 |
| Artwork by Louis Glanzman |
I don't know if I am boring you guys with all this rule stuff, but I thought I should finish what I've started. The setting / referee chapter is being written now and I am really enjoying it! I hope you will too when I share it here!
So let's go to some more rules regarding hitting stuff in the head!
Melee Attacks
Swinging an axe, slashing with a sword, thrusting with a electrified spear. All of those are melee attacks. When performing one, player characters need to make a Physique test with a Difficulty determined according to the Powerful Opponent rule. If he rolls equal to or below than his Attribute score while also overcoming the Difficulty, he hits and inflicts damage according to the weapon used. Rolling higher than his Physique means the character misses the attack, while rolling equal to or below than the Difficulty means the opponent did something that prevents him from being wounded (he dodged, parried, blocked, his skin is too thick). On the other hand, opponents just need to roll over the character’s Agility, using the Powerful Opponent rule, to hit him and inflict damage.
When Kaylia got out, she was surprised to see a security guard waiting outside. Her first reaction was to hit him with the butt of her pistol, trying to knock him out. These are only 1 HD opponents, so she only needs to succeed on a normal Physique test to hit him.
Unarmed Attacks
A character may also make melee attacks using his body as a weapon. This may not be as effective as using actual weapons, but it allows the combatant to make the test against either his Physique or Agility. These attacks encompass many forms of martial arts and for simplicity sake, all of them inflict 1d3 points of damage, which can be Lethal or Non Lethal, as the combatant chooses.
The attack stunned the security guard, but it did not drop him unconscious. To finish the job, Kaylia punches him in the face, making another Physique test.
Grappling
Instead of hitting an enemy with his elbow, a character may decide he wants to grapple his opponent. He may want to immobilize him, pin him to the ground, get something from him (like an item in his possession), or something similar. To do so, he must still make a normal unarmed melee attack successfully, but the opponent may resist trying to roll higher than his Physique using the Powerful Opponent rule. If the opponent fails, the character managed to do what he wanted to. If the victim succeeds, she breaks away from the grapple. Every round, the character doesn’t need to do anything to keep grappling his target, but the opponent may make another test against the character’s Physique to break away. Although, if he wants, he can make a Physique test to inflict 1d3 points of damage as an unarmed attack.
Later that day, Kaylia is surprised by a corrupt official from the nearby system. Startled, her instinct made her grapple him to cover his mouth as he was about to use her real name. She made an unarmed attack against him and he couldn’t roll higher than her Physique to resist. He was gagged for now.
Ranged Attacks
Although considered weapons of cowards by many cultures across the stars, the use of pistols, rifles and shotguns is widespread. Attacks made with these weapons follow the same rules from attacks with melee weapons, but the test is made against the combatant’s Agility. The player makes the test with a Difficulty determined by the Powerful Opponent rule. If he rolls equal to or below than his Attribute while also overcoming the Difficulty, he hits and inflicts damage according to the weapon used. Rolling higher than his Agility means the character misses the attack, while rolling equal to or below than the Difficulty means the opponent did something that prevents him from being wounded (he dodged, blocked, it hit his cover, his skin is too thick). On the other hand, opponents just need to roll over the character’s Agility, using the Powerful Opponent rule, to hit him and inflict damage.
Little did Kaylia know, this was a set up by her old rival to capture her. Dozen or so mercenaries revealed themselves with weapons at hand. Kaylia pulled her pistol and dived for cover. To fire, she would need to succeed at a Difficulty 1 Agility test (the mercenaries have 3 HD, and she is now 2nd level).
Weapon’s Range
Ranged weapons also have a standard range, this determine up to what distance the weapon can be fired without a penalty. Weapons can be fired against opponents up to one distance category further away, but the attacker suffers a Negative Die on his attack.
Kaylia can fire her heavy pistol without any problem against enemies up to a long distance, but against those on a distant range, she suffers a Negative Die on her Agility test.
If you like what you've just read, check out my books over RPGNow and Lulu.