Combat
Full versionWhen characters find themselves facing challenges and adversaries, the combat rules come into play to determine the outcome of confrontations. This section details the rules and mechanics.
Turn by Turn
Combats are organized into sequential turns. Each participant, whether a player character or an enemy, acts according to an order determined by their initiative score, from highest to lowest.
Recall that initiative is calculated as follows:
Initiative = 10 + DEX
If opponents have the same initiative as a character, the character generally acts first.
After each player and each opponent have performed their actions, the cycle restarts for a new round.
Each character or opponent turn represents approximately 10 seconds of time in the game.
Actions
During combat, characters and creatures have the option to perform different specific actions during their turn, thus allowing for an orderly and dynamic progression of confrontations.
On their turn, each player character (PC) has several options:
- Perform a Movement (M), followed by an Attack (A);
- Perform an Attack (A), followed by a Movement (M);
- Perform two Movements (MM);
- Execute a Dual Action (MA).
Additionally, the player can use a Free Action (F) at any point during their turn.
Let us now explore each action type to better understand the options available during combat.
Movement (M)
Each character or creature can cover a distance of up to 10 meters (or 10 squares) per movement action. This distance can be altered by certain abilities.
A character wishing to move 8 meters (8 squares) consumes 1 movement action (M).
A character wishing to move 15 meters (15 squares) consumes 2 movement actions (MM).
The movement action can be used to move, but it can also be used for other actions that consume the movement action, such as climbing a wall or performing an acrobatic maneuver.
Certain special movements may require a stat test (STR, DEX, or CON) whose difficulty will be determined by the GM.
The movement action (M) can be consumed by certain abilities:
Teleportation | PC - M - Support: The character can instantly teleport to a visible location within a 5-meter radius.
This ability uses 1 movement action to be used.
Attack (A)
The attack (A) represents a simple offensive action by a character or an opponent controlled by the Game Master (GM).
Attacks can be melee, ranged, or magical, performed through a weapon or an ability (or both).
A weapon attack (not combined with ability usage) is systematically a simple attack action (A).
In the case of abilities, this information is specified in their Meta-Information:
Lightning Strike | C - A - PHY(DEX): The character can perform a quick and precise attack, targeting the enemy's weak points to deal 1d4 additional damage.
This ability uses 1 attack action.
Dual Action (MA)
Certain abilities can consume both the movement action (M) and the attack action (A).
In such cases, the character or creature must forgo their usual movement action and attack to use the ability. These abilities are often powerful and have a significant impact on combat.
Heretic's Judgment | C - MA - MAG(WIS) - 15m: The character deals 1d4+1 holy damage for a cost of 3 MP. If the target is a demonic or undead creature, the damage is doubled.
This ability consumes 1 dual action (MA), meaning both a movement action (M) and an attack action (A).
Free Action (F)
Free actions are simple actions that can be performed in addition to the regular movement action and attack.
The free action can be used at any point during the character's action turn: at the beginning, middle, or end of the turn.
- Convince/Speak: Use your charisma (CHA) to attempt to reason with an opponent or give strategic information to your companions.
- Drink a Potion or Elixir: A character can drink a potion or use an equivalent item as a free action.
Certain abilities consume the free action (F).
Taunt | C - F: The character can taunt 1 enemy, drawing its attention and forcing it to attack the character on the next turn.
Attack Resolution
Attacks by weapon or ability usage are resolved using an attack roll (Atk).
- If the attack is physical (Phys Atk), whether melee (Melee Atk) or ranged (Ranged Atk), the test result is compared to the opponent's Physical Defense (Phys Def).
- For magical attacks (Mag Atk), the test result is compared to the opponent's Magical Defense (Mag Def).
- Recall that Support actions are not subject to combat tests, and are therefore automatically successful.
Whether in the case of a weapon or an ability, the stat to use during the attack roll is always specified. Additionally, you must always add the character's level to this result.
Dagger DEX+1 DM 1d4
The test to perform for an attack with this weapon is therefore: D20 + DEX+1 (+ Level).
Abilities have no base bonus in the attack roll but can benefit from bonuses granted by certain equipment.
Magic Missile | C - A - MAG(INT) - 50m: The character can launch a Magic Missile, dealing 1d6+1 magical damage.
The attack roll to perform for this ability is therefore: D20 + INT (+ Level).
If the player is equipped with a Grimoire offering +1 Mag Atk, they must add this additional bonus to their attack roll.
If your attack roll succeeds, you can apply the damage stated by the weapon or ability.
The Dagger deals 1d4 damage.
The Magic Missile ability deals 1d6+1 damage.
Critical Success
When a character or creature obtains a critical result during combat, the damage dealt by their attack is automatically the maximum possible according to the damage dice of the weapon or ability used.
Example 1: Attack with an Upgraded Short Sword
If a character equipped with an upgraded short sword, dealing 2d6+1 damage, obtains a critical result on their attack roll, they deal 13 damage: 12 for the dice at their maximum, plus 1 from the fixed bonus.
Example 2: Attack with an Upgraded Dagger using the Lightning Strike ability
Consider a character who has acquired and unlocked level 3 of the Lightning Strike ability, and equipped with an upgraded dagger dealing 2d4 damage:
Lightning Strike | C - A - PHY(DEX): The character can perform a quick and precise attack, targeting the enemy's weak points to deal additional damage.
- Level 3: Additional damage increases to 2d4.
- Level 5: Additional damage increases to 2d6.
- Level 7: Additional damage increases to 2d8.
In case of a critical result, the character deals not only 8 damage (2d4 at their maximum) for the dagger, but also 8 additional damage for Lightning Strike at level 3 (2d4 at their maximum), totaling 16 damage.
Critical Failure
When you obtain a natural result of 1 during a combat action, it is a critical failure. Your action has simply failed.
But the opponent can seize the opportunity and gain a tactical advantage, such as disarming you, unbalancing you, or putting you in a vulnerable position. The GM should decide the opponent's precise advantage.
Recall that the critical failure threshold can be increased depending on the value of your Charisma (CHA).
Defending
When an attacker performs an attack against a target, the attacker rolls their attack roll as indicated by the weapon used or the ability employed.
If the target does not wish to or cannot perform a dodge or parry, the attack roll result is then compared to their Physical Defense (Phys Def) for a physical melee or ranged attack, or to their Magical Defense (Mag Def) in the case of a magical attack.
If the attack roll result is greater than or equal to their Phys Def or Mag Def depending on context, then the attack succeeds and the target takes the damage indicated by the weapon or ability.
Defensive Stance
The defensive stance is a strategy allowing players and creatures to improve their resilience against physical and magical attacks by temporarily sacrificing their offensive capability.
Sacrificing the Attack (A)
At the start of their turn, the player or creature can choose to forgo their attack action to adopt a defensive stance. In doing so, they gain an immediate +1 bonus to Physical Defense (Phys Def) and +1 to Magical Defense (Mag Def) until their next turn. This bonus also applies to the result of their dodge and parry tests made during this period.
Simple Defensive Stance = Phys Def +1, Mag Def +1, Dodge and Parry +1
Sacrificing the Attack (A) and Movement (M)
For increased protection, the player or creature can also choose to sacrifice both their attack action and their movement action. By opting for this reinforced defensive stance, they receive an increased +2 bonus to Physical Defense (Phys Def) and +2 to Magical Defense (Mag Def), thus offering a better ability to resist enemy assaults until their next turn. This bonus also applies to the result of their dodge and parry tests made during this period.
Double Defensive Stance = Phys Def +2, Mag Def +2, Dodge and Parry +2
Restrictions
It is not possible to adopt a defensive stance by sacrificing only the movement action (M). Establishing a defensive stance requires the sacrifice of the attack action as an initial condition, with the option to expand this protection through the additional sacrifice of the movement action.
As a reminder, the stance bonus is added to the result of dodge and parry tests; like any modifier, it does not change the natural d20 critical thresholds (see Critical Success and Failure). On a critical success of a dodge or parry, a character in a defensive stance retains the right to their riposte: it takes place outside their turn and is therefore not affected by the sacrifice of their attack action.
Dodge and Parry
Before suffering a targeted attack (as opposed to area attacks), a creature or character can attempt a dodge or a parry. They must announce it before the attacker makes their attack roll, then roll 1d20 adding their level and their DEX for a dodge, or their STR for a parry, while the attacker performs their attack roll normally.
For dodge:
Dodge Test = 1d20 + Level + DEX
For parry:
Parry Test = 1d20 + Level + STR
If the result obtained is greater than or equal to the attacker's attack roll, the dodge or parry succeeds and the target takes no damage. Otherwise, the dodge or parry fails and the target takes the attack's damage.
An attack whose roll is a critical success can be neither dodged nor parried: the blow is too perfect to be foiled. Since the reaction was announced before the attack roll, it automatically fails (see Failure and Bonus Damage for the resulting damage).
Suppose Elara, an agile warrior, is attacked by an orc armed with an axe. The orc rolls an attack roll and gets a total of 15. Elara decides to parry and rolls her parry test: she gets a 17 on her die (1d20) plus her level (2) and her STR (4), giving her a total of 23. Since her result is higher than the orc's attack, she succeeds her parry and avoids the damage.
Magic Attacks and Area Attacks
Parrying is impossible against magic attacks: steel cannot block the energy of a spell. Dodging a targeted magic attack is possible, however, but reading the trajectory of a spell is harder than that of a blade: the test suffers a -3 penalty.
Dodge Test against magic = 1d20 + Level + DEX - 3
Finally, neither dodge nor parry is possible against area attacks, whether physical or magical.
Suppose Lyra, an archer, is targeted by the fire bolt of a goblin mage, who gets an attack roll of 16. A parry is impossible against magic, but Lyra attempts a dodge: she gets a 15 on her die (1d20), plus her level (2) and her DEX (4), minus the 3-point penalty, for a total of 18. Her result exceeds the mage's attack: she dives under the fire bolt and takes no damage.
Failure and Bonus Damage
In the case of a failure, if you are using the Progressive Damage Bonus advanced rule or the opponent's attack roll is a critical success against your parry or your dodge, the damage bonus is always calculated based on the defense matching the attack type: Phys Def for a physical attack, Mag Def for a magic attack.
Suppose Alice attempts to parry the attack of a goblin, who lands a critical hit with a total attack roll of 23. Her parry fails, and her Phys Def is 18: she takes the attack's normal damage plus a bonus equal to the difference, that is 23 - 18 = 5 additional damage points.
Conversely, if the opposed attack roll is successful but lower than the defense (Mag Def or Phys Def depending on context), no bonus damage is granted.
Kael, a thief, attacks a knight in armor and succeeds his attack roll with a critical result, for a total of 23 including all bonuses. The knight fails his parry with a total of 17, but his Phys Def is 24: Kael's attack deals its normal damage, with no bonus, because his total does not surpass the knight's full defense.
Critical Success and Failure
The critical success and failure thresholds depend solely on the natural d20 roll: bonuses and penalties (defensive stance, dodging magic…) apply to the test result, never to these thresholds.
In case of a critical success on the dodge or parry test, the target avoids the attack and additionally gains an immediate riposte against their attacker. The riposte takes place outside the target's turn and consumes none of their actions. Its effect depends on the reaction used.
Parry riposte: if the attacker is in melee range, the target immediately deals the damage of their equipped weapon, without making an attack roll. The damage dice are rolled normally, including the weapon's fixed bonuses, but with no maximized damage and no bonus damage: the weapon already in position strikes in the same motion as the parry — the hit is certain, but its impact remains ordinary.
Dodge riposte: if the attacker is within range of the target's equipped weapon, the target immediately makes an attack roll against them with that weapon. This roll is resolved normally against the attacker's Phys Def and can itself result in a critical success, with maximized damage and bonus damage as for any attack.
Magic weapons: a weapon that performs magic attacks (Mag Atk) cannot be used to riposte. The target instead ripostes unarmed, which is only possible if the attacker is in melee range: the parry riposte automatically deals 1d4 + STR damage points, and the dodge riposte is made with a normal unarmed attack roll (see Fighting Unarmed).
If the attacker is out of the required range, the critical success avoids the attack, nothing more. In all cases, a riposte can never be dodged or parried.
Let's return to Elara facing the axe-wielding orc. On her parry test, she rolls a natural 20: critical success. Not only does she deflect the axe, but her blade strikes the orc in the same motion. Her longsword deals 1d8+1 damage: she rolls the die, gets a 6, and the orc takes 7 damage points, with no roll required.
Let's return to Lyra, this time targeted by a goblin hurling a javelin from 8 squares away. She attempts a dodge and scores a critical success: the javelin misses her, and the goblin is within range of her shortbow. She immediately makes an attack roll with her bow against the goblin's Phys Def: if the roll succeeds, she deals her weapon's damage, and a critical success on this roll would even grant her maximized damage. The goblin can neither dodge nor parry this riposte.
Finally, let's replay the same situation with Orin, a mage whose staff performs magic attacks (Mag Atk). Facing the same javelin hurled from 8 squares away, Orin scores a critical dodge. Unlike Lyra, he cannot riposte with his weapon: his riposte would have to be unarmed, and the goblin is out of reach. His critical dodge spares him the javelin, nothing more.
In case of a critical failure, the target loses their ability to dodge or parry on the following turn.
Summary
The possible reactions depending on the attack suffered:
| Attack suffered | Dodge (DEX) | Parry (STR) |
|---|---|---|
| Physical (melee or ranged) | 1d20 + Level + DEX | 1d20 + Level + STR |
| Targeted magic | 1d20 + Level + DEX - 3 | Impossible |
| Area (physical or magical) | Impossible | Impossible |
The effects of a natural critical result on the reaction test:
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| Critical success on a parry | Riposte: weapon damage without a roll (attacker in melee range) |
| Critical success on a dodge | Riposte: attack roll with the equipped weapon (attacker within weapon range) |
| Critical success with a magic weapon equipped | Unarmed riposte (attacker in melee range) |
| Critical failure | No dodge or parry on the following turn |
Combat Options
The rules detailed in this section guide you through the various tactical options available during combat. These options, ranging from unarmed combat to managing opportunity attacks, enrich the possible strategies and increase the dynamics of confrontations.
Understand and master these techniques to optimize your chances of success on the battlefield.
Fighting Unarmed
When a character attempts to strike unarmed, they must perform a physical attack roll (Phys Atk) using their Dexterity bonus. This test is compared to the opponent's Physical Defense (Phys Def) to determine whether they hit their target.
Here is the formula to apply for the unarmed attack roll:
Unarmed Test = D20 + DEX + Level
Damage dealt during an unarmed attack is calculated according to the following formula:
Unarmed Damage = 1d4 + STR
Fighting with Two Weapons
When a character decides to wield two weapons at the same time, they must follow certain specific rules. The use of abilities such as Ambidexterity can make this combat technique much more effective.
Advantages
- Double Attack: The PC can perform two separate attacks (A) instead of one by sacrificing their movement action (M) during their turn. Each attack is performed with a different weapon.
- Damage Diversification: The damage is distributed between the two weapons, which can be useful for bypassing certain creatures' resistance.
For example, if a creature is resistant to slashing damage but vulnerable to bludgeoning damage, the PC can equip a slashing weapon and a bludgeoning weapon to maximize effectiveness on at least one of their 2 attacks.
Disadvantages
- Difficulty of Mastery: Fighting with two weapons requires a certain mastery. The PC suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls with each weapon due to the complexity of the action.
- Secondary Weapon: During a double attack, the weapon held in the off-hand suffers a -2 penalty to damage.
Opportunity Attack
An opportunity attack occurs when an opponent attempts to leave a melee engagement without taking the necessary precautions to disengage. This situation offers their opponent the chance to launch a quick reflex attack.
To exploit this opportunity, the attacker must have a direct line of sight to the fleeing opponent, excluding the three squares directly behind them.
They must then succeed on an attack roll. If the test succeeds, they can perform an attack with their weapon, dealing the appropriate damage.
The victim of the opportunity attack can neither parry nor dodge this unexpected blow, reflecting the vulnerability created by their hasty retreat.
Disengaging
A combatant can opt to disengage from combat, canceling the possibility for their opponents to make an opportunity attack.
This action requires the full attention and agility of the combatant, consuming 1 attack action and allowing them to withdraw safely using their movement action.
This tactical maneuver allows the combatant to reposition on the battlefield safely, ready to continue the fight or support their allies from a new strategic location.
Surprise and Ambush
Before combat begins, the Game Master (GM) determines whether one of the groups (characters or enemies) has managed to surprise the other. This can depend on factors such as stealth, vigilance, or tactics put in place.
If group A surprises group B, the characters in group B are considered "surprised" at the start of combat. This means that they cannot act during the first turn of combat, while group A can act normally.
After the first turn of combat, the surprise ends, and the characters in group B can act normally in subsequent turns.
The characters in group B can still react with defensive actions (dodge/parry) during the first turn of combat, but they cannot initiate offensive actions or spells.
Poisons
Poisons offer a range of diverse and potentially devastating effects, accessible to all characters. However, their use is restricted to slashing or piercing weapons.
Preparation and Application
Applying a poison requires not only dexterity but also thorough knowledge of toxic ingredients. To coat a weapon or projectile with poison, the player must succeed on two consecutive tests:
- Intelligence (INT) Test - Difficulty 10: This test reflects the character's ability to correctly identify the appropriate poison vial and understand the chemical composition necessary to guarantee optimal effectiveness without damaging the weapon. A failure may mean the use of a less effective or inappropriate poison.
- Dexterity (DEX) Test - Difficulty 10: This test determines the character's skill in carefully applying the poison to the weapon without injuring themselves or wasting the substance.
Once applied, the poison remains active on the weapon for the next three attacks or until an attack succeeds, dissipating the poison.
Poison Types and Effects
Poison effects on targets last only a single turn. Furthermore, poisons only deal additional damage to mini-bosses and bosses, without reproducing their usual harmful effects.
Certain abilities can modify this rule, improving either the duration or the impact of applied poisons.
| Poison Type | Cost (NX) | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Slowing Poison | 60 | Reduces the target to a single action per turn. Boss and Mini-boss: 1d6 damage. |
| Weakening Poison | 120 | Forces the target to use a d12 instead of a d20 for its rolls. Boss and Mini-boss: 2d6 damage. |
| Paralyzing Poison | 180 | Prevents any action from the target and makes attacks against it automatically successful. Boss and Mini-boss: 3d6 damage. |
Transport
Although characters can carry as many poison vials as they wish, accumulating a large quantity can prove risky, particularly in perilous situations.
For example, following a critical failure, an adventurer attempting to sneak discreetly behind an enemy slips and falls. The impact causes the rupture of several poison vials they were carrying. The adventurer must immediately succeed on a Constitution test (difficulty 15) to avoid suffering the harmful effects of the released poisons.
The consequences of such an accident, as well as the use of poisons outside of combat, are left to the Game Master's discretion.
Rest
When your characters take the time to rest and recover, they can restore their Hit Points (HP) and their Magic Points (MP). Respite and rest are essential for maintaining the health and vitality of your heroes, and they can take place in different ways depending on the situation and the context of the game.
Short Rest
A short rest lasts approximately 2 hours and allows characters to catch their breath, tend to their minor wounds, and regain a bit of energy.
There is no limit to the number of short rests a character can take per day. However, it is important to note that the choice of rest location can lead to unforeseen events...
Additionally, the PC must choose between recovering their HP or their MP, but cannot do both.
HP Recovery
During a short rest, characters can recover a number of HP equal to their level added to a roll of their hit die.
HP Recovered = Level + Hit Die
MP Recovery
Characters can also recover a number of MP equal to their Wisdom (WIS) modifier including all bonuses, plus their level.
MP Recovered = Level + WIS
If the value of recovered MP is less than or equal to zero, then the character recovers 1 MP.
Long Rest
A long rest generally lasts a full night of sleep.
Relaxed Setting
During a long rest in a relaxed setting, characters recover their maximum HP and their maximum MP.
A relaxed setting can be an inn, a host's home, or any other stress-free location offering comfortable beds and a good meal.
Stressful Setting
In a stressful or uncomfortable setting, the night's rest corresponds to 3 successive short rests.
It is always appropriate to choose which stat (HP or MP) will be recovered during each short rest phase throughout the night.
Unconsciousness and Death
When a character's Hit Points (HP) drop to 0, they fall unconscious and can no longer act when their turn comes. Furthermore, gradually their HP deteriorate, potentially leading to death if nothing is done!
Hit Point Deterioration
Each turn the character is unconscious (and has not yet been stabilized), they must roll their hit die (or dice) (indicated by their class) to determine the deterioration of their hit points.
The roll result is subtracted from their total hit points, and this total is recorded as hit points below zero.
If the total HP below zero is strictly greater than (and not equal to) double the maximum value of the character's Hit Dice, they die.
Death = HP below 0 > 2 x Max Value of Hit Dice
For example, a priest with 2d4 hit dice finds themselves in a state of hit point deterioration.
On their turn, if no other player has stabilized them, they must roll 2d4 and add this amount to the HP below zero.
If the total HP below zero is greater than 16 (2 x 2d4), they die.
Stabilization
If a character is unconscious but has not yet reached the death threshold, the other group members can attempt to stabilize them.
Each turn, a character can perform an action to attempt to stabilize the unconscious character by succeeding on a Healing test (WIS) with a success threshold set by the Game Master (GM).
Stabilization Success
- Simple success: The character stabilizes the injured party and stops the hit point deterioration. The character then has 1 HP and can act again.
- Critical success: The character recovers half of their HP.
Stabilization Failure
- Simple failure: The character's HP continue to deteriorate when their action turn comes.
- Critical failure: The dying PC immediately loses HP equal to the level of the PC who administered the care, thus adding this amount to their HP deterioration.
Death and Recall
When a character perishes, their soul leaves the plane of existence of the current universe for an ethereal universe. However, they continue to observe their team, allowing them to see and hear each of their members but without being able to interact with them.
Preserving the Soul
A deceased's soul remains connected to their last universe for a maximum of 3 days.
This connection is naturally preserved for 24 hours, however it will be necessary to sacrifice 40 NX on the second and third day to maintain this connection. The NX spent belong primarily to the deceased player but can be supplemented by other players.
If it is no longer possible to maintain the connection due to lack of NX or after the 3 days expire, the character's soul permanently loses its connection with the current universe and is no longer playable.
Hero Recall
If the connection with the universe is maintained, the character can be reincorporated or rematerialized through a Recall Ritual, which can be performed during a long rest.
To do so, a living companion must devote themselves and sacrifice 1 XP to carry out the ritual. As for the recalled character's XP and AP, they are reduced to 0 and their HP to 1. However, the recalled character's level and acquired abilities remain preserved.
Characters then regain their strength during rest in the conventional manner (see Long Rest).
Rematerialization is only possible if the body has been entirely destroyed; otherwise the soul returns to its original body wherever it may be...
In the case of death of all characters in the group, no ritual can be performed and their death will be permanent.