Combat

When combat breaks out, gameplay is broken down into Rounds.

At the start of each Round, the GM sets the stage and explains what the NPCs are doing. Then, you and your teammates have 60 seconds to decide and say what you each plan to do that Round. When ready, everyone rolls their Checks at the same time. If you failed to state what you do, your Charactr has hesitated and you get no action this turn.

Everyone's actions are resolved in the order of Intensity, with ties happening simulataneously.

Melee Combat

Attacking

An Agility check determines if you're the attacker and defender for that Round. This is a wide ranging check that accounts for your ability to dodge, weave, strike, parry, block, and more until a critical moment occurs when one of you finds an opening and takes it.

Successes	Outcome
0	You are the defender
1	GM's choice
2	You are the attacker

The GM will assess factors like risk, environment, and the enemy to determine if additional Difficulty is added to the check. They’ll also clarify when active defenses apply for you or your opponent. For example:

• If you attack aggressively to ensure a kill, the GM might rule that a partial success means you are also hit or that you can’t use your shield for this attack.
• If you fight defensively to avoid injury, a partial success might mean neither of you lands a blow, allowing full use of your shield.

The GM will adapt these outcomes to fit the narrative.

Defending

In combat there are passive and active defenses. Armor protects the body part it covers passively whenever it is hit, while weapons and shields provide active situational protection. You will be able to use your weapon or shield at the GM's discretion based on the outcome of your combat check and the situation of battle. For example, your GM may rule that on a partial Success you'll hit the target but they will apply their shield Defense, or that on a Failure you can use your Shield defenses.

Intentional Cover

If desired, you can declare that you're covering certain body parts with your shield or weapon, such as an injured leg or your head. In that case, you can apply your shield defenses if struck in that area.

Multiple Combatants

Combat Checks get +1 Difficulty for each enemy after the first. For example, if you are engaging 3 enemies at once, the Difficulty for that Check is increased by +2 to 3 Difficulty.

When taking melee damage while engaged with multiple enemies, the damage is increased by 1 for each enemy after the first. For example, if you are engaging four enemies and suffer 5 damage, the damage would be increased by +3 to 8.

Ranged Combat

Attacking

Characters attack with ranged weapons by making DEX Checks and by rolling the Usage die for their ammunition.

Successes	Outcome
0	Miss
1	You hit but the target can Defend
2	You hit and the target cannot Defend

Movement & Distance

The battlefield is broken into abstract distances of Close, Near, Far and Distant. You are actively enagaged in Combat with Close enemies. You can move to a Close or Nearby space as part of an action on your turn, peforming your action anywhere on that turn. Moving Far takes an entire turn. Distant Combatants have left the battlefield and would require a check to catch up to or find.

On your turn you can move somewhere Near as part of an action, performing that action at any stage of your move. You can forgo your action and move somewhere Far instead. Anything beyond Far is considered Distant.

Close	Near	Far	Distant
1-10 paces	10-20 paces	20-50 paces	50+ paces