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to
StudiesThe
Study
of Close
Combat
The Study of Close Combat concerns
everything
related to the use of melee weapons, and many other aspects of
close-quarters combat. It is arguably the most universally important
Study related to combat in Lur-Asko; although other Studies may make a
character technically more powerful, there are few solutions more
foolproof than a sword or mace. Parties without any specialists in this
Study area
are often rather short-lived.
Stat
Requirement to Enter Study: None
Notes
for
New Characters
This is a vital Study for any
adventuring party.
Even if
you choose to focus on another Study, a few tiers in Close Combat can
offer vital protection in a fight. Meanwhile, the benefits of gaining a
high tier in this area are probably just as you imagine.
Characters who enter
the Study of Athletics usually find that practicing the melee arts
simultaneously improves their athletic ability.
When you reach 4 base tiers
in the Study of
Close Combat, you gain 1 extra tier in the Study of Athletics.
Close
Combat Lore
Melee combat has captured the
dedication of Lur-Asko's fighting men and women ever since kinetic
shields and energy shielding began to proliferate in the Draconic Wars.
The types and sizes of melee weapons are legion; consult Melee Weapons for the
requirements and
rules for specific weapons. Less common than weapon-using characters
but occasionally popping up throughout history are the unarmed
specialists, who generally possess lesser capability but less reliance
on equipment. More commonly, adventurers round their skills out into
several types of melee weapon as well as occasional unarmed fighting.
Although the most "purist" of Close Combat students like
to downplay the significance of technology on their arts, the
development of armor has greatly impacted melee battles since even
prehistoric times. Of particular significance are blunt weapons and
grappling techniques, each of which tend to become more popular with
adventurers who frequently fight well-armored enemies.
In the Draconic Wars, when melee combat
was of
paramount importance due to many technological defenses on both sides,
melee specialists began formulating the first "high martial arts."
Often, this development was assisted by the analysis of dragons or
Alacrian battle AIs. As a result, the fighting arts of Tsuunahgo
reached a
level of advancement far ahead of what we might be familiar with on
Earth.
Melee
Insight
To a certain extent (and for a limited
time), muscle
memory and training can fill in for the extreme mental focus
required by advanced melee moves. Once
you have a Close Combat Ability that uses insight, you begin
tracking melee
insight. Melee
insight is
identical to normal insight, except that it can only be used for Close
Combat Abilities; you can use it first in order to save
some
normal insight for other Studies. Unlike
normal insight, melee insight is refilled to its maximum whenever you
have at least 2 minutes to rest. Its maximum begins at 4; the maximum
is increased whenever you gain a tier, by an amount equal to 1/4 of the
tier gained:
| Close
Combat
Tier |
1
|
2
|
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
| Maximum
Melee
Insight |
4
|
4
|
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
19 |
22 |
25 |
28 |
32 |
36 |
40 |
44 |
49 |
54 |
59 |
64 |
70 |
76 |
82 |
88 |
95 |
102 |
109 |
The maximum can be modified by
certain Abilities
and
Attributes. Melee insight
cannot exceed its maximum at any time, even if gained mid-combat
through Abilities or Attributes.
A single expenditure of insight can be
split between
melee insight and normal insight. For example, if you must spend 7
insight for a Close Combat Ability, you
can spend 4 melee insight and 3 normal insight.
Melee
Attacks, Competency, and the Melee Competency Ability
Rules
regarding melee attacks for all characters (even
those with no tiers in Close Combat) can be found in Combat. To summarize, all
characters may make incompetent
attacks
unarmed,
as grapple attempts, or with any weapon they meet the stat requirements
to wield. This does not require an offense roll. If a character is
considered
competent
with
all melee weapons they are currently wielding (or with unarmed combat
or grappling if attempting those), they may make
competent
attacks.
Competent melee attacks require an offense roll of d6 on DEX, but
are not as easy to avoid; the defense roll is d20 on DEX
instead
of d12. If the offense roll fails by any amount, the entire attack
fails. Close Combat Abilities involving your attacks only apply to
competent melee attacks unless otherwise stated.
All Close Combat Backgrounds automatically grant you the Melee
Competency Ability at your 1st tier. Be sure to check the rules for
this Ability below, and select your first 3 competence categories. If
you are a minotaur, you are already competent
with your natural weapon (your horns).
Announcing
Ability Use
Any Ability which has some type of cost
must
be
announced to the GM
before making the relevant offense or defense roll (except for reactive
+TNs, which are not used until after the roll). Any insight or fatigue
cost must be paid immediately
upon using the Ability, regardless of the success of the
attack.
Abilities that simply provide a constant benefit
without a cost are presumed to always
be in use if valid and do not need to be announced.
Close
Combat Backgrounds Broadly
speaking, Close
Combat Backgrounds are less
tied to how a character developed their skills, and more to the
purposes
for which they did so. Those with different Backgrounds are usually not
rivals, but simply influenced by their past to dedicate themselves
to different roles on the battlefield.
Duelist
(Costs 3 LP)
You pursue the melee arts not only in
practice, but
in theory as well. You tend to view fights in a more technical way, and
can probably recite the stances and forms of several high martial arts.
Overcoming the defenses of challenging enemies, particularly in a
one-on-one fight, is the iconic strength of such an approach. Maybe you
have a specific foe you're out to slay, or maybe you
just want to ensure you hold your own against anyone you end up having
to fight. In bardic legend, duelists can be found as
anything from vengeful hunters to good-natured sport fighters.
Duelists gain the Melee Competency Ability as an extra benefit at 1st
tier, and the Melee HMA Mastery Ability at 8th tier.
Suggested Abilities:
Defensive
Footwork, Expert Attack, Dueling Focus
Skirmisher
(Costs 3 LP)
Your pursuit of the melee arts is often
a literal
pursuit; you focus on speedy and decisive strikes, outrunning enemies
and outflanking their defenses. Whether it's bypassing group defense,
getting to a distant fight more quickly, or getting out before the
enemy can muster their most dangerous defenses, you prize mobility in a
battle. This style is a common choice of Adlet, elves, and any warrior
who trains athletically for speed.
Skirmishers gain the Melee Competency Ability as an extra benefit at
1st tier, and the Melee HMA Mastery Ability at 9th tier.
Suggested
Abilities: Defensive Footwork, Advanced Combat Mobility, Expert Attack
Rider
(Costs 3 LP)
You pursue the melee arts from atop a
mount. Perhaps
you hail from the proud traditions of horsemanship in Manusia or
Skreti, or perhaps you will seek more exotic steeds from the Study of
Nature... or the Study of Vehicles. While by no means helpless on foot,
your melee skills tend to focus on what you can do from the saddle, and
the unique tactics you can access from there.
Riders gain the Melee Competency Ability as an extra benefit at 1st
tier, and the Melee HMA Mastery Ability at 9th tier.
Suggested
Abilities: Mounted Melee Competency, Mounted Defense, Power Offense
Defender
(Costs 3 LP)
You pursue the melee arts in order to
defend
yourself and/or others, at the expense of offense. Characters of your
style are frequently employed by nobles and merchants as bodyguards; in
an adventuring party, they are invaluable for protecting more
vulnerable comrades. If you focus on your own personal defense, this
Background is excellent for non-melee focused characters looking to
protect themselves and survive long enough to use Abilities from other
Studies.
Defenders gain the Melee Competency Ability as an extra benefit at 1st
tier, and the Melee HMA Mastery Ability at 9th tier.
Suggested
Abilities: Defensive Footwork, Comprehensive Defense, Defend Others
Slugger
(Costs 2 LP)
Your pursuit of the melee arts is guided
by your
strength. You focus on hitting hard and hitting often, and even in the
event that you find someone bigger and stronger than you, you probably
have
a few tricks for punching above your weight. Meanwhile, your training
will hopefully help you avoid the worst counterattacks from more nimble
adversaries. Characters of this style are the heavy hitters of the
party, and likely supplement their skills with athletic pursuits
related to strength.
Sluggers gain the Melee Competency Ability as an extra benefit at 1st
tier, and the Melee HMA Mastery Ability at 9th tier.
Suggested
Abilities: Defensive Footwork, Power Offense, Sweeping Offense
Amateur
You are considered new to the melee arts. You
likely focus on
other Studies, but needed at least the basics of Close Combat to avoid
dying in the dangerous areas that adventurers frequent. While this
Background is limited, it allows you free access to melee competency,
and can be easily upgraded later in life.
Amateurs gain the Melee Competency Ability as an extra benefit at 1st
tier. You are unrestricted by favoredness, but have a tier cap of 3.
Suggested
Abilities: Defensive Footwork, Comprehensive
Defense, Concentrated Defense
Changing
Backgrounds All
Backgrounds can change
to one another, if the
character
pays the difference in LP cost between the old and new Background (if
any), plus 1 LP, plus another 1 LP for every 3 base tiers they already
have in Close
Combat. The latter two requirements do not apply to Amateurs, who need
only pay the normal LP cost of their new Background regardless of tier.
Backgrounds
& Training Close
Combat Backgrounds
are unrestricted in
training; all Backgrounds may train each other, and all may find
training in cities.
Ability
Favoredness Chart
Close
Combat
Abilities
Melee
Competency
All-favored
This Ability
grants competency in various categories of weapons. When you first
obtain this Ability, you gain competency in 3 categories. Without
competency
in the weapon(s) you are wielding, you can only make incompetent melee
attacks. Each weapon will list what competency category it falls under.
The categories you can choose
from are:
-Flexible
-Grappling
-Hafted
-Polearm
-Shield
-Staff
-Sword
-Unarmed
In addition to competent attacks,
this Ability also provides a +TN to your melee offense and melee
defense rolls when competently wielding weapons. The offense roll +TN
is equal to the Offense rating of
your weapon (or the lower Offense rating if dual-wielding). The defense
roll +TN is equal to the Defense rating of your weapon (or the higher
Defense rating if dual-wielding), to a maximum of 8.
If you choose the Shield category and
are using a
shield, you gain an additional melee defense roll +TN equal to your
shield's Defense rating, to a maximum total +TN of 8 (when added to
your weapon's Defense). Using a weapon and shield does not count as
dual-wielding (unless the shield is being used as a weapon; see Armor
& Shields).
The defense +TNs from this Ability are
effective
against attacks made to initiate a grapple, just like all other melee
defense Abilities. However, they cannot be used against an opponent you
are already in a grapple with. They also cannot be used if you attacked
with a natural weapon on your last turn. The offense +TN is not
applicable to offense rolls that use a non-weapon competency category
(for example, grapple attempts), even if you happen to be competently
wielding weapons during the roll.
Progression
Normal:
For
every tier above 1st, you choose another competency category to gain.
This Ability cannot be emphasized or
maximized.
Advanced
Combat Mobility
Skirmisher-favored
Rider-favored
You may spend 5 insight to attempt to bypass group defense as a free
action instead of a minor action. If the roll to bypass fails, you may
not re-attempt it as a minor action.
Additionally, you receive one less degree of melee
disadvantage from using breakout
tactics (see Combat).
This essentially
allows you to always choose one of the breakout options without
consequence.
You may "share" all effects of this
Ability with
your mount.
Progression
Normal:
The insight cost is reduced by 1/6 your tier.
Emphasized:The
insight cost is reduced by 1/3 your tier. Upon reaching 0 cost at 15th
tier, you gain another option to spend 5 insight to remove an extra
degree
of melee disadvantage from using breakout tactics; every 3 subsequent
tiers reduces this
insight cost by 1.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Advanced
Grappling
Slugger-favored
This Ability is only usable against an opponent you are grappling with,
after the grapple begins. It grants you a +TN of 4 during all offense
and defense rolls within the grapple.
If your STR is greater than your
opponent's, you
increase the +TN to 7, or to 10 if your STR
is at
least double your opponent's.
Progression
Normal:
At
4th tier, you
gain the option to spend 10 insight to gain a reactive +TN for any roll
valid for this Ability's normal +TN. The amount of the reactive +TN is
equal to the normal +TN. This insight cost is reduced by 1/12 your tier.
Emphasized:
At any tier,
you gain the 10 insight option as in Normal. The insight cost is
reduced by 1/6 your tier.
Maximized:
As Emphasized, but the insight cost is reduced by 1/4 your tier.
Aerial
Expertise All-favored
While flying, you gain a +TN in melee defense rolls equal to 1/3 of
your current flying SPD, to a maximum of 5. This effect cannot be used
while mounted.
Progression
Normal:
At 7th tier, you may use Expert Attack while flying or riding a flying
mount, but only against other characters who are also flying (or who
are on flying mounts).
This Ability cannot be emphasized or
maximized.
Anti-Armor
Techniques
Duelist-favored
Skirmisher-favored
Rider-favored
This Ability allows you to vary the techniques of your melee attack
according to the armor of your target. By adding 2 Hindrance to your
offense roll, the drive of your weapon(s) is increased by 8, or by 16
for a weapon with the Precise tag. If you score a critical hit, this
Ability instead has the effect of allowing you to choose both options
for a critical hit (that is, increasing drive by 10 or 20, as well as
choosing the type of injury inflicted).
This Ability can only be used when
attacking a
character (not a vehicle or object).
Progression
Normal:
At
4th tier, you gain the option to spend 7 insight to use this Ability
with no Hindrance. This insight cost is reduced by 1/8 your tier.
Emphasized:
At any tier,
you gain the 7 insight option as in Normal. The insight cost is reduced by 1/4 your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Blind
Fighting All-favored
When you have the blinded
status
or otherwise cannot see, you may still make competent melee attacks
instead of incompetent blind attacks, at the cost of 5 Hindrance to
your offense roll. Your actual target is still randomly selected from
all non-visible enemies in your engagement, as per normal blind attack rules.
Additionally, you may be warned about stealth attacks even when you
are blinded.
Progression
Normal:
The offense roll Hindrance is reduced by 1/12 your tier.
Emphasized:
The offense roll Hindrance is reduced by 1/6 your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.Cautious Strike Duelist-favored
This Ability allows you to grant the target of your melee attack 2
Easing in their defense roll, in exchange for the option to "undo" the
hit if you don't like the results of their defense roll or injury roll.
For example, you can use this to decline hitting someone with a damage
aura until you get a critical hit, or to make sure you don't inflict a
Perception Injury on a person you want to capture alive.
Progression
Normal:
The Easing is reduced to 1 at 16th tier.
Emphasized:
The Easing is reduced to 1 at 8th tier, and to 0 at 16th tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Charging
Attack
Slugger-favored
Skirmisher-favored
This Ability allows you to charge at the
enemy, relying on momentum rather than technique to overcome
their
defenses. To use this Ability, you must have not already been
in
an
engagement with your target at the start of the round, must move at
least short range closer to them during the movement phase,
and
must end the movement phase engaged with them (either because your
movement was sufficient to engage them, or because they also moved
towards you).
If you are able to use this
Ability, you add
50% of your SPD as extra STR when
calculating the damage and drive of your weapon(s), as well as when
determining the effects of Power Offense and/or Advanced Grappling. If
you rushed during your movement,
you add 100% of your SPD instead. If you did
not need to rush to reach the target, you may still do so to gain this
effect. Very fast characters must consider their SPD to be a maximum of
20 when resolving this Ability.
This Ability has no effect if you have
any degree of
Mobility Injury (or Wing Injury, if appropriate and flying). It cannot
be used simultaneously with Flurry Attack. It cannot be used with a
natural attack described as a Tail.
This Ability cannot be used while
mounted; however,
a mount that has this Ability can share the benefits with its rider as
a major action, or as part of its own attack. If your mount did
this on its turn, you may use this Ability as if you had it
yourself, except that you consider your mount's SPD (to a maximum of
20) instead of
your own.
Progression
Normal:
At
4th tier, you
gain the option to take fatigue to increase this Ability's effects. The
maximum fatigue is 1/4 your tier. Add the amount
of
fatigue to your SPD when resolving the effects of this Ability, to a
maximum of 20 effective SPD. If a
mount does this, its benefits are shared with the rider (the rider does
not take the fatigue).
Emphasized:
At any tier, you gain the fatigue option from Normal. The maximum
fatigue is 1/2 your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Comprehensive
Defense
Defender-favored
As a slowing minor action, this Ability
allows you to devote
attention to defense against all melee attackers. Until your next turn,
you may spend 7 insight to apply a reactive +TN of 2 in any melee
defense roll.
Progression
Normal:
For
every 12 tiers, the reactive +TN is increased by 1.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but every 6 tiers.
Maximized:
As Normal, but every 4 tiers.
Concentrated
Defense
Defender-favored
This Ability allows you to modify the
effects
of Comprehensive Defense. You may focus that Ability on a single
character within sight. Until your next turn, that Ability cannot be
used against attacks from any other character, but its reactive +TN is
increased by 2.
Progression
Normal:
For
every 12 tiers, the reactive +TN when using this Ability is further
increased by 1.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but every 6 tiers.
Maximized:
As Normal, but every 4 tiers.
Couched
Polearm Charge
Rider-favored
This Ability can only be used while
riding a mount
that has used the Charging Attack
Ability, and which has rushed during this round's movement phase (even
if it did so only for the purposes of Charging Attack). If Charging
Attack applies and you are also wielding a weapon with the Precise and
Reach tags
that has
solely the Polearm competency category, this Ability can take effect.
The effects completely replace those of Charging Attack during your
turn (but not your mount's).
First, your weapon occupies
only one hand, but
counts as being wielded two-handed for all other rules purposes
(including stat requirements to wield) until your next turn. You may
not dual-wield. Second, use 2 times your mount's SPD as functional STR
when calculating the damage and drive of your weapon, as well as when
determining the effects of Power Offense. Unlike a normal Charging
Attack, this entirely replaces your own STR for the purposes of those
rules; you do not add your normal STR to damage. Finally, add 2 times
this functional STR to the weapon's damage and 50% of it to the
weapon's drive, regardless of what proportion of STR is normally added
to either for that weapon type. Very fast mounts must consider their
SPD to be a maximum of 20 when resolving this Ability.
This Ability can cause a lot of extra
damage and
drive, but it
does have drawbacks. Sweeping Offense and Heavy Attack cannot be used.
Furthermore, upon
actually hitting an enemy, you must roll a d3; on a result of 2 or 3,
you
lose hold of your weapon and drop it, while on a result of 1 your
weapon breaks. A broken polearm functions as a stick-type improvised
weapon, and can be repaired for a cost equal
to 1/4 of the weapon's normal value. For these reasons, realms which
make frequent use of this Ability (chiefly Manusia) have created
specialized disposable spears known as lances.
These weapons are
functionally equivalent to spears, except that they are
1/5 as expensive, and they can only be competently used when this
Ability is used.
Lances cannot be repaired.
Progression
Normal:
At
5th tier, you may roll a d4 instead of a d3 to determine whether your
weapon is dropped or broken (with no consequence for a result greater
than 2). At 15th tier, you may roll a d6.
Emphasized:
As Normal, except that the dice are d4 at 5th tier, d6 at 10th tier, d8
at 15th tier, and d10 at 20th tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Defend
Others
Defender-favored
As a major action, you may devote your turn to
assisting in the
defense of a grouped-up character. Until your next turn, the ally
receives 1 Easing in all melee defense rolls. Your ally does not need
to be defended via normal group defense (but you may use this Ability
on such a target, if you want to insure against an enemy bypassing
defense). Optionally, you may accept 1 Hindrance in all of your own
melee defense rolls until your next turn, in order to perform this
Ability as a minor action instead of a major action.
This Ability cannot be used while in a
shield wall.
A character can only benefit
from one other character's use of Defend Others
at once, and cannot benefit from it if they are already using it on
someone else. A character cannot benefit from this
Ability if either they or their defender are bypassing group defense.
Progression
Normal:
At
5th tier, you
gain the option to spend 4 insight upon use to change the Easing to 2,
or 12 insight for 3 Easing. Each insight cost is reduced by 1/12 your
tier.
Emphasized:
At
any tier, you gain both insight options from Normal. Each cost is
reduced by 1/6 your tier.
Maximized:
As Emphasized, except each cost is reduced by 1/4 your tier.
All-favored
This highly-recommended Ability reflects
greater skill in movements and stances intended to help you dodge melee
attacks. It gives you a +TN in melee defense rolls equal to 50% of your
SPD, to a maximum of 5. This Ability cannot be used while knocked down,
using cover, mounted, or flying. It cannot be used against anyone while
grappling, but
can be used in defense against a grapple starting.
This Ability has no effect if you have
any degree of
Mobility Injury.
Progression
Normal:
At
5th tier, you may take 8 fatigue to gain a reactive +TN equal to 1/3
of your SPD, or 7 (whichever is lesser), in any roll valid for this
Ability's normal +TN. This fatigue cost is reduced by 1/8 your tier.
Emphasized:
At any tier, you gain the reactive +TN from Normal. The fatigue cost is
reduced
by 1/4 your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Dual-Wielding
Mastery
Skirmisher-favored
Duelist-favored
When
dual-wielding melee
weapons that have the One-Handed tag and matching competency
categories, you consider each
weapon's Offense and Defense ratings to be 1
higher. You also add 1 less Hindrance from Flurry Attack if you use
that Ability while dual-wielding.
Progression
Normal: The effect on Offense ratings is increased by 1/8 your
tier, and the effect on Defense by 1/12 your tier.
Emphasized: The
effect on Offense ratings is increased by 1/4 your tier, and the effect
on Defense by 1/6 your tier.
Maximized: The
effect on Offense ratings is increased by 1/3 your tier, and the effect
on Defense by 1/4 your tier.
Dueling
Focus
Duelist-favored
As a free action, you may spend 5
insight
immediately prior to
beginning a melee attack on an enemy; this grants you 1 degree of melee
advantage over your target, at the cost of 1 degree of melee
disadvantage against all other characters. This advantage
continues for the rest of the battle, or until deactivated. You may
only deactivate this
Ability as a free action on your own turn; even if your targeted enemy
dies, the disadvantage against others continues until you can
deactivate this Ability. You must deactivate it before using it on a
different character, but may do both as part of the same free action.
Insight is only spent when activating the Ability.
You may also use this Ability as a
counter to
itself, activating it without an action, immediately prior to a defense
roll against an
attacker who is using Dueling Focus on you, provided you neither used
nor deactivated the Ability on your own previous turn. This cannot be
done in response to a stealth attack. The insight cost is the same as
activating the Ability normally.
While you are grappled or attempting to
begin a
grapple, this Ability ceases to provide advantage.
If you also have High Noon Focus
(Marksmanship), you
cannot have it active at
the same time as this Ability.
Progression
Normal:
The insight cost is reduced by 1/12 your tier.
Emphasized:
The insight cost is reduced by 1/6 your tier.
Maximized:
The insight cost is reduced by 1/4 your tier.
Expert
Attack
Duelist-favored
Skirmisher-favored
Rider-favored
As a minor action, you may use this Ability to prepare advanced
techniques to hit a defensive target. If you make a melee attack on the
same turn, you add 1 Hindrance to your
offense roll. Your target must add the same amount of Hindrance to
their defense
roll. This Ability cannot be used while flying or riding a flying mount
(except for the effect of Aerial Expertise's progression).
Progression
Normal:
For
every 6 tiers beyond 3rd, you may add an additional 1 Hindrance to your
offense roll.
Emphasized:
The total amount of Hindrance added to your offense roll from this
Ability may be up to 1/3 of your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Flurry
Attack
Skirmisher-favored
An attack that includes high-energy
maneuvers intended to overwhelm an opponent's defenses or increase
damage. Using this Ability inflicts 6 fatigue and adds 3 Hindrance to
your offense roll. If you succeed, you add your SPD as extra
STR when
calculating the damage and drive of your weapon(s), as well as when
determining the effects of Power Offense, Advanced Grappling, and/or
Sweeping Offense. Very fast characters must consider their SPD to be a
maximum of 20 when resolving this Ability.
This Ability cannot be used if you have
2 or more
degrees of encumbrance, or while you are knocked down, mounted, flying,
or fighting from cover. It cannot be used while mounted or in a grapple
(though it can be used in the attempt to begin a grapple). The use of
this Ability ends any touch between you and other characters
(whether you are the toucher or being touched), and you cannot receive
a non-grappling touch until your next turn. You cannot simultaneously
use Charging Attack.
This Ability has no effect if you have
any degree of
Mobility Injury.
Progression
Normal:
The fatigue cost is decreased by 1 at 16th tier.
Emphasized:
The fatigue cost is decreased by 1/8 of your tier, and the Hindrance is
reduced by 1 at 18th tier.
Maximized:
The fatigue cost is decreased by 1/5 of your tier, and the Hindrance by
1/12 your tier.
Heavy
Attack
Slugger-favored
To use this Ability, you cannot use any
Ability that would add Hindrance to your offense roll (even if negated
by Easing), and you must
grant all enemies 1 degree of melee advantage over you for 1 round,
including your
target. In exchange,
you may use Strength Surge (Athletics) to grant extra STR for the
purpose of calculating the damage
and drive of your weapon(s), as well as when determining the effects of
Power Offense; the amount of the extra STR is equal to the reactive +TN
obtained in the normal use of Strength Surge. You must spend the amount
of fatigue normally spent for Strength Surge before making your offense
roll. Adrenal Strength's
modifications may also be used. You cannot use this Ability while using
Sweeping Offense.
Progression
Normal:
At
6th tier, you
gain the option to spend 7 insight to remove the melee disadvantage
effect. This insight cost is reduced by 1/12 your tier.
Emphasized:
At any tier, you gain the insight option from Normal. The insight cost
is reduced by 1/6 your tier.
Maximized:
As Emphasized, except the insight cost is reduced by 1/4 your tier.
Insightful
Style
Duelist-favored
This Ability
allows you to gain melee insight as a free action by rolling d12 on
INT. If successful, the amount of melee
insight gained is equal to your bINT.
Once this Ability is used (whether the
attempt
succeeds or fails), it cannot be used again until after a 2-minute rest.
Progression
Normal:
The
amount of melee insight gained (normally bINT) is increased by 1/4
your
tier.
Emphasized: As Normal, but 1/2 your tier.
Maximized:
As Normal, but 3/4 your tier.
Kata Master
Duelist-favored
This Ability
allows you to decrease your maximum normal insight by 4 in order to
increase your maximum melee insight by 6.
At the end of any 4-hour rest, you
may deactivate or reactivate the effects of this Ability, or use a
different portion of it (the amount of maximum melee insight gained is
always 150% the amount of maximum normal insight lost). You cannot use
it in such a
way that it would reduce your maximum normal insight below 1.
Progression
Normal:
The amount by which you may reduce your normal insight maximum
(originally 4) is increased by 1/2 your tier.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but increased by your tier.
Maximized:
As Normal, but increased by 1.5 times your tier.
Light
Attack
Duelist-favored
This Ability prioritizes accuracy over
damage, causing your target to add 1 Hindrance to their melee defense
roll. To use this Ability, you must voluntarily reduce your melee
damage, considering your STR to be 0 for the purposes of all attack
rules other than whether you can wield your current weapon(s). For
example, this means 0 STR is added to damage and/or drive, and 0 STR
counted for Abilities such as Power Offense. You cannot simultaneously
use any Ability that adds extra effective STR in a melee attack (such
as Flurry Attack or Heavy Attack), and you cannot use this Ability with
any melee attack that does not attempt to inflict damage (such as a
grapple or item grab).
Progression
Normal:
At 7th tier, you
gain the option to spend 9 insight to increase the Hindrance to 2. This
insight cost is reduced by 1/10 your tier.
Emphasized:
At any tier, you gain the insight option from Normal. The insight cost
is reduced by 1/5 your tier.
Maximized:
As Emphasized, except the insight cost is reduced by 1/3 your tier.
Massive
Swipe
Slugger-favored
You make your attack hard for smaller characters to avoid, simply
because of how much space
it covers. In order to use this Ability, you cannot be using a weapon
with the Overprecise
tag, a Bite attack, any attack using the Grappling competency, nor
Anti-Armor Techniques. You
must use Power
Offense, and your target's STR must be low enough to be affected by
that Ability; if it is not, this Ability has no effect.
To use this Ability, you must prepare it as a minor action and take 4
fatigue. Next, the effect varies according
to whether you are using a natural weapon, unarmed attack, or normal
melee weapon:
-If a natural weapon or unarmed attack, the target must add 1 Hindrance
to their defense roll if your AWGT is at least double their own AWGT.
The
Hindrance is raised to to 2 if your AWGT is at least 10 times theirs,
or 5 times theirs if the natural weapon has the Reach tag.
-If a melee weapon,
the target must add 1 Hindrance to their defense roll if your weapon's
SR is at least equal to 50% of their AWGT. The Hindrance is
raised to 2 if your weapon's SR is at least double their AWGT. If your
weapon has the Reach tag, consider its SR to be 1.5 times its actual
value for the purposes of these rules. If you
are dual-wielding, consider only one
weapon's SR.
In either case, critical hits cannot be
inflicted
when using this Ability.
Progression
Normal:
The fatigue cost is reduced by 1/10 your tier.
Emphasized:
The fatigue cost is reduced by 1/5 your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Melee
HMA Mastery All-favored
This Ability cannot be obtained before 5th tier. It allows you to spend 20 insight to produce a
reactive +TN
from your advanced knowledge of a high
martial art. This Ability cannot be used while knocked down,
using cover, or flying. The exact amount of
the reactive +TN and the rolls in which it can be used depend on the
martial art
selected - when you obtain this Ability, choose one of the following
arts:
Arz
Cædis:
A reactive +TN of 4 in any melee offense or defense roll. The insight
cost is reduced by 5.
Arz
Murum:
A reactive +TN equal to your INT in a melee defense roll when
the attacker is using Expert Attack or has Dueling Focus active on you.
The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Rationalism.
Atru-Prælor:
A reactive +TN equal to your WILL in a
melee offense or defense roll against a sentient enemy you have Dueling
Focus active on.
The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to the Dark Path.
Gadabu:
A reactive +TN
equal to your WILL in a melee offense roll when you are using Sweeping
Offense or Charging Attack, or a melee defense roll when the attacker
is using Light Attack. The insight cost is reduced by 5 if your INT is
less than 5.
Kah'Teyno:
A reactive +TN equal to your CON in a melee defense roll
when you are unarmed, or when the attacker is using Power Offense. The
insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to either Draconic
philosophy.
Nezam:
A reactive +TN
equal to 50% of your WILL in a
melee defense roll. The insight cost is reduced by 8 if you have
already used the reactive +TN at least once already since your last
turn, and/or by 5 if you adhere to
Methodianism, Preamblianism, or Post-Declarationism.
Survivor's
Way:
A reactive +TN equal to 50% of your
CON in any melee defense roll or endurance roll. The insight cost is
reduced by 5 if you adhere to Nihilism or Prismatic Unity.
Tauazun:
A reactive +TN equal to your INT in a melee defense
roll when an ally is using Defend Others on you, or when you are being
defended in group defense.
The insight cost is reduced by 5 if you adhere to Heritage Ascendancy.
Volan
Volnu:
A reactive +TN
equal to your SPD in an
melee offense roll when you are using Flurry Attack, or a melee defense
roll when the attacker is using Massive Swipe. This art cannot be used
while mounted, flying, or knocked down. The insight cost is
reduced by 5 if your SPD is at least double the SPD of your target or
attacker (use their flying SPD if they are flying). If desired, you may
replace up to half of the insight cost with fatigue.
Most Close Combat Backgrounds grant this
Ability for
free at a
certain tier. If your Background grants you this Ability but you
already chose it at an earlier tier, you may swap that earlier
choice for a different Ability or emphasis, without expending your free
swap.
Only one HMA can be used at once. If you
also have
Ranged HMA
Mastery (Marksmanship), you must choose one art or the other to use at
the beginning of combat or whenever you switch as a minor action,
identically to the rules for multiple melee HMAs found in this
Ability's progression.
The insight cost for this Ability can be
reduced for
a time by practicing at an HMA training hall in a major city (commonly
referred to as a dojo). If at least 2 hours is spent doing so, the
insight cost for the option pertaining to the dojo's HMA is reduced by
4 for the next 24 hours. You may only have this discount active on one
HMA
(either melee or ranged) at a time; practicing in another dojo will
replace the discount, not add another.
The cost reduction stacks with any other reduction listed by the
option. HMAs associated with a philosophy not widely accepted in the
realm may
only be found in the realm's largest cities, and dojos open to the
public may involve access fees or a wait to get in; for these reasons,
some adventurers establish their own dojos in their bases or ships (see
Custom Rooms).
Progression
Normal:
For every 6 tiers beyond the tier at which your Background grants this
Ability, you may choose another art from the above list. However, only
one art at a time can be active. You select your active art at the
beginning of combat, and may later change which art is active as a
minor action. Inactive arts are not available for this Ability's
effects.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but you choose another art for every 3 tiers beyond the tier
at which your Background grants this Ability.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Melee
Quick Draw
Duelist-favored
Skirmisher-favored
You may gain a +TN of 6 in any turn order roll. However, if you use
this Ability, the only actions you may take during the first round of
combat are melee attacks, inventory actions to drop items or draw melee
weapons, or Ability or device actions directly related to a melee
attack. You
must decide the use of this Ability before making the turn order roll.
No other Abilities with "Quick Draw" in the title may be used
simultaneously.
Progression
Normal:
The +TN is increased by 1/3 of your tier.
Emphasized:
The +TN is increased by 2/3 of your tier.
Maximized:
The +TN is increased by your tier.
Mounted
Defense
Rider-favored
If you are riding a mount that has
Defensive
Footwork, Aerial Expertise, and/or Underwater Expertise, you may use
its +TNs from those
Abilities in your own melee defense rolls. Progression effects from
those Abilities are not shared. You must be in a situation where
the mount would be able to use the same +TN (for example, you
cannot benefit from your mount's Defensive Footwork if it has a
Mobility Injury, or its Aerial Expertise when it's not flying). You do
not need to have the Abilities yourself.
Progression
Normal:
For every 10 tiers, the maximum +TN from your mount's Defensive
Footwork and/or Aerial Expertise (normally 5) is increased by 1. This
applies to both the mount's defense rolls and yours.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but every 5 tiers.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Mounted
Melee Competency
Rider-favored
This Ability
allows you to make competent melee attacks while mounted on a saddled
animal or an automount. Without both this Ability and competency in the
weapon(s) you are wielding, you can only make incompetent melee attacks
while mounted.
Progression
Normal:
At 4th tier, you no longer
require a hand to direct your mount.
This Ability cannot be emphasized or
maximized.
Power
Defense
Defender-favored
Slugger-favored
This Ability allows you to always consider your STR to be 1 higher when
resolving the effects of another character's use of
Power Offense and/or Advanced Grappling against you. Additionally, if
you are still affected by Power Offense, but fail the defense roll
while you are competently using a shield, consider how much you failed
by; if this number is no greater than your shield's Defense rating, you
may apply your shield's armor bonus against the attack as if it were a
ranged attack.
Progression
Normal:
The
STR effect is increased by 1/6 of your tier.
Emphasized:
The STR effect is increased by 1/3 of your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Power
Offense
Rider-favored
Skirmisher-favored
Slugger-favored
This Ability refines your raw power and strength and uses them
to
overcome the handheld defenses of your foe. Whenever you make a melee
attack and your STR is at least double the target's STR, the
target must consider their weapons and shields to have a Defense rating
of 0 in their defense roll when resolving the effects of Melee
Competency. Additionally, if they
are hit, an affected target must immediately roll d12 on DEX to avoid a
knockdown.
Progression
Normal: At
6th tier, you gain the option to spend 7 insight before making the
attack to add 2 Hindrance to your target's defense roll, provided their
STR is low enough to be subject to the normal effects of this Ability.
This insight cost is reduced by 1/8 your tier.
Insight cannot be spent in this Ability if you are using it
simultaneously with Expert Attack or Sweeping Offense.
Emphasized: At
any tier, you gain the insight option from Normal. The insight cost is
reduced by 1/4 your tier. The insight option has the same restrictions.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Set Polearm
Defender-favored
If you are competently wielding
a weapon with
both
the Reach and Precise tags in both hands, you gain one degree of
melee advantage over any characters who attempt Charging Attack against
you; this advantage begins before the attack's defense roll, and
lasts until the end of your next turn. The advantage is immediately
removed if you stop wielding the weapon, or attempt any attack that
does not use the weapon for damage (such as a grapple attempt). If a mount uses
Charging Attack against you, your
advantage applies against both the mount and rider.
If you are participating in a use of Shield Walls, you gain the effects
of this Ability against anyone who charges a member of the wall (not
just you). If you have Defend Others, you gain
the effects against anyone who charges the character you are defending
with that Ability.
Progression
Normal:
At
4th tier, you may spend 5 insight when attacked to gain 2 degrees of
melee
advantage instead of 1. This insight cost is reduced by 1/6 your tier.
Emphasized:
At any tier, you gain the insight option from Normal. The insight cost is reduced by 1/3 your tier.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Shield
Mastery
Duelist-favored
Defender-favored
Rider-favored
When competently using a shield, its Defense rating is considered to be
2 higher. The cap on Melee Competency's melee defense +TN (normally 8)
is raised by the same amount. The shield's armor bonus is not affected.
Progression
Normal: The effect on Defense and cap is increased by 1/12 your tier.
Emphasized:
As
Normal, but 1/6 your tier.
Maximized:
As Normal, but 1/4 your tier.
Shield
Walls
Defender-favored
This Ability allows you to participate in shield walls. Once common in
the Imperial Age, this Ability is usually only seen today in Nanic city
garrisons. It is only recommended if others in your party see fit to
obtain it.
To
participate in a shield wall,
characters must have this Ability and must be grouped-up; there must be
at least 3 participants. Characters must be competently using round,
kite, or tower shields. Establishing or joining a shield wall is a
slowing free
action for each character, and continuing to participate in one's wall
is a free action. Characters being protected by group defense cannot
participate in a shield wall.
There are four primary benefits of
shield walls:
-Participants receive 2 Easing in all melee defense rolls, plus another
1 Easing if the shield wall has at least 6 participants. This applies
even if they are losing a +TN from their shield due to Power Offense.
-Each participant counts
as 1.5 characters for the purposes of protecting others via group
defense.
-Enemies attempting to bypass the
group's
defense must add 2 Hindrance to the movement roll to do so.
-Ranged
attackers must add 4 Hindrance to their offense rolls when using Clear
Shot (Marksmanship) against participants. This Hindrance is not removed
by the effect of
Clear Shot's progression.
Unfortunately, shield walls also have
the following
downsides:
-Any
enemy who does manage to bypass group defense has 3 degrees of melee
advantage over all shield wall participants.
-When rolling to determine who is hit by any AoE, shield wall
participants' percentage chance to be hit is increased by 10.
-Shield wall participants must use grouped-up movement, and must add 1
Hindrance in all SPD rolls. Participants cannot attempt to bypass group
defense without leaving the wall. The grouped-up movement can attempt
to escape an engagement, but have 3 degrees of melee disadvantage for 1
round against everyone they escape.
-Shield wall participants are
immediately and always
considered to be prioritizing a flank during ranged flanking; the
priority must be in the direction of the shield wall, and must be
identical for all participants. Its direction is chosen when it is
formed, and at the end of every movement phase afterward. If the shield
wall moves, its direction must match its movement.
-The following Abilities cannot be used
while in a
shield wall: Flurry Attack, Defensive Footwork, Sweeping Offense,
Defend Others.
The shield wall cannot be cancelled during enemy turns (or
during a movement phase) in order to avoid its downsides, but its
benefits can be removed if enough participants are removed. Characters
can leave a shield wall on their own turn by simply not taking the free
action to participate.
Progression
None. This
Ability cannot be emphasized or maximized.
Sweeping
Offense
Slugger-favored
Skirmisher-favored
This Ability allows you to make melee
attacks
against multiple characters in your engagement as a single
major
action. You may attack up to 3 characters; any zone trait that changes
the maximum number of melee attacks a single character can receive in
one turn likewise changes the number of characters you can attack using
this Ability. This Ability never allows you to attack the same
character
twice in one turn. This Ability cannot be used with a
creature's Bite
attack, nor with grappling, nor with any attack that would use the
Grappling competency. No weapon used may have the Overprecise tag.
You still only make one offense roll
when using this
Ability, but you may need to add Hindrance. The Hindrance is equal to 2
per additional target beyond the first character (that is, 2 Hindrance
for 2 targets, or 4 for 3 targets). Subtract 1 of these Hindrance for
every 6
STR you have. If the offense roll fails,
you do not attack anyone.
Couched Polearm Charge, Expert Attack,
Heavy Attack,
Dueling
Focus, and Anti-Armor Techniques cannot be used simultaneously with
this Ability. All other simultaneous Abilities take effect against all
targets, with
no increase in any fatigue or insight spent (unless those Abilities
specify otherwise).
Progression
Normal:
Any
Hindrance required by the use of this Ability is reduced by 1 for
every 8 tiers.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but 1 for every 4 tiers.
This Ability cannot be maximized.
Two-Handed
Mastery
Duelist-favored
Slugger-favored
When
wielding a melee
weapon two-handed, its damage is increased by 3, and its Offense rating
is considered to be 1 higher. You also add 1 less
Hindrance from Sweeping Offense or Anti-Armor Techniques if you use
those Abilities while wielding two-handed.
Progression
Normal:
The
effect on damage is raised by 1/4 of your tier, and the effect on Offense by 1/8 your tier.
Emphasized:
The effect on damage is raised by 1/2 of your tier, and the effect on Offense by 1/4 your tier.
Maximized:
The effect on damage is raised by 3/4 of your tier, and the effect on Offense by 1/3 your tier.
Unarmed
Combat Specialist
Duelist-favored
Slugger-favored
If you are competent in unarmed attacks, this Ability causes your
unarmed attacks to instead function as a natural weapon with base
damage and drive
equal to
your bSTR. You add 2xSTR to damage and drive. Your "weapon" has the
Blunt tag.
You cannot use this Ability unless both your hands are free, and you
cannot use it in conjunction with any other natural weapon (such as a
minotaur's horns), nor with normal unarmed attack rules.
Progression
Normal:
For
every 6 tiers, you gain a +TN of 1 in melee
offense rolls using this weapon (in
addition to the normal +3 from natural weapons). You may also apply
this +TN in offense rolls to perform Grab Item or Trip/Disarm/Throw
attacks while unarmed.
Emphasized:
As Normal, but every 3 tiers.
Maximized:
As Normal, but every 2 tiers.
Underwater
Expertise All-favored
While underwater, you gain a +TN in melee defense rolls equal to 1/3 of
your current underwater SPD, to a maximum of 5. This effect cannot be
used
while mounted.
Progression
Normal:
At 7th tier, you may use Expert Attack while underwater or riding an
underwater mount, but only against other characters who are also
underwater.
This Ability cannot be emphasized or
maximized.
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