Combat Rules (Elemental Powers)

Welcome to the page about combat, the meat and potatoes, the longest and most in-depth section of the game. Here you'll learn how to Fight, with a capital F. Other pages such as how to read abilities are recommended reading as well.

How Combat Works
Combat is a dynamic fluid moment between sides where the better fighter often ends up on top. In general, combat follows the following steps:


 * 1) Each side rolls initiative.
 * 2) Whichever side wins initative goes.
 * 3) Whichever side lost initative goes.
 * 4) Repeat steps 1-3 until done.

In the case of an ambush or a surprise, whichever side initiated goes first on the first round.

The Combat Round
A combat round represents a unit of time in combat, and is made up of turns. A turn is the time during the round where one side goes.

A round begins when initiative is rolled, and ends when the last turn is finished.

- When an ability refers to 'The end of your turn', it means the current turn. 'The end of your next turn' means your turn after your current one.

Initiative
Initiative is a representation of how the momentum of a combat shifts and flows between parties. Rolling initiative differs depending on the number of people on each side.

Characters with unspent AP at the end of a round add it to their initative roll if they roll it.

In the case of a tie, the involved parties roll again.

One vs. One Combat
To roll initiative in one vs. one combat, each combatant rolls [ 1d20 + ALA ]. Whichever character has the highest roll goes first.

Group Combat
To roll initiative in group combat, the character in each group with the highest total initiative bonus rolls [ 1d20 + ALA ]. Whichever group has the highest roll goes first, and then sequentially from highest to lowest roll. Usually there are only 2 groups.

Movement
Combat occurs on a square grid, where measurements are done in squares. A square is an abstraction of distance, and is used to simplify a space into workable constituent parts for gameplay. In reality, they can be any size that makes sense.

By default, all characters have a 6 square movement speed, modified by their ALA, and movement to an adjacent square (including diagonals) counts as 1 square. Verticality is resolved similarly, in increments of 1 square. If someone ends their turn in the air, they fall at the start of their next turn, and take [ 1d4 ] damage for every 2 squares they fall unless stated otherwise.

Melee attacks have a default range of 1 square, or any adjacent square. Ranged attacks have a default range of 6 squares.

Height
Verticality is a crucial tactical advantage that allows you to get the upper hand on your foes. Height is measured in squares, similar to horizontal distance. However, it comes with some caveats for convenience:


 * 1) All characters are treated as being on the ground for measuring range.
 * 2) Characters who are higher up than their targets add their attribute modifier twice instead of once to attack rolls.

Point 1 is primarily for ease of gameplay so that complicated math isn't necessary, while point 2 gives a visible and definitive advantage for being in the air.

Actions in Combat
On one’s turn, they begin with 3 action points (AP), which is an abstraction of stamina, endurance, focus and other things required to perform complicated tasks on a whim. They are used to perform actions during one’s turn.

You refill up to your maximum number of AP whenever you roll initiative.

Action Types
There are 5 types of actions:
 * Standard (1):	normal attacks, most abilities, standard movement
 * Combo (2): 		the entirety of a combo (all successes and failures)
 * Special (X): 	powerful attacks or abilities; a catch-all for other things
 * Free (0): 		actions that cost nothing
 * Reaction (1): 	limited to 1 per round; can be activated on other’s turns

Each type of action (except reactions) can be used in any order, and any number of times per turn, or not at all. One can use any number of actions per turn that their AP allows.

Unspent AP is reserved until the end of the round, and can be spent on reactions. Reactions are able to interact with other turns and affect people's actions.

Standard Actions
This category encompasses the majority of actions one normally takes. They can only be used on one’s own turn, and there are no restrictions to the number of standard actions one can take a turn.


 * Attack: make an attack roll dealing your normal atk. die in damage against an enemy.
 * Flurry: modify your C:BR by +1:+0.
 * Move: move up to your movement speed.
 * Stand Up: get up from being prone. You can then do a movement action in addition to this, but your speed is halved. (i.e., you can get up, and then move half your speed in one action.)
 * Trip: make an attack roll against a target within range; if you succeed, that enemy becomes prone. You can then do a movement action in addition to this, but your speed is halved. (i.e., you can trip, and then move half your speed in one action.)

Includes: activating power abilities, making normal attacks, movement

Combo Actions
This category encompasses a type of attacks and abilities which may be linked off of each other. To use it, one simply declares they will be doing a combo. There are 2 categories of combo actions: combo attacks and combo abilities.

Combo attacks can start a combo, and can only be used again in the current combo if the preceding combo action was a successful combo attack.

Combo abilities can be used inside a combo, but can often end the combo prematurely if the combo is improperly sequenced. By default, one can do up to three combo actions in a combo.


 * Combo Attack: Make a combo attack against an enemy.

''Ex: John, a Fire user, is adjacent to an enemy. He spends 2 AP to make a combo attack. First, he rolls to make an attack against the enemy, and succeeds without critting or breaking. He deals damage, then he may make another combo attack (his second) or activate a combo ability. He chooses to attack, and succeeds without chaining or breaking, thus he may make another combo attack or activate a combo ability. He chooses to activate Flame Fluidity, a combo ability, thus ending the combo.''

Special Actions
This category encompasses almost anything requiring specific focus or minute movement or actions. The amount AP cost differs depending on the action being taken. These are some special actions that all characters have access to.


 * Focus (2 AP): regain supply equal to your VIT (minimum 2).
 * Size Up (2 AP): make a PER saving throw, target enemy; on a success, predict one of the target enemy’s next actions. This locks in that action, regardless of what else may follow between turns.

Includes: detecting or disabling traps, doing a triple somersault, frying an egg while on a bike

Reactions
This category encompasses the actions one can take in response to others, even during their turn. When someone declares an action, and after they have paid costs if there are any, if you have unspent AP during that turn, you can activate a reaction ability in response. By default, one can only perform 1 reaction per round, and each reaction may only be used once per round. These are some reactions that all characters have access to.


 * Brace (2 AP): until the start of your next round, reduce all damage you would take by 2.
 * Steady (2 AP): until the start of your next round, modify your defense by +1.

Free Actions
This category encompasses all basic and trivial actions. You can typically only take them once per turn but use common sense.

Includes: talking, pressing a button, dropping items

Combat Statistics
Many aspects of a character are necessary to keep track of during combat, and reflect their current physical and mental state.

Hit Points (HP)
Hit points (or HP) are an abstraction of your endurance after taking damage from attacks. Every time you take damage, your HP is reduced by some amount. When you reach 0 or fewer HP, you are staggered. You can take further damage while staggered (i.e., negative hit points). You can go to a negative HP equal to your VIT score. If you fall beyond this threshold, you die.

Non-lethal damage builds up similarly to how damage reduces your HP. You can take an amount of non-lethal damage up to your maximum HP; if you ever reach your maximum HP in terms of non-lethal damage, you immediately fall unconscious and cannot act.

Supply
Supply is an abstraction of how much charge you have to activate your power's abilities. It can represent your endurance, mental perseverance, a patron's blessing, and any other number of things you might choose.

You will often be burning some amount of supply to activate your abilities. When you do so, you may choose to burn that much of any of your attribute scores instead (in any combination). This also changes your attribute modifiers.

Note: You cannot regain supply out of combat by using the Focus action. More supply can only be drawn out of oneself by either resting or through genuine risk of harm.

Defense
Defense is an abstraction of your ability to dodge, block, or mitigate blows from harming you. Your defense is the minimum value of an attack roll your opponent needs to roll to attack you successfully.

Chain-Break Range (C:BR)
Your chain-break range (or C:BR) is the teetering act that allows you to push yourself with all your momentum forward, at risk of leaving yourself very vulnerable. It is used in combo attacks and to make chain checks, both of which are high risk-high reward effects at your disposal.

Your chain-break range is notated as Chain : Break. Your chain range is ≥ [ 21 - Chain ]. Your break range is ≤ [ 0 + Break ]. For example, if you have a C:BR of 2:2, your chain range is ≥19 and your break range is ≤2.

Types of Rolls in Combat
Much of combat is predicated on dice rolls, which abstract one's capabilities to dice, leaving it up to you to bolster your strengths and chances over time as you grow and evolve.

Attack Roll
An attack roll is what is rolled to successfully strike a character, outmatching whatever evasion they have.

There are two types of attack rolls: melee and ranged. Melee attacks are those made in close quarters and typically have a range of 1 square, while ranged attacks are those made from greater distances and typically have a range of 6 squares. There are also another two types of attacks: physical and magic.

To make an attack roll, determine which category of attack you are trying to make. If your attack roll is greater than or equal to the target defense, you successfully attack and get whatever effect or damage you are trying to make.


 * Physical melee: 1d20 + higher of VIT/ALA ≥ defense
 * Physical ranged: 1d20 + ALA ≥ defense
 * Magic melee: 1d20 + higher of VIT/PER ≥ defense
 * Magic ranged: 1d20 + higher of ALA/PER ≥ defense

If the attack is a critical, then double the damage roll of the attack. A critical is any attack that falls within one's chain range.

Range
A range is how far away something can be from the source to be affected, measured in squares. On the grid, cardinal and diagonals are equally far away from a square.

Read more about range here.

In the above example, all 'adjacents' are considered in the range of 1 square.

Save
A save is a roll to attempt to bypass, evade, or resist an effect. Saves are made with a specific attribute's modifier.

To make a save, roll [ 1d20 + attribute modifier ], where the modifier is whatever the save requests. Many effects specifies one attribute, but some may allow a choice between two or even of all three. If the result is ≥ 11, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail.

Combo Attack
A combo attack is a roll to use your momentum and unleash a flurry of attacks and abilities to overwhelm your foe. A combo attack is used as a part of a combo, and you may initially combo up to 3 of them in a row.

A combo attack is similar to an attack roll with some caveats. Combo attacks deal damage using one step below your attack die. Each subsequent combo attack uses one step below that to a minimum of 1. For example, if your attack die is 1d6, your first combo attack uses a 1d4, and the second uses 1d3, then 1d2.

To make a combo attack, roll a normal attack roll, then compare it to your target's defense and your chain-break range.


 * Result ≥ chain range: your attack is a critical, and you can make another combo attack.
 * Result ≥ defense: your attack deals damage, and you can make another combo attack.
 * Result < defense: your attack misses and you cannot make another combo attack.
 * Result ≤ break range: your attack misses and the foe can make an attack against you.

Chain Check
A chain check is a roll to push your luck at risk of your own vulnerability. Chain checks are used to gain other powerful high risk-high reward effects.

To make a chain check, roll [ 1d20 ] and compare it to your chain-break range.


 * Result ≥ chain range: you succeed.
 * Result < chain range: you fail.
 * Result ≤ break range: you fail and break.

After Combat
After combat, you need to take a breather to get your stamina back. As such, when you exit combat, you do not regain HP, supply or any statistics used in combat. You can only regain these by resting. There are 3 types of rests: short, long, and full.

A short rest is a brief pause to catch one’s breath and perform minor injury cleaning and the like, which requires 1 hour of mostly uninterrupted rest. Each person participating in a short rest regains HP equal to three times their level, and recovers supply equal to their level.

Characters can only participate in a limited number of short rests based on your level. Read about leveling milestones here.

A long rest is a night’s rest, which requires a minimum of 8 hours of mostly uninterrupted rest. A long rest heals each person participating for all their HP and supply, and they recover 1 point of each burnt or otherwise reduced attribute.

A full rest is a week’s rest, which requires 7 days of mostly uninterrupted rest. A full rest heals each person participating for all of their HP, and they recover all burnt or otherwise reduced attributes. A full rest also typically heals most mundane diseases and poisons with external care.

For deeper information about what happens after combat, read about it here.