Crossroads MVP

– Combat

Attacking

Each Combat involves Choosing a Stance, Making Attacks, and Avoiding Attacks.

Choosing a Stance

If a character is in combat, before making an Attack or a Quick Attack, a character may pick a stance.

Making Attacks

The first step of an attack is the Attack Hit Roll. The player rolls 3d6 and adds the various modifiers. If an NPC is making the attack, they might use a static value. This helps speed up the game.

Certain , such as the or the help characters to become Skilled with certain weapons.

Avoiding Attacks

The next step of the attack is the Attack Avoidance Roll. This is rolled by the target of the attack. They roll 3d6 and add modifiers like any other Opposed Skill Roll. Characters may only make 1 Attack Avoidance Roll per attack, and by default are limited to a single Attack Avoidance Roll per turn.

Characters must be aware of attacks in order to avoid them, and if a character is unable to make an avoidance roll, they automatically Fail. Like Attack Hit Rolls, NPCs may use to help speed up the game.

— Multiple Attack Avoidance Rolls

Characters may make multiple Attack Avoidance Rolls of the same type each turn, but gain d1, increasing on each additional Roll.

This is counted separately for each type of Attack Avoidance Roll.

Avoidance Rolls Example:

An elf attempts to Dodge an attack, rolling 3d6 adding [A] and any modifiers.

If the elf attempts to dodge two attacks, they gain d1 on the second attempt.
If the elf attempts to dodge three attacks, they gain d1 on the second attempt and d2 on the third roll.
If the elf is attacked three times and attempts to dodge only two and parry the third, they gain d1 on the second Dodge roll but the Parry is not affected.

These modifiers mean that it is best to use more than one Attack Avoidance Roll if possible.

Attack Result

If the attack hits, the Attacker may choose what happens. Typically, this will just deal damage, but if the Attacker wishes, they may instead perform another action such as a Combat Manoeuvre.

Combat Manoeuvres

There are a number of Combat Manoeuvres that can be performed on a character. These may be declared as part of the attack, or might be possible as the opportunity arises as part of the attack, typically as a benefit from your Attack Result.

Combat Manoeuvre Examples:

Dealing Damage

In some Health Systems, a damage dice is given for the attack is rolled with modifiers. However, this MVP Version is designed around the Narrative Health System which uses static damage and is detailed in below.

— Damage Types

Certain damage will have a specific type. These may affect enemies, armours, or other things differently.

For example, Characters may have Resistance or Weakness against certain Damage Types. See the for more information.

— Non-lethal Damage

Non-lethal damage is treated like other types of damage, reducing Health. However, non-lethal damage expires after a certain amount of time, usually a Short or Medium Duration. This is up to the GM.

If a character suffers too much non-lethal damage, they will be knocked unconscious. In addition, a character can lose health Health due to both non-lethal and other damage, and if they are put , they will typically be knocked unconscious.

Some creatures are immune to non-lethal damage, such as Undead.

Additional Combat Modifiers

Certain modifiers may also affect Attack Rolls or Attack Avoidance Rolls.

— Advantageous/Disadvantageous Position

If a character is in an Advantageous Position, they might gain Advantage (usually a1) on their Attack or Attack Avoidance Rolls. Similarly, a character in a Disadvantageous Position might gain Disadvantage (usually d1) on their Attack or Attack Avoidance Rolls. This will usually be set by the GM.

However, one character being in an Advantageous Position does not automatically put their opponent in a Disadvantageous Position.

— Obscured Targets

If a target is obscured by an object, terrain, or by smoke or mist, Attackers gain Disadvantage (usually d1) on their Attack Rolls. Similarly, a Defender that is obscured or behind cover might gain Advantage (usually a1) on Attack Avoidance Rolls.

This will usually be set by the GM, and might only affect certain Attack Rolls or Attack Avoidance Rolls.

Afflictions

Poisons, Spell effects, etc.

— Innoculation

If a Conflict involves frequent Affliction Abilities, it may be cumbersome to roll a Resist Roll for each character every time.

With the Innoculation Rule, after a character is Afflicted, they are immune to this Affliction for a Short Duration. This includes other Characters using the same ability.

Distance in Combat

Range

All ranges will be given in rough approximations. These are defined below, though these may be changed if you wish. A rough rule is that each range is double the previous range.

Weapons may be used up to one increment above their range, but may receive d1 on any Attack or Damage Rolls. If used at shorter ranges, they might also receive d1 on Attack or Damage Rolls. Targeted spells may sometimes be used outside of their regular range, though they may receive d1 on any Attack or Damage Rolls. For each range they exceed, the difficulty increases exponentially. (d1, d2, d4, d8 etc.)

Melee Ranges

Each melee weapon has a range from Touch to Long Melee. Attacks with Melee Weapons may not be made against enemies beyond weapon Range, and attacks against enemies closer than weapon Range gain Disadvantage.

Characters may try to move closer to, or further away from enemies as part of an Attack Action. This will help them keep Opponents at their ideal Range. However, enemies may try to prevent this, detailed in the section below.

Melee Range Example:

A dagger-wielding Elf (Range: Touch) is fighting an axe-wielding Dwarf (Range: Short Melee).

If the Elf is at Short Melee Range, they are unable to Attack without moving closer.
They can move closer as part of their attack, but will gain Disadvantage.
The Dwarf can Attack normally.

If the Elf is at Touch Range, they can attack normally.
Now the Dwarf will gain Disadvantage on their own attacks unless they can move away.
The Elf will try to stay at this Range.

Keeping their opponent at the correct range will be very important for both combatants.

Any character within Range of an Enemy melee weapon is said to be Threatened and may be vulnerable to attack.

Movement in Combat

In Combat, Characters use Narrative Distance.

— Narrative Distance

Characters typically act warily in combat and move in a more guarded manner. A single Move Action allows a character to change their distance to a target by roughly 10m. Eg. Going from Close to Medium Range, or Close to Melee Range.

Narrative Distance Movement Examples: TO DO

Charging an Enemy

Characters may Charge at an Enemy in order to Move and Attack in one turn. See the Page for more details.

Characters that Charge are always using an .

Fighting a Charging Enemy

If a character is Braced as part of a Ready Action, they may attack any opponents charging from their front. This will be a Quick Attack Action. If the Defender's weapon Range is higher than the Charging Attacker's weapon Range, they may attack before the Charging opponent.

Approaching an Enemy

Any character making an Attack Action in Melee Range may try to move closer or further from their opponent.

However, any character that tries to move while within an Opponent's Weapon's Range may be vulnerable to an Attack from that enemy with that Melee Weapon. On a Success or Partial Success, this may slow or prevent the target from moving instead of dealing damage.

If the attacking opponent is threatened by one or more of your allies in melee Range, they will receive further Disadvantage on their attack.

Characters may also move away from their opponents as part of a Dodge Avoidance Roll.

Approaching an Enemy Example:

A dagger-wielding Elf (Range: Touch) moves towards a brced, spear-wielding Guard (Range: Long Melee).

When the Elf attempts to move closer than Long Melee Range, the Guard gets an attack.
They attempt to stop the Elf from moving closer.

The Guard is Braced, so he makes a regular Attack Action.
If he had not been ready, he would have made a Quick Attack Action.

The Elf tries to Dodge the attack, rolling against the Guard's Attack. With a Partial Success, the Elf manages to avoid taking damage, but stays at Long Melee Range.

During their next turn, the Elf attacks again and moves from Long Melee Range to Touch Range. This lets the Guard make another attack.
However, the second attack is inside the Pike's optimal range and the Guard receives Disadvantage on the attack.

Characters may attempt to move normally in Combat, disregarding other combatants, but may be attacked by any unoccupied enemies within range. Any area threatened by an Enemy counts as for the purposes of movement.

See for more information on Movement.

Taking Damage

There are multiple options for tracking health and damage in Crossroads, and further details can be found on the section. However, this MVP Version is designed around the Narrative Health system detailed below.

— Narrative Health

    • Characters use a list of Health Types
      • Basic: HHH HH H
      • If a character takes a Minor wound, mark off H.
      • If a character takes a Major wound, mark off H.
      • If a character takes a Mortal wound, mark off H.
        • If a character cannot mark off an appropriate wound, they should instead mark a more serious wound.
        • If a character must mark a Wound, but has no space, they are Out of Action.
    • Damage is tagged to deal a certain type or amount of damage.
      • An Orc Warrior has the [H] below.
      • They also have Light Armour giving A.
      • HHH HH H A
    • Armour Value (AV) is treated like Health.
      • The Orc Warrior takes three Minor Wounds (DDD) and a Major Wound ( D ).
      • They cannot use the A to absorb the Major Wound ( D ). It can only absorb Minor Wounds (D).
      • They choose to remove A first, and the remaining DD is dealt to their Health.
      • XXH XH H X
    • Mending effects only restore appropriate damage.
      • The Orc Warrior is magically mended by their ally using a Level One spell.
      • The spell rolls to mend HHH, but the Orc only has XX and the extra Mending is unused.
      • This spell is unable to mend the X or any AV.
      • HHH XH H X
      • The Orc Warrior takes another Minor Wound.
      • Mended H is marked first.
      • XHH XH H X
    • After an encounter, any temporary mending will expire.
      • Combat ends and the magical mending expires.
      • XXH XH H X
    • Healing Kits may be used to heal more permanently.
      • The Orc Warrior uses a Healing Kit, but only manages to heal H.
      • They decide to reduce the H damage to H.
      • XXX HH H X
    • Armour Kits may be used to repair Armour.
Health: HHH HH H
Armour: AAA AA A
Damage: DDD DD D
Barrier: BBB BB B

Character Recovery

There are a number of ways for Characters to recover from damage taken and other effects.

— Magical Healing

Magical Healing, or Mending, is a temporary solution to assist characters injured in battle. This magic numbs the pain and seals the wounds to prevent bleeding, but expires after a set Duration. This can sometimes affect even Weakness and Fatigue.

While affected by Mending, any damage taken by characters will first be absorbed by the Mending as the magical energies react to protect the target. Remove Mended [H] before other [H]. However, any anti-magic effects will cause damage to ignore this protection and Dispel effects will remove this magical healing entirely.

A character who is Out of Action but magically healed will be Out of Action again once the Magical Healing expires.

—

Healing Kits contain bandages and other supplies to treat wounds. When used, they heal for a set amount of Health. Characters applying a Healing Kit must roll a Skill Check with the result affecting the amount healed. Characters applying a Healing Kit to another Character gain Advantage on the Skill Roll.

With Narrative Health, the base value is H.
The of the Skill Roll may add or remove H and can cause this to range from 0 to HHH.

Instead of healing H, you may reduce H damage to H, or H damage to H.

Characters can only be affected by a Healing Kit once per day, though as with many rules, this is up to the GM and may be agreed upon with other Players.

—

Alchemical Potions may be used to grant Characters additional temporary Health. Like Magical Healing, Potions only last for a limited duration, intended to keep a character fighting rather than truly heal them. Most Potions work more like combat stimulants or painkillers and some potions may be poured on wounds to staunch bleeding.

While affected by a Potion, further damage or effects will not first be absorbed by the Potion's effect like Magical Healing. [H] from Potions will be removed after other [H]. However, any anti-magic or dispel effects will not affect Potions. Potions are designed to keep characters in the fight, but they might also help characters last long enough to receive other forms of Recovery.

Unconscious Characters can be forced to imbibe potions to regain consciousness but any character who was Out of Action will be Out of Action again once the Potion expires.

— Bedrest

Characters that rest for an entire day, with sufficient food and water, heal for a small amount. This amount is increased if they receive medical attention from a Medical professional or Healing Kits. They will also recover from all non-lethal damage.

With Narrative Health, characters are healed for H per day. Also, any Healing Kits used gain additional Advantage on the Skill Roll, but other rules still apply.

Instead of healing H, you may reduce H to H, or H to H

Out of Action

A character is Out of Action when they are unable to act. There are many methods for taking a character Out of Action:

  • Running out of [H]ealth.
  • Having any Statistic fall below −3.
  • Succumbing to .
  • Succumbing to .
  • Taking more non-lethal damage than remaing [H].
  • Certain poisons, potions, spells, or other effects.

NPCs

When an NPC is Out of Action, they usually die. However, NPCs are typically knocked if they suffer non-lethal damage. Other NPCs may be knocked unconscious if the character is important or the players want to try and take them alive. This is mostly up to the GM.

Captured NPCs might require Healing unless non-lethal damage is used.

Player Characters

If a player character is taken Out of Action, they are knocked . They may be revived at the end of the combat. Enemies will usually ignore unconscious characters, though some may try to capture them or even eat them. Unconscious characters may not act until they are revived by another character.

If the players do not rescue the unconscious character, because they had to flee or they were captured, they may have to rescue them later or sometimes the character might even be killed. This is up to the GM.

If the entire party is knocked unconscious, they may be killed. However, typically they will be captured. When captured, they may be taken as prisoners and need to: escape (alone or with the help of others), bargain for freedom, or be ransomed or rescued by other characters. In especially rare cases, the party might be rescued by other special characters instead of being captured.

Special Creatures

Certain creatures cannot be knocked unconscious. They may be immune because they are a construct or other creature. In these cases, these creatures are usually killed or destroyed when they run out of health, though they may be rebuilt or revived later.

Very rarely, certain creatures cannot be killed at all. These characters will usually have special rules for what happens when they run out of Health.

Instant Death

If a character takes damage from a single source that is greater than their [H], they usually die instantly and are not knocked unconscious. As always, this is up to the GM.

Certain other causes of death, such as decapitation or being crushed or anything else that causes certain death, will also result in death rather than being knocked unconscious.

Even so, see .

Ending Combat

Conflicts will end automatically if there is only one (or fewer) Teams left in the Conflict. There are a number of ways for a Team to leave a Conflict.

NPCs will typically Flee or Surrender if they are outnumbered, injured, and/or their leader is Out of Action.

Surrender

At any point, one Team in a conflict can Surrender and if it is accepted by their opponents, that Team will leave the Conflict.

Fleeing

Certain foes may try to run if they fear they are losing a Conflict. If a team has no characters In Action that are not fleeing, that Team will leave the Conflict.

Submission

If every character in a team is taken Out of Action through loss of [H]ealth or other effects, that Team will leave the Conflict.

Capture

If every character in a team is unable to act due to spell effects or is , that Team will leave the Conflict.

Next Step

After understanding Combat, you can move on to the section.

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