Course of Foes

The Course of Foes introduces advanced rules for narratively important enemies and their combat abilities.

**Course Requirements**: Damages

**Prerequisite for**: Wrenchmen

## New Rules

This Course introduces three new concepts: Encounter Complexity, Abstracted Combat, and Foes.

### Encounter Complexity

With this Course unlocked, Encounters are limited in how many types of enemies they have. An Encounter cannot have more Encounter Complexity than the number of players, with each kind of Cog counting as 1 and each Foe (see below) and GM-controlled NPC counting as 1. Add 1 Encounter Complexity for each type of Cog which outnumbers the players. For example, if you have 5 players, your maximum Encounter Complexity is 5, which could include for example:

* Two skeleton warriors (one Cog type, 1 Encounter Complexity)
* Ufwar the skeleton mage (one Foe, 1 Encounter Complexity)
* Y'mai the skeleton mage (one Foe, 1 Encounter Complexity)
* A group of 7 lesser skeletons (one Cog type, outnumbers the players, 2 Encounter Complexity)

Notice that a multiple Cogs of the same type (when not outnumbering the players) count as 1, while each Foe (even if they are identical) are counted separately. Encounters may also have less Encounter Complexity than their maximum, and GMs are encouraged to keep their Encounter Complexity low while adding other interesting details to combat, such as interactable environments (see the Course of Surroundings) and other narrative goals to the Encounter besides defeating all of the enemies. One way to keep the Encounter Complexity low is to have players control any allied NPCs or use the Abstracted Combat rule below.

### Abstracted Combat

To keep Encounter Complexity low, the GM can abstract allied NPCs or enemies from a combat encounter. Remove the abstracted creatures from the Encounter. For each creature removed in this way, their allies gain the stacking buff *Help from Allies*, which grants ONE of the following bonuses (their choice) based on the removed creature's Level (L). Round up (as the ceiling function) for fractions of L.

* +L/2 damage on all attacks
* +5 \* L/2 Accuracy on all attacks
* Every Round, the allied team collectively gains L/2 bonus Actions which can be added to any creature's turn (up to L/10 per creature per Round)

### Foes

With this Course unlocked, Cogs are primarily for non-unique, unnamed creatures, such as highway robbers and a pack of wolves. When a creature has a name, it becomes a **Foe**. A Foe's name can be an epithet or cognomen like “the one-eyed halfling” or “the grizzly bear," what matters is that it is a unique character with narrative significance.

A Foe counts as 2 Levels higher for the purpose of Encounter Difficulty.

## Foe Creation

A **Foe** is built as a Cog, but also gains **three (3)** Foe Points (FP) to spend on Foe Abilities. Foe Abilities may be purchased multiple times for different (or additional) effects unless otherwise specified.

**Specialist (1 FP)**

This Foe gains an additional 2L AP. However, it has -L Initiative, only one half of its normal HP, and halved values for all of its effects, such as damage, healing, DLs, and the number of times they can use abilities.

**Mana Surge (1 FP)**

This Foe can spend X MP (for an X you choose during Foe Creation) as a Free Action to gain 3X AP until the start of their next turn. When this ability is taken, choose how their AP is spent during their Mana Surge (they cannot spend AP during an Encounter).

**Vim Surge (1 FP)**

This Foe can spend X Vim (for an X you choose during Foe Creation) as a Free Action to gain X AP until the start of their next turn. When this ability is taken, choose how their AP is spent during their Vim Surge (they cannot spend AP during an Encounter).

**Empowered Ability (1 FP)**

Once per turn, this Foe can spend X MP or 3X Vim (for an X and pool you choose during Foe Creation) as a Free Reaction to apply ONE of the following:

* The Foe's current attack gains +5X Accuracy
* The Foe's current attack gains +3X normal damage
* This turn, an ability the Foe chooses gains +X to the DL its checks
* This turn, an ability the Foe chooses gains +X to any value in the ability's effect which is L/2 or greater before being empowered

**Double Dip (1 FP)**

Choose a Cog ability section. This Foe can purchase two abilities from this section instead of one. Each time this Foe Ability is purchased, choose a different section.

**Adaptable (1 FP)**

During Foe Creation, set aside up to L AP. Once per Round as a Free Action, this Foe can spend 1 MP or 3 Vim per AP to reallocate AP from this pool. Each time this Foe Ability is purchased, the number of times per Round that the Foe may reallocate AP increases by 1.

**Opportunist (1 FP)**

When an enemy leaves this Foe's Reach, the Foe may make a basic attack against the enemy using their base Accuracy and dealing Ld6 damage.

**Lone Villain (1 FP)**

This Foe is designed to be fought as the major threat of an Encounter. It gains 5L HP, 5L Vim, L MP, and 1 extra turn per round, but adds an extra L levels to the Encounter Difficulty. This ability can be taken at most once for every 2 players in the party. This ability cannot be taken if there are fewer than 3 players in the party.

**Second Phase (1 FP)**

When this Foe is near-defeated, they may respond in a manner so shocking and situation-changing that it ends the current Encounter and begins a new one. During Foe Creation, specify the condition under which this response is triggered, such as having 2L health remaining or being the last enemy remaining. This Foe Ability may be purchased only once.

**Fearsome Stats (1 FP)**

This Foe gains ONE of the following benefits. Each time this Foe Ability is purchased, choose a different benefit:

* +L/2 Armor
* +5L Accuracy
* +L/2 damage on all attacks
* +2L HP
* +2L Vim
* +L MP

**Weakness (1 FP)**

This Foe has ONE of the following Weaknesses, but gains an additional L/3 AP. Each time this Foe Ability is purchased, choose a different Weakness (unless specified that it can be taken multiple times):

* **Delicate** -- This Foe has 2L less HP. This Weakness may be taken multiple times.
* **Light-Sensitive** -- In dim light, this Foe has Ebb on all rolls; in bright light, this Foe additionally loses 1 Action and 1 Reaction per turn.
* **Scared** -- This Foe flees when they have less than half of their max HP remaining or when their allies have been defeated.
* **Slow** -- This Foe has halved Speed on all movement and loses 1 Reaction per turn. This Weakness may be selected twice to reduce their Speed to 0 and permanently paralyze the Foe.
* **Sluggish** -- All of this Foe's abilities which costs Actions cost 1 Action more.
* **Vulturous** -- This Foe can only attack targets who are not Supported.
* **Weak Spot** -- This Foe has a sensitive area of their body. Attacks which directly target this area deal double damage and ignore resistances and immunities.