Post by Gravedust on Jan 4, 2023 12:09:27 GMT -8
-----[ THE COMBAT PHASE ]-----
The combat phase occurs when your characters are fighting enemies, or are likely to be doing so soon. The combat phase will probably be familiar to tactical gamers and tabletop roleplayers, with the environment represented by a map divided up into squares and actions performed in sequential turns until combat is ended.
This section covers the basics of combat, further combat-related and situation-specific rules can be found in the (Combat Supplemental) section.
-----[ CHARACTER STATS ]-----
While in combat your character's stats will be displayed on a Character sheet:
[BASIC STATS]
Basic stats record some basic information about the character's round-by-round status.
LEVEL (LVL) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A general measurement of your character's effectiveness. With each new level your character's capabilities will increase.
Characters usually begin at level 1, but may start higher than that in certain situations.
EXPERIENCE (XP) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advancement towards the next Level.
HIT POINTS (HP) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How much damage your character can take. When reduced to 0, your character is unable to fight effectively and in imminent danger of death.
HP has a base value of 10.
MAGIC POINTS (MP) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arcane energy used to cast spells and activate the special effects of magical items.
MP has a base value of 0.
MOVEMENT (MOVE) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How many squares your character can move per turn.
Base Movement is 10, and is modified by equipped gear, and buffs or debuffs.
Note that unless otherwise specified, Buffs or Debuffs to MOVE >DO NOT STACK.< Only the largest effect applies.
[ATTRIBUTES]
Attributes determine your character's effectiveness in various aspects of combat.
All Attributes begin at 0. For each Level your character has, they can allocate 1 Attribute point.
[COMBAT STATS]
Combat stats are a combination of the character's Attributes (see above) and bonuses from Gear your character has equipped.
Can be temporarily altered by buffs, debuffs, and other effects.
[ TALENTS ]
Talents are special abilities you can choose for your character which add unique actions or passive effects. Some Talents may have Cooldowns, and once used, a certain number of rounds must elapse before they can be used again.
Each Talent has at least 1 Rank, and many have multiple ranks. Investing more Ranks into a multi-rank talent improves it's effect in some way. The total number of Talent Ranks cannot exceed your character's Level. When your character gains a level they immediately get a Rank point they can put into an existing talent, or learn a new one.
Standard talents can be learned by anyone and have no prerequisites, but Special talents can be learned after meeting certain prerequisites.
(See the Talents section of the Archive for a list of talents and their effects)
[ MORALE ]
Morale is a representation of your character's physical and mental condition. A character in good health and good spirits is more resilient and energetic that one who is dispirited and exhausted. Morale is set at the beginning of an adventure based on the Character's Accommodations, and may be gained or lost based on decisions made while Adventuring. If you decide to march through the night to make it to the treasure before the bad guys have chance to, this will tire you out and effect your morale negatively. If you splurge on a hearty meal, and night's entertainment and a comfortable room at the inn, your morale will improve. The morale results of your decision will be laid out by the GM so you can make informed choices. But the longer your Adventure is and the further it takes you from civilization, the more pressing concern that morale loss can become. If morale becomes negative, for every 2 points of negative morale, characters suffer a -1 morale penalty to ALL rolls.
In combat, if a character's Morale is higher than 0, once per turn they can spend 1 morale point as a Free action to do one of the following:
----- [ XP GAIN, LEVELING AND CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT ] -----
XP is awarded for eliminating hostile creatures. XP gains are shared by ALL characters involved in the battle regardless of whether they were involved in downing the creature or not.
XP gain depends on the difficulty of the enemy, however the amount earned is reduced by the character's current Level.
For instance; if an enemy worth 5 xp is defeated, a level 1 character will receive 4 XP for it (5-1 = 4),
while a level 3 character will receive 2 xp. (5-3 = 2).
The amount of XP your character needs to increase their level is equal to [Current level * 10].
(So 30 XP at level 3, 40 XP at level 4, etc.)
At certain times, XP can be awarded for successfully avoiding certain combat encounters.
XP can also be awarded for completing adventures or downtime events. This XP is not reduced by character level.
-----[ GEAR ] -----
Gear are Items that can be equipped by a Character.
Each character has 3 slots for gear:
2 'Hand" slots for Melee weapons, Ranged weapons, shields, and other handheld gear.
1 "Body" slot for armor of varying kinds.
A character can only have Armor in the Armor slot, and >may not have two of the same type of gear in the hand slots<.
(i.e. A Melee weapon and a Shield are fine, but two Melee weapons, two ranged weapons, or two shields aren't.)
Most pieces of gear will have Combat Stat modifiers.
Positive Bonuses are listed [in brackets] while negative qualities like movement penalties will be listed (in parenthesis)
Ex: the above sword adds +2 to Melee Attack, and reduces movement by 1.
Normal gear pieces only add stat bonuses, however Special Gear (denoted by a yellow name bar and purple icon) can have other special effects,
in addition to sometimes having better stats:
(This Special Spear applies 5 Toxin to its target with every attack.)
The descriptor text for these item effects is only a reminder, a full explanation of Special gear effects will be posted in the Archive for reference.)
All Gear has a Tier rating. This denotes the Gear's general quality. A Gear's Tier effects the potency of an item's Enhancements or other special effects. In general, higher is better.
-----[ THE COMBAT MAP ]-----
When your character is in an area where combat is likely to occur, that area will be represented by a Combat Map.
The map will be shown as a grid of squares. These squares are the unit of measurement for movement, attack ranges, etc.
Grey areas on the map represent unknown areas that no-one has seen, and will be revealed based on your character's line of sight as you explore.
----- [ COMBAT ] -----
This section covers the organization and general rules of combat.
NEXT SECTION: COMBAT SUPPLEMENTAL
The combat phase occurs when your characters are fighting enemies, or are likely to be doing so soon. The combat phase will probably be familiar to tactical gamers and tabletop roleplayers, with the environment represented by a map divided up into squares and actions performed in sequential turns until combat is ended.
This section covers the basics of combat, further combat-related and situation-specific rules can be found in the (Combat Supplemental) section.
-----[ CHARACTER STATS ]-----
While in combat your character's stats will be displayed on a Character sheet:
[BASIC STATS]
Basic stats record some basic information about the character's round-by-round status.
LEVEL (LVL) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A general measurement of your character's effectiveness. With each new level your character's capabilities will increase.
Characters usually begin at level 1, but may start higher than that in certain situations.
EXPERIENCE (XP) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advancement towards the next Level.
HIT POINTS (HP) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How much damage your character can take. When reduced to 0, your character is unable to fight effectively and in imminent danger of death.
HP has a base value of 10.
MAGIC POINTS (MP) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arcane energy used to cast spells and activate the special effects of magical items.
MP has a base value of 0.
MOVEMENT (MOVE) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How many squares your character can move per turn.
Base Movement is 10, and is modified by equipped gear, and buffs or debuffs.
Note that unless otherwise specified, Buffs or Debuffs to MOVE >DO NOT STACK.< Only the largest effect applies.
[ATTRIBUTES]
Attributes determine your character's effectiveness in various aspects of combat.
All Attributes begin at 0. For each Level your character has, they can allocate 1 Attribute point.
+ ATTACK (ATK) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's offensive skill with all weapons, both melee and ranged.
Increases the effectiveness of melee AND ranged attacks.
+ DEFENSE (DEF) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You character's ability to dodge, block or otherwise mitigate the effects of physical attacks that deal damage.
Also lessens the chance that certain kinds of debuffs will be able to effect your character.
+ VITALITY (VIT) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's toughness, physical strength and resilience. Each point increases a character's max HP by 5,
and increases the recovery speed from debuffs that have effected your character.
+ MECHANICAL (MEC) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's understanding of and ability to use complex mechanical devices.
Is a prerequisite to use some kinds of items and gear, and improves the results of using Tool and Gadget items.
+ MAGIC (MAG) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's understanding of and control over magical forces. Each point increases Maximum MP by 3, and allows
Your character put more power into spells in order to increase their effects.
Your character's offensive skill with all weapons, both melee and ranged.
Increases the effectiveness of melee AND ranged attacks.
+ DEFENSE (DEF) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You character's ability to dodge, block or otherwise mitigate the effects of physical attacks that deal damage.
Also lessens the chance that certain kinds of debuffs will be able to effect your character.
+ VITALITY (VIT) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's toughness, physical strength and resilience. Each point increases a character's max HP by 5,
and increases the recovery speed from debuffs that have effected your character.
+ MECHANICAL (MEC) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's understanding of and ability to use complex mechanical devices.
Is a prerequisite to use some kinds of items and gear, and improves the results of using Tool and Gadget items.
+ MAGIC (MAG) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your character's understanding of and control over magical forces. Each point increases Maximum MP by 3, and allows
Your character put more power into spells in order to increase their effects.
[COMBAT STATS]
Combat stats are a combination of the character's Attributes (see above) and bonuses from Gear your character has equipped.
Can be temporarily altered by buffs, debuffs, and other effects.
+ Melee Attack ( MA ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Melee Attack represents the character's overall skill with melee weapons.
It is made up of the Character's base ATK Attribute, plus any Melee Attack bonuses granted by equipped Melee weapons.
+ Ranged Attack ( RA ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ranged Attack represents the character's overall skill with ranged weapons.
It is made up of The Character's base ATK Attribute, plus any Ranged Attack bonuses granted by equipped Ranged weapons.
+ Armor (Armor) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armor is a combination of the Character's DEF Attribute, and any Armor bonuses from Gear or other effects.
Incoming damage from physical attacks are directly reduced by Armor, down to a minimum value.
+ Recover (Recover) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The base amount of HP the character will recover when using a 'Recover' Action.
Has a base value of 1, and is increased by 1 for every point of VIT.
+ Influx (Influx) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The base amount of MP the character will recover when using a 'focus' action.
Has a base value of 1, and is increased by bonuses from gear and some item effects.
+ Resilience (Res) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The base amount the Magnitude of debuffs effecting your character is reduced per round. (Debuffs and Magnitude are covered later)
Has a base value of 1 and is increased by 1 for every point of VIT.
+ Morale (Morale) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A resource your character can spend for special bonuses in combat. (See the Morale section below for more information)
Melee Attack represents the character's overall skill with melee weapons.
It is made up of the Character's base ATK Attribute, plus any Melee Attack bonuses granted by equipped Melee weapons.
+ Ranged Attack ( RA ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ranged Attack represents the character's overall skill with ranged weapons.
It is made up of The Character's base ATK Attribute, plus any Ranged Attack bonuses granted by equipped Ranged weapons.
+ Armor (Armor) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armor is a combination of the Character's DEF Attribute, and any Armor bonuses from Gear or other effects.
Incoming damage from physical attacks are directly reduced by Armor, down to a minimum value.
+ Recover (Recover) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The base amount of HP the character will recover when using a 'Recover' Action.
Has a base value of 1, and is increased by 1 for every point of VIT.
+ Influx (Influx) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The base amount of MP the character will recover when using a 'focus' action.
Has a base value of 1, and is increased by bonuses from gear and some item effects.
+ Resilience (Res) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The base amount the Magnitude of debuffs effecting your character is reduced per round. (Debuffs and Magnitude are covered later)
Has a base value of 1 and is increased by 1 for every point of VIT.
+ Morale (Morale) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A resource your character can spend for special bonuses in combat. (See the Morale section below for more information)
[ TALENTS ]
Talents are special abilities you can choose for your character which add unique actions or passive effects. Some Talents may have Cooldowns, and once used, a certain number of rounds must elapse before they can be used again.
Each Talent has at least 1 Rank, and many have multiple ranks. Investing more Ranks into a multi-rank talent improves it's effect in some way. The total number of Talent Ranks cannot exceed your character's Level. When your character gains a level they immediately get a Rank point they can put into an existing talent, or learn a new one.
Talents can be learned and ranked up for free, and during Downtime can be downranked at a cost of $5 per rank removed, freeing up those rank points to be put in a different Talent.
Note that if you have unallocated ranks points when leaving on an Adventure you will NOT be able to allocate them on the fly, except for points your character gets from gaining a level. (i.e, don't start an adventure with unspent rank points, you won't be able to allocate them on the fly.)
Standard talents can be learned by anyone and have no prerequisites, but Special talents can be learned after meeting certain prerequisites.
(See the Talents section of the Archive for a list of talents and their effects)
[ MORALE ]
Morale is a representation of your character's physical and mental condition. A character in good health and good spirits is more resilient and energetic that one who is dispirited and exhausted. Morale is set at the beginning of an adventure based on the Character's Accommodations, and may be gained or lost based on decisions made while Adventuring. If you decide to march through the night to make it to the treasure before the bad guys have chance to, this will tire you out and effect your morale negatively. If you splurge on a hearty meal, and night's entertainment and a comfortable room at the inn, your morale will improve. The morale results of your decision will be laid out by the GM so you can make informed choices. But the longer your Adventure is and the further it takes you from civilization, the more pressing concern that morale loss can become. If morale becomes negative, for every 2 points of negative morale, characters suffer a -1 morale penalty to ALL rolls.
In combat, if a character's Morale is higher than 0, once per turn they can spend 1 morale point as a Free action to do one of the following:
+Shake It Off
Reduce the Magnitude of a chosen debuff by [LEVEL](Minimum:5), or the Duration of a chosen Debuff by 1.
+ Fierce Attack
For any ranged or melee attack roll, roll 3 dice and use the highest result. (Make sure to indicate you are doing this >BEFORE< you roll any dice) Fierce Attacks do not automiss on a natural 1, unless all dice roll 1. If the Fierce Attack explodes, use 1 explosion die to continue.
+ Second wind
Restore [LEVEL/2](Min:5)(Max:10) HP.
+ Inner Power
Restore [LEVEL/10](Min:1)(Max:3) MP.
+ Get There
Gain +2 MOVE for this round. >This stacks other MOVE bonuses<
Reduce the Magnitude of a chosen debuff by [LEVEL](Minimum:5), or the Duration of a chosen Debuff by 1.
+ Fierce Attack
For any ranged or melee attack roll, roll 3 dice and use the highest result. (Make sure to indicate you are doing this >BEFORE< you roll any dice) Fierce Attacks do not automiss on a natural 1, unless all dice roll 1. If the Fierce Attack explodes, use 1 explosion die to continue.
+ Second wind
Restore [LEVEL/2](Min:5)(Max:10) HP.
+ Inner Power
Restore [LEVEL/10](Min:1)(Max:3) MP.
+ Get There
Gain +2 MOVE for this round. >This stacks other MOVE bonuses<
----- [ XP GAIN, LEVELING AND CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT ] -----
XP is awarded for eliminating hostile creatures. XP gains are shared by ALL characters involved in the battle regardless of whether they were involved in downing the creature or not.
XP gain depends on the difficulty of the enemy, however the amount earned is reduced by the character's current Level.
For instance; if an enemy worth 5 xp is defeated, a level 1 character will receive 4 XP for it (5-1 = 4),
while a level 3 character will receive 2 xp. (5-3 = 2).
The amount of XP your character needs to increase their level is equal to [Current level * 10].
(So 30 XP at level 3, 40 XP at level 4, etc.)
At certain times, XP can be awarded for successfully avoiding certain combat encounters.
XP can also be awarded for completing adventures or downtime events. This XP is not reduced by character level.
-----[ GEAR ] -----
Gear are Items that can be equipped by a Character.
Each character has 3 slots for gear:
2 'Hand" slots for Melee weapons, Ranged weapons, shields, and other handheld gear.
1 "Body" slot for armor of varying kinds.
A character can only have Armor in the Armor slot, and >may not have two of the same type of gear in the hand slots<.
(i.e. A Melee weapon and a Shield are fine, but two Melee weapons, two ranged weapons, or two shields aren't.)
Most pieces of gear will have Combat Stat modifiers.
Positive Bonuses are listed [in brackets] while negative qualities like movement penalties will be listed (in parenthesis)
Ex: the above sword adds +2 to Melee Attack, and reduces movement by 1.
Normal gear pieces only add stat bonuses, however Special Gear (denoted by a yellow name bar and purple icon) can have other special effects,
in addition to sometimes having better stats:
(This Special Spear applies 5 Toxin to its target with every attack.)
The descriptor text for these item effects is only a reminder, a full explanation of Special gear effects will be posted in the Archive for reference.)
All Gear has a Tier rating. This denotes the Gear's general quality. A Gear's Tier effects the potency of an item's Enhancements or other special effects. In general, higher is better.
-----[ THE COMBAT MAP ]-----
When your character is in an area where combat is likely to occur, that area will be represented by a Combat Map.
The map will be shown as a grid of squares. These squares are the unit of measurement for movement, attack ranges, etc.
Grey areas on the map represent unknown areas that no-one has seen, and will be revealed based on your character's line of sight as you explore.
+ Walls
Walls are impassible (except by certain special effects) and block line of sight. (LOS) They are usually surrounded by a thick black outline.
+ Doors
Doors block movement and LOS when closed. Doors may be locked, and may require lockpicking to be opened.
+Low Obstacles
Low Obstacles are objects such as large rocks, chests, tables, crates, etc., that may be found on the map. Obstacles cannot be moved through, (except by certain abilities or effects) but do not block LOS. They do however reduce the effectiveness of ranged attacks that pass through them, as they provide a small amount of cover to targets.
+Tall Obstacles
Tall Obstacles are large (usually multi-square) objects that are generally too tall for characters to see over, such at trees or large boulders. These block vision and LOS in the same manner as walls do. Ask the GM for clarification if something is a Tall obstacle or not.
+ Shallow Water
Shallow water is indicated by light blue squares on a map, and represents waist-deep water that is passable, but difficult to move through.
Moving into a shallow water tile costs an additional point of Movement. (moving out of one does not cost extra.)
+ Deep Water
Deep Water is indicated by darker blue squares, and Deep Water squares represent water of neck height or deeper and must be swum through.
A character in deep water may only move by using the Swim action, which moves them 2 squares.
+ Traps
Some areas may feature Traps. Traps will activate if a character moves into a 'trigger area' that sets them off.
Most traps can trigger multiple times, but usually only one time per round.
Traps and trigger areas can be discovered by Searching, and traps or their triggers can be permanently disarmed using a Disarming Kit.
Walls are impassible (except by certain special effects) and block line of sight. (LOS) They are usually surrounded by a thick black outline.
+ Doors
Doors block movement and LOS when closed. Doors may be locked, and may require lockpicking to be opened.
+Low Obstacles
Low Obstacles are objects such as large rocks, chests, tables, crates, etc., that may be found on the map. Obstacles cannot be moved through, (except by certain abilities or effects) but do not block LOS. They do however reduce the effectiveness of ranged attacks that pass through them, as they provide a small amount of cover to targets.
+Tall Obstacles
Tall Obstacles are large (usually multi-square) objects that are generally too tall for characters to see over, such at trees or large boulders. These block vision and LOS in the same manner as walls do. Ask the GM for clarification if something is a Tall obstacle or not.
+ Shallow Water
Shallow water is indicated by light blue squares on a map, and represents waist-deep water that is passable, but difficult to move through.
Moving into a shallow water tile costs an additional point of Movement. (moving out of one does not cost extra.)
+ Deep Water
Deep Water is indicated by darker blue squares, and Deep Water squares represent water of neck height or deeper and must be swum through.
A character in deep water may only move by using the Swim action, which moves them 2 squares.
+ Traps
Some areas may feature Traps. Traps will activate if a character moves into a 'trigger area' that sets them off.
Most traps can trigger multiple times, but usually only one time per round.
Traps and trigger areas can be discovered by Searching, and traps or their triggers can be permanently disarmed using a Disarming Kit.
----- [ COMBAT ] -----
This section covers the organization and general rules of combat.
[ TURN ORDER ]
Each round, all player characters act first, followed by all enemies.
Player actions will enacted in post order, however the GM may alter this order when possible to help players perform team actions.
(Ex: one player orders a move, but another player wants to buff them. Since they would be out of the caster's range after their move, The GM will cause the caster's action to happen before the moving player's action.)
The actions of both sides will be shown on the updated map at the beginning of the next Round, and a summary log will also detail what happened.
NOTE: Since mobs take their turn second, enemies hidden in the Fog of War or who aggro because of player movement will have a chance to attack immediately. Because of this, caution is advised when moving into new areas.
Each round, all player characters act first, followed by all enemies.
Player actions will enacted in post order, however the GM may alter this order when possible to help players perform team actions.
(Ex: one player orders a move, but another player wants to buff them. Since they would be out of the caster's range after their move, The GM will cause the caster's action to happen before the moving player's action.)
The actions of both sides will be shown on the updated map at the beginning of the next Round, and a summary log will also detail what happened.
NOTE: Since mobs take their turn second, enemies hidden in the Fog of War or who aggro because of player movement will have a chance to attack immediately. Because of this, caution is advised when moving into new areas.
[ CHARACTER ACTIONS AND MOVEMENT PER TURN ]
Your Character can perform one Movement and one Action per turn, (See below for Movement rules and the different Actions your character can perform)
as well as a number of Free Actions.
Actions represent the main your character wants to do in the current round, be it making an attack, opening a door, using an item or something else that takes a short amount of time.
Free Actions are things your character can do instantly or very quickly. Your character can use any number of Free Actions in a single round, however each Free Action may only be used once per round, and using some Free Actions may exclude using other ones that turn.
Movement changes your character's position on the map, according to the movement rules.
Your character can Move and Act in any order, however they cannot split movement. (i.e., you can't move, act, and then continue moving.)
Your Character can perform one Movement and one Action per turn, (See below for Movement rules and the different Actions your character can perform)
as well as a number of Free Actions.
Actions represent the main your character wants to do in the current round, be it making an attack, opening a door, using an item or something else that takes a short amount of time.
Free Actions are things your character can do instantly or very quickly. Your character can use any number of Free Actions in a single round, however each Free Action may only be used once per round, and using some Free Actions may exclude using other ones that turn.
Movement changes your character's position on the map, according to the movement rules.
Your character can Move and Act in any order, however they cannot split movement. (i.e., you can't move, act, and then continue moving.)
[ ATTACKS AND DAMAGE ]
When a character is attacked using normal melee or ranged weapons, the result of the attack roll counts as damage. Before that damage is taken however, it is reduced by the amount of Armor the character has (Ex: 8 damage against a character with 5 armor results in 3 damage taken). Incoming damage can never be reduced all the way to 0, however. Even if Armor blocks all the incoming damage, characters will take a minimum of 1 point of damage per 5 points of the original attack roll. (Ex: A character with 18 Armor is attacked with an attack roll of 16. The character takes 3 minimum damage. (16/5 = 3.2, rounded down to 3)
When a character is attacked using normal melee or ranged weapons, the result of the attack roll counts as damage. Before that damage is taken however, it is reduced by the amount of Armor the character has (Ex: 8 damage against a character with 5 armor results in 3 damage taken). Incoming damage can never be reduced all the way to 0, however. Even if Armor blocks all the incoming damage, characters will take a minimum of 1 point of damage per 5 points of the original attack roll. (Ex: A character with 18 Armor is attacked with an attack roll of 16. The character takes 3 minimum damage. (16/5 = 3.2, rounded down to 3)
[ NATURAL 1 and NATURAL 10]
A roll result of 1 on an attack roll means the attack fails entirely. No damage is dealt and any special effects the attack may have otherwise had also do not take place; it is as though the attack never took place, except any resources used to make the attack are still expended.
A rolled result of 10 on an attack causes the attack roll to 'explode'. The D10 is rolled again, and the new roll is added to the previous roll of 10. Rolls can explode multiple times.
A roll result of 1 on an attack roll means the attack fails entirely. No damage is dealt and any special effects the attack may have otherwise had also do not take place; it is as though the attack never took place, except any resources used to make the attack are still expended.
A rolled result of 10 on an attack causes the attack roll to 'explode'. The D10 is rolled again, and the new roll is added to the previous roll of 10. Rolls can explode multiple times.
[ ENEMY DAMAGE CAP ]
((Don't panic! The GM will handle this, you don't really need to understand it. Tldr; it mostly keeps low-level mobs from being able to one-shot low level characters with good rolls.))
Most monsters have a limit to the amount of damage they can deal with normal attacks. If the damage dealt by an attack >after reduction by Armor< is higher than the attacker's damage cap, the capped value will be used for damage instead. Special attacks may have a different damage cap
(Ex: A low-level wild dog gets a crit, and rolls a 6 for the explosion die for 16 damage total. The target's armor of 3 reduces this to 13 damage.
However the Wild Dog's damage cap is 4, so the character only takes 4 damage.)
((Don't panic! The GM will handle this, you don't really need to understand it. Tldr; it mostly keeps low-level mobs from being able to one-shot low level characters with good rolls.))
Most monsters have a limit to the amount of damage they can deal with normal attacks. If the damage dealt by an attack >after reduction by Armor< is higher than the attacker's damage cap, the capped value will be used for damage instead. Special attacks may have a different damage cap
(Ex: A low-level wild dog gets a crit, and rolls a 6 for the explosion die for 16 damage total. The target's armor of 3 reduces this to 13 damage.
However the Wild Dog's damage cap is 4, so the character only takes 4 damage.)
[ RANGE ]
Range refers to the farthest away square an attack or other action can target, measured in map squares.
Note that Range is measured in 'manhattan distance' i.e. the total number of horizontal and vertical squares
that need to be crossed to get from the attacker to the target. Do not count diagonally when figuring range.
Range refers to the farthest away square an attack or other action can target, measured in map squares.
Note that Range is measured in 'manhattan distance' i.e. the total number of horizontal and vertical squares
that need to be crossed to get from the attacker to the target. Do not count diagonally when figuring range.
[ LINE OF SIGHT (LOS) ]
Ranged attacks and some Spell and Item effects may indicate they require LOS, meaning they cannot target a character who is obscured by walls or tall obstacles. On the Combat Map, if a straight line can be drawn from the center of the Attacker's square to the center of the target square that does not cross through any part of a Wall, closed door, or tall obstacle, then the attack has LOS.
You can ask the GM to confirm LOS for you, if you are not sure.
Ranged attacks and some Spell and Item effects may indicate they require LOS, meaning they cannot target a character who is obscured by walls or tall obstacles. On the Combat Map, if a straight line can be drawn from the center of the Attacker's square to the center of the target square that does not cross through any part of a Wall, closed door, or tall obstacle, then the attack has LOS.
You can ask the GM to confirm LOS for you, if you are not sure.
[ ATTACKS OF OPPORTUNITY]
Certain actions taken by Characters or enemies during their turn may trigger an attack of opportunity from a unit, even when it is not their turn. Attacks of opportunity can only be made with Melee weapons (except when specified otherwise) and only within the weapon's normal attack range. When triggered, attacks of opportunity are rolled BEFORE the action that triggered them is completed.
Certain actions taken by Characters or enemies during their turn may trigger an attack of opportunity from a unit, even when it is not their turn. Attacks of opportunity can only be made with Melee weapons (except when specified otherwise) and only within the weapon's normal attack range. When triggered, attacks of opportunity are rolled BEFORE the action that triggered them is completed.
[STATUS EFFECTS, DURATION, AND MAGNITUDE]
Certain Spells, Items, Enemy attacks, and Curses can add Buffs (positive effects) or Debuffs (negative effects) to a character, usually for a limited duration, or with an associated Magnitude. Any buffs or debuffs currently active on a character will be listed in the character sheet, along with duration or magnitude.
+Duration
Duration is a number associated with an effect (usually a buff) that indicates how long it will remain on a character. Duration automatically ticks down by 1 at the end of that character's turn. Once an effect's Duration is reduced to 0, it wears off and no longer has any effect.
+Magnitude
Magnitude is a number associated with a status effect (usually debuffs) that indicates how severe that debuff is. Effects with a Magnitude will have their Magnitude indicated with {curly braces}. The Debuff's magnitude is reduced by a certain amount (By the target's Resilience, unless otherwise specified) at the end of the character's turn. Once the Magnitude has been reduced to 0, the effect wears off and no longer has any effect. In some cases, a debuff's Magnitude may also determine how bad its effect is.
(Ex: Toxin, a very common debuff, deals 1 damage for every 5 points of Magnitude. A character with Toxin{18} will take 3 points of damage at the end of their turn. )
+Curses
Curses are powerful debuffs that do not wear off naturally. They are usually inflicted only by very powerful entities or artifacts and can only be dispelled by special items, or divine ceremonies.
+Resisting Debuffs
Some kinds of debuff have a chance to be resisted by a character. These debuffs normally roll against a character's DEF in order to take effect, so having DEF can prevent these kinds of debuffs from being applied in the first place.
Certain Spells, Items, Enemy attacks, and Curses can add Buffs (positive effects) or Debuffs (negative effects) to a character, usually for a limited duration, or with an associated Magnitude. Any buffs or debuffs currently active on a character will be listed in the character sheet, along with duration or magnitude.
+Duration
Duration is a number associated with an effect (usually a buff) that indicates how long it will remain on a character. Duration automatically ticks down by 1 at the end of that character's turn. Once an effect's Duration is reduced to 0, it wears off and no longer has any effect.
+Magnitude
Magnitude is a number associated with a status effect (usually debuffs) that indicates how severe that debuff is. Effects with a Magnitude will have their Magnitude indicated with {curly braces}. The Debuff's magnitude is reduced by a certain amount (By the target's Resilience, unless otherwise specified) at the end of the character's turn. Once the Magnitude has been reduced to 0, the effect wears off and no longer has any effect. In some cases, a debuff's Magnitude may also determine how bad its effect is.
(Ex: Toxin, a very common debuff, deals 1 damage for every 5 points of Magnitude. A character with Toxin{18} will take 3 points of damage at the end of their turn. )
+Curses
Curses are powerful debuffs that do not wear off naturally. They are usually inflicted only by very powerful entities or artifacts and can only be dispelled by special items, or divine ceremonies.
+Resisting Debuffs
Some kinds of debuff have a chance to be resisted by a character. These debuffs normally roll against a character's DEF in order to take effect, so having DEF can prevent these kinds of debuffs from being applied in the first place.
[ VULNERABILITY ]
Performing Delicate or complex Actions such as Resting or Lockpicking will cause a character to become Vulnerable. When a vulnerable character is attacked, the result of the attack roll is doubled, and Armor is ignored, along with the enemy damage cap.
While Vulnerable, characters cannot make Attacks Of Opportunity. (see below for Attacks of Opportunity.)
Performing Delicate or complex Actions such as Resting or Lockpicking will cause a character to become Vulnerable. When a vulnerable character is attacked, the result of the attack roll is doubled, and Armor is ignored, along with the enemy damage cap.
While Vulnerable, characters cannot make Attacks Of Opportunity. (see below for Attacks of Opportunity.)
[ MOVEMENT ]
+ Movement may occur before or after your Character's Action.
+ Your Character cannot move more squares than their MOVE stat. (plus or minus any modifiers to it)
+ Buffs of Debuffs to MOVE >DO NOT STACK< Unless otherwise specified.
+ Your Character cannot move through Walls or Obstacles, unless a special effect allows them to.
+ Your Character cannot move into or through squares occupied by enemies, unless a special effect allows them to.
+ Your Character cannot move diagonally.
+ Your Character cannot end their movement in a square that is occupied by any other Character, unless that unit is dead or Wounded.
+ Movement may occur before or after your Character's Action.
+ Your Character cannot move more squares than their MOVE stat. (plus or minus any modifiers to it)
+ Buffs of Debuffs to MOVE >DO NOT STACK< Unless otherwise specified.
+ Your Character cannot move through Walls or Obstacles, unless a special effect allows them to.
+ Your Character cannot move into or through squares occupied by enemies, unless a special effect allows them to.
+ Your Character cannot move diagonally.
+ Your Character cannot end their movement in a square that is occupied by any other Character, unless that unit is dead or Wounded.
[ ACTIONS ]
One Action can be performed per turn. The basic actions available to every Character are:
One Action can be performed per turn. The basic actions available to every Character are:
+ Melee Attack
Characters attacking in melee can target any square that is directly adjacent to them. (Including diagonally)
Some weapons (such as Spears or Great Weapons) may have special attack ranges or attack patterns, however.
Melee attacks are rolled as [1d10 + the attacker's Melee Attack]
:::NOTE::: If you make a Melee Attack without a Melee Weapon equipped, the enemy you target will get a >>free melee attack of opportunity<< before your attack occurs. (If they have a melee weapon equipped.) (See below for attacks of Opportunity.)
Characters attacking in melee can target any square that is directly adjacent to them. (Including diagonally)
Some weapons (such as Spears or Great Weapons) may have special attack ranges or attack patterns, however.
Melee attacks are rolled as [1d10 + the attacker's Melee Attack]
:::NOTE::: If you make a Melee Attack without a Melee Weapon equipped, the enemy you target will get a >>free melee attack of opportunity<< before your attack occurs. (If they have a melee weapon equipped.) (See below for attacks of Opportunity.)
+ Great Weapons:
Great weapons are large weapons with a wide reach. They make sweeping attacks and can hit multiple enemies in a single attack.
+ Unlike most melee weapons, instead of identifying a target, specify a cardinal direction you want to swing in.
+ A separate attack roll is be made against each enemy in the effected area. Natural 1s only cause the enemy they were rolled against to be missed.
+ If any square that great weapon effects is occupied by a wall, obstacle, or friendly unit, the roll result of each attack roll made is reduced by 2 for every obstruction.
+ If a great weapon is poisoned, 1 poison charge is expended for every enemy hit.
+ Great weapons may make attacks of opportunity, but only hit the unit who triggered them.
Great weapons are large weapons with a wide reach. They make sweeping attacks and can hit multiple enemies in a single attack.
+ Unlike most melee weapons, instead of identifying a target, specify a cardinal direction you want to swing in.
+ A separate attack roll is be made against each enemy in the effected area. Natural 1s only cause the enemy they were rolled against to be missed.
+ If any square that great weapon effects is occupied by a wall, obstacle, or friendly unit, the roll result of each attack roll made is reduced by 2 for every obstruction.
+ If a great weapon is poisoned, 1 poison charge is expended for every enemy hit.
+ Great weapons may make attacks of opportunity, but only hit the unit who triggered them.
+Spear weapons:
Spears and related weapons have an extended reach and gain an extra square of range in the cardinal directions.
Spears and related weapons have an extended reach and gain an extra square of range in the cardinal directions.
+ Ranged Attack
Characters with Ranged weapons can make an attack against any target that is in LOS and not further than the weapon's Range.
Unless otherwise specified, Ranged Attacks require some sort of Ammunition Item.
::NOTE:: For each friendly unit or obstacle that a ranged attack's path crosses, a -2 penalty to the attack roll is added.
Ranged attacks are rolled as [1d10 + Ranged Attack]-[Obstacle Penalty]
::NOTE:: If you make a ranged attack while adjacent to an enemy, that enemy will get a >>free melee attack of opportunity<< before your attack occurs. See below for Attacks of opportunity.
Characters with Ranged weapons can make an attack against any target that is in LOS and not further than the weapon's Range.
Unless otherwise specified, Ranged Attacks require some sort of Ammunition Item.
::NOTE:: For each friendly unit or obstacle that a ranged attack's path crosses, a -2 penalty to the attack roll is added.
Ranged attacks are rolled as [1d10 + Ranged Attack]-[Obstacle Penalty]
::NOTE:: If you make a ranged attack while adjacent to an enemy, that enemy will get a >>free melee attack of opportunity<< before your attack occurs. See below for Attacks of opportunity.
+ Wand weapons:
Wands make ranged attacks similar to other ranged weapons, except they cost MP to use rather than requiring ammunition.
Wands cause attacks of opportunity in the same way as other ranged weapons.
Wand attacks are rolled at [1d10 + Wand Bonus]
Wands make ranged attacks similar to other ranged weapons, except they cost MP to use rather than requiring ammunition.
Wands cause attacks of opportunity in the same way as other ranged weapons.
Wand attacks are rolled at [1d10 + Wand Bonus]
+ Spellcasting
((Note: In this game setting, Spells are sometimes called 'Rotes' for lore-related reasons, but the terms 'rote','spell' and 'scroll' can be used interchangeably. For ease of introduction, all references have been left as 'spell' here. ))
Spells are special actions that are activated by spending a character's MP. All spells cost a minimum amount of MP, but many spells have the option of spending more MP to get an expanded effect.
::NOTE:: The amount of MP that can be spent in a single casting is limited by your character's MAG score.
(ex. A character with 2 MAG can only spend a maximum of 2MP on a Rote.)
In order to use a Spell, a character must have it as a 'scroll' item in their inventory, or have memorized it as a Talent. (See the Talents section below for more information.)
Multiple Spell Items can be incorporated into a single 'Spellbook' Item.
+ Spellbooks
Spellbooks are Gear items which have a number of slots where Spells can be stored. Higher-quality Spellbooks have more slots.
Spellbooks can be equipped in a Hand slot or held in a character's Inventory. As long as a Spellbook is somewhere in the characters possession, the spells it holds will be available for casting.
Spells in a spellbook may be moved from one spellbook to another when not in combat, but cannot be recovered back into their original 'scroll' item.
::NOTE:: Once a spellbook has been used by a character, it cannot be used by different character. They may still be sold.
((Note: In this game setting, Spells are sometimes called 'Rotes' for lore-related reasons, but the terms 'rote','spell' and 'scroll' can be used interchangeably. For ease of introduction, all references have been left as 'spell' here. ))
Spells are special actions that are activated by spending a character's MP. All spells cost a minimum amount of MP, but many spells have the option of spending more MP to get an expanded effect.
::NOTE:: The amount of MP that can be spent in a single casting is limited by your character's MAG score.
(ex. A character with 2 MAG can only spend a maximum of 2MP on a Rote.)
In order to use a Spell, a character must have it as a 'scroll' item in their inventory, or have memorized it as a Talent. (See the Talents section below for more information.)
Multiple Spell Items can be incorporated into a single 'Spellbook' Item.
+ Spellbooks
Spellbooks are Gear items which have a number of slots where Spells can be stored. Higher-quality Spellbooks have more slots.
Spellbooks can be equipped in a Hand slot or held in a character's Inventory. As long as a Spellbook is somewhere in the characters possession, the spells it holds will be available for casting.
Spells in a spellbook may be moved from one spellbook to another when not in combat, but cannot be recovered back into their original 'scroll' item.
::NOTE:: Once a spellbook has been used by a character, it cannot be used by different character. They may still be sold.
+ HP AND MP RECOVERY
There are 4 actions Characters can use to recover HP and MP in combat, in 2 categories, Quick and Lengthy.
+ HP/MP Recovery between Combats
In between most combat maps, HP and MP will usually be fully refilled, as though through multiple quick recoveries.
There are 4 actions Characters can use to recover HP and MP in combat, in 2 categories, Quick and Lengthy.
Quick recoveries:
These are akin to taking a moment to pause to catch your breath or refocus your magic.
Quick recoveries use an Action, but the character can still perform a movement.
These kinds of recovery do not require any special items.
+ Recover: Restores an amount of HP equal to the character's [Recover] Stat.
+ Focus: Restores an amount of MP equal to the character's [Influx] Stat.
These are akin to taking a moment to pause to catch your breath or refocus your magic.
Quick recoveries use an Action, but the character can still perform a movement.
These kinds of recovery do not require any special items.
+ Recover: Restores an amount of HP equal to the character's [Recover] Stat.
+ Focus: Restores an amount of MP equal to the character's [Influx] Stat.
Lengthy recovery
Lengthy recoveries involve the character dropping their defenses to fully commit to recovering as much HP or MP as possible with the help of a healing or mana-replenishing item. Lengthy recovery uses the character's Action AND Movement that round, and also makes the character Vulnerable. A specific kind of item is also required. (Bandages for HP regen, Incense for MP regen.) which increases the amount recovered.
+ Bandage: Requires Bandages. Restores [Recover] + [Bandage bonus] HP.
+ Meditate: Requires Incense. Restores [Influx] + [Incense Bonus] MP.
Lengthy recoveries involve the character dropping their defenses to fully commit to recovering as much HP or MP as possible with the help of a healing or mana-replenishing item. Lengthy recovery uses the character's Action AND Movement that round, and also makes the character Vulnerable. A specific kind of item is also required. (Bandages for HP regen, Incense for MP regen.) which increases the amount recovered.
+ Bandage: Requires Bandages. Restores [Recover] + [Bandage bonus] HP.
+ Meditate: Requires Incense. Restores [Influx] + [Incense Bonus] MP.
In between most combat maps, HP and MP will usually be fully refilled, as though through multiple quick recoveries.
OTHER ACTIONS
Less common actions, which are situational or item-dependent.
+ Use an Item or Gear
Most Items and some Gear can be used to gain some sort of effect. Note that some Item and Gear special effects can only be activated by spending MP.
Characters can use Items they have in their inventory, or that are on the map in a square adjacent to them. (Ex: A character can drink a healing potion that was dropped next to them.)
Items that require MP to use -MUST- be in a character's inventory to be used, and Gear must be equipped in order to be used unless otherwise specified.
+ Search for traps
Searching causes your character to examine the square they occupy, and every square adjacent to them for traps and trap trigger areas, which will be revealed if they exist in the searched area. (The Detection Proficiency is >NOT< required or used for this.) Search radius can be expanded by certain Spells or items.
+ Opening / Using
Objects like Doors and switches can be operated (if they aren't locked) by using an Action while adjacent to them.
+ Lockpicking
Locked doors and devices can be unsecured and made useable via Lockpicking. Lockpicking requires a Lockpick item, which may also grant a bonus.
Lockpicking Roll: D10 + MEC + [bonus from item] Vs. [Lock level of object]
Characters are Vulnerable while Lockpicking.
+ Disarming
Traps (Either the trap itself, or it's trigger area) can be disarmed so they do not trigger. This requires a Disarming Kit, which may grant a bonus.
Disarming Roll: D10 + MEC + [bonus from item] Vs. [Trap difficulty]
Characters are Vulnerable while Disarming.
+ Demolition
Rubble, weakened walls, and certain Obstacles such as barricades can be cleared out of the way by demolishing them.
Unlike Lockpicking/disarming, demolition rolls stack up cumulatively, and when the total of rolls exceed the rubble's difficulty, it will be cleared.
Demolishing requires a pick or some other kind of digging device, which may grant a bonus.
::NOTE::Demolishing walls or rubble is hard work, and costs 1 Morale per use.
(You can still demolish even if you have 0 or negative morale, you will just start accruing negative morale.)
Demolishing Roll: [D10] + [VIT] + [bonus from item]
Less common actions, which are situational or item-dependent.
+ Use an Item or Gear
Most Items and some Gear can be used to gain some sort of effect. Note that some Item and Gear special effects can only be activated by spending MP.
Characters can use Items they have in their inventory, or that are on the map in a square adjacent to them. (Ex: A character can drink a healing potion that was dropped next to them.)
Items that require MP to use -MUST- be in a character's inventory to be used, and Gear must be equipped in order to be used unless otherwise specified.
+ Search for traps
Searching causes your character to examine the square they occupy, and every square adjacent to them for traps and trap trigger areas, which will be revealed if they exist in the searched area. (The Detection Proficiency is >NOT< required or used for this.) Search radius can be expanded by certain Spells or items.
+ Opening / Using
Objects like Doors and switches can be operated (if they aren't locked) by using an Action while adjacent to them.
+ Lockpicking
Locked doors and devices can be unsecured and made useable via Lockpicking. Lockpicking requires a Lockpick item, which may also grant a bonus.
Lockpicking Roll: D10 + MEC + [bonus from item] Vs. [Lock level of object]
Characters are Vulnerable while Lockpicking.
+ Disarming
Traps (Either the trap itself, or it's trigger area) can be disarmed so they do not trigger. This requires a Disarming Kit, which may grant a bonus.
Disarming Roll: D10 + MEC + [bonus from item] Vs. [Trap difficulty]
Characters are Vulnerable while Disarming.
+ Demolition
Rubble, weakened walls, and certain Obstacles such as barricades can be cleared out of the way by demolishing them.
Unlike Lockpicking/disarming, demolition rolls stack up cumulatively, and when the total of rolls exceed the rubble's difficulty, it will be cleared.
Demolishing requires a pick or some other kind of digging device, which may grant a bonus.
::NOTE::Demolishing walls or rubble is hard work, and costs 1 Morale per use.
(You can still demolish even if you have 0 or negative morale, you will just start accruing negative morale.)
Demolishing Roll: [D10] + [VIT] + [bonus from item]
+INVENTORY AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
Actions involving, changing, dropping, or picking up gear while in combat.
+ Picking up Gear or Items
Any number of Gear or Items that are either in the character's square or adjacent to it can be picked up and moved into their Inventory using a single Action. Hand slot Gear that is being picked up can also be equipped as part of this action. You may also choose to Use one of the items you are picking up immediately as long as it does not require MP to use.
+ Dropping Gear or Items
Items and Gear can be dropped from the player's Inventory >WITHOUT USING AN ACTION< so the character can make another action either before or after they drop Items. Dropped items can be dropped into the square the character is occupying, or into an adjacent square. Items cannot be dropped during a move, only at the position a character either started or ends their turn at.
+ Changing Gear
Hand Slot Gear that a character has equipped can be swapped for gear they have in their Inventory using an Action. (Both hand slots can be exchanged at once for one action.) Armor Slot Gear cannot be changed during combat.
- Combat stats are updated as soon as gear is changed.
Actions involving, changing, dropping, or picking up gear while in combat.
+ Picking up Gear or Items
Any number of Gear or Items that are either in the character's square or adjacent to it can be picked up and moved into their Inventory using a single Action. Hand slot Gear that is being picked up can also be equipped as part of this action. You may also choose to Use one of the items you are picking up immediately as long as it does not require MP to use.
+ Dropping Gear or Items
Items and Gear can be dropped from the player's Inventory >WITHOUT USING AN ACTION< so the character can make another action either before or after they drop Items. Dropped items can be dropped into the square the character is occupying, or into an adjacent square. Items cannot be dropped during a move, only at the position a character either started or ends their turn at.
+ Changing Gear
Hand Slot Gear that a character has equipped can be swapped for gear they have in their Inventory using an Action. (Both hand slots can be exchanged at once for one action.) Armor Slot Gear cannot be changed during combat.
- Combat stats are updated as soon as gear is changed.
[ MOVING AND ATTACKING INSIDE THE FOG OF WAR]
You can move your character into squares that have not yet been revealed by the the fog of war. This represents your character moving forward before having time to properly assess what's ahead and so their options are more limited that normal when moving into the fog.
You MUST give full movement orders (you may have to guess where you character will be able to go, if they run into a wall, monster, obstacle, or otherwise can't complete their ordered movement they will stop at that point.)
You can specify whether or not your character should attack enemies they encounter during their turn. They can only target the closest enemy to them, however.
You can move your character into squares that have not yet been revealed by the the fog of war. This represents your character moving forward before having time to properly assess what's ahead and so their options are more limited that normal when moving into the fog.
You MUST give full movement orders (you may have to guess where you character will be able to go, if they run into a wall, monster, obstacle, or otherwise can't complete their ordered movement they will stop at that point.)
You can specify whether or not your character should attack enemies they encounter during their turn. They can only target the closest enemy to them, however.
[ GIVING ORDERS ]
When ordering your Character's Action and movement each round, you should indicate what you want your character to do >>in bold<< to make it easier for the GM to parse.
Movement orders should be given in cardinal directions (North, South, West, East) or (Up, Down, Left, Right). You should include distances in map squares.
> Move North 3, West 1, and South 2.
(Or >Move N3,W1,S2)
For expediency, you can also give generalized movement orders; Ex. "> Move next to Bob", but this leaves the actual movement to the GM's discretion, and the GM is likely to do the most obvious movement path, which may not be exactly what you want.
When designating target for an attack or for a spell or item that needs a target, make sure you specify it.
When using ranged attacks, it may be useful to indicate the intended target from your character's position.
> Ranged attack the monster that is W3, N1.
Or use whatever method you think the GM will understand.
Conditional orders are permitted, as long as they are simple, and do not require judgement calls on behalf of the GM.
ex: "> If the monster to the south is still alive, attack it. If it is dead, lockpick the chest."
When ordering your Character's Action and movement each round, you should indicate what you want your character to do >>in bold<< to make it easier for the GM to parse.
Movement orders should be given in cardinal directions (North, South, West, East) or (Up, Down, Left, Right). You should include distances in map squares.
> Move North 3, West 1, and South 2.
(Or >Move N3,W1,S2)
For expediency, you can also give generalized movement orders; Ex. "> Move next to Bob", but this leaves the actual movement to the GM's discretion, and the GM is likely to do the most obvious movement path, which may not be exactly what you want.
When designating target for an attack or for a spell or item that needs a target, make sure you specify it.
When using ranged attacks, it may be useful to indicate the intended target from your character's position.
> Ranged attack the monster that is W3, N1.
Or use whatever method you think the GM will understand.
Conditional orders are permitted, as long as they are simple, and do not require judgement calls on behalf of the GM.
ex: "> If the monster to the south is still alive, attack it. If it is dead, lockpick the chest."
NEXT SECTION: COMBAT SUPPLEMENTAL