Combat Encounters

Combat Encounters

Throughout your adventures, you are bound to encounter unfavorable situations where your only option may be to fight your way out or in. Combat occurs in cycles of turns, with each creature taking Actions such as attacking, defending, moving, or making other strategic decisions.

Combat begins whenever someone takes an aggressive Action intended to harm or hinder another, and the target chooses (or would choose) to retaliate.

Initiative (Starting Combat)

Creature Positions. When Combat begins, everyone needs to understand their relative positions in the Encounter. The Realm Master should use clear descriptions or a map and miniatures to help establish where each creature is located.

Creatures should be placed based on their exact positions at the moment Combat starts. This includes factors like their marching order, where they were standing or moving, and how they approached the situation.

Roll For Initiative! The creature who initiates Combat can take their first Action without spending any Action Points. Afterward, all creatures involved roll for Initiative to determine turn order and Combat begins.

To roll for initiative, each creature (including the one who initiated the combat) rolls a D20 and adds a bonus based on Acuity, a relevant Ability, or an appropriate Skill. Initiative order alternates between allies and enemies, starting with the side that has the highest individual roll. In the case of ties the creature with the higher Acuity goes first, if this is the same the Realm Master or players decide who goes first.

Example. The players roll 13, 4, and 4. Player 3 has 2 Acuity and Player 2 has 3 so they will go first. Their side’s turn order is Player 1, Player 2, and Player 3.

The enemies roll 14, 10, 8, 6, and 4. Their turn order is Enemy 1, Enemy 2, Enemy 3, Enemy 4, and Enemy 5.

The side with the highest individual roll goes first. Combat alternates between the two sides, following this order:

• Enemy 1 (14) - Highest overall roll

• Player 1 (13)

• Enemy 2 (10)

• Player 2 (4 - ACU 3)

• Enemy 3 (8)

• Player 3 (4 - ACU 2)

• Enemy 4 (6)

• Enemy 5 (4)

Once all creatures have acted, the round ends, and the next round starts with the first creature in the initiative order. As creatures get defeated, all creature’s initiative on their side move up to replace their position in the initiative order (unless it is in the first position). This is done at the beginning of the next round.

Using Different Skills for Initiative. Most of the time, Characters will use Perception to determine initiative. However, certain situations might call for other Skills to keep encounters dynamic and engaging. Use the context of the encounter to decide which Skills are appropriate. Here are some examples:

• Stealth. For Characters actively avoiding notice or hiding before Combat begins.

• Deception. When a Character initiates a surprise attack during a negotiation or similar situation.

• Insight. When a Character realizes a key detail, such as uncovering a diplomat's identity as a spy.

Other Skills. If a player has previously described Actions tied to a specific Skill, such as using Acrobatics to set up a dramatic ambush, they can use that Skill for their initiative roll. However, this should only apply if their Action was established during gameplay, not improvised for the sake of a roll.

Balancing Skill Variety. While allowing players to use alternate Skills can add depth to Encounters, keep it balanced. A player who consistently relies on a high bonus in a specific Skill should ensure their actions align narratively with the situation. If their justifications begin to feel forced or disrupt the flow of the game, the Realm Master should encourage them to return to using Acuity as the default for a while.

Surprise. If certain parties on either side of a fight are unaware of an impending attack when Combat begins, they are considered Surprised. During the first round of Combat, all surprised parties act after the opposing side has taken their turns. Subsequent rounds follow the normal initiative order.

Rounds. A round of Combat represents ten seconds of time and includes every player, creature, and environmental effect taking their respective turns.

For an individual, a round begins at the start of their turn and ends at the start of their next turn. Effects that last "one round" remain active from when they begin until the start of that same turn in the following round.

Companions. If there are any Companions they act after all other Characters and Creatures have gone in any order the Players agree on. If no order can be agreed upon, you can simply use Acuity to determine Companion turn order, settling ties with contested D20 rolls.

Turns. A turn is what an individual actively does during a round by taking Actions. Like rounds, turns represent ten seconds of time. Actions are the things a creature does during its own turn. Reactions are Actions a creature can take outside of its turn, typically in response to specific events.

Communication. Players are free to communicate with each other and with enemies at any time during the round, whether it is their turn or not. However, all communication should reasonably fit within the ten seconds of a game round. If a communication involves an Ability Roll, such as for a Taunt or a Persuade attempt, it must be done using the appropriate Action such as the Ability Roll Action.

Actions

Actions are the things your Character does during their turn. Although there are many options for what Actions you can choose to take you should also improvise and try different Actions, working with the Realm Master to keep it within the bounds they set. This list provides the Actions you can regularly take, each with its own Action Point cost. However, you’re not limited to these options as some Feats and Traits may grant you unique Action options.

Action Points. At the start of combat and the end of each of your turns, your Action Points (AP) are set to 4. AP represents the resource your Character uses to take Actions during a single round (approximately 10 seconds). Different actions require varying amounts of AP, with more complex actions costing more. During your turn, you can spend AP to perform Actions, while outside your turn, AP can be used for Reactions. Improvised actions may have variable AP costs based on their complexity, as determined by the RM.

0 AP Actions. At the end of your turn you gain one free Interaction and one free Ability Roll Action to use during the round. Taking these Actions additional times in the same round will require Action Points as usual. At other times in the game you may encounter “0 AP” Actions, or even abilities activated without an action, unless otherwise stated, these do not count as your one Free Action a turn.

End-of-Turn Overcome Action. At the end of your turn, before gaining Action Points, you may attempt to overcome each condition or effect currently affecting your Character. To do this, roll each Defense that is being targeted by those conditions or effects. Each roll is compared against every relevant Difficulty Score or Potency affecting that Defense.

Overcome Action Example. If you are affected by Slow and Stun, both targeting your Might, and you also have a damage-over-time effect targeting your Fortitude, you would:

• Roll Might once and compare that single roll against the Difficulty Scores for both Slow and Stun.

• Roll Fortitude once and compare that roll against the Difficulty Score or Potency of the damage-over-time effect.

You may spend 1 Action Point to take this action earlier in your turn instead of at the end.

You may attempt to Overcome the effects in any order.

Multiple Action Penalty. If you take the same Action or Reaction more than once in a turn, and it involves a D20 roll, you incur a -5 penalty to all related D20 rolls each subsequent time you perform that Action. This penalty stacks with each subsequent repetition, increasing from -5 to -10, -15, and so on.

For the purpose of the Multiple Action Penalty, Basic, Quick, and Free Actions or Reactions (each defined below) are all considered the same Action type.

Additional Actions

More mechanically involved Actions you may take are described below:

Stealth/Hide Action (2 AP)

Make a Stealth or Hide Skill Roll, gaining +1 to the roll for each level of Obscurity you have from target creatures. If you're unobscured, the roll suffers a -4 penalty. If you choose to hide, you must remain Obscured for the duration of your hidden state. You are Hidden from creatures whose Discernment score you surpass with your Skill Roll.

Staying Hidden. At the end of each turn (except the turn in which you first took this action), but before your Action Points are renewed, you must spend 1 Action Point to stay hidden. While hiding, you remain immobile. However, you can spend 1 Action Point on your turn to switch from Hiding to Stealthing, allowing you to move. Similarly, you can switch from Stealthing to Hiding for the same cost. If you switch between these two, you no longer need to spend an Action Point to remain hidden for that turn.

Detection. If you reveal yourself in a way a target could perceive, they may choose to spend a Reaction or Action to detect you. Targets can roll Perceive against your Stealth score or Search against your Hide score, combined with moving closer, to locate you.

If one or more targets successfully Detect you during your turn, you can still attempt to Stealth on that turn, spending 1 Action Point instead of 2 to use the Stealth/Hide Action.

Triggering Detect or Search Actions. While hidden, you can still take Actions, including the Basic Action. Making noise, attacking, or moving through line of sight may trigger an opportunity for targets to search for or detect you.

• Attacking. If you attack in a way that would reveal your location, even if you move afterward, any target who saw, heard, or was affected by your attack can use the Detect Reaction or Search Action. When doing so, they gain a +3 bonus to their Perceive and Search rolls.

• Moving. If you move from one level of obscurity to a lower one, decreasing your Stealth score below a target's Discernment, you trigger the Detect Reaction. Moving directly through a target’s line of sight grants them the ability to take both the Detect Reaction and Search Action.

Grapple (2 AP)

With an open hand or appendage, make a Strength Unarmed Prowess attack to grab an opponent within your melee range, targeting their Might or Reflex. If you Overcome their Might or Reflex, the target is grappled. You may choose whether or not to deal unarmed damage, using Strength, as part of the grapple.

Escaping a Grapple. Grappled targets can attempt to escape on their turn by rolling Might vs. your Strength Score using the Overcome action. If they succeed, they escape the grapple.

In some cases, another roll other than Might may be relevant for escaping a grapple, such as rolling Charm against a creature's Resolve to convince them you release you. In these cases check the the Realm Master about your idea first and ensure the party agree’s with the idea.

Movement with Grapple. The grappled target must remain within your melee range and cannot take the Movement Action. Moving while grappling a target requires you to have enough Strength to drag at least half of their weight (+1 Strength per 200 kg), and it reduces your Speed by ½. If you are able to carry their full weight, you may carry them instead.

Size and Grappling. If you attempt to grapple a creature smaller than you, you gain +2 to the grapple roll and to your Strength Score for maintaining the grapple for each size they are smaller. If the target is larger than you, you suffer a -2 penalty for each size they are larger. You cannot grapple creatures more than one size larger than you.

Prepared Actions (X AP)

You may choose to prepare an Action to use as a Reaction later in the round by spending the Action Point cost for that Action on your turn. Specify what you will be reacting to and what the Action will be. You can use the prepared Action even if the specified conditions aren't met, as long as it's a reasonable response to the situation.

If you use a different Reaction before your prepared Action, it may cancel the prepared Action, depending on whether the new reaction interferes with your preparation.

You spend resources such as Energy, Feat uses, or Action Points to use a Prepared Action on your turn, as opposed to when you react. If you fail to utilize the prepared action you do not regain those spent resources.

Power Improvisation (2 AP)

As a Basic Action or Reaction, you can attempt to create a Power that isn’t part of your known Powers. This might be done by modifying a Power you already have or by creating something entirely new. For example, if your fireball Power that blinds creatures doesn’t work against an enemy immune to the Blind condition, you might choose to swap the Blind Part for a Deafening Power Part, emphasizing the explosive noise of the fireball instead of the bright flash.

Describe the type of Power you want to attempt to use to the RM, who will ultimately determine both the Difficulty Score of creating that Power and its Energy cost.

Power Part Estimation. When you create a Power, it helps to have an estimate of which Parts and Mechanics it includes, as well as what its Energy cost should be. You can do this by comparing its relative strength to similar Powers, or by using the Realms Power Creator to quickly throw a Power together.

Difficulty Score. The Difficulty Score is equal to 10 + the Training Point cost of each Power Part added to the Power. If you already have proficiency with any of the Power Parts, use half of those Parts’ Training Point costs instead.

Power Improvisation Roll. After determining the Difficulty Score, roll a Power Attack against it. Count your number of Successes or Failures, and use the results below to determine the Energy cost. You can still use the Power even if you fail.

Energy Cost. Once you have an estimated Energy cost for the Power under normal circumstances, use the table below according to your Power Improvisation Roll to determine the Energy Multiplier. Multiply the estimated Energy cost by this Multiplier to get the final Energy cost.

If this final cost exceeds your Energy reserves, you simply fail to create the Power; retaining your Energy, but losing the Action.

Action Used. By default Power Manipulation is a Basic Action or Reaction, but if you desire to use a different Action entirely, such as a Free Reaction, or Long Action, you can do so! Simply account for that in your Power Part Estimation.

For more information on Power Parts, and creating and using Powers, see Chapter 5: Powers & Techniques

Reactions

The Actions you take outside of your turn are Reactions, although if the situation allows you can take a Reaction on your turn as well. Generally speaking you may take a reaction after knowing if something will occur, such as being hit by an attack, and retroactively applying its effects, such as blocking that attack.

Additional Reactions

More mechanically involved Reactions you may take are described below:

Counter Power (X AP)

You can React to a Power you see or hear being used by countering it with your own Power. To do so, spend the same number of Action Points and Energy as you would normally spend to use your Power. The Power you use doesn’t need to be a Reaction, but it must be a reasonable response in terms of flavor, range, and effect, to counter the opponent's Power.

Make an attack roll with your Power against the attack roll or Score of the opposing Power. Both sides add +1 to their roll or Score for every 5 energy spent on their respective Powers. If your roll exceeds the target roll or Score, you successfully nullify their Power.

If the effect and flavor of your Power only counter a specific part of an opponent's Power, it will do so without impacting the rest of that Power. Determining how and when this applies will involve discussion and is ultimately at the discretion of the Realm Master.

If a player frequently uses one Power to counter all other Powers or stretches its interpretation to justify countering other Powers, the Realm Master may gently address this. They might suggest taking a break from using that Action for the session or have a friendly discussion about balancing its use to ensure everyone’s enjoyment and fairness in the game.

Multiple Counters. More than one creature can attempt to counter a Power. In this case, the Power Proficiency of all creatures countering is added together, along with any energy bonuses (+1 for every 5 energy spent on their respective Powers) to the original creature’s Power attack roll used to counter. The Powers used to counter can also be countered by others in the same way.

Countering Powers Already in Effect. You can also attempt to end or dispel a Power that is already in effect by targeting its original attack score with your own Power. The flavor of your Power must make sense for ending or dispelling the targeted Power.

Collateral Countering. If you use a Power without specifically intending to counter, but it may still affect the opposing Power, you can use your roll to attempt to counter as well. For example, if you use a wind beam attack that knocks a creature back, but there’s also a cloud of poison in the area you want to dispel, your roll could help both knock the creature back and potentially dispel a portion of the poison Power.

Combination Attack (1 AP)

When you can reasonably assist another Character’s attack (melee, ranged, Power, or Technique), you may use this Reaction to help. Roll a die based on your Attack Bonus, rounded up to the nearest even number, and add it to their Attack and Damage Rolls. This functions as a “Help Die.” You can either roll the die once for both rolls or separately for attack and damage.

Making Sense. The way you assist another creature’s attack should align with the nature of their attack. It should make sense in terms of how you are contributing to the Action. For example, you might distract the target with a blow of your own, enhance their Ice Power with your innate Ice Power, or use your abilities to complement theirs in a logical way.

Defend (1 AP)

You can defend an ally or yourself from being attacked if both the attacker and the ally are within 1 space of you and if the attack would hit. This can be done after knowing the damage.

Shield Defense. If using a shield, treat the attack as if it were directed at you, applying its damage reduction to the attack. This can reduce the damage to 0, unlike other damage reductions.

Weapon Block. If using a weapon with the block property, roll an attack with that weapon. The result becomes your or the ally’s new Evasion (unless it’s lower than their current Evasion).

Body Shield. You may step in front of the attack to protect your ally. You gain -2 to Evasion, and the attack deals double damage if it hits.

Command (1 AP)

You can use this reaction to command, control, or grant a turn to, a Companion. To do so, you must be aware of the creature's whereabouts and have the ability to communicate with it.

Creature's Reaction. When a trigger allows your Companion to take a reaction, you can use this reaction to allow it to do so. Additionally, this use of Command lets you control the creature’s actions on its upcoming turn without needing to use Command again for that turn.

Creature's Turn. If you haven’t already used Command to control the creature’s reaction earlier in the round, you must use the Command reaction at the start of its turn to control its actions for the turn.

Action Point Limitation. Each time you use Command in a round, the number of action points (AP) available to control additional Companions is reduced:

• First use. Control all Companions’ available AP.

• Second use. Control all Companions’ available AP minus 1.

• Third use. Control all Companions’ available AP minus 2, and so on.

When you use Command for a creature’s reaction, the AP available for its turn is determined by its position in the sequence. For instance, if your Companion was the second Companion to be Commanded this round, you gain the ability to control all its available AP minus 1.

A Companion can only be Commanded once each round, and can not be granted additional AP through additional Command Reactions.

Attacking

To make an attack, you must state your target as part of your Action or as a Reaction. Ensure you're within range before attacking. The standard Melee Range is within a 1 space radius of your character. Ranged attack ranges depend on the weapon or Power used.

Targeting. When you make an attack, whether with a Power, Technique, weapon, or unarmed prowess, you are always targeting a defense or Evasion. Most attacks target Evasion by default. If you encounter terms like "Hit" or "Attack" without further clarification, they are typically referring to targeting Evasion. The attacker always has the active position and will make an Attack Roll.

Using Powers, Techniques, and certain Feats, you sometimes target multiple Defenses with the same attack or Action. When this occurs, the attacker will always roll to hit Evasion (if applicable), as well as roll against all (but one) of the targeted Defenses.

The defending creature then rolls their untargeted Defense, typically against the attacker’s Attack Score, to Overcome the attack. The untargeted Defense is usually chosen based on which effect would have the most detrimental impact on the defender (e.g., dealing the most damage or applying the most severe condition or effect).

Attack Rolls

To Overcome a target's defense with an attack, roll a D20 and add your Attack Bonus. Your Attack Bonus is either your Martial Bonus or your Power Bonus depending on the type of Attack made. These bonuses cannot be combined.

Weapon Attack Roll. When attacking with a weapon, certain Techniques, or unarmed prowess, you declare your target and ensure you're within the proper range for your weapon. Then, make a D20 attack roll against the relevant defense, usually Evasion, adding your Martial Bonus to the roll.

Martial Bonus. Your Martial Bonus is the combination of your Martial Proficiency and a Relevant Ability.

Martial Proficiency. This is a number, usually between 0 and 6, that determines how proficient you are with wearing armor and wielding weapons effectively. You will learn more about your Martial Proficiency in Chapter 2: Character Creation, where you can choose between it and a Power Proficiency.

Martial Potency. When you make an attack, your enemy may need to make a roll to resist the effect after you've applied it. The target number they need to beat to lessen or shake off the effect is known as your Martial Potency, essentially your "Attack Score." This is calculated as your Martial Bonus + 10. Martial Potency serves as the consistent, passive value for your Martial attacks, some feats, and techniques, representing the threshold enemies must surpass when you're not actively rolling against them.

Relevant Weapon Abilities. The Ability used for the Martial Bonus depends on the weapon used for attacking:

Power Attack Roll. When attacking with a Power, you declare your target(s) and ensure you're within the proper range for your Power. Most Powers require sight of a creature to target it. Make a D20 attack roll against the relevant Defense, adding your Power Bonus to the roll. Powers often target multiple creatures; in these cases, you only roll once, targeting all affected creatures.

Power Bonus. Your Power Bonus is the combination of your Power Proficiency and your Power Ability.

Power Proficiency. This is a number, usually between 0 and 6, that determines how proficient you are with storing Innate Energy and using Powers effectively. You will learn more about your Power Proficiency in Chapter 2: Character Creation where you will be able to choose between it and a Martial Proficiency.

Power Ability. This is the main Ability that pairs with your type of Power usage and best fits your Character. You may choose between Acuity, Intelligence, and Charisma as your Power Ability. Your RM may allow you to choose another Ability if it aligns with your Character's flavor, provided it doesn’t make the Character more powerful than intended.

Power Potency. When you make a power attack, your enemy may need to make a roll to resist the effect after you've applied it. The target number they need to beat to lessen or shake off the effect is known as your Potency; essentially your "Power Score." This is calculated as your Power Bonus + 10. Potency serves as the consistent, passive value for your power attacks, representing the threshold enemies must surpass when you're not actively rolling against them.

Archetype Proficiency. Your Archetype Proficiency is a combined measure of your Martial Proficiency and Power Proficiency, or just one of them if you don’t have the other. It serves as a reference for various game mechanics, but it does not directly influence gameplay through specific bonuses or effects. Essentially, it’s a way of indicating your Character's overall expertise in either Martial Combat, Power usage, or both, and it is used to guide other aspects of the game.

Archetype Potency. Archetype Potecny, or simply “Potency,” is your Martial or Power Potency, whichever is higher if you have both.

Ranged Attacks. Ranged attacks made against a target within 1 space incur a -5 penalty to their Attack Rolls. Ranged and Thrown attacks are attacks that are made with a Power or Weapon that has the Range or Thrown property or part. With a Ranged or Thrown Weapon you can attempt to target at a distance equal four times that of the Ranged or Thrown Weapons’ normal distance, but do so with a -5 long-range penalty.

Hitting. If your total Attack roll equals or exceeds the target's Evasion (EV), or related Defense Score the attack hits and takes effect.

Attacking Objects

When targeting inanimate objects such as pots, walls, doors, plants, and so on, there are simple rules you can use.

Targeting. You automatically hit any attack directed at an inanimate object, provided the object is within the normal parameters of your attack (e.g., within range and meeting any specific requirements). No attack roll is required, and the object automatically fails all defense rolls. This also implies attacks against objects cannot be critical hits.

Defenses. Any power, feat, or attack targeting an inanimate object automatically fails and has no effect if it targets Mental Fortitude, Resolve, or Discernment. Exceptions may apply if the effect's flavor is deemed appropriate for the situation, as determined by the Realm Master.

Triggered Effects. Many effects, such as feats or reaction powers, activate upon successfully hitting with an attack. For these effects, hitting, damaging, or destroying an inanimate object does not count as a trigger.

Determine Damage

After Overcoming a target’s Defense or hitting with an attack that deals damage you must calculate the damage dealt. Usually this means rolling any Damage Dice the Weapon or Power may have (e.g., 1d4, 1d6, 1d12, 2d6), taking that total, then adding the Power or Martial Bonus.

Powers. When you deal damage with a Power, you add your Power Bonus to that damage. If the Power doesn’t deal damage by itself, you do not deal your Power Bonus in damage.

Techniques. A Technique only adds a Martial Bonus to damage if you use Unarmed Prowess or a Weapon as part of the Technique, in which case you’d add your Martial Bonus using the Relevant Ability to the damage.

Proficiency. When attacking with a weapon without full proficiency, you only add half of the relevant Ability to the Attack and Damage Rolls and no Martial Proficiency. If you are partially proficient with the weapon's damage type (e.g., proficient with 1d6 slashing but wielding a 1d8 slashing weapon), you roll a die that matches your proficiency (1d6 in this case) to a minimum of 1d4.

You can only use the properties of a weapon if you are proficient with those properties. Weapon Proficiency is fully detailed in Chapter 3: Items & Equipment.

Damage Reductions. After damage is dealt, the target takes into account first any base damage reductions, then any weaknesses or resistances which would reduce or increase the amount of damage taken. The minimum amount an Attack can be reduced to is 1 unless otherwise stated or the target has Immunity to the damage type dealt. Damage reduction applies to the total damage that would be dealt in one instance, and not to each individual damage type dealt in that instance.

Effects. Applicable effects of the attack are applied after damage. Once all effects have been resolved, the Attack has been completed.

Non-Lethal Damage: Before dealing damage, a Character may declare that their attack is intended to be non-lethal. If the damage would otherwise reduce the target to 0 Health or lower, the target is instead rendered unconscious for 1 hour. After this period, they regain 1 Health and consciousness.

Critical Hits

When an attack roll for an attack that exceeds the target's Evasion or relevant Defense by +10 it’s called a Critical Hit or simply a Critical. This means you double the amount of damage dice rolled, if any, for that attack. For example, an attack that deals 1d6 + Attack Bonus damage would instead deal 2d6 + Attack Bonus on a Critical Hit.

Critical Multiplier. Your Critical Multiplier determines how much your damage dice are multiplied on a Critical Hit. The standard Critical Multiplier is 2×, meaning you roll twice the normal amount of damage dice on a Critical Hit. Some weapons, feats, powers, or techniques can increase this multiplier.

Whenever your Critical Multiplier increases by +1 or +1x, it adds one additional multiple of your normal damage dice.

Critical Multiplier Example. If you have a Critical Multiplier of 3× (which is +1 above the standard 2×) and you make an attack that would normally deal 3d6 damage, you instead roll 3d6 × 3 = 9d6 This increased total applies only to the damage dice portion of the attack.

Critical Range. Critical Range is the amount over a Defense that is required to achieve a Critical Hit. The standard amount is +10 over a relevant defense, but by reducing your Critical Range, you make this amount less. Reducing you Critical Range by -2, for instance, would cause you to only require +8 above a relevant Defense to attain a Critical Hit.

Multiple Sources. When you have multiple sources of Critical Range or Multiplier adjustments they can stack with eachother, causing a compounding increase or decrease. For instance, having a feat that decreases your Critical Range by 2 in certain conditions, combined with a weapon that has a -1 reduced Critical Range, would result in a Critical Range of +7 over the relevant Defense. The same applies for Critical Multipliers and their sources.

Coup De Grâce. Whenever you attempt to attack a creature outside of Combat that is unconscious or asleep and within 1 space, you automatically hit and achieve a critical hit.

Improvised Weapons & Unarmed Prowess

For Martial Characters, weapons are usually an essential part of Combat unless you specialize solely in unarmed prowess. Weapons come in various shapes, forms, sizes, and have different utilities. As a general rule, all weapons require at least one hand to use.

Dual Wielding. You can dual-wield two one-handed weapons as long as both have the Interchangeable weapon property. When you take an Action to make an Attack, you may spend a Quick Action to attack with your off-hand weapon without incurring a Multiple Action Penalty on the same turn. You add your Martial Bonus to the attack and damage rolls of your primary weapon as usual, but you only add your Martial Attack Bonus to the attack roll to hit, but not damage of the off-hand attack.

Techniques and Powers apply to only one weapon at a time. To use both weapons in a Technique, you must pay the Energy cost to add both.

Improvised Weapons. When using something you are not proficient with or which is not a weapon by nature, but that you are using like one, you use 1d4 for damage and add ½ of your Strength to melee attack and damage rolls made with it. The damage type matches whatever would best fit the flavor of the weapon, such as bludgeoning for a chair leg, or slashing for a shard of glass. If your strength is negative, double it instead. This cannot make the damage less than 0.

Thrown Improvised Weapons and Objects. If you are throwing an improvised weapon or object, you add ½ of your Strength to your Attack and Damage rolls and throw it accurately a number of spaces equal to double your Agility or Strength to a minimum of one. Whenever throwing anything, it must weigh less than ½ of your carrying capacity. These weapons deal 1d4 damage as normal for Improvised Weapons.

You can throw items a distance four times that of your Agility or Strength but the accuracy of the throw is reduced, equaling a minus 5 penalty to any roll relating.

Unarmed Prowess.

The ability to use any part of your body to attack is called Unarmed Prowess. All Characters can make unarmed attacks, using half their Strength for their attack Bonus and dealing damage equal to half their Strength as well.

Attack Bonus & Damage. When proficient with Unarmed Prowess you use your full Strength or Agility, as well as adding your Martial Proficiency to the attack and to determine damage.

Gaining proficiency with Unarmed Prowess is explained in Chapter 4: Equipment, Crafting, & Downtime. Proficiency with Unarmed Prowess can increase in level over time, adding dice to the damage rolls of unarmed prowess instead of simply using the Attack Bonus to determine damage.

Quick Attacks. After using an Action to make an attack with Unarmed Prowess you may make a second attack with Unarmed Prowess the during same turn as a Quick Action without incurring the Multiple Action Penalty. This may only be done once a turn.