Attacking & Defending

Combat is resolved as an exchange of blows between two characters. This exchange is simulated by the **Combat Roll**, in which a pair of attack and defense tests are compared.

### Step 1: Attack

The attacker first chooses their target, weapon, and combat style for the attack before making the attack test and applying any relevant **circumstantial modifiers** (See Below)

**Melee Circumstance Modifiers**
 Disadvantage (-20)
 Major Disadvantage (-30)

**Ranged Circumstance Modifiers**
 Disadvantage (-20)
 Major Disadvantage (-30)

Weapons not included in the character’s combat style impose a **-10 penalty** to all attack and defense tests.

* **Melee Weapon Attacks**: The attacker makes a Combat Style test using either Strength or Agility against a target within the range of their weapon.
* **Ranged Weapon Attacks**: The attacker makes a Combat Style test using Agility against a target within the range of their weapon.
	+ **Effective Range** for ranged weapons is defined in terms of three numbers instead of just one, representing the maximum close, medium, and long ranges of the weapon or its ammunition. Attacking targets in close range provides a +10 bonus to attack tests with the weapon, while attacking targets at long range imposes a -20 penalty.
* **Cast Magic Attacks**: The attacker caster makes a skill test with the skill corresponding to the school of the spell.

### Step 2: Defend

The defender then picks their method of defense and combat style before making the defense test. A character **must be aware of an attack to defend against it**, and must choose to defend before the attacker has rolled.

* **Evade**: The defender rolls an Evade test (Agility).
* **Parry**: Melee weapons or shields may be used to parry melee attacks. The defender makes the Combat Style test using Strength or Agility.
* **Block**: Shields may be used to block ranged or melee attacks. The defender makes a Combat Style test using Strength.
* **Counter-Attack**: The characters both attempt to strike the other while parrying their opponent’s blows. The defender also makes a melee attack, using the rules above. Both characters count as “attackers” in step 3.

Ranged attacks cannot be parried or counter attacked.

Mounted characters can evade ranged attacks but only while moving. They cannot evade melee attacks (except those from other mounted characters), though their mount can. In addition, they are able to parry or counter attack in response to melee attacks against their mount.

### Step 3: Roll Test & Determine Results

If an attacker is able to gain a significant advantage over their melee opponent, by scoring a critical success or having the opponent score a critilal failure, they are said to have gained an Advantage.

Note that if a defender does not try to defend, or cannot do so, they are treated as having automatically failed.

* **Both characters fail**: In the event that both characters fail their tests, nothing happens and any AP used is spent.
* **1 character fails**: depending on who wins the opposing test:
	+ **Attacker wins**: The attack is successful, the attacker chooses how to utilize their advantage (if the managed to get one), and resolves it.
	+ **Defender wins**: The defense is successful, and in most cases doesn’t take any damage.
* **Both characters pass:**
	+ **Attack vs. Block**: The defender blocks the attack regardless of attacker degrees of success. Resolve the block using the rules in Step 4 as if the defender won.
	+ **Attack vs. Parry or Evade**: The defense is negated if the attacker has more degrees of success. Resolve the attack.
	+ **Counter-Attack**: Whichever character achieves more degrees of success hits the other. If both characters achieve the same amount of degrees of success, then nothing happens.

### STep 4: Resolve Attacks & Advantages

Finally, resolve the attack based on the result:

* **Attacker Won**: The attack hits the target and deals damage. If the target’s armor values differ across hit locations, then check to see where it hit using the ones digit of the attack roll or a D10 (count 10 as 0). (You can often skip this step entirely or delay it until it is necessary).Next, resolve any advantage gained from the combat roll. Then roll the damage of the attack and subtract the Armor Rating (AR) of the hit location struck. Reduce the target’s HP by the remaining amount. Remember that some types of AR only mitigate certain types of damage. If the damage dealt after reduction exceeds the target’s Wound Threshold, the attack has also caused a wound.
* **Defender Won:**
	+ **Evade**: If an attack is evaded it is negated entirely. The character may move up to 1 meter in any direction for free.
	+ **Parry**: If an attack is parried it is negated entirely.
	+ **Block**: If an attack is blocked, roll the damage of the attack. If the damage exceeds the shield’s Block Rating (BR) against that damage type, then the character takes the full damage to their shield arm. Otherwise no damage is taken. Magic damage treats BR as half (round up) unless there is a magic BR.

### Unusual Combat Scenarios

There are several odd combat scenarios characters may find themselves in:

* **Climbing**: A climbing character has all of this combat skill tests limited by their Athletics skill rank (if they have a higher Combat Style rank, they treat it as having their Athletics rank instead). Characters are limited to fighting with a single limb, unless they have extras.
* **Slippery Surfaces**: A character fighting on slippery or wobbling surfaces has all of this combat skill tests limited by their Acrobatics skill (if they have a higher Combat Style rank, they treat it as their Acrobatics rank instead). If the character fails a combat roll in these circumstances, they must pass an Acrobatics test or fall prone.
* **Swimming**: A swimming character has this combat skill tests limited by their Athletics skill (if they have a higher Combat Style rank, they treat it as their Athletics rank instead). Attacks deal half damage.
* **Swinging or Jumping**: A character swinging or jumping into (or out of) combat has all of his combat skill tests limited by their Acrobatics skill (if they have a higher Combat Style rank, they treats it as their Acrobatics rank instead). If the character fails a combat roll they must pass an Acrobatics test or fall prone, and suffer appropriate fall damage.
* **Mounted Archery**: A character can use ranged weapons even while mounted, however their Combat Style skill is limited by the Ride skill of the character controlling the mount (if their Combat Style rank exceeds their Ride skill rank, use their Ride skill rank instead).