Combat
Battle is nothing glorious. It is dirty and deadly, and those who wish to live long enough to see their riches spent, should endeavor to avoid it at any cost. Those who survive the longest are like cats in the night, creeping silently around unwary foes and plucking treasure from their lairs without the need to draw their weapons.
The encounter frame is the narrowest of the four frames of play. Each round during the encounter frame represents ten seconds of action. This level of granularity is owed to the fact that during battle, there is a high density of important decisions to be made. Decisions that can result in life and death.
An individual instance of fighting is called an encounter. An encounter begins the moment one creature tries to harm or physically subdue another. It ends when one side of the conflict to retreat or surrender, or when one side completely eliminated.
At the beginning of a combat encounter, the Judge should draw up the scene on a square grid battle map. Each square encompasses an area five feet to a side, and each creature of approximately human size occupies one square. Walls, pits, and other notable features of the environment should also be represented on the map, and it should be updated throughout the encounter to reflect changes that occur to the environment.
The sequence of events is tracked more carefully during encounters than in any other frame. Time is divided in to rounds that represent 10 seconds. Within a round each combatant takes their own turn, making attacks against their foes, supporting allies, and working to ensure that the conflict unfolds in their favor.
At the beginning of each encounter round, flip a coin to determine which side goes first: the players or the enemies. Once determined, that side chooses amongst themselves who takes their turn first. Then the opposing side determines who amongst them takes a turn. Play continues back and forth as each combatant takes their turn. A new round begins when each combatant has taken their turn. If one side has fever combatant than the other, any remaining combatants who haven't taken a turn on the larger side can take their turns in any order they like without interruption from the other side.
When you start your turn, you gain three action points (✦✦✦). An action represents a span of few seconds in-game, during which you can take some sort of action that, such as moving a short distance, opening a door, delivering an attack, or retrieving an item from your inventory. Your turn ends once you have spent your last action point.
An action is indicated by the diamond ✦ next to its name. As a baseline, all actions cost one action point, but some are flexible ✦➤, meaning you can spend extra points to enhance their effects.
You can only take each action once per turn.
All characters can perform the listed actions below. You may learn new actions as you advance in level.
You adopt a firing position. For the rest of the round, you spell range, throwing range and your range for ranged deeds (that don't rely on your already increased throwing range) is increased by +4. You may spend an extra ✦ to increase this bonus to +8.
Choose one of your deeds, select the targets or area of effect and make a deed roll to find the outcome. Add an edge for each extra ✦ you spend.
You ready yourself to deflect blows. Until the end of the round, deeds against you take a cut. Add an extra cut for each extra ✦ you spend.
Destroy an adjacent destructible object. You must be holding an approriate armament. Your Might determines what materials you can break. Treat your might as 1 greater for each extra ✦ you spend.
1: plant matter, ceramics | 2: wood | 3: fragile or cracked stone | 4: weak metal, solid stone.
Make a recovery 1. Raise the potency of the recovery by +1 for each extra ✦ you spend. You cannot take this action while you have the dying special state.
You aid an ally within 4 squares, like helping them land their attack, warn them of danger, or help them with a specific other task. They gain an edge to the next check of that type they make this round. A creature can only receive help from one source on any given check.
Manipulate an object or feature of the environment within arm's reach. If it involves risk or challenge, the Judge may call for a check to see if you succeed. If the interaction requires a check, you gain an edge on that roll for each extra ✦ you spend.
Bound over an obstacle or leap across a gap. Jump a number of squares up to your mobility.
Attempt a maneuver against target within range. Choose a maneuver, select the targets or area of effect, and make a skill check to find the outcome. You cannot attempt a deed and a maneuver in the same turn, but you can spend 2 focus to ignore this limit for a turn. Gain an edge on your check for each extra ✦ you spend.
You gain movement points equal to your speed. You can spend them to move that many squares. Once you take this action, you can split up your movement points between other actions you take this turn. You can spend extra ✦ when you take this action, gaining extra movement points equal your mobility for each extra you
spend. Your mobility is the higher of 1 + Grace or 2.
You attempt to overcome a state that hinders yourself, a companion, or aids a foe. Choose a state the target has and roll Wits. You gain an edge on your roll for each extra ✦ you spend.
✖ Failure Your attempt to thwart the state fails. Raise the state's potency by 1 for each shadow you incur.
⬖ Conflict Reduce the potency of the state by your key virtue.
✦ Triumph Remove the state entirely.
You can also use this action to end states on your foes, if you are adjacent to them. You must use this action immediately after successfully attempting a deed or maneuver against them.
Stow held items or retrieve items from your inventory, bringing them to hand. You can move several items with this action, within reason. You cannot change your armor during combat.
You throw a held object to a square within your throwing range (4 + Grace). If you throw it to an ally, they may catch it for free. Any other creature in the path of the object may take a reaction ⤾ to catch it with a free hand.
Use a concoction in your inventory, such as a potion, bomb, or special oil. The concoction is consumed in the process. Concoctions in your inventory are readily available on your belt, so you don't need to have a free hand or rummage for them first.
You can also take reactions in response to triggering events. You can take a reaction at any at any time during a round, even during another creature's turn, as long as the appropriate trigger happens. In the game text, a reaction is indicated by a curving arrow ⤾ next to its name.
You can take any number of reactions each round, but each reaction beyond the first one costs 1 focus. You can never take more than one reaction in response to a single triggering event: for example, you cannot guard twice against the same attack.
When a creature within your reach ✖ fails or rolls a tainted pair on a deed against you, you can take a reaction to deal † damage to them. Add † for each additional shadow they incur.
When foe deals damage to you, use a reaction to roll a guard die and reduce the damage by the result. The guard die is spent and cannot be used until the end of the round.
Free actions are so brief and effortless that they don't use up any action points. You can do a handful of them on your turn, but be reasonable. Here are some examples:
Speaking a few words.
Drawing or sheathing your equipped weapons.
Opening or closing a door.
Picking up an unattended object within reach.