Combat
Mysterious characters and dangerous traps are surely important elements of any role-playing game, but there is nothing to beat the thrill of clashing blades. It is not only that in a harsh world such as Aventuria combat to the end is often the last (though rarely the first or only one) possibility of settling a conflict, and that some ferocious monstrosities and creatures from beyond understand nothing but the language of cold steel – tactical planning, the changing fortunes of battle, a hero's immediate danger, and the possibility of grasping victory by combat prowess alone make combat situations a thrilling and important element of both role-playing sessions and rules sets.
How Combat Works
Whenever combat erupts during an adventure, it is conducted in Combat Rounds. During any such round, each combatant may attack once and parry once.
The sequence of attacks is determined by Initiative ».
Once it is your hero's turn, you may need to determine just who she will be attacking (providing she is faced with more than one enemy).
Next, you need to decide whether you want to make a normal attack or employ a Special Maneuver ».
The attacker - either your hero or one of her enemies - now makes an attack roll. This roll takes on the form of a Test against the Attack Value » the combatant has with her weapon. If this Test succeeds, the defender will try to parry, provided she has not already tried parrying another enemy's attack in the same Combat Round. Parrying is done by making a Test against the character's Parry Value ». If the parry succeeds (or if the attack failed in the first place), the attack has no effect, and the next combatant gets her turn.
If the attack succeeds and the parry fails (or if the attack succeeds and the defender may no longer try to parry), however, the attacker has scored a hit, inflicting a certain amount of Hit Points » as determined by weapon. The defender may subtract her Armor Rating » from this amount of damage, while the remainder are subtracted directly from her Vitality » as Damage Points ».Combat now continues with the next character.
If a combat maneuver fails then the next action's (AT, PA, or test) Difficulty increase is +Called number. With Blade Dancer », the Difficulty increase is only +Called number/2.
Combat Statistics
Initiative (INI): determines who gets to act when in combat. Each hero (and each enemy) has a Base Initiative Value, calculated from Courage, Intuition, and Agility. Armor Encumbrance is subtracted from Initiative. Using certain weapons or shields may also modify Initiative.
At the beginning of each battle, Initiative is determined by rolling a six-sided die and adding the result to the modified Base Initiative Value. The end result determines who gets to act when during this combat.
Attack Value (AT): This value tells you how good your hero is with the weapons she is using. Each hero has a Base Attack Value. It is calculated from Courage, Agility, and Strength.
Each weapon has been grouped with a particular Combat Talent. To use a weapon, you add the attack part of your TP in the respective Combat Talent to your Base Attack Value. Some weapons have Weapon Modifiers, further changing your hero's Attack Value. If your hero is using a shield, your Attack Value will be reduced accordingly.
Parry Value (PA): This value tells you how good your hero is a parrying an enemy's successful attack. Each hero has a Base Parry Value. It is calculated from Intuition, Agility, and Strength.
Each weapon has been grouped with a particular Combat Talent. To use any weapon, you add the parry part of your TP in the respective Combat Talent to your Base Parry Value. Some weapons have Weapon Modifiers, further changing your hero's Parry Value.
Using a shield, however, usually increases your Parry Value since shields directly modify Base Parry Value.
Improving Attack and Parry Values: The maximum value of any Combat Talent may not exceed the sum of either AG or ST (whichever is higher) +3. Thus, a hero with AG 12 and ST 15 may not advance any Combat Talent beyond a TP of 18. If TP in a particular Combat Talent is improved, you need to decide whether you increase AT or PA in this Talent. Hint: Should you ever reach this boundary and still want to increase your combat prowess, you need to advance the higher of the two Attribute Values first.
Hit Points: (HP): The damage inflicted on the defender. Hit Points are determined by the weapon used in the attack.
Armor Rating (AR): AR absorbs damage; it is determined by the type of armor worn. AR is subtracted from the amount of HP scored by the attacker. The resulting difference are known as Damage Points (DP).
Damage Points (DP): Hit Points minus Armor Rating. This is the actual amount of points subtracted from your Vitality once you've been hit.
Encumbrance (EC): How movement and agility are impeded by the type of armor worn; this is directly determined by the armor.
Effective Encumbrance (EEC): This tells you how EC actually effects your hero, depending on the Combat Talent the weapon you are wielding has been assigned to. Employing a "fast" weapon (such as an epée or a dagger) is more impeded by high EC than using a "slow" weapon (such as a two-handed sword).
Ranged Combat (RC): The Attack Value of a ranged weapon is calculated on the basis of a Ranged Combat Base Attack Value (determined by Intuition, Dexterity, and Agility) and Talent Prowess with the respective ranged weapon. TDE Browser adventures only allow you to make use of the Throwing Knives Talent.
Unarmed Combat: Whenever your hero doesn't have access to a weapon, she will fight with her bare hands. To state it outright: this is a very dangerous course of action, which you should try to avoid in all but the most dire of circumstances. Take special care to select an active weapon for your hero after trading!
If fighting unarmed against an opponent with a weapon, your Attack Value is reduced by 1 and your Parry Value reduced by 2. Your hero does 1d+0 Hit Points in unarmed combat. These are real Hit Points (instead of just modifying an opponent's Endurance or being halved; this is a slight modification to the standard TDE rules). TP/ST is 10/3.
If your unarmed hero succeeds in an attack but your opponent manages to parry, your hero is wounded by the opponent's weapon and takes half the weapon's standard damage. Your unarmed hero may still try to parry as long as she uses a shield. Without a shield she will dodge, meaning your hero actually does not incure damage on a successful parry.
If the opponent does not use a weapon either, (animal, monster, boxing against other human) then Attack and Parry Values will not be reduced and of course no fighter may get damage from a weapon.
Special Combat Abilities
To guarantee a good gameplay experience and fun in some single cases the official TDE-rules may be modified. The differences are highlighted in green color.
Alertness
Qualification: IN 12
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Orientation needs only 1 Action (instead of 2) without INI Test, AT +4 to opponents' Opportunity Attacks.
Dodge I
Qualification: AG 10
Cost: 300 AP
Benefit: PA = PA = Base PA Value +3 (instead of 0) when dodging
Dodge II
Qualification: AG 12, Dodge I, Alertness
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: PA = Base PA Value +6 (instead of +3) when dodging
Dodge III
Qualification: AG 15, Dodge II, Combat Reflexes
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: PA = Base PA Value +9 (instead of +6) when dodging
Roundhouse
Qualification: ST 15, CO 12, Knock Down
Cost: 100 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Roundhouse: AT +4 per opponent, simultaneous attacks against all opponents, INI -1d6 for opponents hit, no parry in this combat round.
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Chain Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Combinable with: Mighty Blow, Feint
Ironman
Qualification: CN 15
Cost: 350 AP
Benefit: Wound Threshold +2, keep on fighting even at 1 <= VI <= 5
Disarm
Qualification: IN 12, AG 12, ST 12, Master Parry, Parrying Weapons I
Cost: 400 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Disarm: AT +8 (+6 for Quarterstaff, +4 for Two-Lilies), opponent rolls ST Test at +8, drops weapon when ST Test failed
Not possible together with shield or parrying weapon.
If opponent fights with Two-Handed Blunt Weapons or Two-Handed Swords then Master Disarm is needed.
Usable with: Daggers(!), Fencing Weapons(!), Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Spears, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Swords
Combinable with: Feint
Feint
Qualification: AG 12, Base AT Value 8
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Opponent's PA +Called number instead of PA +(Called number/2).
If a shield is used then malus 2.
EEC must be <= 4.
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Spears, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Swords
Combinable with: Mighty Blow, Strike of Wrath, Roundhouse
Counterstrike
Qualification: CO 15, AG 12, Master Parry
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Counterstrike: no PA but instead AT +4 +Feint of the main attacker, if successful, Fighter with higher INI value gets INI difference as bonus, Opposed Attack vs. opponent, 'worse' attack only HP /2 and High Strength bonus will be ignored. A failed Maneuver Counterstrike causes a Fumble.
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Spears, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Lunge
Qualification: Feint
Cost: 100 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Lunge: AT +4 +AR/2 (of the opponent) + PA-modifier of Shield/Parrying Weapon, If success: HP = DP, Opponent’s Wound Threshold -2, opponent takes 1 additional Wound
Usable with: Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Spears, Swords
Combinable with: Feint
Strike of Wrath
Qualification: CO 15, Knock Down
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Strike of Wrath: AT +8, HP *3, opponent gets Opportunity Attack (AT +4 – INI-value of weapon) as free action when failed, INI -1d6 if Opportunity Attack is successful, no parry in this combat round.
Not possible if opponent fights with a shield.
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Chain Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Combinable with: Mighty Blow, Feint
Combat Reflexes
Qualification: Base INI value 10
Cost: 300 AP
Benefit: Initiative Value +4 if EC <= 4
Blade Storm
Qualification: CN 12, Base AT Value 9, Feint, Combat reflexes
Cost: 300 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Blade Storm: AT /2 +2, attacks against two opponents
EEC must be <= 4.
Usable with: Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Spears, Staves, Swords
Blade Dancer
Qualification: IN 15, AG 15, Alertness, Combat reflexes, Blade Storm, Wall of Blades
Cost: 700 AP
Benefit: Base INI +2, INI at begin of battle +2d6 instead of +1d6 (after orientating +1d6+6 instead of +6), on failed maneuver Difficulty Increase: Called number/2 instead of Called number, allows Blade Storm and Wall of Blades against 3 opponents at AT/3 +2 or PA/3 +2, respectively
Wall of Blades
Qualification: AG 12, Base PA Value 9, Master Parry, Combat reflexes
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Wall of Blades: PA /2 +2, Parry against two opponents
Usable with: Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Spears, Staves, Swords
Off-Hand Fighting
Qualification: AG 10, ST 10
Cost: 300 AP
Benefit: PA = Base PA Value +Shield PA +1 (instead of 0) when parrying with a shield, allows use of Parryng Weapons at PA = PA Value +Parry Weapons PA -4
Master Disarm
Qualification: AG 15, Disarm
Cost: 100 AP
Benefit: Allows you to disarm an opponent wielding a two-handed weapon, opponent rolls ST Test at +10 (instead of +8)
Master Parry
Qualification: Base PA Value 8
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Master Parry: PA +Called number, next round's AT or PA or Test at -Called number, a longer-term action revokes the effect
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Spears, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Alternatively possible when a shield is used and Shield Fighting II is mastered.
Knock Down
Qualification: Mighty Blow
Cost: 100 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Knock Down: AT +4 +Called number, if successful: opponent loses INI -1d6 and rolls ST Test at +Called number +(HP - ST) if >0, gets additional INI -1d6 and drops down when Test fails (AT -3, PA -3 / Fighter standing: AT +3, PA +5 / Get up needs Test at AG)
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Chain Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Parrying Weapons I
Qualification: AG 12, Off-Hand Fighting
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: PA = PA Value +Parrying Weapons PA -1 (instead of -4) when parrying with Parrying Weapons
Parrying Weapons II
Qualification: AG 15, Parrying Weapons I
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: PA = PA Value +Parrying Weapons PA +2 (instead of -1) when parrying with Parrying Weapons
Armor Use I
Qualification: ST 10
Cost: 150 AP
Benefit: EC -1 to this Archetype's standard armor
Armor Use II
Qualification: ST 12, Armor Use I
Cost: 300 AP
Benefit: EC -1 to all types of armor
Armor Use III
Qualification: ST 15, Armor Use II
Cost: 450 AP
Benefit: EC -2, negative Initiatve modifier is halved
Shield Fighting I
Qualification: ST 12, Off-Hand Fighting
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: PA = Base PA Value +Shield PA +3 (instead of +1) when parrying with a shield
Shield Fighting II
Qualification: ST 15, Shield Fighting I
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: PA = Base PA Value +Shield PA +5 (instead of +3) when parrying with a shield
Quick Draw
Qualification: AG 12, DE 10
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Drawing a weapon: -1 Action, readying a shield: -2 Actions
Mortal Blow
Qualification: CO 15, Quick Draw
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Mortal Blow: AT +8 +AR/2 (of the opponent) + PA-modifier of Shield/Parrying Weapon, no Parry, If success: HP = DP, opponent’s Wound Threshold -2, opponent takes 2 additional Wounds, Opponent gets Opportunity Attack (AT +4 – INI-value of weapon) as free action when failed, no parry in this combat round.
Usable with: Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Spears, Swords
Combinable with: Mighty Blow, Feint
Rush
Qualification: ST 12, Feint
Cost: 100 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Rush: AT +8 +Called number, no DP, opponent rolls AG Test at +8 +Called number, loses INI -2d6 and drops down when Test fails (AT -3, PA -3 / Fighter standing: AT +3, PA +5 / Get up needs Test at AG)
Not possible together with shield or parrying weapon.
Usable with: Daggers, Fencing Weapons, Spears
Combinable with: Feint
Windmill
Qualification: Counterstrike, Mighty Blow
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Windmill: Parry Mighty Blow, Strike of Wrath, opponent's Roundhouse with your own Mighty Blow. If success: opponent’s following maneuver (Mighty Blow, Strike of Wrath, Roundhouse) difficulty increase by whose Called number.
Not possible together with shield.
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Chain Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Mighty Blow
Qualification: ST 12
Cost: 200 AP
Benefit: Maneuver Mighty Blow: HP +Called number instead of HP +(Called number/2).
Usable with: Axes and Maces, Chain Weapons, Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Infantry Weapons, Sabers, Staves, Swords, Two-Handed Blunt Weapons, Two-Handed Swords
Combinable with: Feint, Strike of Wrath, Roundhouse
Here you can test the TDE Game!