map or mat made up of squares. The GM determines the starting positions of every character, but they may ask questions or allow the players to place themselves, within reason. For example, the GM could ask at this stage where each player would have stepped to when they entered a new room.

  3. Roll initiative. To determine the order of turns, characters roll initiative. This is a d12 + DEX. Characters take turns in order from highest to lowest results (tie in favor of players). Players may not change their initiative slot once combat begins.

  4. Surprise round. If there are surprised characters, they cannot take a turn in the first round of combat and they cannot perform reactions. Every non-surprised character takes their turns as normal.

  5. Take turns. Every character can take turns in the round now. Use the initiative order to determine who acts until all the characters on one side are dead/disabled or one side flees or otherwise ends the combat.

Actions

Types

  • Standard: An attack or key action.
  • Move: Move a number of squares equal to your speed or shift 1 square (shifting prevents opportunity attacks).
  • Free: A small, easy action such as speaking a sentence, dropping an item, or inspecting something you see. Does not require spending stamina.
  • Stamina: Any additional action performed on a turn. Requires spending stamina.
  • Reaction: A special stamina action performed outside of a turn that is limited to once per round.
  • Concentration: Certain effects must be maintained by sacrificing a number of WIL equal to the rating of concentration per turn as a free action.

Standard Actions

  • Attack: Perform a melee, ranged, or spell attack action. You can perform a maximum amount of attack actions in a round equal to your END (minimum 2). Most weapon attacks target HEA unless stated otherwise, but melee attacks may choose to target STA. Spell attacks target STA or WIL.
  • Bull Rush: Choose a target within reach. Perform an opposed strength check. If you succeed, the target is pushed 1 square away and knocked prone or it is pushed 2 squares away. You can shift into the square it left behind after pushing it.
  • Charge: Perform a move action as part of this attack (this consumes your free move) and then perform a melee attack with +2 to the attack roll or perform a bull rush with +2 to the check. You must move at least 3 squares from your starting position and you must move in a line for at least the last 3 squares of movement. The target of the attack must be in a square in the same orientation of your charge such that if you continued in your line you would enter their square.
  • Finisher: You can deliver a finishing attack against an unconscious or helpless foe. If the attack hits, it deals a wound or failed death save if they are dying.
  • Grapple: Choose a target within reach. Perform an opposed strength check. If you succeed, the target gains the grappled condition.
  • Heal: Choose an ally within close burst 1. You immediately allow them to roll one save or you may make a SPI or INT check to heal them for 1 HEA.
  • Help: Choose an ally within close burst 1. Once on their next turn, when they roll any die, they may reroll it. This could be for a save, attack roll, or special ability.
  • Reload: Decrease the amount of reload actions necessary to use the weapon again by 1. If a weapon has “reload 2”, then it needs 2 reload actions before you can use the weapon again. This action can only be performed once per round.
  • Rest: At the end of your turn when you regenerate stamina or willpower, you add +d6 to the rolls.
  • Save: Make a save against one condition affecting you. This cannot heal conditions from wounds.

Move Actions

  • Crawl: You must be prone to crawl. You move a quarter of your SPE. You still provoke opportunity attacks.
  • Shift: You move 1 square, but you do not provoke opportunity attacks.
  • Sprint: You move your SPE + 2, but grant combat advantage until the start of your next turn.
  • Run: You move your SPE which may provoke opportunity attacks.

Stamina Actions

  • Attack (6 STA): Perform an additional melee, ranged, or spell attack action. You can perform a maximum amount of attack actions in a round equal to your END (minimum 2).
  • Move (6 STA): Perform an additional move action. A maximum of two move actions can be performed per round.
  • Opportunity Attack (3 STA, Reaction): When you are wielding a melee weapon and an adjacent enemy moves to a square that is not adjacent to you, uses a ranged attack, or makes a spell attack without the blast or close burst attribute, you may perform an opportunity attack. This is a standard attack action. Certain class abilities grant you additional attacks or triggers for opportunity attacks.
  • Draw/Stow (3 STA): Perform an additional draw or stow action. A maximum of two draw/stow actions can be performed per round. Drawing/stowing two melee weapons that you dual wield is one action.
  • Dodge (6 STA, Reaction): As a reaction to an attack against you, but before damage is rolled, you may dodge. Roll d6 + DEX and subtract the sum from the final attack roll. If the sum is zero or less, no on-hit or on-damage effects trigger.
  • Parry (Variable STA, Reaction): Requires a parry weapon. As a reaction to a melee attack against you, but before damage is rolled, you may parry. Choose a number of STA to spend. If this total is greater than the attack roll, then you suffer no damage, the attack is treated as a miss, and you may make an opportunity attack against the target.
  • Shield (Variable STA, Reaction): Requires a shield. As a reaction to an attack against you, but before damage is rolled, you may shield. If you do, you must spend a number of STA equal to the damage of the attack. If this leaves you with 0 or less STA, you gain the exposed condition and cannot make a save for this condition on your next turn. ex: Attack roll of 8 when you have 4 armor would result in 4 damage, requiring you to spend 4 STA to negate all damage.
  • Reload (3 STA): This action can only be performed once per round.
  • Free (6 STA): Generally, free actions occur for free, but if you would like to perform the same free action multiple times in a round, you must spend 6 STA.

Free Actions

  • Make a mental check of some sort
  • Pickup a light item from the ground
  • Sheathe one weapon and draw another

Attacks

When you attack with magic or a weapon, you roll dice and add ability scores or bonuses. The sum is reduced by a relevant defense stat and the result is the damage. If the damage is 0 or less, then the attack is a miss, otherwise it’s a hit. If an ability says it deals damage instead of an attack, then there is no attack roll.

Defense and Focus

There are two defensive stats: defense (DEF) and focus (FOC). Most attacks are reduced by DEF, but spell attacks, regardless of whether they target HEA, STA, or WIL, are reduced by FOC. Usually based on armor, attack rolls have a penalty equal to the defense or focus rating of the target. If a target has -4 defense and -2 focus, then the attacker subtracts -4 from an attack roll with a bow and -2 from a wand attack.

Damage

You have three stats that represent your well-being: health (HEA), stamina (STA), and willpower (WIL). Each of these stats can be damaged and reduced to zero or lower. When that happens, you gain conditions such as exposed, dazed, or unconscious.

Health Damage

When your HEA falls to zero or lower, you are dying. You gain the unconscious condition. You cannot save from this condition. Instead, you perform one death save on your turn. If you fail three death saves, you die. If you succeed on three death saves, you stabilize. A death save is a d12 check with no bonuses. Keep track of your death saves as you roll.

If your HEA is restored to a value greater than 0, you lose the unconscious condition and your death saves are thrown out.

Stamina Damage

When your STA falls to zero or lower, your stamina is drained. You gain the exposed condition. You cannot save for this condition. At the end of your next turn, you lose the condition and regain d4 + END stamina. You cannot take STA damage while exposed in this way.

Conditions

  • Bleeding: At the start of your turn, you take an amount of damage equal to the rating of the bleeding condition. Make a VIT save to remove the condition. If the damage from this condition lowers you to 0 or lower HEA, you suffer a wound and the condition is removed.
  • Broken: You suffer 1 HEA and STA damage for each square of movement you perform. This damage cannot be reduced.
  • Burning: At the start of your turn, you take an amount of damage equal to the rating of the burning condition. Make a DEX save to remove the condition. If the damage from this condition lowers you to 0 or lower HEA, you suffer a wound and the condition is removed.
  • Dazed: You are unable to perform stamina actions or reactions. Make a MIN save to remove the condition.
  • Dying: You must make three death saves to stabilize and lose the dying condition. If you reach three failed death saves, you die.
  • Exhausted: Your maximum STA and WIL is reduced by the rating of exhausted (to a minimum of 1).
  • Exposed: Unable to perform actions besides free actions, including stamina actions and reactions. You also suffer an additional +4 damage from all attacks until the condition leaves you. Make a SPI save to remove the condition.
  • Frightened: You are unable to move towards or attack the creature/object frightening you. Make a SPI save to remove the condition.
  • Grappled: One creature is holding onto another. The grappler can perform move actions at half speed (dragging the grappled target with them), but the grappled creature is immobilized. The grappled creature has a -2 penalty to all attacks. Make a STR save to break free of the grapple.
  • Immobilized: You are unable to perform move actions or any action that results in you moving from your current square. Make a VIT save to remove the condition.
  • Impaired: You are unable to perform actions with the impaired section of your body. If your arm is impaired, you cannot use your hand. Make a VIT save to remove the condition.
  • Prone: The only move action you can make is crawl. Melee attacks against you have combat advantage and ranged attacks have a -2 penalty. It takes two squares of movement to stand from prone or drop prone.
  • Slowed: Your speed is halved. Make a VIT save to remove the condition.
  • Stunned: You lose your free move or standard action every turn. Make a MIN save to remove the condition.
  • Unconscious: Unaware and unable to perform actions. This condition can only be removed through healing or medicine from an ally.

Ranges

Most attacks are single target, be they melee, ranged, or spell attacks. Certain class abilities modify attacks so that they have unique ranges that target multiple creatures instead. These ranges are also used colloquially to describe certain ranges of non-attack effects.

Blast

Blast is a wide attack pattern that does not reach very far. First you choose a square in close burst one. If it is an orthogonal (N, E, S, W), then count out a number of squares equal to the rating of the blast and that are orthogonal to the origin square. If it is diagonal (NE, SE, SW, NW), then count out a number of squares equal to the rating of the blast in a perpendicular direction (N, E, S, W).

Blast 1, facing North

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Blast 1, facing Northeast

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Blast 2, facing East

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Blast 2, facing Southwest

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Burst

Burst is an attack pattern that hits a wide area far from your character. Choose any square within range of your normal attack. This is the origin square of the burst. Count a number of squares equal to the rating of the burst in each direction. This creates a square around you that determines the range of the attack.

Burst 1, with a weapon range of 4

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Burst 2, with a weapon range of 4

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Close Burst

Close burst is an attack pattern that surrounds your character. Count out a number of squares equal to the rating of the close burst in each direction. This creates a square around you that determines the range of the attack.

Close Burst 1

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Close Burst 3

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Line

Line is a thin attack pattern that reaches very far. First you choose a square in close burst one. Count out a number of squares equal to the rating of the line that head in the same direction as the initial square.

Line 3, facing North

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Line 4, facing Northeast

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Line 8, facing East

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Wall

Wall is a unique attack pattern. Walls create physical objects on the battlefield. Choose an origin square within range of your ranged or magic weapon. Place each section of the wall (the ability will determine how many) in an unoccupied square in an orthogonal fashion. You cannot place sections diagonal of each other and you cannot place a piece that is orthogonal to three or more sections at the same time. The wall must be continous. If you have more sections to place, but no more valid placements, then they are discarded.

Wall 5, valid examples

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Wall 5, invalid examples

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Attack Modifiers

There are several attack modifiers that increase or decrease attack rolls.

Combat Advantage

There are several ways to gain combat advantage, but the one way any unit can gain it is through flanking an enemy. A character is considered flanked if there are two enemies positioned adjacent to it and at opposite corners (see diagrams for details). Only the characters who are positioned as part of the flank gain combat advantage. If an attack has combat advantage, add +2 to the attack roll. Combat advantage can also trigger abilities for allies and foes.

Flanking, valid examples

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Flanking, invalid examples

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Cover

Objects, structures, and terrain can be used as cover logically. Common examples of cover are standing behind a barrel, large tree, or even other individuals. If there is a foe that is standing in between you and your target, the target has cover. If an ally stands in front of you, then you gain cover from attacks from foes. When attacking someone in cover, attack rolls have a -2 penalty.

Superior Cover

The GM determines if it counts as superior cover. It is any cover that almost completely obscures the target. Examples include firing crossbow bolts through a small hole in a castle wall and a splintered door. When attacking someone in superior cover, attack rolls have a -8 penalty.

Concealment

If you can’t get a good look at your target, then they are concealed and you have a -2 penalty to attacking them. Common examples of concealment are smoke filling a room, the darkness of a moonless night, and

Total Concealment

If you can’t see the target at all, or if the target is invisible through some magic, then they have total concealment and you cannot attack them as normal. Instead, you must target what you cannot see.

Invisibility

If a target is invisible, treat them as if they have total concealment.

Niche Rules

Concentration

When you are concentrating on an effect and you take damage, you must make a MIN check and subtract the amount of damage you sustained from the roll. If you fail, the effect ends.

Dual Wielding

When you hold two of the same weapon type, one in each hand, you are dual wielding. While you dual wield, you do not add your ability scores to attack rolls, but you can roll two attack rolls against different targets as one standard attack action or you can combine both attack rolls against the same target.

If two weapons are very similar, such as the parrying and throwing daggers, then they can be effectively dual wielded even though they are not technically the same weapon.d

Ex: If you dual wield shortswords, you can either roll d6 against two adjacent targets or roll 2d6 against one adjacent target. If you roll against two targets and hit both, then you can trigger two on-hit effects.

Regeneration

At the end of your turn, you may regenerate stamina or willpower, but only if you did not spend them.

Stamina Regeneration

At the end of your turn, if you did not spend any STA, you regain d4 STA.

Willpower Regeneration

At the end of your turn, if you did not spend any WIL, you regain d4 WIL.

Rounding

All rounding is done by rounding down.

Structures

Structures and objects can have structure health, or STH, that operates slightly differently than creature health. For every 10 points of HEA damage, a structure instead takes 1 point of STH damage. To destroy a 3 STH door with an axe, you must deal at least 30 points of HEA damage to it. Most damage that targets STA or WIL does 0 damage to STH.

Targeting What You Can’t See

If you wish to target a foe with total concealment, there are several steps you must follow.

  1. First, roll a check to perceive it as a free action. Roll a d6. If you rolled higher than your target’s DEX or INT (whichever is higher) then you know where it is located on this turn and may target it as normal.
  2. If you did not perceive the creature, then you must instead target a square(s) for the attack roll. This attack roll has a -4 penalty and automatically fails if the creature is not present in the square(s). On a miss, the GM should not tell you if the creature was present in the square(s).
  3. If the attack roll is a blast, burst, or close burst, then there is no penalty to the attack roll.
  4. If the attack hits, then the target only has concealment instead of total concealment until the end of their next turn.

Throwing Melee Weapons

If a player wishes to throw a melee weapon, they cannot add any ability scores to the attack roll, the roll is halved, and the range is equal to the target’s STR. Some melee weapons have the ‘throw’ property that allows you to throw them without this penalty or range.