Combat

## Initiative

Every character has their base Initiative determined by combining their **Dexterity +** **Perception + 5**. The result determines the order in which every fighter must announce and perform their actions. Additionaly their Initiative determines how many actions they can perform and how quick they move/react. For every action in combat a character must spend Initiative-points. Once all have been spend they can not perform further actions of any kind.

At the beginning of every round the fighter with the lowest initiative must announce their offensive actions and how much Initiative they wish to spend on these, the rest is automatically used for defensive actions. Followed by the second lowest every participant in the fight must announce their desired action. After this has been done the figther with the highest Initiative will perform an annoucned offensive action. Other fighters may freely react to any attack before and after they had their turn. If a character wishes to perform more then a single offensive action they must perform their second, third and so on at their current Initiative (after spending).

A character may choose to increase their Initiative by two for the rest of the round and reduce their Vigor/Binding by 1.

Should a chosen Action doesnt list how much Initiative they require, the cost is determined by the Storyteller. Most actions like casting powers usually require 5 Initiative.

## Melee Actions

### Attacks

#### Strike

When character decides to attack a target in melee they must spend 5 points of Initiative and make a Dexterity Roll, applying any weapon or speciality modifiers. The defandant can choose to make one of the following defensive actions:

* **Parry [2 Ini]-** Spend 2 points of Initiative and make a Dexterity Roll adding either the Specific Weapon Type or Unarmed Combat Talent. Weapons whose durability is exceeded by the opposing Penetration would break on impact and cant be used to parry, bare hands cant be used against weapons. Should they have more successes than their opponent the attack is negated.
* **Dodge [3 Ini]-** Spend 3 points of Initiative and make a Dexterity + Athletics Roll. Should they have more successes than their opponent the attack misses. Should they fail every success rolled on the Dodge Roll reduces the incoming damage by 1. This may be used to move up to three meters.

#### Grapple

A character may decide to grapple their opponent and engage in extremly close hand-to-hand combat. To do so they must spend 3 points of Initiative and make a Strength Roll, applying the modifier of the *Unarmed Combat* Talent while the attacked character does the same. The victor causes damage equal to their margin successes. Afterwards they enter a state in which they may only fight with fists and short-ranged weaponry. In this state a defandant can choose to make one of the following defensive actions:

* **Parry [2 Ini]-** Spend 2 points of Initiative and make a Dexterity Roll adding either the Specific Weapon Type or Unarmed Combat Talent. Weapons whose durability is exceeded by the opposing Penetration would break on impact and cant be used to parry, bare hands cant be used against weapons. The result of the attack is reduced equal to that of the previous roll.
* **Escape-** Spend 3 points of Initiative and make a Strength Roll adding the Unarmed Combat Talent. When successful the direct confrontation ends.

### Weapon Range

Every weapon has one of the following lengths: *Long, Medium* or *Short*. When engaging in normal fight, a weapon with a shorter range can never be used to attack a weapon with a longer one. Should an attacker wish to strike although their range is shorter, they need to spend additional Initiative equal to the range difference. In this case the defender can choose to intercept a **Counterattack** (should they have enough Initiative left). Against a **Counterattack** no defensive action can be made.

## Ranged Actions

### Actions

#### Shooting

A player may fire a ranged weapon depending on the distance between them and their target. To do so they must spend 5 points of Initiative and make a Perception Roll adding the Specific weapon type. The difficulty of hitting the target is always the same and determined by the weapon and respective range. Every weapon differentiates between short (1-10 meters), medium (11-50 meters) and long range (50-100 meters) and has a respective difficulty. Should their target stand still the shooting attack will deal additional 2 points of *Piercing Damage* (which negates Toughness but do not count as lethal damage). The only defensive action the defandant can take against this is:

* **Sidestep [2 Ini]-** With no cover in reach the character can try to side step incoming shots. This requires 2 Initiative. Should their Dexterity + Athletics Rating be lower than the attackers shooting pool they reduce the incoming *piercing damage* by 1, should it be higher they negate it completly. The effect of this lasts until they take their next action.
* **Seek Cover [3 Ini]-** Should cover be in reach (2 meters) the character may spend 3 Initiative and make a Dexterity + Athletics Roll against the shooting attack. Should the roll succeed the shot will fail; should they fail they negate the additional *piercing damage*.

#### Reloading

A character may spend all their Initiative to reload their ranged weaponry. Reloading a weapon requires three full turns. Every third point in Specific Weapon (Any ranged weapon) reduces the amount by a single turn.

#### Throwing

A character may use a throwing weapon to attack their enemies from range. To do so they must spend 5 points of Initiative and make a Dexterity Roll adding the Specific Weapon Talent. The difficulty of a successful hit depends on the range to their target. The only defensive actions the defandant can take against this are:

* **Dodge [3 Ini]-** Spend 3 points of Initiative and make a Dexterity + Athletics Roll. Should they have more successes than their opponent the attack misses. Should they fail every success rolled on the Dodge Roll reduces the incoming damage by 1. This may be used to move up to three meters.

### Grazing Shots

When rolling a success less needed to hit their target on a ranged attack, the shot will merely graze them and cause half their damage (rounded up). Grazing Shots do not cause additional *Piercing Damage*.

## Damage

When successfully hitting their target a character will cause damage equal to the rating of their weapon. Every margin success on the hitroll increase the damage by 1; however margin successes can never cause more damage than the weapon that was used.

When recieving physical or lethal damage, reduce it equal to the characters Toughness. Then proceed applying it according to its type:

* **Physical Damage-** Mortals suffer an equal amount of Mental damage.
* **Lethal Damage-** This damage is not reduced by the enemies Toughness. They also suffer an equal amount of *Mental damage.*
* **Mental Damage-** Reduce the incoming damage equal to the targets Composure, excess damage reduces their Vigor/Binding.

All Undead can never suffer more than 5 points of damage through Physical/Mental Damage and never more than 10 points of Lethal Damage (after Composure/Toughness has reduced it).

### Regeneration

Afflicted can regenerate Health in combat. Doing that requires 3 points of Initiative and a point of Essence, allowing them to instantly regain D3 points of Health.

## Called Shots

In melee and ranged combat combatants can target specific areas of their enemies. This is mostly used to strike vunerable parts like the head or the groin, it may however also be used to disarm an enemy or sever a limb.

When activating a called shot the character reduced their dicepool by three D6.

Should the Called Shot be used to inflict pain rather then damage to an enemy (groin for humans, hearts for Vampires, guts for Ghouls and Heads for Revenants) the Storyteller may choose to fully/partially transforming it into Vigor damage aswell as apply any negative modifier for balancing reasons.

Otherwise the **physical damage** is transformed into **lethal damage**.

When using optional and more advanced rules for Called Shots medium-ranged weapons recieve a -1 and long-ranged melee weapons recieve a -2 dice penalty for Called Shots.

## Other Actions

* **Moving-** A character can run up to 3 meters per spend point of Initiative.

* **Chase and Flee-** A character can attempt to flee from combat. Should no one wish to persue them they may freely spend the rest of their initiative to get out of reach for the next 1-3 rounds automatically. Should another character decide to chase them, both must make a Strength Roll adding the Athletics Talent. The margin of said contest decides how much of the victors initiative is left after successfully fleeing/reaching the target.
* **Strategic Advise [3 Ini]-** Before or at the start of a combat encounter one character of the group may make an Intellect + Leadership Test against difficulty 2. Every margin success grants two additional die the rest of the group may allocate to any roll of choice. Should they fight against the supernatural they may make an Intellect + Knowledge (Witchhunting) Roll instead.