Combat
When the going gets rough, the rough get going. Sometimes all that can be done in a situation is to throw down the gloves and beat the snot out of someone. In the world of combat, some practice an art, some just love a good fight, and still others turn tail and hide.
Combat in the Elysium game is a turn-based encounter where the players face a common foe or group of foes, or possibly even each other. A character's placement in this order depends on the results of a Reaction Check. Combat is divided into rounds: five second intervals within which initiative order takes place.
Contents
Quick Links
Rolls
- The Attack Roll
- The Defense Roll (using Dodge or a Parry)
- The Spell Roll
- The Spell Defense
Actions
- Performing a Disarm
- Performing a Trip
- Performing a Charge
- Performing a Feint
- Performing a Hold
- Moving in combat
Other
Initiative Order
Each player or NPC will make a Reaction Check. The higher the resultant number, the more on top of things the character is considered to be. Starting with the lowest number, each participant announces what he or she will do. This way, the participants higher up in the order can decide their actions based on the actions of others lower in the order.
Some GMs prefer that initiative is rolled only at the beginning of the combat encounter. Others enjoy a new initiative roll at the beginning of every round. Your results may vary.
Players should pay attention during combat. Your GM hates nothing more than to be asked "What do I see?" when it's your turn. Having players announce their actions at the beginning of the turn is also a good way of preventing lengthy decision making at the beginning of a player's turn. As soon as your turn is over, start thinking about what to do next turn so that when the next round of combat comes around, you can announce your decision with authority!
Actions in Combat
In the thick of things, the actions your character can perform are only limited by your imagination. Any offensive action is guaranteed to need a roll, as are activities which would require the use of a skill.
Every action you perform costs a specified number of Action Points. Characters start off with 6 AP, but more can be earned through the Speedy Combatant trump.
Here is a brief list of things a character might want to do in combat.
- Attack another combatant
- Go on the defensive
- Aid an injured ally
- Talk your way out of it
- Cast a spell
- Use a Special Power
- Retrieve and use an item
- Run away from battle
- Taunt another combatant
- Perform a Feint
- Move somewhere
This is by no means a complete list. You will ultimately come up with far more creative things to do while in combat than we can list here.
Attacking
As simple as it sounds, there are actually several ways to martially attack another combatant.
Using a weapon
This is by far the simplest type of attack. A straightforward Attack Roll is opposed by the opponent's Defense Roll (either a dodge or a parry). The difference of these two rolls (if positive) is what the defending character takes as damage.
Jon's character Akare attacks Dustin's character Vhaeol. Jon's attack roll is 19. Dustin's defense roll is 14. Vhaeol takes 5 points of damage.
Each weapon lists a different amount of AP that is needed to use it. Large weapons, like an executioner's axe, take a full 6 AP to use. Small weapons, like a dagger, take 1 AP. Speed and damage are trade-offs when choosing a weapon style. Smaller weapons can be used more but incur less damage. Larger weapons deal out lots of damage, but take much longer to use.
Charge with a weapon
Throwing caution to the wind, you can take up arms and run full-speed at an opponent, using the additional momentum to deal extra damage. To charge, you must have enough AP to use your weapon and move the distance between you and the opponent at full speed. If you don't have enough, you can run during one turn and attack the next.
James' character Ogre wants to charge at Dustin's character Kharza. Unfortunately, Ogre must use 4 AP to close the distance between him and Kharza, but using his greatsword takes 5 AP. James decides to have Ogre charge, using one turn to close the distance, and his second turn to make the attack.
Charging adds +2 to the damage delt. Certain weapons, such as a lance, deal twice their damage rating instead of this +2 bonus. A lance normally deals 8 damage, but if used in a charge it deals 16!
If a defending character wields a polearm, he or she can attempt to parry the charge and deal damage. Using other weapons to parry a charge can potentially ward off the attack, but they deal no damage to the attacker. If the parry is successful (i.e. the difference between the Attack Roll and Defense Roll is negative) this number is taken from the attacker's Health Points.
Instead of attacking at the end of the charge, a character can attempt to trip the defender. This is usally called an overrun.
If a defending character manages to completely dodge out of the way of a charge, he or she can make a free trip attempt against the attacker.
Disarming an opponent
You can try to smack or grab the weapon out of someone's hand. This obviously only works on manufactured weapons, and not those that are part of an opponent's body. For instance, working a sword out of someone's grasp can be done, but relieving an angry bear of its claws is unlikely.
Some weapons are better at disarming than others. A whip or chain is well-suited to this task. Some weapons, specifically those that are held with two hands, are better at resisting a disarm.
An attacking character will roll D10 + Agility + the weapon's disarm bonus (i.e. +3 for a whip).
The defending character will roll D10 + Muscle + Hold + the weapon's disarm resistance bonus (i.e. +2 for a Scythe).
Dustin's character Kharza uses a whip to try to disarm Jon's character Beldo who carries a scythe. Dustin's result is 15, Jon's result is 21. Beldo keeps his scythe.
Trip an opponent
Occasionally you want to pull the rug out from under an enemy. Tripping an opponent in combat is just an opposed roll.
The attacking character will roll D10 + Agility + Muscle + Weapon skill ranks + the weapon's trip bonus.
The defending character will roll D10 + Agility + Dodge + Hold + Muscle.
Hold or wrestle an opponent
D10 + Agility + Hand-to-Hand
D10 + Dodge + Agility or D10 Roll + Agility + Hand-to-Hand
If attacker is successful, attacker must roll a Hold check. Defender can make a hold check or an Escape check.
If Attacker wins the hold check, he or she can do any of the following:
- Squeeze defender (break ribs, choke out, etc.)
- Pry item from defender’s hand
- Attack defender with his own weapon (if small)
- Attack defender with small weapon
- Cast a spell/enact a special ability
