Knockout
When forced to use violence against opponents towards whom they have no malice, players will often opt to have their character forgo dealing normal damage and instead attempt to move an opponent down the Knockout Track and so incapacitate them without killing them. Narratively, what this means is that your character uses the flat of a blade, hilt, pommel or other non-lethal part of a weapon to beat the opponent down. When you announce your attack, state that you are attempting to deal Knockout damage or "pulling your punches." The characters make Attack and Defense Rolls as normal. For every five points of damage you normally would have done, the opponent is moved one space down the Knockout Track.
| Status | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Stage One | −2 |
| Stage Two | −4 |
| Stage Three | −6 |
| Stage Four | −8 |
| Stage Five | Knocked-out |
The further down the K.O. Track a character is, the more penalties are applied to his or her rolls. When a character reaches Stage Five on the K.O. Track, he or she is rendered unconscious until they are healed of their condition or have adequate time to rest.
A character also moves one step down the K.O. Track each time they take damage which exceeds their Endurance + Vitality from one attack.
