Combat

Combat is chaotic, fast-paced, and dangerous. Characters are in constant danger while fighting. A stray dagger can be the end of the line for your character.

The following rules take the chaos of combat and break it down into a cycle of Rounds, Phases, and Turns. Many combats also include tests of Morale.

• Rounds - A round is a set of 9 Phases. A round represents roughly 6 seconds of in-game time.
• Phases - There are 9 Phases in 1 round, and they take place in a cycle. Once all 9 phases are done, the round is finished and the next round starts at Phase 1. A Phase has no time representation, but rather determines roughly how events fold out in a round.
  • Note that most actions take place between phases 2 and 8. Phases 1 and 9 are often only accessed when a character is able to act sooner or later, and are sometimes referred to as System Phases.
• Turns - When a character Acts or Reacts in a phase, it is called taking a turn (or taking “their” turn). A character can take no more than one turn in a phase. All creatures who take a turn in a given phase can complete it before moving to the next phase, and their turns are Adjudicated at the same time.

The cycle of rounds, phases, and turns continues until one side has overcome the other.

Rounds

Tracking rounds is mostly important for understanding battlefield effects and time. Spell effects and class features are often tracked by round. A round is an abstraction of what happens in about 6 seconds; thus, 10 rounds equal 1 minute if you need to track time.

Phases

The meat and potatoes of combat. Things that you wish to do in combat must take place in certain phases. There are 9 phases in a round.

All creatures who act in a given phase have their activities Adjudicated at the same time. Everything that begins, continues, or resolves in that phase should be adjudicated before moving to the next phase.

Phases are always handled in order, from 1 to 9. Anything adjudicated in an earlier phase can affect a later phase. For example, if you kill a charging orc in Phase 2, it cannot act in Phase 3. However, if both you and the Orc fire your bows in Phase 2, both of you have the chance to hit and deal damage, even if you rolled first, and killed the orc with your damage roll.

Unless an activity states otherwise (see Phase Lock below), an activity with a listed phase can be performed in that phase or a later phase, but never in an earlier phase. For example, moving is listed as Phase 3. Thus, you cannot move in Phase 1 or Phase 2, but you can move in Phase 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9.

No Phase Listed

Some features may simply say they require an Action or Master Action without listing a phase. When this is the case, that activity can be performed in any phase.

Phase listed as “Weapon”

If an activity has its phase listed as Weapon, use the Speed Factor of the weapon used for the activity to determine its earliest phase. If you are engaging in two-weapon fighting, use the Speed Factor of the weapon you are attacking with.

Spells

Spells have the number of actions required, as well as the phase you can perform them on, listed in the “casting” section of each spell.

Phase Lock

If an activity is Phase Locked, you must begin it in the listed phase. You cannot perform it earlier or delay it to a later phase.

An ability listed as Phase 3 can be used in Phase 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. It simply cannot be used in Phase 1 or 2.

However, if an ability is listed as Phase Lock 3, it must be used in Phase 3. All channeled activities are Phase Locked.

Adjudicating at the Same Time

Adjudicating at the same time means that all activities in a phase happen at the same time, regardless of who rolls first. If you are attempting to act in a phase, you get to do so unless a Reaction stops you.

For example: A goblin controlled by the GM and an archer controlled by a player fire arrows at each other during Phase 2. The player rolls first. The archer hits the goblin and deals enough damage to kill it. However, because the goblin is also acting in Phase 2, it still gets to make its attack despite the archer killing it “first.”

The goblin then rolls its attack and damage, hits the archer, and deals 3 damage. At the end of Phase 2, the goblin has been slain by an arrow and the archer has taken 3 damage from the goblin’s missile fire.

Things that happen in an earlier phase can affect a later phase. In the example above, the goblin gets to act in Phase 2, but its death prevents it from acting in Phase 3 or later.

Handling Movement

Even when playing on a grid, movement should be described in broad terms to your GM to get the sense of flow. For example: instead of picking up your figure, and moving them 4 squares (20 feet), you should instead say “I would like to move away from the Orcs”, or “I would like to intercept the goblins”.

As movement is all handled at the same time, the GM should take everything into consideration as movement is done. Thus, even though you may move your 4 squares to the west, since the goblins are moving slightly more north than west, your GM may help you by moving your figure 3 squares to the west and 1 square to the north.

Because of this open, and broad terms of movement, it is very possible that characters will move their characters, then shuffle them a bit as other creatures movements come to light. In the above example “I would like to intercept the goblins”, the player moves first and moves in a direct line 20 feet to the east. The GM moves the goblins south-west, instead of just west, which the player is no longer in line to intercept them. Since the player’s intention was to intercept them, he should be allowed to “shuffle” where he moved to put his character in-line with his stated goal (so long as it stays within his initial move speed).

Effectively, when performing actions, intent of the action should be known, and players and GMs should work together in understanding the intent of the action.

When do I act?

Your character can announce their intention to act during a phase at any time before the GM moves to the next phase. For example, if a stalwart warrior was planning on moving and fighting in melee, but a goblin archer fires an arrow at him, he can announce that he is going to throw his axe at the goblin during the same phase. Throwing the axe spends 1 Action and uses his Master Action for the round, but he may still spend his remaining Actions in later phases.

The warrior can throw the axe because it is already in his hand. He could not draw a bow and then fire it during that phase: those are two separate activities, and a character can Act only once per phase. An activity that explicitly includes drawing and firing would be an exception.

Play in Good Faith

Because of the open nature of this combat system, it is very easy for a GM (or player) to “get revenge”, play with poor intention, or just simply be a menace. The easiest way to avoid this is announcing intent, keeping to the rules, and allowing grace and patience for all people playing.

Because of this free-form combat, every table will have situations where good form and sportsmanship will be required. Remember that the GM isn’t against you, and you aren’t against the GM. It’s supposed to be a collaborative story. Remember that you are here to have fun with your group, and that character set-backs (or even character death) can be fun.

Taking Your Turns

During each round, you have 3 Actions and 1 Reaction to use across the round’s 9 phases. Unused Actions and Reactions are lost at the end of the round.

In any one phase, you can do one of the following:

• Act once, spending the Action cost of one activity.
• React once, if its trigger occurs and you have not already used your Reaction this round.
• Do nothing.

You cannot both Act and React in the same phase, nor can you Act or React more than once in that phase. This limit applies regardless of how many Actions an activity costs or how many movements, attacks, or other effects it includes.

Actions

An activity is something you attempt to do, while Actions are the resource you spend to do it. Performing an activity is called Acting. Unless stated otherwise, an activity costs 1 Action.

Taking Action

When you Act, choose one activity and spend its entire Action cost. You cannot begin an activity unless you have enough Actions remaining to pay its cost.

An activity that costs 2 or 3 Actions is still only one activity. Unless it is channeled, you pay the full cost and resolve the entire activity during the phase in which you Act. Paying more than 1 Action does not allow you to Act more than once during that phase.

An activity that costs 0 Actions, if a feature grants one, still counts as Acting and uses your turn for that phase.

Unless otherwise noted, you can attempt a specific activity only once per round. Spending Actions does not prevent you from taking later turns; if you have Actions remaining, you can Act again in a later phase.

Action List

In the next few pages is a list of common actions you can perform in combat. They are listed out in “Action Cards”, which simply show how to adjudicate the action. This list is not exhaustive, and you can attempt anything in combat. When possible, use the provided rules to adjudicate certain actions. However, if an action you wish to perform isn’t on this list, work with your GM to find out how you can do it.

GMs, you can use the Action List to help you understand and determine how to adjudicate actions your players might perform.

Phase List

There is no set phase list for actions and master actions. Because of this, a GM may have a hard time adjudicating which phase you can do something in. Below is a common list of Phases that actions might take place in, to allow you to better come up with ideas:

Phases 1 - 3: Although Phase 1 is usually the realm of system mechanics, or characters enchanted to be quicker, these 3 phases are usually reserved for volley combat and movement.

Phases 4 - 6: Many activities take place during these phases, and the most common are movement, melee attacks with lower Speed Factor weapons, and some spells. Many channeled spells start in these Phases, and finish in later phases.

Phases 7 - 9: Although Phase 9 is usually the realm of characters who are debilitated in some way, these three phases are usually reserved for slower, heavy weapon attacks, finishing channeled spells, some combat maneuvers, and even some slower spells.

Master Actions

Master Actions are usually the most impactful activities you can perform in a round. Attacking with a weapon or casting a spell are almost always Master Actions.

You can perform only one Master Action per round. A Master Action still costs the listed number of Actions. Performing one does not prevent you from spending your remaining Actions in later phases, and it does not use your Reaction.

If a Master Action is interrupted, fails, or otherwise has no effect after you attempt it, it still counts as your Master Action for the round.

Channeling

Every channeled activity is a Phase-Locked Master Action. When you begin a channel, spend its entire Action cost and use your Master Action for the round. Unlike an ordinary multi-Action activity, a channel does not resolve immediately. It resolves after a number of phases equal to its Action cost.

For example, Cost: 3 Actions; Master Action; Phase Lock 3; Channel begins in Phase 3 and resolves in Phase 6:

Phase 3	Phase 4	Phase 5	Phase 6
Begin channel	Channeling	Channeling	Resolve effect

Beginning a channel counts as Acting during its starting phase. Its later completion is automatic: it does not cost another Action and is not another turn. Channeling does not otherwise prevent you from spending any remaining Actions or using your Reaction in later phases.

While channeling, you are susceptible to interruption. If you take any damage, whether to Grit or Hit Points, or are required to make a Saving Throw after the starting phase and before the completion phase, the channel is interrupted. You lose the activity, all Actions spent on it remain spent, and you lose any resource used to begin it, such as a spell slot.

Channeling Interruption Timing

The starting and completion phases are not part of a channel’s normal interruption window because activities in the same phase are adjudicated simultaneously. In the example above, ordinary damage or a Saving Throw interrupts the channel only during Phases 4 and 5. A Reaction that explicitly stops an activity can still do so according to that Reaction’s rules.

Unless an activity states otherwise, a channel must be able to finish before the end of the round. Because every channel is Phase Locked, its locked phase must leave enough phases for the channel to resolve.

Uninterruptible Channel

An uninterruptible channel is written out as Uninterruptible Channel rather than marked with a single-letter modifier. For example: Cost: 3 Actions; Master Action; Phase Lock 3; Uninterruptible Channel.

An Uninterruptible Channel is not interrupted by taking damage or being required to make a Saving Throw. It continues through its completion phase. This does not guarantee that the activity will have an effect: its target must still be valid and in range when it resolves, and any rule that specifically ends an Uninterruptible Channel can still do so.

Reactions

You can take one Reaction per round when its trigger occurs. A Reaction does not spend one of your 3 Actions unless it says otherwise, but it counts as your turn for the phase. You cannot React in a phase in which you have already Acted, and after you React, you cannot Act later in that same phase. The most common Reactions are the Opportunity Attack and Shield Block.

Reactions are instant responses to their triggers and interrupt the flow of combat. Thus, a Reaction can affect its triggering activity, unlike other actions. For example, if a creature is moving out of an ally’s threatened range and that ally’s Opportunity Attack deals enough damage to kill it, the creature dies in the space it was leaving and does not finish its movement.

Using a Master Action does not prevent you from using your Reaction later in the round, provided you have not already used it and its trigger occurs in a later phase.

Master Reactions

A Master Reaction uses your Reaction and counts as your one Master Action for the round. You cannot use a Master Reaction if you have already used a Master Action that round, and using a Master Reaction prevents you from using a Master Action later in the round. It does not spend any of your 3 Actions or prevent you from spending them in later phases unless its rules say otherwise.

Defining Turn Based Effects

Many activities, features, and spells indicate that their effects last for a certain amount of time, often measured in rounds.

• When any effect lasts for a time frame measured in rounds, note that Phase that the effect took place on. The effect ends at the end of that Phase after the number of rounds pass.
• If a spell’s duration is measured in time units, instead of tracking by the phase, you track it to the end of the round where the spell would have ended. Essentially, if an effect’s duration is measured in time rather than rounds, what phase it ends on isn’t as important as knowing roughly when the spell will end.
• If an effect specifies “for the remainder of the round”, then the effects end at the end of the current round, regardless of what phase the effect takes place.