Combat Circumstances And Status Effects

Combat Circumstances

Circumstance Details
Actions
Running Whenever a character uses the Running action, until the start of the character's next turn, BS attacks against the character take a -20 penalty, whilst WS attacks take a +20 bonus. This stacks with the Hard Target talent, which makes it -40 for BS and flat for WS.
Cover
Partial Cover Partial cover protects those within by providing a -15 penalty to hit from ranged attacks.
Full Cover Full cover protects those within by providing a -30 penalty to hit from ranged attacks.
Elemental
Weakness Attacks against a target using an element they have a Weakness against gain Special Damage and the target is Staggered. The attack also gains a +30 bonus to Critical Confirm tests. If the attack has an ailment or Quality affect that requires a test to resist, the target has a -20 to tests to resist it.
Normal No change.
Resist The target doubles TB against the attack. The attack also takes a -30 penalty to Critical Confirm tests. If the attack has an ailment or Quality affect that requires a test to resist, the target has a +20 to tests to resist it.
Block The target is completely immune to damage of this type and cannot be affected by it in any way, including from any Quality effects.
Repel The target reflects the attack back against you, and you roll normal damage against yourself. If you also have reflect, you Block it instead.
Absorb The target absorbs the attack, healing 1d5 wounds, +1 per Tier of the attack (so 1d5+1 at Tier 1, etc). Mundane physical attacks always count as Tier 1.
Environmental
Difficult Terrain Terrain noted as 'Difficult Terrain' applies a penalty to WS and Agility tests equal to the value. Attempts to run or charge through Difficult Terrain requires an Acrobatics or Agility test; on a failure you stop in the Difficult Terrain and fall prone.
Higher Ground Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill tests made whilst positioned on a higher terrain than your opponent take a +10 bonus. This includes parry tests.
Fog/Smoke/Mist Ballistic skill tests against targets in fog, smoke, mist or deep shadow take a -20 penalty. Perception tests using sight also take a -20 penalty. Concealment tests within fog/smoke/shadow take a +10 bonus.
Low Light Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill tests against enemies in Low Light take a -10 penalty. Perception tests using sight also take a -10 penalty. Concealment tests within Low Light take a +10 bonus.
Darkness Weapon Skill tests take a -20 penalty; Ballistic Skill tests take a -30 penalty. Perception tests using sight also take a -30 penalty. Concealment tests within Darkness take a +20 bonus.
Weather WS and BS tests made during strong weather events- rain, storms, blizzards, etc- take a penalty depending on the severity of the event. Penalties range from -10 to -30.
Melee
Engaged in Melee A character who ends their turn next to their enemy may declare themselves to be engaged in melee with them. This is also the case if one attacks the other.
Flanking If a group of characters in a melee outnumber their opponents by 2 to 1, they gain a +10 bonus to WS tests. If they outnumber their opponents by 3 to 1 or more, they gain +20 instead.
Guns in Melee Only pistols can be used in melee, and they do not gain any bonuses due to range.
Shooting into Melee Ballistic Skill tests against targets in melee take a -20 penalty. If the target or their only opponent is stunned, helpless or Unaware, this penalty is ignored.
Misfires
Scattering If an attack with a Blast weapon or a thrown weapon misses, then roll a 1d10 on the Scatter Diagram; the attack moves in that direction away from the target spot by 1d5 metres. Non-thrown blast weapons instead move 1d5 metres, plus another metre per degree of failure.
Weapon Jams If a ranged attack rolls a 96 or higher, it jams; apart from being an automatic miss, the weapon may not be fired until it is cleared as a Full Action, which requires a Ballistic Skill+20 test, +10 for having the Specialised or Mastery talents for that weapon (cumulative). If you do not possess any proficiency with the weapon, the test is -20 instead. If the test is passed, the jam is cleared, but any ammo within is lost and the weapon must be reloaded. Burst fire also increases the chance of a jam; see their entry for details.
Missile and Grenade Jams In the case of a jam with a grenade, roll a 1d10; on a 1-9, the weapon is simply a dud and is expended without anything happening. On a 10, however, it instantly explodes in the user's hands, causing an effect centered on them. If the weapon was loaded into a launcher, then the launcher is also destroyed.
Ranged Attack Distance
Point Blank Ranged attacks at a distance of 3 metres take a bonus +30 bonus to hit.
Short Distance Ranged attacks at a distance of half or less (rounding up) of the weapon's Range value take a +10 bonus to hit. (Quick Reference: this is 5m for Assault Weapons, 15 metres for Close Weapons, 30 metres for Medium Weapons, 50 metres for Long and 75 metres for Very Long)
Long Distance Ranged attacks at a distance exceeding the weapon's Range take a -10 penalty to hit.
Extreme Distance Ranged attacks at a distance of 1.5 (rounding up) the weapon's Range take a -30 penalty to hit. (Quick Reference: This is 15 metres for Assault Weapons, 45 metres for Close Weapons, 90 metres for Medium, 150 metres for Long and 235 metres for Very Long).
Maximum Distance The maximum range of a ranged weapon is triple its Range value. (Quick Reference: this is 30 metres for Assault Weapons, 90 metres for Close Weapons, 180 metres for Medium, 300 metres for Long and 450 metres for Very Long)
Pinning
Pinning A Pinned character only gains a single Half Action on their turn, although they may use Reactions and Free Actions as normal. They suffer a -20 penalty to Ballistic Skill tests, and they must move toward cover relative to the pinner. If they are already in cover, then they may move only in order to retreat, so long as they remain in cover. If no cover is available then they must move away from the pinner as far as possible. A character may make a Willpower test at the end of their turn as a free action to recover from Pinning. If they have not been shot at since their last turn, or are under cover, then this becomes a Willpower+30 test. Characters engaged in melee may not be pinned and are freed from Pinning; however, they may not initiate melee combat in an attempt to escape from pinning.
Other Circumstances
Prone Weapon Skill tests to hit a prone target take a +10 bonus; grapple tests gain a total of +20. Ballistic Skill tests instead take a -10 penalty unless the target is at point blank range. Furthermore, prone characters take a -10 penalty to Weapon Skill tests (including Parry) and a -20 penalty to agility tests.
Size Characters with a size category other than 4 are easier or harder to hit. For every category below 4, attacks to hit them take a -10 penalty; for every category above 4, attacks to hit them take a +10 bonus.
Unaware If a character has no idea they are about to be attacked, then they count as Unaware. Attacks against an Unaware target take a +30 bonus to hit, and the character is unable to attempt to take any evasive action, such as dodge or parry. They may deflect, but only if their Spread Pattern permits automatic deflection against an attack.

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Ailments

Note: Duration here is only to be followed if there are no other instructions given; ie if a target 'suffers Dizzy', then they suffer Dizzy for 2 turns, but if they 'suffer Dizzy for 3 turns' then they suffer it for that long instead.
Name Effect Technical Hit Duration
Staggered
Staggered You may not evade any attacks. - Start of sufferer's next turn
Physical Effects
Burning You take 1d5 damage at the end of each round, which ignores TB and AP. You take a -20 penalty to Willpower tests. You may pass an Agility-20 test to put the fire out. Characters adjacent to you must pass an Agility test at the end of your turn or become Burning themselves. Immunity to Fire also confers immunity to Burning. Nuclear, Wind Until put out, or hit with Ice element
Dizzy You take a -30 penalty to attack and evasion tests. Nuclear Wears off after 2 turns
Frozen You may make no actions and lose any Physical element resistances. You may make a Strength or Toughness test at the end of each turn to break free. Immunity to Ice also confers immunity to Shocked. Nuclear, Physical Until passes test or takes damage
Shocked You may make no actions. Any enemies who attack you in melee combat must make an Agility test or also be Shocked. Immunity to Elec also confers immunity to Shocked. Nuclear, Physical Wears off after 2 turns
Drowsed Attacks take a +30 bonus to hit you, and you may make no actions. All attacks gain Technical Hits against you. All Until character takes damage
Stunned You may make no actions, and enemies take a +20 bonus to hit you. Nuclear Until wears off
Mental Effects
Amnesiac You may not use Persona Powers, and any actions spend on activating the Powers are wasted. (Passive Powers and Traits are still in effect.) Psychic Wears off after 2 turns
Brainwashed You are under the control of another. At the start of your turn, that character may induce you to heal or cast an Augment on someone of their choice (if you have a Power or item that can do so), perform a normal attack on a target of their choice, or to simply do nothing. You cannot dodge attacks by your controller or their allies. Psychic Wears off after 2 turns
Confused You roll on the Hallucinogenic table, and act as directed until the effect wears off. Psychic Wears off after 2 turns
Despaired You may make no actions. At the start of each turn, you take 1 rank of fatigue. Psychic Until cured or you pass out
Enraged You take a +10 bonus to WS attacks and gain the Unnatural Strength (4) trait. However, you cannot evade attacks, and any attacks on you ignore AP and the Unnatural Toughness trait. On your turns, you may do nothing except attack enemies in melee with whatever weapon you have- if there are no enemies in range you will move toward them as quickly as possible, charging if necessary. Psychic Wears off after 2 turns
Panicked You must pass a Willpower test at the start of each turn in order to act properly; if you fail, you may not take any actions with the Concentration keyword. If you fail by 3 DoF or more, you begin fleeing directly away from the source of the Panic. You may make a Willpower test at the end of each turn in order to shake Panic off. Psychic Until test passed
Spiritual Effects
Condemned Attacks against you may either reroll to hit or reroll damage. Immunity to Bless also confers immunity to Condemned. Curse Wears off after 2 turns
Damned Whenever you fail a test, if your DoF is superior in number to your Realisation Bonus, you automatically Stagger yourself and your turn immediately ends. Immunity to Curse also confers immunity to Damned. Bless Wears off after 2 turns

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Special Damage

Blood Loss

Characters who suffer blood loss are in danger of bleeding out turn-by-turn. It is usually caused by Lethal Damage, but some special attacks may inflict it as well.

  • Characters who are bleeding must make a Toughness test at the start of each turn. If they decide to do nothing else but stop the flow of blood, they gain a +30 bonus. If they fail this test, they instantly take 1d5 damage (to their body); if they are out of wounds, then they instead take 1d5 Toughness Characteristic damage.
  • If a Character hits Toughness 0, then they die.
  • A Character can staunch blood loss through a Medical skill test as a Full Action. Shadows can remove it from themselves by using a wound restoration spell at Surge strength.

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Falling Damage

Falling Damage occurs whenever a character falls off something and lands unsafely.

  • On falling a dangerous height (which is usually considered to be a height more than their TB in metres), they take a single hit that does 1d10+1 damage. For every 10m fallen, you take another hit doing 1d10 damage, plus you add +1 damage to each hit.This damage ignores AP, and hits a random body part.
  • For each hit that rolls a 10 on the 1d10 you incur a rank of fatigue.
  • Example: John, with TB4, falls 5m. He takes 1d10+1 damage to a random location; he rolls a 6 (7) and so takes 2 damage.
  • Example: John, with TB4, falls 15m. He takes 2 1d10+2 hits to two random locations; he rolls a 4 (for a total of 6) and a 10 (for a total of 12), and so takes 2 and 8 wounds for a total of 10. Because he rolled a 10 on his second hit means he incurs a rank of fatigue.
  • Vehicles suffer the same, but the impact always hits the Hull.

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Fatigue

Fatigue represents a character's physical exhaustion. Characters take fatigue from a number of sources: unarmed attacks, Injuries, intense exertion and some qualities.

  • Fatigue is measured in levels. If these levels exceed the character's Fatigue Threshold, then they suffer -20 to all tests until their Fatigue drops.
  • A character's Fatigue Threshold is equal to their TB, and can be modified with Talents.
  • If the amount of Fatigue a character takes is equal or higher than double Fatigue Threshold, they collapse for 10-TB minutes, +10 minutes per every point of Fatigue above the Fatigue Threshold.

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Suffocation

Characters who are unable to access air are considered to be suffocating. This could be due to drowning, smoke inhalation or a certain toxin.

  • Characters who are suffocating but are able to focus entirely on conserving air may hold their breath for a number of minutes equal to their Toughness Bonus.
  • Characters who are suffocating but are engaged in strenuous activity such as combat, swimming or so forth, then they may hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to twice their Toughness Bonus.
  • Whilst suffocating, a character must make a single Toughness test per minute (if focused on conserving oxygen) or per round (if engaged in strenuous activity). If they fail, they suffer a level of fatigue.
  • If a character has failed to access a new source of air by the end of their alloted time, then they instantly fall unconscious.
  • If a character is both unconscious and has no access to a source of air, then they die after a number of rounds equal to their Toughness Bonus.

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