Chapter 8: Combat

Initiative

At the start of a battle, each combatant makes an initiative check. An initiative check is a Dexterity check, which means rolling a d20 and adding a character's Dexterity Modifier plus any miscellaneous modifiers. A miscellaneous modifier might come from a feat, a spell or equipment. Characters act in order, counting down from the highest to the lowest result.

The standard method of resolving the next round of combat is for everyone to keep their initiative result from the previous round. This has the advantage of being faster and simpler to keep track of. An alternative method is to roll initiative each round. This has the advantage of being more unpredictable, creating a dynamic situation that keeps everyone on their toes.

Keeping track of initiative

Normally the Game Master declares that everyone rolls for initiative and then call out their result or offer it when called upon. The GM then rolls initiative for any antagonists, and records that. Finally, the GM makes a quick note of who goes first, second, and so on.

Alternatively, some GMs may call out numbers in a descending order, having Players call out when it is their turn. (GM note: this has the small advantage of keeping Players plugged in.)

Resolving ties

In the case of initiative ties, the character with the higher Dexterity score goes first. If that is a tie, then have each of those Players roll a d10. Whoever gets a higher result goes first.

Surprise

When one character or group is aware of an impending encounter, but the other group is not, those that are aware will get an initiative bonus. The bonus can be anywhere from +1 to +10.

The GM should consider Listen and Spot checks to determine what each side is aware of before two side meet. Everyone in a group should make the Listen and Spot check, with good results normally benefiting everyone within the group nearby (as someone says "hold up" or makes a caution gesture).

Remember though, these notice checks are often make seconds before the encounter: they can help a character be ready to act, but they don’t often allow characters to start taking a bunch of actions before combat starts.

Readying an action

The following is a good example of a proper initiative bonus: A group of characters is searching a room and one of them declares that they are guarding the door, ready to fire at anyone who walks through it. In this case, only the guarding character should gain an initiative bonus. Note that with this bonus it is possible that the guarding character will roll a 1 on his initiative roll while the character opening the door might roll a 20 and still act first. This is fine, as there is a micro delay while the guarding character waits for the door to clear, adjusts his aim slightly, and looks to make sure that the target is in fact an enemy and not an ally. The initial situation can stack the odds in one side’s favour, but the dice results end up determining exactly what happens.

Waiting for an ally or an enemy

Sometimes two characters need to act in coordination. Both characters should roll initiative; the one who gets the better score must wait a moment for the other. If character A gets a 23 and character B rolls an 8, character A would have to delay their action until the number 7 comes up in the turn order – acting just after character B.

A character can also delay their action to wait for an enemy character to act first. In either case, the Player, on their turn, should let the GM know that they wish to act after a specific character. They then act immediately after that character. In Spellchrome, a character may take both their move action and standard action even after a delay.

Flat footed

A flat footed character receives no Dexterity bonus to their Armour Class.

The only time a character is flat footed in Spellchrome is when they are completely unaware of an enemy. This might be a time when a character is sleeping or completely immobilized (like being tied securely to a chair). Characters who have not yet acted in combat are not considered flat footed in the Spellchrome RPG. Even though they have not acted yet, they can still react to an attack as normal.

Getting the drop on an opponent: there is a possible +4 bonus to hit resulting from a successful use of the Hide and Move Silently Skill.

Rounds

When combat begins, this game uses rounds to keep track of everyone’s actions and make sure that everyone gets an opportunity to do something. Each round represents 6 seconds in the game world. There are 10 rounds in a minute.

The game uses initiative to determine which order characters act in. See above for details.

Attack Roll

An attack roll represents your attempt to strike your opponent on your turn in a round. When you make an attack roll, you roll a d20 and add your attack bonus. (Other modifiers may also apply to this roll.) If your result equals or beats the target’s Armor Class, you hit and deal damage.

Automatic misses and hits

A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on an attack roll is always a miss.
A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit.

Attack Bonus

Your attack bonus with a melee weapon is:
Melee Base Attack Bonus + Strength modifier.

With a ranged weapon, your attack bonus is:
Ranged Base Attack Bonus + Dexterity modifier.

Base attack bonuses

See Determining Base Attack Ability. See Attributes

Weapon range

Ranged weapons list a range as part of their equipment description. The target must be within this effective range to attack the target without penalty. Some feats and equipment add to a weapons effective range.

Melee weapon have a short range of a couple feet, which typically means that an aggressor must move before they can attack. If using a battle grid, the two figures should be in adjacent squares.

Range penalty

A weapon fired beyond its effective range has a -6 penalty to hit. Beyond double its original unmodified range, the damage is halved. Its maximum range is line of sight, or whatever the GM feels is appropriate for the weapon and the surroundings.

Spells cannot travel further than their listed range.

Base Attack Bonus Table Repost

Damage

When your attack succeeds, you deal damage. The type of weapon used determines the amount of damage you deal. For example, the Ceburx 44 Heavy Spellchrome Pistol does 2d10 damage, which means that two ten-sided dice are rolled with the results added together for the total damage.

Damage dealt lowers the target’s current Hit Points an equal amount. A character without Hit Points is either unconscious, dying or dead (see Hit Points under Combat Specifics). A character without Hit Points cannot take any further actions unless they are healed.

Strength Bonus: When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon, add your Strength modifier to the damage.

Strength Penalty (Minimum Damage): A melee attack from a weak opponent still potentially causes damage. A melee attack’s initial damage is always 1 or higher. Damage reduction can soak this damage as normal.

Armour Class

Your Armour Class (AC) represents how hard it is for opponents to land a solid, damaging blow on you. It’s the attack roll result that an opponent needs to achieve to hit you. Your AC is equal to the following:

• 10 + Armour Bonus + Dexterity modifier

Armour lists an Armour Bonus as part of its description. The Eldlandrian Heavy Shield can effectively be combined with other armour, adding +1 to a character’s AC. Spellchrome armour needs to be empowered for it to be effective.

Other miscellaneous bonuses may apply. For example, see the Combat Awareness feat.

Damage Reduction

Some armour has Damage Reduction (DR). If it lists a dice value, such as "d6", roll that once you have been hit and damage is determined. Keep the result of the dice roll, applying the same Damage Reduction to any further attacks for the rest of the round. Next round, a new roll is made if you are stuck; it then apply to any further damage for that round.

For example if your character was struck for damage, you would then roll Damage Reduction. Say the damage was 10 and the DR result was 5. You take 5 damage. If two more attacks struck you that round, each for 10 more damage, you would take another 5 damage and then another 5 damage, for a total of 15 points of damage that round.

Extraordinary Hit Points

Some Spellchrome Armour provides Extraordinary Hit Points (EX-HP). This is additional shielding that protects your character. Remove these Extraordinary Hit Points before they come off your normal current Hit Points. Extraordinary Hit Points replenish automatically at a base rate per hour. (Extraordinary Hit Points are discussed further under Hit Points.)

Touch attacks

Some attacks disregard physical armour. For example, if you wanted to grab a hold of a target. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack. When you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn’t include any armour bonus, shield bonus, or natural armour bonus. All other modifiers, such as your, Dexterity modifier, or Combat Awareness feat (if taken) apply normally.

Attacking

Attacking with a ranged or melee weapon is usually a standard action.. This means that you can move your base rate (30 feet, unless modified) and then attack. Or you could cast a attack and then move up to 30 feet.

Advanced characters eventually gain more than one attack with a single weapon.

Types of actions are discussed later in this chapter.

Casting a Spell

Casting a spell is usually a standard action (the same as attacking with a sword). This means that you can move your base rate (30 feet, unless modified) and then cast. Or you could cast a spell and then move up to 30 feet.

Even if you have multiple attacks, you can still only cast one spell per round (casting a spell takes up a full standard action). Exceptions exist, such as certain combat spells that take no action to cast (a null action). Most other spells take up a character's standard action to cast.

Types of actions are discussed later in this chapter.