Combat(Remnants)

When two entities engage in a conflict, there is a combat system that serves as a tool to guide it. The system itself can always be trumped by agreement between the interested parties ahead of time. However, regardless of if the guidelines are used or not, in both cases the players need to state a [b]casus belli[/b] (what started the fight, and what happens if each character wins).
There are three main levels of combat available (although if players figure out additional options, those can be done as well): mortal, national, and divine. All three use the basic core mechanic: entities have an [b]attack score[/b] that is pitted against an opponent’s [b]defense score[/b], with any positive, non-zero result being subtracted from the opponent’s [b]hit points[/b]. As such, all three levels can be scaled to fit the particular need. For example, a mortal could join in on a fight between gods, or an exarch could fight alongside nations. When scaling, the scores are twice as much as the tier below them (a god’s score is doubled when fighting a nation, and quadrupled when fighting a mortal).
If the combat mechanic is being used, it should be run “behind the scenes”: players do [b]not[/b] need to act out each round of combat in the In-Character thread. Once combat has been determined, the results can then guide in-character posts covering the fight itself.
When combat occurs, the aggressor deals their [b]Attack Score[/b] in damage to their opponent. That damage is reduced by the opponent’s [b]Defense Score[/b], and the remaining amount is subtracted from the opponent’s [b]Hit Points[/b]. The processes then repeats, only with the opponent attacking the aggressor. The attacks go back and forth until either the aggressor or the defender fall below [b]0[/b] hitpoints.
Each time a being is attacked during combat, their defense score is temporarily lowered by one. This effect is cumulative (although defense cannot fall below 0, assuming it was greater than 0 to begin with), but resets at that character’s next turn to attack. As such, this does not affect one-on-one combat, but allows groups of weaker characters to overcome single stronger characters.
In contrast, each time a being attacks during combat, they receive one [b]Fatigue[/b] point. Fatigue lowers the combatant’s HP for a given number of days (starting after this combat is over), thereby potentially making them easier to be defeated again (Fatigue cannot reduce HP below 1). If an entity accrues 5 fatigue points, their HP is lowered by 5 for 5 days. If 3 fatigue points, then 3 for 3 days, and so on.
How an entity’s combat scores are determined, and what potentials spoils go to the winner, differ by the form of combat itself.
[spoiler=Divine Combat]
When gods fight, the earth trembles. A god has a base combat score (representing how good he or she is without any help). That is determined by level, abilities, and in part by player choice. This can be supplemented by [b]artifacts[/b]. A divine spear might grant a +1 to attack, whereas a celestial bronze shield might give +1 to defense.
In addition, entities aware of the fight (be those entities other gods, exarchs, nations, or mortals) can join the fight on either side (or start their own side). How this affect combat is described below.
The spoils of war should be agreed upon beforehand, but might include the loser being maimed forever (Tyr losing a hand), having an artifact taken (Frey losing his sword), giving up an exarch or hero as a hostage (Frey and Freya being given to the Aesir), lose temporary or permanent control of a domain, or even losing a level (the loser’s EXP drops to just below their current level).
[spoiler=Divine Assistance]
Other beings (gods, exarchs, nations, and even mortals) can step into a conflict-in-progress between two Gods. That being may attack and be attacked as if it were in one-on-one combat. However, each being may only attack once per round of combat, yet may be attacked multiple times each round. As such, two gods working together against a third have a distinct advantage. 
Addendum: if a single player has more than two characters of the same level engaged in combat, those in surplus of two only provide a +1 combat bonus (either to attack, defense, or HP) to one of those first two beings.
If an order of attack is necessary, the order in which a being joins combat via in-game post may serve as such (attacker goes first, defender second, then anyone who joins in the order in which they joined).
To note, it is possible for beings to take a Divine Ability that enhances their combat effectiveness when fighting with others.
Although Exarch’s have divine combat scores (base 1/1/1), those scores are usually too low for them to be able to take on a god one-on-one. However, exarchs can gain the bonuses from combat related artifacts, thereby potentially augmenting their scores sufficiently to be a major threat in their own right.
Divine Combat scores are effectively double that of National Combat scores, and quadruple that of mortal scores. A nation with a combat score of 2/2/2 has a score of 1/1/1 when engaging in divine combat (below that and the nation is considered too weak to hurt a god in any way), and a mortal with a combat score of 4/4/4 has a divine combat score of 1/1/1. As such, it is unusual that nations can significantly influence a fight between gods, and it is almost (but not quite) impossible for a mortal to do so.
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[spoiler=National Combat]
Dust rises and carrion bird circle when armies go to war. A nation has a base combat score of 1/1/1, which can increase as that nation develops. Each stat is tied to an aspect of the nation itself. The stronger the [b]military[/b], the more damage the nation can inflict, and thus the higher the attack score. The better the [b]economy[/b], however, the more damage the nation can absorb, and thus the higher the defense score. And the stronger the [b]culture[/b], the harder it is to make that nation give up, and thus the higher the hit points.
There are two main ways to increase a nation’s combat score (aka, their military, economic, or cultural might). The first is by [b]Guiding[/b] them to specialize in particular technologies (although all technologies, once created, are open to everyone, only specializing in them gives a notable advantage). Normal techs increase a stat by one, but '''fantastical technologies/resources''' increase it by two.
The second way to increase a score is through forming [b]organizations[/b] that can help (or undermine) a nation. Churches, universities, etc might increase a nation’s culture, equestrian societies might increase its military prowess, etc. Organizations increase a single nation’s score by one. However, not all organization inherently provide a stat bonus (see the section on Organizations for more information).
There are two less common ways of increasing a combat score as well. First, the appropriate level of [/b]artifacts[/b] can enhance a nation’s military, economics, or culture, and thereby influence their combat score.
Second, a nation might adapt a cultural-specific technology (such as the Greek Phalanx, Roman Administration, Chinese Dynasties, etc). These are effectively like Divine Abilities, but for nations. There is no definitive National Ability list (although a few examples of potential abilities are listed under National Abilities). Players are encouraged to create their own abilities. Some of those abilities might influence combat scores, or combat in general.
However, it is always hard for nations to translate a military victory into a political or social one. The spoils of war, as such, can often be ephemeral. The victor might force the losing nation to behave in a particular way for a while, or steal a resource, or absorb a city/region, but usually anything permanent must be agreed upon by both parties ahead of time.
[spoiler=National Assistance]
Gods, exarchs, other nations, and individual (or groups of) mortals can participate in a fight between nations. These act in a similar manner to Divine Assistance, although combat scores are converted to the National Combat level (a 1/1/1 divine combat score becomes 2/2/2, whereas a 2/2/2 mortal combat score becomes 1/1/1).
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[spoiler=Mortal Combat]
Get over here and listen. Most mortals are mere cannon-fodder on their own, but a few rare individuals, heroes and legends, are more capable and hardly. Heroes have base stats of 1/1/1, whereas legends have base stats of 2/2/2. Only direct Lesser Blessings can improve a character’s base stats. Minor Forged Objects can increase scores as well. And finally, when a mortal is raised up to Leader status, they can claim an ability, and again when a leader is made a hero, and again when a hero becomes a legend. Alternately, players may decide to improve one of that character’s stats instead of granting them an ability.
While there is no Mortal Ability list (beyond a few examples), players are encouraged to create their own. These abilities may, thus, influence combat scores.
To note: a Legend (or Hero) can be created whole cloth, rather than upgraded from a lower level. At the moment of creation, a single ability may be given to each, but they do not receive the level-up bonus ability. Thus, a mortal brought through the ranks could potentially be more powerful than one who arose without all that work.
The spoils of mortal combat can be anything from living another day, killing a hated opponent, stealing an artifact, or bringing a bandit to justice.
[spoiler=Mortal Assistance]
Other mortals, as well as nations and even gods, can join in on a mortal fight. As indicated by the other tiers of combat, a nation’s combat score is doubled when translated to a mortal level, and a god’s score is quadrupled.
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Category:Rules(Remnants)