Combat, Damage & Movement

## Combat Rounds

One round equals roughly ten seconds of elapsed time, so six rounds equals about a minute.

Each individual character, including NPCs and monsters, takes a turn within the round. It is therefore necessary to determine the order in which actions are taken. When combat starts, follow these steps to determine what happens:

* **Step 1.** Roll Initiative: At the start of the first round each combatant must roll for initiative. The character’s initiative score is equal to Agility plus 1d10. This score applies for all successive rounds of this combat.
* **Step 2**. Determine Initiative Order: The GM ranks all the initiative scores, including NPCs and monsters, from highest to lowest. This is the order that characters will act in during each round of combat.
* **Step 3.** Surprise: When beginning a combat the GM determines if any of the combatants are surprised. This only affects the first round and isn’t always necessary even then. Surprised combatants lose their turn on the first round of combat. They are caught unawares and their opponents get a full round’s “drop” on them.
* **Step 4.** Characters Take Turns: Starting with the participant with the highest Initiative score, each character takes a turn. During his turn a character can perform one or more actions (see Actions, page 126). Once a character has finished his actions, the next participant takes a turn and so on.
* **Step 5.** Round Ends: Once each participant has taken a turn, the round is over.
* **Step 6.** Repeat Steps 4 and 5 as Needed: Continue to play successive rounds until the combat is complete or until you have finished whatever it is that is being worked out.

## Initiative

Initiative determines the order in which participants act during each round. To determine Initiative, 1d10 is rolled and the result is added to the character’s Agility Characteristic. The GM is responsible for determining the Initiative of any NPCs and monsters.

Once everyone has rolled, the GM makes a list and places each character or creature in Initiative order, from highest to lowest. This is the order the combatants will act in each round until the combat is over.

If more than one character has the same Initiative, they act in Agility order (from highest to lowest).

GMs can make one Initiative roll for each group of like characters. For example, if there are 3 Goblins in the combat, all of which have the same statistics, it isn’t necessary to roll Initiative separately for each Goblin. One roll will do for all of them and they’ll all act at the same time in the Initiative order.

Most combats last for multiple rounds. You only need to determine Initiative at the start of the combat, however. Once the Initiative order has been established, it remains the same from round to round. To continue the previous example, at the start of each new round, Wilhelm will act first, followed by Gertrude and then the Goblins.

If new combatants join in the midst of the encounter, simply roll Initiative for them and add them to the order. The GM determines on which round new combatants arrive.

### **Surprise**

Surprise only affects the first round of a combat. It is up to the GM to decide if any of the combatants are surprised. This boils down to a judgment call on the GM’s part, based on circumstances and the actions of the various combatants leading up to the encounter.

If no one is surprised, proceed with combat as normal. Surprised characters lose their turn in the first round. They can do nothing except stand dumb-founded whilst their opponents fall upon them. After the first round surprised characters recover their wits and can act normally.

## Actions

During each round every character gets a turn to act (unless surprised). On his turn a character can take one or more actions.

There are three types of actions in WFRP:

* Full Action: A full action requires a character’s complete attention to accomplish on his turn. A character that takes a full action cannot take any half actions this round.
* Half Action: A half action is fairly simple, like moving or drawing a weapon. A character can take two half actions on his turn instead of taking a full action.
* Free Action: A free action takes but a split second and so can be taken in addition to any other actions you make in a round. There is no formal limit to the number of free actions a character can make in a round, but the GM should use common sense and set reasonable limits on what can be done.

Typical actions include drawing a weapon, attacking, and moving. During his turn a character can perform one full action or two half actions as desired, with two exceptions:

1. A character cannot take more than one “attack” action in his turn. An attack action is any action with the word “attack” in the title.
2. A character cannot take more than one “cast” action in his turn. Cast actions allow characters to use magic spells.

Most actions must be completed during your turn. You can’t start a charge attack in one round and finish it on the next, for example. Some actions, however, take longer than a single round to complete. These are known as extended actions and they are noted in the description of each action.

A character attempting an extended action must continue with this action until it’s finished (he can’t start to reload a pistol, move, and then finish reloading, for example). A character may, however, abort the action part way through, but this means all time spent thus far is wasted.

### Basic Actions

There are eleven actions that cover the most common combat manoeuvres. It is recommended that players stick to these actions when first starting to play WFRP. These actions cover most combat situations. They are:

#### **Aim (Half Action)**

The character takes extra time to set up a melee or missile attack, thus increasing the chance to hit. If the character’s following action is a standard attack, he gains a +10% bonus to Weapon Skill (for melee attacks) or Ballistic Skill (for ranged attacks).

#### **Cast (Varies)**

The character unleashes a magic spell. If the character spends an extra half action, the Casting Roll can be augmented with a ChannellingSkill Test. See Chapter 7: Magic for more information. Casting can be an extended action. You cannot cast more than one spell per round.

#### **Charge Attack (Full Action)**

The character rushes up to an opponent and delivers a single attack. The opponent must be at least 4 yards (2 squares) away from the character but within the character’s charge move (see Table 6-1: Combat Movement in Yards). The last 4 yards (2 squares) of the charge must be in a straight line, so the charger can build up speed and line up with the target. The charging character gains a +10% Weapon Skill bonus.

#### **Disengage (Full Action)**

The character breaks off from melee combat and may move away (see Table 6-1: Combat Movement in Yards for distances). Difficult terrain like rubble or underbrush reduces distances moved by half (round up). If trying to move away from one or more melee opponents without using the disengage action, each opponent gets a free attack against the character before he moves away. This is a bonus attack and is made in addition to any other attacks opponent’s make during their turn.

#### **Move (Half Action)**

The character can make a short move (see Table 6-1: Combat Movement in Yards for distances). Difficult terrain like rubble or underbrush reduces distances moved by half (round up).

#### **Ready (Half Action)**

The character can unsheathe a weapon, or pull an item out of a convenient pouch or pocket. The character also put away an item already in hand at the same time. So, for example, a character could sheathe a sword and unsheathe a dagger as one action. A character can also use this action to take a flask or other container and drink a draught.

#### **Reload (Varies)**

The character can reload a missile weapon. See Chapter 5: Equipment for the time taken to reload different ranged weapons. Reload can be an extended action.

#### **Stand/Mount (Half Action)**

A character can get up if currently on the ground, or mount a riding animal like a horse or pony.

#### **Standard Attack (Half Action)**

A character can make one melee or ranged attack.

#### **Swift Attack (Full Action)**

The character can make a number of melee or ranged attacks equal to his Attacks Characteristic. The character must have Attacks 2 or better to take advantage of this action. If making a missile attack, a character can only use this action if the weapon can be reloaded as a free action or if the character has a loaded pistol weapon in each hand. In the latter case, the character can make a maximum of 2 attacks (one per weapon).

#### **Use a Skill (Varies)**

The character uses a skill, which usually involves making a Skill Test. See Chapter 4: Skills and Talents. This can be an extended action.

### Advanced Actions

Once players have mastered the use of basic actions, the GM and players may want to add a greater tactical element to combat. This is where advanced actions come in. Since these actions often require some round to round adjustment to Characteristic values, it is a good idea to get some experience with basic actions before trying to use the advanced actions.

#### **All Out Attack (Full Action)**

The character makes a furious melee attack, exposing himself to danger in order to land a forceful blow. The character’s melee attack gains a +20% Weapon Skill bonus. However, until his next turn, the character cannot parry or dodge.

#### **Defensive Stance (Full Action)**

The character strikes no blows this round, preferring instead to concentrate on self-defence. Until his next turn, all melee attacks against the character suffer a –20% Weapon Skill penalty.

#### **Delay (Half Action)**

The character waits and watches for an opportunity. When the delay action is used the character’s turn ends immediately, but a half action is reserved for later use. Any time before his next turn, the character can take his half action. If two conflicting characters are both trying to use a delayed action simultaneously, make an Opposed Agility Test to see who acts first. If the prepared action is not taken before the character’s next turn, it is lost.

#### **Feint (Half Action)**

The character pretends to attack in one direction, deceiving his opponent and throwing off his defence. This is resolved as an Opposed Weapon Skill Test. If the character wins, his next attack cannot be either dodged or parried. If the character’s next action is anything other than a standard attack, this bonus is lost.

#### **Guarded Attack (Full Action)**

The character attacks carefully, making sure he is well defended from counter blows. He makes a melee attack with a –10% Weapon Skill penalty. Until his next turn, the character gains a +10% bonus on any attempted parries and dodges.

#### **Jump/Leap (Full Action)**

The character jumps down or leaps across something. For details on

jumping and leaping, see page 138 of this chapter.

#### **Manoeuvre (Half Action)**

The character uses superior footwork and aggression to force his opponent to move 2 yards (1 square) in a direction nominated by the player. If desired the character can advance 2 yards (1 square) as well. Manoeuvre is resolved as an Opposed Weapon Skill Test. If successful the character’s opponent is moved as described. The opponent cannot be forced into another character or terrain feature (wall, barrel, etc.).

#### **Parrying Stance (Half Action)**

The character readies to parry an incoming blow. Any time before his next turn, the character can try to parry one successful melee attack against him as long as he is aware of the attack. Parrying stance ends at the start of his next turn, regardless of whether he parried a blow. Should a character have a weapon in their left hand (this included shields and bucklers) he may parry once per round as a free action. See Dodge and Parry on page 129 for more detailed information on this.

#### **Run (Full Action)**

The character runs at full speed (see Table 6-1: Combat Movement in Yards for distances). This makes the character harder to hit with missile weapons but easy prey for melee attacks because he isn’t actively defending. Until the character’s next turn, ranged attacks against him suffer a –20% Ballistic Skill penalty, but melee attacks gain a +20% Weapon Skill bonus. Characters cannot run in difficult terrain.

### Other Actions

If players want to do something that is not covered by the actions listed here, the GM should make a judgement about how long something might take and what type of action that translates into. Bear in mind that a round is 10 seconds long—which is quite a long time when you are in the thick of things. The GM will decide how long the action takes and how it will be resolved (Characteristic Test, Skill Test, Opposed Test, etc.).

## Combat Movement

There are four different actions that characters can use to move during combat: charge attack, disengage, move, and run. How far a character can go when using these different actions depends on his Movement Characteristic. These distances are summarized in Table 6-1: Combat Movement in Yards. If mounted, the character may use his animal’s Movement Characteristic instead. For leaping and jumping distances, see page 139.

For groups using a tactical map, determining squares is simple. A character can move a number of squares equal to his Movement Characteristic with a move or disengage action, double the Movement Characteristic with a charge attack action, and triple the Movement Characteristic with a run action.

## Making An Attack

To attack an opponent, a character must use an attack action (all out attack, charge attack, guarded attack, standard attack, or swift attack). A character must be adjacent to his opponent to make a melee attack and must have line of sight to the target if making a ranged attack. The following method is used to resolve attacks:

1. Roll to hit using percentile dice. Use Weapon Skill for melee attacks and Ballistic Skill for ranged attacks. If the player rolls equal to or less than the character’s Weapon Skill or Ballistic Skill (as appropriate), a hit is scored.
2. Determine Hit Location. If a hit is scored the player determines where the blow has landed. Take the attack roll, reverse the order of the percentile dice (an attack roll of 37, for example, would hit location 73), and consult the following chart:
3. Roll damage using a 10-sided die. Roll 1d10 and add the damage for the character’s weapon (see Chapter 5: Equipment). The result is the damage total.
4. Opponent reduces damage. Subtract the opponent’s Toughness Bonus and any Armour Points on the location that has been hit.
5. Record damage (if any). If any damage remains, it is deducted from the opponent’s Wounds total. If the amount of damage caused is reduced to 0 or below, the opponent is too tough and/ or well armoured and the blow inflicts no Wounds.

Hit Location
 16-35
 36-55
 56-80
 81-90
 91-00

### **Dodge and Parry**

melee attack roll already assumes that the target is defending himself to some degree (for helpless characters, see page 133). A melee attack does not represent a single swing of a sword, but a series of exchanges in which the attacker tries to find an opening and the defender tries to deny him one. A failed roll means the defender was too difficult to hit effectively, while a successful roll means the attacker was able to strike a telling blow. The attack roll does not tell the whole story, however. It is possible to avoid even a successful hit by either parrying or dodging. These are a combatant’s last lines of defence.

A character can attempt to parry a successful attack, either by using the parrying stance action or by taking advantage of a weapon in his secondary hand, but he must have a weapon ready and be aware of the attack. A Weapon Skill Test is made to parry the blow. If the character succeeds, that attack is beaten back and is considered to have missed (there is no damage roll). If he fails the test, the attack connects and his opponent may roll for damage as usual. Parrying requires no special skill or talent to attempt. It’s a half action to enter a parrying stance, but if you have a weapon in your secondary hand you can parry as a free action. See the following section for more information on the benefits of two weapon fighting.

A character can only make one parry each round.

Dodge Blow is an Advanced Skill, so usually only trained warriors can use it. Once a hit is scored, but before damage is rolled, a character can try to dodge if he has the skill and is aware of the attack. This is simply a Dodge Blow Skill Test (see Chapter 4: Skills and Talents). If the Dodge Blow Test is successful, the character gets out of the way at the last minute and the attack is considered to have missed (there is no damage roll). If he fails the test, the attack connects and his opponent may roll for damage as usual. Dodging is a free action.

A character can only make one dodge per round.

A character cannot attempt to parry and dodge the same attack. A character can only dodge and parry melee attacks, not ranged attacks.

### **Two Weapon Fighting**

Many warriors fight with a weapon in either hand (this includes shields). There are advantages and disadvantages to this style of fighting. The following rules apply when you are fighting with two weapons.

A character must use one of the following in a primary hand: Dagger, Foil, Hand Weapon, Morning Star, or Rapier.

* A character must use one of the following in a secondary hand: Buckler, Dagger, Hand Weapon, Main Gauche, Shield, or Sword-breaker.
* A character may use either hand to make an attack. This does not give any extra attacks. Attacks from a secondary hand suffer a –20% Weapon Skill penalty.
* A character can parry as a free action once per round. This parry can be used at any point during the round. The limit of 1 parry per round remains in effect.

### **Hit Location Complications**

The basic rules for hit locations (see Making an Attack, page 129) are simple enough. They do, however, make two assumptions. First, that characters are fighting a bipedal humanoid, be it Human, Orc, Beastman, or Elf. Second, that it is possible to reach all parts of the body when attacking. Obviously, these won’t always be the case. When unusual situations crop up, use the following guidelines.

* If it is impossible to reach a location with an attack then it is obviously impossible to strike there. A missile attack against a Soldier behind a battlement, for example, could not hit his legs. Similarly, a Halfling couldn’t hit a Giant in the head with a sword. In these cases, restrict the hit locations to those that are reachable. If a hit location is unreachable, the GM should apply the hit to the nearest reachable location instead.
* If attacking a mounted opponent (a Goblin on a wolf, for example), the player can choose whether to attack the mount or the rider.
* For big monsters without armour, the easiest thing to do is just ignore the hit location rules until such time as a Critical Hit (see page 133) is scored. Since big monsters don’t wear armour, the location of every single hit doesn’t much matter until the creature starts taking Critical Hits.
* If a creature has multiple of the same body part (four legs, two heads, etc.), then hits are scored on the nearest one. If two are equally close, dice off between them.
* If a creature has unusual body parts, substitute using common sense. For instance, a hit might strike a mutant’s tentacle instead of his arm.

### **Ranged Attacks**

Ranged attacks are made in the same way as melee attacks, with a few exceptions. First, opponents may not dodge or parry a missile attack. Second, characters can’t make ranged attacks if engaged in melee combat, unless armed with a pistol or crossbow pistol. Third, characters must have a line of sight to the target. This means that nothing obstructs the character’s view of the target. If a character can’t see his opponent for any reason—be it an intervening tree, wall, ally, or other enemy, or fog, darkness, etc.—he cannot shoot.

The Ballistic Skill Test to hit may be modified by circumstance. Opponents behind cover, for example, or partially obscured by mist will be harder to hit. The GM should use Table 4-1: Test Difficulty to adjudicate each ranged attack. Firing a missile weapon such as a pistol with the secondary hand imposes a –20% BS penalty. A –20% BS penalty also applies to all shots taken at long range. See Chapter 5: Equipment for details on missile weapons and their ranges.

#### **Shooting into Melee**

Sometimes, a target will already be engaged in melee combat. This makes the target more difficult to hit. A character can make a ranged attack at an opponent engaged in melee, but suffers a –20% Ballistic Skill penalty.

#### **Extreme Range**

Shooting a missile weapon beyond long range is usually a waste of time. It is quite difficult to hit a target so far away with a single shot. In dire straights, however, such shots may be attempted. A character can fire at a target up to double long range away, but must take the aim action first. Furthermore, even with the aim, the character suffers a –30% Ballistic Skill penalty to the attack.

### **Test Difficulty**

The rules for Test Difficulty apply to combat. They can be used to reflect the effects of terrain, the weather, the tactical situation, and a variety of other factors. Table 6-2: Combat Difficulty provides examples for some common situations.

### **Ulric's Fury**

Normally, when hitting with an attack, the resulting Damage Total equals 1d10 plus the weapon’s damage. When the player rolls a 10 on the die, the character may have struck a particularly brutal blow. Roll to hit again, using all the same modifiers as for the initial roll. If this second roll is successful, this unleashes the fury of Ulric, the ancient and revered God of Battle. The player can roll an additional 1d10 and add the result to the Damage Total. Should the result of this die also be a 10, Ulric has indeed smiled upon the character.The player may immediately roll a third 1d10 and add that to the Damage Total as well. This process continues until the player rolls less than a 10. Only then does Ulric’s Fury come to an end.

### **Unarmed Combat**

Not every fight in WFRP is lethal. Some quarrels are still settled with old-fashioned fists (not to mention feet and occasionally teeth). Unarmed combat works like normal combat, with the following exceptions:

* Unarmed attacks inflict SB–4 damage.
* Armour Points count double against unarmed attacks.

#### **Grappling**

Instead of inflicting damage, a character can attempt to grapple and immobilize an opponent. A character can attempt a grapple with either a charge attack or a standard attack. This is resolved as follows. First, the character must hit with an unarmed attack, then (if successful) the opponent must take an Agility Test. If he fails, he is grappled. Both characters are incapable of dodging or parrying for the duration of the grapple, and any outside melee attacks against them gain a +20% Weapon Skill bonus. The only action a grappled character can attempt is to break the grapple (a full action). This is an Opposed Strength Test. If the grappled character wins, he breaks free. Otherwise, the grapple is maintained. On the grappling character’s turn, he can take a full action to simply maintain the grapple (this requires no roll) or he can attempt to damage his opponent, which requires an Opposed Strength Test. If the grappling character wins this, he inflicts normal unarmed damage. If his opponent wins, no damage is inflicted but the character is still grappled.

A grappling character can voluntarily end the grapple on any of his turns. This is a free action.

## Damage and Healing

A character can absorb damage up to his Wounds total without penalty. Wounds represent an abstract “buffer level”, and only once this has been destroyed is severe damage incurred. That’s the good news. The bad news is that taking such damage is rather nasty and can, in some cases, lead to permanent disability and the loss of limbs.

Wounds will go up and down throughout play, as a character takes damage and then heals up. Characters require medical attention, which includes the use of the Heal skill or the application of healing magic or draughts, when wounded. Depending on how many Wounds a character has left, he is classified as Lightly Wounded or Heavily Wounded. These states are not important during combat, but they do affect the time it’ll take to heal (see Heal in Chapter 4: Skills & Talents). Characters might also find themselves stunned or helpless. The definitions of these states follow:

* **Lightly Wounded:** More than 3 Wounds remaining but fewer than the character’s Wounds Characteristic. Without medical attention, the character recovers 1 Wound per day through natural healing.
* **Heavily Wounded:** 3 Wounds or fewer remaining. Without medical attention, the character recovers 1 Wound per week through natural healing.
* **Stunned:** The character cannot take any actions (even free actions like dodge). Opponents gain a +20% Weapon Skill bonus when attacking.
* **Helpless:** The character cannot defend himself due to wounds, incapacitation, or some other circumstance. Attacks against the character automatically hit and inflict an extra 1d10 damage.

### Critical Hits

When a character takes more damage than he has Wounds remaining, a Critical Hit is suffered. The attacker rolls percentile dice on Table 6-3: Critical Hits to determine the outcome, known as the Critical Effect. Just like other tests, rolling low is better. Once the Wounds total has been reduced to 0, it never goes below this number—all additional damage results in Critical Hits. Thus there is no such thing as “negative Wounds.” If a character suffers a Critical Hit and survives, he is still at 0 Wounds and still able to fight.

To resolve the Critical Hit, two pieces of information are required. First, the hit location (see page 129). Second, the Critical Value, which ranges from +1 to +10 (with +10 representing the most severe injuries). The Critical Value is the amount of damage left over after all Wounds have been lost. If a character has 3 Wounds remaining, for example, and takes 8 points of damage, he suffers a Critical Hit with a Critical Value of +5.

The attacking player rolls percentile dice and cross-references his result with the Critical Value on Table 6-3: Critical Hits. The result will be a number from 1-10, the Critical Effect. Consult the appropriate table (Critical Effects—Arm, Body, Head, or Leg) and read the entry for the specified Critical Effect.

Critical Effects have been written without any assumptions as to what type of weapon or spell caused the damage. While the tables provide the basics, it’s always fun to embellish them with details specific to the attack. No one ever had his head sliced off with a flail for instance, but skulls can certainly be split asunder, spattering blood and brains over everyone nearby.

**Example:** Jean-Pierre, a Bretonnian Noble, is fighting a band of maniacal Orcs. Despite his best efforts, the Orcs whittle his Wounds down to only 2. Then the Orc boss bashes him in the head with a big mace for 9 points of damage. This results in a Critical Hit with a Critical Value of +7. The GM rolls percentile dice and gets an 85. Cross-referencing this with the +7 column, the GM sees he’s gotten Critical Effect #7. He then looks at Table 6-6: Critical Effects—Head and reads the result: “Knocked out for 1d10 minutes.” He rolls a d10 and gets a 10! Jean-Pierre will be unconscious for 10 full minutes. Unless he has friends to save him, Jean-Pierre will never see Bretonnia again.

#### **Sudden Death Critical Hits**

Sometimes players just want to know if an opponent is dead or not and don’t much care about the details. Where convenient, the GM can speed combat along without adjudicating detailed critical hits. In other cases, grievous wounds have already been inflicted, so it’s just a matter of finishing an enemy off. In these instances, use the Sudden Death option. Roll on Table 6-3: Critical Hits as usual, but ignore the Critical Effects. If the result is a 1-5, there is no effect. If the result is 6-10, the subject is slain. Note that due to the nature of the table, any Critical Value of +5 or greater results in death no matter the dice roll.

#### **Permanent Effects**

Some Critical Effects are permanent. Should a character suffer more than one of these effects, it’s probably time to retire the poor fellow and make a new one.

* **Lost Hand**: The character takes a –20% penalty on Skill and Characteristic Tests that rely on the use of two hands and cannot wield two-handed weapons. A shield can be strapped to the injured arm, however.
* **Lost Arm:** As lost hand, but the character can’t strap a shield to his arm as he doesn’t have one.
* **Lost Eye**: The character suffers a permanent –20% BS reduction and takes a –20% penalty on all Skill and Characteristic Tests reliant on sight.
* **Lost Foot:** The character’s Movement Characteristic is halved permanently and he suffers a –20% penalty on Skill and Characteristic Tests reliant on mobility (including Dodge).
* **Lost Leg:** As lost foot, but the character cannot use the Dodge Skill.

#### **Critical Hit Tables**

##### Critical Effects—Arm

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

##### Critical Effects—Leg

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

##### Critical Effects—Head

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

##### Critical Effects—Body

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

## Fate and Fortune Points

All Player Characters begin the game with a certain number of Fate Points (see Chapter 2: Character Creation). Fate Points represent destiny and they are part of what makes a PC a cut above the average denizen of the Old World. A character can spend a Fate Point to avoid death from injuries, disease, poison, etc. and it is lost permanently (though characters may gain new Fate Points as rewards for heroic actions). The GM will explain how this works when the time comes. GMs can find guidelines for handling Fate Points in Chapter 9: The Game Master.

A character’s FP Characteristic also controls how many Fortune Points he has. Fortune Points are related to Fate Points, but they are different in two key ways. First, Fortune Points are a renewable resource. Each day a character can spend a number of Fortune Points equal to his Fate Points Characteristic. Second, Fortune Points are not as powerful as Fate Points. They represent the small ways in which fortune smiles upon the character and can be considered part of his larger destiny.

Fortune Points can be used in one of four ways:

* A character can spend a Fortune Point to re-roll one failed Characteristic or Skill Test. This can be done any time, not just in combat. Only 1 Fortune Point can be used when attempting an Extended Test.
* A character can spend a Fortune Point to gain an extra parry or dodge. This does allow a character to parry or dodge more than once in a round, which is normally forbidden.
* A character can spend a Fortune Point to gain an extra 1d10 on his Initiative roll. In other words, the character rolls 2d10 and adds the result to his Agility to determine his Initiative at the start of combat.
* A character can spend a Fortune Point to gain an extra half action during his turn.

A character’s Fortune Points are calculated at the start of each day.

## Natural Damage

### Fire

Characters take damage each round if exposed to fire. Generally speaking, fires range from Damage 1 (a small campfire) to Damage 10 (a raging inferno). The GM should determine the damage based on the fire’s size and ferocity. If a character is exposed to the same fire source for two or more consecutive rounds, he must make an Agility Test each round or catch on fire. Once blazing, a character loses 1d10 Wounds (with no reduction for armour or Toughness Bonus) each round until the fire is extinguished.

### Suffocation

There are many ways to suffocate. Drowning is the most common, but the inhalation of smoke and certain gasses also does the trick. When in danger of asphyxiation, a character must make a Toughness Test once per minute, with a cumulative –10% penalty for each previous test. The third Toughness Test, for instance, would suffer a –20% penalty. A character falls unconscious once he has failed two tests. If not rescued within two more minutes, the character suffocates and dies.

### Disease

Plague and pestilence are facts of life in the Empire. The common folk suffer yearly outbreaks and epidemics of many types. Some choose to trust to Shallya to heal their ills, whilst others prefer to place their faith in doctors and quackery. Whatever the case, the old, the young, the unwashed and the unlucky are frequent victims of disease.

When exposed to a disease, a character must make a successful Toughness Test or contract it. The disease lasts for a set number of days, modified by the results of a second Toughness Test. Each degree of success shortens the duration by one day, while each degreeof failure lengthens it by one day. Once every three days, a character with the Heal Skill can attempt to aid the character as well. A successful test shortens the duration by one day. When the duration drops to 0, the character recovers from the disease.

#### **The Bloody Flux**

Description: The Flux is a common term for any illness that causes the sufferer to void large amounts of matter from their person in a short time. Privy doors flap when the Flux comes to town. The Bloody Flux is a particularly unpleasant strain, often believed to be a punishment from the Gods to the impious. The cures for it are certainly foul, including the inhalation of sulphurous fumes, feeding up with blood sausage, “stopping” with cork and wax or greasing with linnet and pork fat.

Duration: 3 days.

Effects: Severe dehydration causes the character to suffer a –10% penalty to the Characteristics on his Main Profile.

#### **The Galloping Trots**

Description: This vigorous, smelly, and messy affliction is quite common amongst those who pay little care to the cooking and cleanliness of their food. Known in Altdorf as “Rumsters Revenge” after the cheap and dubious “meat” pies sold by Halfling merchants for a penny each, many hungry visitors to the capitol end up “spending a penny twice”. Rest, clean water and plenty of privy rags are the only cure.

Duration: 5 days

Effects: The wracking intestinal pain causes the character to suffer a –20% penalty to the Characteristics on his Main Profile.

#### **The Green Pox**

Description: This horrid disease is the ravager of many a face. It first manifests cold-like symptoms of sneezes and shivering, but soon shows its true colours. The victim is usually bed-ridden by the time the first boils begin to swell. Over the course of ten or so days, the victim becomes studded with large, pennysized sores that weep green-coloured pus. A high fever rages, and a distinctive smell arises from the sufferer’s body. Should they survive the pox, the victim will be covered with large greenish-grey scars about the face, throat and shoulders. The Green Pox can recur at any point in the victim’s life from then on, increasing the density and brightness of the pox marks each time. Only heavy make-up can disguise the distinctive marks.

Duration: 14 days.

Effects: Each day the character has the Green Pox he must make a Toughness Test or lose 5% from every Characteristic on his Main Profile. If Toughness is reduced to 0 or less, the character dies. If the victim survives, he must make a Toughness Test or suffer a permanent –10% penalty to Fellowship Tests reliant on physical appearance or good looks.

#### **Kruts**

Description: Legend has it that Dwarf herdsmen brought down this itching, crepuscular rash from the mountains. Maddening, painful and embarrassing, this sickness tends to gather about the thighs, groin and torso. Transmitted by touch, this highly infectious rash is quite a social stigma. Sometimes associated with goats, and other livestock, folk medicine recommends shaving the afflicted area and painting it with turpentine.

Duration: 5 days.

Effects: The constant irritation causes the character to suffer a –10% penalty to his Agility and Fellowship. During combat he must make a successful Will Power Test each round at the beginning of his turn or spend a half action itching and scratching.

#### **Neiglish Rot**

Description: This insidious disease is rightly the most feared of all the Empire’s ills. Whilst most sicknesses destroy the body, this exhibit boils, fever and violent fluxes as the rot withers their frame to leprous proportions. Most end their lives before the final stages of the disease, for the disturbing changes it wreaks upon ones frame are enough to shatter one’s sanity. Many whisper that this illness is the work of the Fly Lord, casting his net to snare souls to his service. Only the mightiest of Shallyan healing magic can cure Neiglish Rot. For most victims, it is a death sentence.

Duration: 30 days.

Effects: Each day a character has the Neiglish Rot he must make a Toughness Test or lose 5% from every Characteristic on his Main Profile. If Toughness is reduced to 0 or less, the character dies. At the end of each week the character has the disease, roll on Table 11-1: Chaos Mutations on page 229.

#### **Scurvy Madness**

Description: This dangerous disease causes painful swellings upon the lips, tongue and gums. When these burst—usually whilst sneezing—foul tasting and infectious pus sprays out, sometimes up to five feet away. A high fever induces hallucinations and a terrible thirst in the victim, who must be doused in water and kept cool at all costs. People in the grip of the madness have gone on violent rampages, made shocking admissions and caused dangerous scandals. Folk cures include strapping sufferers to a stout board and forcing either grog with vinegar and lime juice or a live frog down their gullet.

Duration: 7 days.

Effects: The sufferer becomes so debilitated that all the Characteristics on his Main Profile are halved (rounded up). If trying to do anything but recuperate, the character must make a successful Will Power Test or the GM will decide what he does instead. Considering that victims suffer from severe hallucinations, this could be nearly anything.

#### **Stench Foot Fever**

Description: This foul disease is a common Halfling affliction that has escaped from the Moot to plague the Empire. Views conflict on how it is caught. Some claim merely sharing a seat with one of the “wee folk” is enough to get you infected. Unfortunates who suffer from the fever are afflicted with sweats and shakes, sickness and a foul, meaty stink arising from their feet. The accepted method of dealing with this sickness is to fight fire with fire —rubbing the afflicted feet with meat, dung and the like to “drive out” the sickness.

Duration: 4 days.

Effects: The illness causes a –20% penalty to all the Characteristics on the character’s Main Profile. The sufferer and anyone within 4 yards also suffers a –10% on Perception Tests involving sense of smell, since the odour of the character’s feet is so unbelievably foul.

#### **Weevil Cough**

Description: Tiny mites that live in hay, wheat and flour stores cause this hacking cough. Spending too much time around infested areas will produce a thick, phlegmy cough, shortness of breath and a distinctive throaty rattle to the voice. Quacks often claim inhaling the vapours of various concoctions— many of them highly addictive—can cure it.

Duration: 3 days.

Effects: Coughing causes the character to suffer a –10% penalty to the Characteristics on his Main Profile and reduces Movement by 2.

## Movement

Movement has already been covered during combat and other situations where time is broken into 10 second rounds. Movement during narrative time, plus rules for jumping and falling, leaping, and flying, follow. Swimming and climbing are covered in Chapter 4: Skills and Talents under the skills Swim and Scale Sheer Surface respectively.

### Narrative Movement

The vast majority of movement occurs as part of the story or narrative and it can be handled speedily. It isn’t necessary to make a journey as tedious for the players as it is for their characters. The GM can simply say things like, “After a gruelling eight hour hike, you finally arrive in Nuln feeling hungry and dispirited.” Some GMs prefer to play such things fast and loose (“It takes you about a week.”). Others prefer more realism and like to spin out a story. For the benefit of the latter, there are two movement charts, Tables 6-8 and 6-9.

Table 6-8: Local Movement in Yards Per Minute is for travel in a limited area, such as a city, village, or valley. Table 6-9: Overland Movement in Miles Per Hour is for long-term travel, such as that between two cities. Both tables are based on the Movement

Characteristic and have two columns, hampered and standard.

* Hampered Movement: Use this column when moving cautiously or through difficult terrain such as woods, marshes, or hills. This column is also appropriate for military formations on the march.
* Standard Movement: This is the typical rate for small groups in open country or on roads.

The GM may further modify these rates in light of adverse circumstances, such as weather, darkness, congestion, heavy loads, and so on. A percentage reduction of the total distance travelled is the easiest way to handle this. The GM might decide, for example, that the light drizzle has reduced the overall distance travelled by 10% for that day. Eight hours is a good day’s travel. It’s possible to push on, but the GM should reduce the rate by 10% per additional hour of travel.

Groups of travellers move at the speed of the slowest member.

### Jumping and Falling

A jump is a controlled vertical descent and a jumping character will usually land on his feet. Jumping is a full action. If a character is pushed, or plummets accidentally, he is not jumping but falling.

When a character falls, he takes a hit with Damage based on the distance of the drop. See Table 6-10: Falling Damage and round distances up when necessary. Falling damage is reduced by Toughness Bonus but not armour. If the damage die comes up 10, the character must make another Agility Test or add an extra 1d10 to the damage roll. If he survives he falls to the ground, so a stand action is required to get up. The character must make a successful Agility Test to keep his grip on anything in his hand as he falls.

When jumping, the character must make an Agility Test for each 3 yards (rounded up) of descent. If a test is failed, he falls the remaining distance (and needn’t make any more tests). This means that if the character fails the first test, he falls the entire distance. If the character has the Performer (Acrobat) skill, he may use that instead of Agility at the player’s option.

#### Leaping

A leap is a horizontal jump, like a long jump. It is used to leap from roof to roof or to cross chasms and the like. A leap is a full action.

There are two types of leaps, running and standing.

In a running leap, the character sprints up to his Movement Characteristic x 2 in yards (or Movement in squares). The character must move at least 4 yards (2 squares) in a straight line leading up to take off. The maximum distance leaped is equal to Movement plus Strength Bonus in yards. This is the distance of the leap if a successful Strength Test is made. For each degree of failure of the test, the distance leaped is reduced by 1 yard (minimum 1 yard). If the character has the Performer (Acrobat) skill, he may use that instead of Strength at the player’s option.

A standing leap is similar, but takes no run-up. This is adjudicated the same way, but the final distance is halved (rounded up). The vertical distance of a leap (if important) is equal to M–2 in yards. Just as with horizontal distance, the vertical distance is reduced by 1 yard for each degree of failure (minimum 1). A result of zero or less means the character gained enough altitude to leap, but not enough to clear any obstacles.

#### Falling Damage

 6 yards
 9 yards
 12 yards
 15 yards
 18 yards
 21 yards
 24 yards
 25+ yards

## Flying

Flying creatures and characters are broken up into two categories, each of which is a talent (see Chapter 4: Skills and Talents). A hoverer can move through the air but is incapable of gaining more than 2 yards of altitude. A flier can go high into the sky, just like a bird.

Each flying creature or character also has an additional Characteristic called Flying Movement. This works just like the Movement Characteristic, but only applies when flying. A creature’s Flying Movement can be found in parenthesis after the normal Movement Characteristic. For example, a creature with Movement 3 (8) would have a ground Movement of 3 and a Flying Movement of 8. Flying spells specify the Flying Movement they impart.

When flying, a character must take at least one move action on his turn each round or he will fall. Hoverers simply land, which causes no damage. Those at low altitude take damage from a 15 yard fall, while those at high altitude take damage from a 25+ yard fall. See the Falling rules on page 138 for details. The charge attack and run actions also count as movement (though players may want to think of running as soaring in the case of fliers).

### Altitude

There are three levels of altitude above ground level, hovering, low, and high. They affect play as follows:

* Hovering: Skimming above the ground, no higher than 2 yards up. Characters can move over obstacles or pits with ease, but attacks work as normal. Characters can both attack and be attacked like a character on the ground.
* Low: Flying at an altitude of 15 yards or less. The character cannot attack or be attacked in melee, but ranged attacks and spells are possible. The character suffers no penalties for shooting downwards, but those firing up at treat the target as 16 yards (8 squares) further away and suffer a –10% penalty to their Ballistic Skill.
* High: Flying far above the ground, out of range of all attacks (even those coming from low altitude). The character can only attack or be attacked by other creatures flying high.

A character can change altitude by one level (up or down) during each move action taken. If using the charge attack or run actions, the character can change altitude by two levels.

Example: Garmond, a Celestial Wizard, casts the wings of Heaven spell, which grants him Flying Movement 6. On his next turn he takes two move actions. On the first he goes from the ground to hovering and moves 12 yards (6 squares). On the second he ascends from hovering to low altitude and moves another 12 yards (6 squares). Should an archer 24 yards (12 squares) away now shoot at Garmond, the range would be 40 yards (20 squares) because flying at low altitude adds 16 yards (8 squares).

### Aerial Combat

Characters and creatures at low or high altitude can engage in melee combat but it works a bit differently than ground combat. Fliers must keep forward momentum going or they’ll fall to the ground. They thus can’t stand still and go toe to toe with an opponent in melee. To engage an opponent in aerial combat, characters must be at the same altitude (either low or high). Then they must take the charge attack action with one important difference. With an aerial charge attack, the character can make his attack at any point of his movement. This simulates flying by the opponent and delivering a blow in passing.

Example: Garmond and a Harpy are both flying at low altitude. Garmond decides to attack the Harpy in melee so on his turn he uses the charge attack action. With his Flying Movement 6, he can move up to 24 yards (12 squares) and make an attack at any point of his movement. Garmond moves 16 yards (8 squares), which puts him next to the Harpy. He then makes his attack and moves his remaining 8 yards (4 squares) after it’s resolved. Flying creatures at the same altitude can attack each other with ranged attacks or spells as normal.

### Force Down

Rather than damaging an aerial opponent, a character can try to drag him down to earth. This requires a charge attack action. If the character hits no damage is inflicted. Instead both combatants make an Opposed Strength Test. If the attacker wins, he drags his opponent down one level of altitude and may continue if he has any movement left. If the opponent wins, the attempt fails and the attacker may continue on if he has any movement left. In the case of a stalemate, the combatants become entangled and both plummet to the ground and take falling damage based on altitude.