HGd10PHB - Chapter 5 - Physical Combat

This chapter focuses on the skills and equipment related to physical combat. Each section will cover the skill set first. Under the description of each individual skill will be a table that carries examples of specific basic equipment or actions that fall into that description.

SPECIALIZED PHYSICAL COMBAT SKILLS
Physical combat comes in a variety of skills including weapon and armor use, various special moves, and tactics. Each skill listed below is given with a basic description, the Secondary Characteristic that applies when using the skill, and any numerical modifications the skill offers in combat including advantages and disadvantages. There are many more possibilities that may exist. These are provided to get you started.

Weapon Skills
This Specialized Skill pertains to general weapon combat of a particular kind of weapon. Melee weapons use STR for their Primary Characteristics Bonus. This may be modified by a Trait. Ranged attacks use AGL for their PCB. Either type gets a Secondary Characteristic Bonus which is listed with the specific skill. The Primary Characteristic gets its full bonus to add to the skill. Secondary Characteristics only gain half their bonus truncated.

The characteristics apply to any weapon of that class regardless of specific properties of an individual weapon, which stack with the skill. Remember, these are skills with particular equipment, not a list of the equipment itself. The skills will apply to any particular weapon classified under that skill.

To Learn:  As with all mundane skills, learning how to use a weapon simply requires a character to attempt to Train the skill (spend 1 BP) or learn how to use it In The Moment (spend 3 BP). See Chapter 3: Basic Skills for more information. They roll Physical Combat check and add 1 XP to that Base Skill. If they roll higher on the Base Skill check than the DS of the weapon type, they may then add that weapon type to their skill list with 1 BP (regardless of how many were spent) and start earning XP. If they fail while training, they keep trying expending only time as outlined in chapter 3.

If one or more weapon skills are already known, learning another adds no additional cost equal to the number of skills already known.

Any weapon with additional bonuses, specials, or other effects may only use those bonuses, specials, or other effects and add the Secondary Characteristic when the character has at least 1 BP in the appropriate Specialized Skill. TP is earned normally.

Weapon Types
^May not use the Agile Fighter Trait.

Armor Skills
This Specialized Skill pertains to general physical armor use. The Primary Characteristic gets its full bonus to add to the skill. Secondary Characteristics only gain half their bonus truncated. If more than one Primary Characteristic is listed, the one not selected can be used as a Secondary Characteristic. Only one Secondary Characteristic may be selected for each Specialized Skill.

Each armor type is listed in the table with the appropriate Primary Characteristic and any possible Secondary Characteristics. The numbers apply to any armor of that type regardless of specific properties of an individual suit of armor, which stack with the skill.

Armor Skill checks are used in opposition to all Physical Attack Skills.

To Learn:  As with all mundane skills, learning how to use armor simply requires a character to use the Physical Combat skill as outlined in Chapter 3: Basic Skills. They roll their Base Skill: Physical Combat check. If they roll higher than the DS of the armor type while defending In The Moment, they may then add that armor type to their skill list with 1 BP (for the cost of 3 BP) and start earning XP toward Training Points. Or, they may Train and spend only 1 BP to gain 1 BP for the skill if they succeed in the Physical Combat check. Succeed or fail, they add 1 XP to the Physical Combat, and keep trying if they failed only expending more time in training. Once the armor type is added to their skill list, they no longer earn XP for the Base Skill for using that type of armor.

Dodge
Dodge is actually considered a Movement Skill, but it has immediate applications in combat as well. It is a versatile skill and one that all characters can benefit from if they choose to use it. Dodge can be used in lieu of armor, can be used against ranged spells or touch attacks, and can also be used against the environment. It has its drawbacks, though, so the player should read the skill carefully to understand how the skill plays into each situation.

In Combat
When in combat, Weapon rolls are typically considered Active Main Rolls and Armor rolls are considered Reactive Main Rolls. If the Weapon roll is higher, then the attack is a success. If the Armor roll is equal to or higher, then the attack fails. Once the Main roll is resolved, then the Effect is calculated. For all Physical Combat the Effect is damage which is equal to the difference between the Attack and Defense rolls.

'''If you don't take a Physical Defense Skill, you will take full damage from any attack. '''

For example, if you had Armor, and you were attacked by an Active Roll of 25, you would roll your Armor check (say a 20) and take 5 damage. If you had Dodge, and were attacked by an Active Roll of 25, and you rolled a 25, you dodged the attack and took no damage. If you have no Physical Defense Skill whatsoever, you don't have anything to defend with and will just take 25 points of damage.

Wearing armor without the skill will mitigate only half the armor's bonus in damage rounded down.

''Muskrat gives Rik a suit of Leather Armor that Rik does not know how to use. Leather Armor's bonus is a +5. An oritu-eki rolls a 23 to attack with a claw. Rik takes the hit and the Leather Armor absorbs only 5 points of damage, leaving the poor kid to still take 18 damage.''

''Muskrat also wears Leather Armor but has the Light Armor Skill. The oritu-eki rolls a 23, and Muskrat rolls a 20 (including the +5 for the armor) and only takes 3 points of damage. His armor deflected the rest.''

Navigation

 * Hero's Guild Players Handbook Home
 * Chapter 1 - Creature Kinds
 * Chapter 2 - Base Characteristics
 * Chapter 3 - Skills
 * Chapter 4 - Traits and Foibles
 * Chapter 5 - Physical Combat Skills 
 * Chapter 6 - Mystical Skills
 * Chapter 7 - Equipment
 * Chapter 8 - Crafting
 * Chapter 9 - Knowledge Social and Movement Skills
 * Chapter 10 - Optional Classes
 * Chapter 11 - Rules of Engagement