Back in Combat

    While mounted, some Abilities may be affected or unavailable. All ranged attacks while mounted are incompetent attacks unless you have Mounted Ranged Competency (Marksmanship). Your ranged attacks receive 1 Hindrance in their offense roll while you are mounted; this is increased to 2 Hindrance if the mount moved on its last turn, or 3 Hindrance if the mount was rushing. The same Hindrance applies to any slowing action that requires a roll on DEX, if done while mounted. You may still do slowing actions even if the mount made a movement roll this round.

    All melee attacks while mounted are incompetent attacks unless you have Mounted Melee Competency (Close Combat). If an unmounted, non-flying enemy makes a melee attack against you, and the AWGT of your mount is at least double their own AWGT, they must add 1 Hindrance to their offense roll.

    Note that all these rules assume your mount is equipped with a saddle; see Encumbrance.

    When mounted, you may use inventory actions to draw and put away items from your mount's inventory as if it was your own. The mount does not need to spend actions to give the items.

    Mounted characters do not count for the purpose of outnumbering dice, nor do mounted characters (though their mounts do). Mount and rider together function as one character for the purposes of group defense (as either defender or defended), and also for the purpose of the 10-character maximum size of a group. Group defense must defend both mount and rider, or neither.

    Mounts cannot carry more than one character as a proper rider. Creatures with sufficiently high weight and carry factors can carry more than one character, but the extra characters must follow Carrying Characters rules as though they were inventory objects, and take exhaustion as if riding without a saddle. Howdahs allow large creatures to alter these rules; see Encumbrance.

Falling Off Mounts     If your mount is incapacitated or knocked down, you are also knocked down; you are no longer considered mounted. Anything which knocks you down will also remove you from your mount, and vice versa (except for normal dismounting). You are still grouped-up with your mount in either case. If you are falling off an animal of at least 400 WGT, you must proceed through the Falling rules for a short-range fall (unless a longer fall is called for due to the mount flying). You are knocked down regardless of whether you are injured by the fall.

You may voluntarily "fall off" of a mount as a free action; you still suffer a knockdown.

Melee Attacks & Extreme Mount Sizes     If the AWGT of your mount is at least 10 times the AWGT of another character, you and that character cannot make melee attacks against one another at all. If the prospective attacker would solely be using melee weapons with the Reach tag, consider the smaller character's AWGT to be double its actual value for the purposes of these rules. For melee attacks between two mounted characters when one mount is significantly larger than the other, use the same rules, except use the AWGT of the mounts in both cases; in the case of a Reach weapon attack, combine the smaller mount's AWGT with the AWGT of its rider.

    These rules do not apply if the smaller character/mount is flying.

Flight     Some creatures have a flying SPD stat, while naturally non-flying characters might gain a flying SPD from Abilities or devices. If you have a flying SPD, you may switch between flying and ground movement at the beginning or end of your movement phase (but not both). If you are currently knocked-down, beginning to fly gives you a minor stunned status for 1 round, but you no longer count as knocked-down.

    While flying, some Abilities may be affected or unavailable. Creatures may also list a specific amount of fatigue inflicted by flying, or there may be a charge cost for flight devices or Abilities. You may not use cover or participate in group defense, though you may still be grouped-up or engaged with characters on the ground. You do not count for the purposes of outnumbering dice. Flying characters are always in Low Stealth.

    Flight gives you an obvious edge in mobility. All flying movement is rolled on your flying SPD instead of normal SPD, and you use your flying SPD as the reactive +TN for rushing. If you rush, you do not take the fatigue normal for ground rushing. Degrees of encumbrance do not affect your TN, flying SPD, nor capability to rush with flight (although many sources of flight are hindered by encumbrance and fatigue in their own rules). Unless otherwise stated, sources of flight do not include additional costs for rushing. All normal flight costs must be paid at the beginning of the movement phase. Costs may also be paid at that time without actually using the flight, for the purpose of resisting pseudogravity. You roll a d10 in your movement roll instead of a d12; you are obviously unaffected by rough terrain. You ignore outnumbering dice in any SPD roll, and add 2 Easing in such a roll instead. You must still begin your turn in an engagement before attempting to bypass group defense.

    Altitude is considered according to the same general distances as normal horizontal range; you begin flying at engagement altitude, which enables you to enter melee engagements or group up with characters on the ground. Whenever you succeed on any flying movement roll, you may ascend a distance of short range; if you both rush and succeed by 10 or more, you may ascend up to medium range. If desired, you can move vertically without moving horizontally; this still requires the same d10 movement roll. During your movement phase, you may descend any distance equivalent to 1 zone (long range) with or without a roll. If vertical movement up or down is your only movement, it still counts as a movement phase; you cannot notably change your altitude and still perform slowing actions. When considering your range to another character, use the greater of your horizontal or vertical range to them.

    When flying, anything that would normally inflict a knockdown instead gives you a minor stunned status until the end of your next turn. If you are at engagement altitude, you may choose to immediately stop flying and suffer a knockdown rather than being stunned.

    You cannot begin flying while grappling; if you grapple or are grappled while flying, both you and the attacker immediately fall. The only exception to these rules is a mismatched grapple in which the larger character is flying, and whose flight method can tolerate the encumbrance of the other character's weight. The rule for falling immediately due to grappling overrides the general falling rule about "waiting" for the movement phase.

    Characters who are riding flying mounts must follow normal mounted combat rules, and are not considered flying themselves. For example, if they suffer a knockdown, they are knocked off the mount (and fall) rather than being stunned. Two characters who are both flying (or on flying mounts) ignore all melee attack restrictions based on mount size.

    If your flying SPD is at least 20, you automatically succeed by 10 on all SPD rolls; you no longer blunder SPD rolls. If it is 21 or greater, you are eligible to follow the Speed Class rules found in Vehicle Combat; see Characters & Speed Class.

    You can fall from flight if you are paralyzed, incapacitated, killed, deprived of your means of flight, or voluntarily stop flying at greater than engagement altitude. If you enter a grapple, both you and the grappler fall, except during a mismatched grapple in which the larger character is flying. See Falling for full falling damage rules. You do not fall if you merely lose your movement phase or become unable to make SPD rolls; you simply hover in roughly the same place.

    Flight may not be available in certain zones, or may be limited in altitude. For example, most modern buildings practically prohibit flight due to low ceilings, and most Alacrian ruin rooms limit altitude to engagement range. Flight cannot be used in any area that is using narrow passage rules, regardless of narrow passage size or AWGT.

    Multiple sources of flying SPD stack, but only in a diminishing way. Begin with the source that has the highest flying SPD. Next, increase this SPD by 1/4 the sum of all other active sources' flying SPDs.

Underwater Combat     Because underwater battles are much more three-dimensional, they can be resolved similarly to a battle in which all characters are flying. Use the Flight rules found above, except that it is just as difficult to descend as to ascend, degrees of encumbrance and rushing are treated normally, and characters cannot use higher Speed Classes nor stop "flying." Immobilized characters simply float in place. Most organic characters who remain immobilized after combat will rise to the surface, unless they are carrying weight at least 25% of their own weight, in which case they will sink. Abilities and rules which cannot be used while flying also cannot be used while underwater. Underwater characters are not considered to be flying for the purpose of any other rules. They are immune to knockdowns, and are not stunned by them like flying characters are; anything that would inflict a knockdown will still remove an underwater character from their mount, however.

    Species described as amphibious (such as anthrosaurs, Vitur Roc, and Therbolgites) are unhindered by being underwater. They use their full SPD when moving, often with an additional SPD bonus. Other characters must reduce their SPD to 25% (or at least 1). The same rules apply when determining mph travel speed.

    If you have a source of flying SPD currently active, you may add 1/4 of your flying SPD as a bonus to your underwater SPD. This does not include natural wing-based flight, as well as some flight devices that may not be effective underwater.

    If you are carrying at least 25% of your own body weight, you will sink in water at a rate of short range once per minute; if at least 50%, you sink short range every round instead. You can counteract this with sufficient vertical movement, or simply use normal underwater horizontal movement along the bottom.

    Competent melee attacks must add 3 Hindrance to their offense rolls when underwater, and incompetent melee attacks cannot occur at all. These restrictions are ignored for attacks made entirely with weapons that have the Precise tag, natural weapons of aquatic animals, and unarmed or grappling attacks from aquatic or amphibious characters.

    Ranged attacks are useless underwater, with the exceptions of thrown weapons with the Precise tag, ranged attacks consisting entirely of blast damage, and certain specific devices. Explosives inflict their full blast damage, but only inflict frag damage on direct impact.

    All underwater objects and creatures count as 5 times heavier than they actually are for the purpose of pseudogravity rules. This is because, in addition to the water's drag, pseudogravity is not precise enough to fully distinguish targets from the water around them. No pseudogravity Ability or device that normally causes damage or a knockdown is usable underwater.

    Underwater creatures take 25% damage from heat, and 50% damage from frost.

    Amphibious creatures can either breathe underwater (such as Therbolgites and anthrosaurs) or can hold their breath for far longer than any combat (such as Vitur Roc). Other organic creatures are in danger of drowning if they remain underwater for too long without technological assistance. See Holding Breath below.

    Only characters who can naturally breathe underwater may speak or perform verbal actions while underwater.

    These rules can help a character avoid certain dangers like poison gas, and also determine how long they will survive if deprived of air. Characters can hold their breath without issue for 20 seconds (4 rounds); after that, they must begin rolling d6 on CON at the beginning of every turn, with 1 Hindrance for every time they have previously rolled. Once one of these rolls is failed, the character is "out of breath" - if there is air available, they will unavoidably resume breathing. If they cannot, they function as major-stunned, and have a 25% chance of becoming incapacitated every round. Once incapacitated, they have a 25% chance of dying every minute. Deaths from lack of air are revivable.

    The above rules assume a character is holding their breath in combat, with all the physical exertion that normally accompanies it. If a character is idle and focused on holding their breath, the initial duration before CON rolls is increased to 8 rounds, and the CON rolls need only occur every 2 rounds. The later percentage chances are unaltered. Some species also override the initial 4 round duration with a much longer breath-holding time, such as a Vitur Roc's 40 minutes. Characters decide whether they are holding their breath at the beginning of their turn, and this prevents them from performing verbal actions or voluntarily taking fatigue points until their next turn. If they cannot breathe, those activities are impossible.

    Once an out-of-breath character reaches air, they will resume breathing, unless they ran out of breath while underwater, or if they have been incapacitated by lack of air for longer than 1 minute. In this case, their breathing must be restarted by another character; this is a process action rolled on CON, with a point goal equal to 20 plus the victim's AWGT. Conventional Medicine (Nature) provides a significant +TN to this roll. Only one character at a time may attempt this assistance.

    Characters automatically breathe without an action once they are able, but fully catching one's breath (and thus resetting held breath to last 4 rounds, with no Hindrance to the first CON roll) is an action. The action is a minor action if they had not yet rolled on CON, a major action if they were rolling on CON, and 2 major actions if they ran out of breath.

Teleportation & Combat     Some Abilities and devices grant teleportation (or have effects on mobility similar enough to use these rules). Teleportation may be a minor action or a major action, and may vary in range; its vertical range is always the same as its horizontal. All forms follow these general rules:

    Aside from these general rules, there are also levels of precision in teleportation, which will vary between sources:

    Low precision: Teleportation cannot distinguish between you and anything that is even slightly attached to you; this includes any enemies you are grappling with, any allies you are touching, and any allies touching you. If used, the teleport will attempt to bring everything attached along, and may therefore fail. You cannot use it to escape restraints. Things you are standing on do not count as attached.

    Medium precision: Teleportation can distinguish between you and anything which is not very firmly attached to you. You can teleport away even if an ally is touching you or if you are grappling, but you cannot use it to escape restraints. Although you do not have to bring other characters along (unless they are firmly affixed to you in some way), you can choose to do so.

    High precision: Teleportation can distinguish between you and any other object. You can teleport out of restraints and leave behind inventory items or anything else unwanted. You essentially have full control over what is teleported, to a minimum of the teleportation device and your own body. However, if you are bringing along other characters or objects you do not carry in your normal inventory, you must use the rules for medium precision in relation to them (for example, you cannot separate another character from their armor or items or free them from tight restraints).

Lack of Sight     Characters might lose their sight generally via the blinded status, or they might be unable to see specific characters or areas due to such things as smoke clouds or cloaking devices. If you are completely without sight (such as via the blinded status, total darkness, or blindfolding), you cannot make any ranged attacks, except for AoEs targeted at your own engagement with an automatically failed offense roll. All melee attacks must use the blind melee attack rules.

    If you generally have sight but cannot see a specific character, you may still make targeted ranged attacks against them according to the blind ranged attack rules, as well as blind melee attacks.

    If you have sight but cannot see a whole area, you may attack that area using AoE rules, with 50% hit chances on a successful offense roll. You may do the same for any target you cannot see, but know its location to the level of an engagement-range area.

    Regardless of the scope of your lack of vision, you still retain enough sight, hearing, and/or memory to touch allies and participate in group defense. Similarly, you always count as "seeing" a character you are grappling with for the purposes of all attack rules.

    Whenever you attempt movement through an area you can't see, you cannot rush through or out of it. You can use a rush to enter it, but not for additional distance afterward. Additionally, you must roll d12 on DEX to avoid a knockdown if you lack sight at the beginning of your movement (ending your movement attempt early). You may add 2 Hindrance to your movement roll to proceed cautiously, removing the risk of a knockdown. Some rules for highly obscured vision (such as dense smoke clouds) may have a similar but lesser effect, causing rushing through or out of it to provide only half its usual reactive +TN, with no knockdown risk.

    Whenever you are attacked by a character you can't see, the attack is a stealth attack (see below). If you are completely without sight, you gain no benefit from being warned of a stealth attack.

    Besides these specific rules, if you lack sight you cannot use any Abilities, actions, or rulesets that logically require sight or that target a specific character or object at greater than engagement range. Anything that affects an unwilling non-grappling character at engagement range requires a d20 roll on DEX, and may affect a random enemy, much like a blind attack. If such an action already involves a DEX roll, 3 Hindrance is added instead. Non-attack actions that use AoE rules are affected the same way as AoE attacks.

Combat Stealth     Stealth is an important aspect of many battles. Evading notice by the enemy has two elements: sight and sound.

Sight & Visible Range    Sight is a more important consideration than sound, as a character who is seen can be attacked. A character who is hiding and being stealthy is essentially attempting to lower the range at which they can be seen. Your visible range at which you can be seen is determined by the amount of light and clutter in the zone, as well as your own stealth level.

    Once you know all three levels, consult the following chart to discover the range at which enemies will be able to see you. Short, medium, and long range are defined as they are in the rest of the combat rules. Travel refers to a distance outside the range of any character's weapons - a distance generally crossed with travel rules rather than combat movement. Engaged means that you can only be seen at a short-range distance that qualifies as a melee engagement. Visible range is obviously overridden by large obstacles that block sight.

Low Stealth     Low Stealth is the default state of any character outside of combat. A character in Low Stealth may or may not be attempting to draw attention, but is at least making no effort to conceal their presence. Low Stealth always describes your character if you are resting or participating in city or village life. You may revert to Low Stealth as a free action in any circumstance. Characters rushing or flying are in Low Stealth. You also revert to Low Stealth if you emit notable light, such as by carrying a lit torch, or firing a rocket launcher or energy weapon.

Medium Stealth     Medium Stealth describes a character who is taking precautions to avoid attention, though not fully devoting themselves to it. Adventurers cautiously exploring an ancient ruin, soldiers making their way through a hostile forest, or a hunter looking for prey will all use Medium Stealth. This level of stealth can be easily entered and does not slow you down or interfere with your activities; you may leave Low Stealth and enter Medium Stealth as a free action. No roll is required.

    Medium Stealth can be lost if you rush, fly, or use an Ability or item that emits light. If you revert to Low Stealth as a result of your own movement or action, you cannot reenter Medium Stealth in the same round.

    Unless you actively want to be seen, there is really no reason to leave Medium Stealth in most dangerous adventuring situations. Therefore, the GM may assume that your entire party is using at least this stealth level whenever you are not resting. When you are in a city or village, however, you will usually be assumed to be using Low Stealth, as characters using Medium Stealth can appear suspicious and out of place in settled areas (unless there is obvious danger).

    Mounted characters and mounts always share a stealth level; if the rider enters Medium Stealth, the mount does as well. If either one reverts to Low Stealth or is prevented from reentering Medium Stealth, the same applies to the other.

High Stealth     To take full advantage of stealth tactics, a character must enter High Stealth. In this state, you are actively using your environment, moving cautiously, and taking every opportunity to avoid detection - even at the expense of speed and convenience.  In order to enter High Stealth, you must already be in Medium Stealth, and you must make a stealth roll as a major action. This is a d20 roll on DEX, with a -TN equal to 50% of your WGT. Many Stealth Abilities can assist with this roll. Stealth rolls are also called for by certain other rules; the TN is the same, though the dice may vary. Unless otherwise stated, all stealth rolls are on DEX.

    To remain in High Stealth, you must add 3 Hindrance to movement rolls. You may attempt a movement roll without adding this Hindrance, but the movement immediately reverts you to Medium Stealth. Rushing also reverts you to Low Stealth. These rules apply regardless of whether your movement roll succeeded. You cannot enter High Stealth in the same round that you lost it due to movement.

    You must also maintain High Stealth as a major action on every turn; this does not require further stealth rolls. If you do a different major action, you revert to Medium Stealth. If you are attacked during High Stealth, you must make a d12 stealth roll immediately after the attack, reverting to Medium Stealth if failed. This applies for any attack that succeeds on its offense roll, regardless of whether it hits or damages you, except for AoEs that miss you due to hit chance rolls. If you enter any grapple or are touched by an ally who is not in High Stealth, you revert to Medium Stealth, or to Low Stealth if the other character is Low. Unless you are currently grappling or lost High Stealth this round due to movement, you can attempt to re-enter High Stealth on your next turn after any of these events.

    Because of the impact on movement, the GM will not assume you are using High Stealth at all times, unless your party is willing to move very slowly. If ample time is spent attempting to use High Stealth, the GM may allow any characters who wish to start a battle in High Stealth to do so without rolling (as they would have had time to repeat the roll).

    When in High Stealth, you cannot participate in group defense as a defender, and you do not count for outnumbering dice.

    Mounted characters and mounts cannot use High Stealth.

Detection Rolls     The rules for visible range may not provide enough clarity on occasions when ranges are too close to call. They may also be called into question if a yet-undetected character wants to make a risky movement. Examples include a character visible at engaged range who is attempting to sneak between two nearby melee engagements, or one visible at short range who peers into the next room. Such situations are resolved by a detection roll by everyone who may or may not see the stealthy character. By default, this detection roll is a d20 on INT, and is a blind roll; the die may be altered by the GM. The roll occurs immediately after the end of the movement or action in question.

High Stealth & Groups    You do not count in regards to outnumbering dice while you are in High Stealth. You cannot participate in group defense as a defender, but can still be defended.

Large Creatures & Vehicles     Creatures of at least 25 AWGT cannot use High Stealth. Creatures of at least 80 AWGT cannot use Medium Stealth either. Creatures of at least 125 AWGT additionally increase their visible range in Low Stealth by 1 range, and another 1 range for every 25 AWGT beyond 125.

    Regardless of clutter, vehicles are always visible and audible at long range, at any light level above No Light. They are visible at travel range unless they are using vehicle stealth (see Vehicle Combat). Aircraft in flight are always visible and audible at travel range.

    Objects and phenomena larger than vehicles (such as a ship, or any effects using AoE or ZAoE rules) are visible at travel range.

Visible Range & Turn Order     If opposing sides have the same visible range (both close or both engaged range) and are searching a zone for each other, they will eventually bump into one another; at engaged range, this is sometimes literal! If stealth is a major part of the beginning of a battle, the GM may allow characters to apply any +TN they can normally apply to a detection roll to their turn order rolls.

Ambush Movement    Ambush movement reflects a quick and careful closing of distance before the enemy can react. It is generally necessary in order to perform stealth melee attacks, as characters will usually be seen when they close to engagement distance. To use ambush movement, you must begin a round already in High Stealth. Next, you must succeed on a movement roll that moves you at least short range. Finally, make a d20 stealth roll, with 2 Hindrance if you rushed during your movement; if successful, all other characters who could not see you at the beginning of the round do not begin to see you until after your turn this round, regardless of your movement. For example, if you begin the round visible at engaged range and out of sight of a group, using ambush movement to engage that group allows you to not be seen even though you have closed to your normally visible range. This effect lasts until the end of your turn this round, potentially allowing you to make a stealth attack. If you fail the stealth roll, you are immediately seen at whatever range is appropriate for your current stealth level post-movement, but you do not necessarily revert to a lower stealth level (unless you voluntarily did so to avoid the movement Hindrance from High Stealth, or if you rushed). The effects of a successful ambush movement are the same, whether or not your movement adjusted your stealth level.

    Ambush movement has no special effect against characters who could already see you before your movement. Other events that adjust your visible range do not remove the ambush effect, even if they would have allowed an ambushed character to see you in your old location.

    Ambush movement cannot be utilized while flying, even if you began on the ground in High Stealth. Characters cannot participate in group defense (as either defenders or defended) in the same round that they used ambush movement. Grouped-up movement can also be ambush movement, but the ambush effect is resolved separately for each individual (with separate d20 stealth rolls).

    Ambush movement's effects apply against normal vision and hearing, as well as other senses that modify normal vision's light level rules (such as shadow vision and echolocation). It has no effect against darkeye or clairvoyance, nor against senses that remove the effects of High Stealth, such as thermal vision.
Stealth Attacks     If another character is unable to see you, any attack you make against them (whether melee or ranged) is a stealth attack. 3 Hindrance is added to the defense roll against a stealth attack. Melee stealth attacks are generally only possible with the use of ambush movement, as all characters are visible at engaged range unless they can make use of total darkness, blinding, or advanced cloaking technology.

    The surprise advantage of stealth attacks can be mitigated if the defender is warned by one of their allies. The following criteria must be met:

    Animals cannot warn others, nor can they be warned. Techs and sentients may warn each other. Warnings do not count as verbal actions, but are impossible if either character is deafened. Sign Language (Culture) cannot be used for warning. If the defender is successfully warned, the defense Hindrance is 1 instead of 3.

    Attacks between characters who are already grappling with each other are never considered to be stealth attacks, even if one or both characters are blinded. Stealth attack rules can also be applied in the case of unexpected attacks from characters thought to be allies.

    Melee weapons with the Precise tag make less noise when used in stealth attacks (see below).

Shadow Vision, Echolocation, Cloaking, & Other Vision     Shadow vision is a natural trait of Koh-Trr, dwarves, and certain animals, and can also be granted by devices or conditions. For the purposes of stealth rules, characters with shadow vision see in Low Light environments as if it were Medium Light instead. Because shadow vision generally relies on greater sensitivity to or amplification of existing light, it has no effect in total darkness. This type of vision is often called "night vision" on Earth, but not on Tsuunahgo, as the planet's rings already raise most nights to Medium Light levels outside of heavily shadowed areas.

    Dwarves and creatures with echolocation can "see" in total darkness as if it was Low Light, to a maximum distance of 1 zone away. Active echolocation is audible at the same distance, but only to creatures of the same species; if desired, a character can reduce the maximum range of their echolocation "sight" to likewise reduce its audible range to others. Echolocation is also unaffected by fog and smoke.

    Cloaking devices may reduce a character's visible range; the exact rules will be given in the device's description. Certain other conditions or devices (such as vampirism or thermal vision) may provide even greater benefits than shadow vision. Normal hearing is not precise enough to count as "sight," but any other sense with rules that reference visible ranges counts as "seeing" or "sight" for the purpose of all other rules, regardless of whether it actually uses light or eyes.

Light Sources    Artificial light sources are sorted into four categories, depending on their brightness. All light sources cause a character carrying them to revert to Low Stealth. Except for reverting to Low Stealth, these rules do not cover normal energy weapon fire or other momentary flashes, which do not last long enough to cause different light level rules to be used for anyone.

    A dim light source is poorly suited for exploration or keeping watch, but adequate for most personal activity. Dim light sources cast Medium Light within a group/engagement (and Low Light out to short range in totally dark environments). Examples include candles, or a campfire kept low. Dim light sources do not cause a character to revert to Low Stealth if they are in a High Light environment.

    A moderate light source is the most common for adventurers undertaking their quests at night and underground. For combat rules, moderate light sources cast Medium Light out to short range (and Low Light out to medium range in totally dark environments).

    A bright light source is quite noticeable, and can announce one's presence for miles. For combat rules, bright light sources cast Medium Light out to medium range (and possibly Low Light into neighboring zones in totally dark environments).

    An extreme light source is very rare, usually produced only with flare guns or unique Abilities. For combat rules, extreme light sources cast High Light out to short range, and Medium Light throughout one's own and all neighboring zones (if appropriate for the terrain). In totally dark environments, they may cast Low Light several zones away.

Sound    Characters' movement noise depends on the noise level of their armor; unarmored characters or characters in Low noise armor are heard at engaged range, Medium noise armor at short range, and High noise armor at medium range. Characters in High Stealth reduce this by one range. Animals and Adlet will normally hear characters at the next longer range. Characters who are not notably moving do not make movement noise, and deafened characters cannot hear sounds. Although hearing is not sufficient to direct attacks, it may provoke enemies to begin searching or prepare defenses, and the general direction to the sound can be determined.

    Sounds unrelated to character movement are also an important consideration in combat. Characters exceedingly talented in stealth may still have trouble if they need to open a noisy door in order to proceed. Exceedingly loud noises (for example, any sound audible at travel range, and in some cases long range) are notoriously dangerous in Alacrian ruins; instead of gradually clearing a ruin room by room, a party can find themselves in a pitched battle against every tech in the area. As with character movement noise, Adlet and animals will hear all other sounds at the next-longest range. The only exception is echolocation noise, which is always audible exactly at its effective range, and only to creatures of the same species.

    If any rule describes an action making noise, but no audible range is given, consider the audible range to be medium unless this is plainly unreasonable.

    Any noise with a normal (non-animal) audible range of travel may deafen characters for 1 round, if both the source and characters are within an indoor, underground, or otherwise enclosed zone or zone feature. If a more specific rule already gives a duration of deafening for that noise, the duration is doubled in such a location.

Post-Combat Fatigue & Trauma     Many Abilities used in combat have fatigue costs, and these always inflict their fatigue immediately upon use. However, combat also inflicts fatigue on everyone, regardless of their Abilities. Rather than listing fatigue costs for every normal attack, defense roll, or movement, this is generalized as post-combat fatigue and applied once the battle ends. This also represents the effects of adrenaline, which can delay the effects of such fatigue at the time. The only exceptions are truly extended battles lasting more than 2 minutes (24 rounds), in which post-combat fatigue might be assigned between waves of action.

    Once the battle is over, the GM will consider the activity level of each character, and use the chart below to assign fatigue based on the length of the battle. In most cases, the party may immediately be able to take a 2-minute rest.

    Similarly, the GM will assign trauma based on the length of the battle and the involvement of the character:

    Further trauma might be inflicted by damage and injuries; see Trauma.