Combat
Most Swords of Infinity adventures involve conflict of various sorts, and this section addresses how characters and their opponents can use everything from swords to words to resolve their differences.
Contents
Rounds and Turns
Combat is broken down into rounds and turns, with each participant getting two actions per turn, and with a round ending after every participant has finished its turn. This phased approach to keeping order during conflict is referred to as Tactical Time and is used whenever combat takes place. It is also a useful tool for whenever Storytellers need their players to pay special attention to the order of events or to simulate limited time during a story.
Initiative
Initiative determines the order that characters take their turns in combat or other situations for which Tactical Time applies and it is the first thing that must be determined in such a case. When Tactical Time begins, each player should make a Power roll with a target number equal to their Dexterity plus their Awareness, and the Storyteller should make a similar roll for every non-player participant in the encounter. All of these numbers should then be recorded in descending order, with the highest number going first.
Actions
All participants in combat start out with two actions that they can use to perform any full action and a minor action that they can use for quick things like dropping a held item or speaking. Some combat conditions can affect the number of actions a participant gets, and will be explored later. Examples of each sort of action can be found in the table below.
| Action Type | Example Actions |
|---|---|
| Full Action | Attacking, Casting a Spell, Moving, Using an Item, Picking up an Item |
| Minor Action | Social Interaction, Dropping a Held Item, Making an Awareness Skill Check to Notice Something |
Timing in Tactical Time
Although Swords of Infinity breaks combat down into a well-separated, turn-based exchange, most combatants would actually be acting nearly simultaneously, with some acting slightly faster than others (i.e., those with higher initiative scores). Players should keep this in mind when imagining the story as it unfolds and bear in mind that their characters are not actually standing and waiting for their turn to act!
Duration of a Turn
A single turn represents 6 seconds of real-world time and a minute is therefore divided neatly into 10 rounds. This means that combat is actually taking place very quickly in the story, even though it may take several minutes to resolve an encounter in the game.
Spacing
Like many other roleplaying games, Swords of Infinity assumes a grid of 1" squares representing 5 foot square spaces will be used for determining distances in tactical encounters. This is done both for the sake of tradition and to maintain compatibility with the vast number of excellent pre-existing tabletop RPG accessories out there. SoI does differentiate slightly between the concepts of active space, the space that a character needs for unimpaired movement, and occupied space, the space that a character physically takes up. Players will generally be using active spacing, particularly in combat, but might need to know their occupied space when they attempt to pile into a vehicle or cram into a narrow passageway in a cave.
| Creature Size | Active Space | Occupied Space |
|---|---|---|
| -5 | 1/32 square | 1/128 square |
| -4 | 1/16 square | 1/64 square |
| -3 | 1/4 square | 1/16 square |
| -2 | 1/2 square | 1/8 square |
| -1 | 1 square | 1/6 square |
| 0 | 1 square | 1/4 square |
| 1 | 1 square | 1/2 square |
| 2 | 4 squares | 1 square |
| 3 | 9 squares | 4 squares |
| 4 | 16 squares | 8 squares |
| 5 | 25 squares | 16 squares |
Moving
Moving costs one action and allows a combatant to walk up to its maximum move distance (e.g., 7 squares or 35 feet for a size 0 character is standard), or use one of its movement skills to cross distance in special ways. As a rule, any sort of resisted or finesse movement skill — usually Dexterity or Strength-based — qualifies as moving and costs one action.
Jumping, Sprinting, Climbing, and Swimming
Special forms of resisted movement, notably jumping, sprinting, climbing, or swimming, require Power Checks when attempted. To perform these actions, a combatant must roll a Power Check using the relevant skill, the character then moves the following distances based on the table below. Note that when attempting a Sprint the character is still able to move up to its regular movement distance at a minimum even if they rolled poorly.
| Movement Type | Distance:Power |
|---|---|
| Sprint | 5 ft. Per 1 point of Power (1 Square / 1 Point) |
| Jump | 1 ft. Per 2 points of Power (1 Square / 10 Points) |
| Climb | 1 ft Per 10 points of Power (1 Square / 50 Points) |
| Swim | 1 ft Per 1 Point of Power (1 Square / 5 Points) |
Resisted Movement and Endurance
Resisted movement is tiring, characters that attempt more than one consecutive resisted movement actions must succeed on an Endurance skill check or lose one point of spirit.
Rough Terrain
Some terrain characters might encounter (e.g. dense underbrush or a room filled with debris on the floor) is considered Rough Terrain. Rough Terrain halves the distance that a character sprints and makes the character Vulnerable.
Attacking
Combat usually involves physically attacking opponents, and in Swords of Infinity this requires choosing a target, making a success roll to hit the target, and then optionally rolling a power roll to determine the damage. Attacks are resolved according to the following steps, and typically cost one action (it is possible for attacks to cost two actions, and this will be explored later).
- The player declares a target for the attack (if it is a Targeted attack)
- The player makes a success roll to see if the attack hits
- If the player's attack hits, the opponent gets a chance to defend
- If the opponent does not successfully defend, the player makes a power roll to determine damage and compares the one's place on the d% to the target's composition to determine the hit location.
Types of Attacks
- Targeted: This type of attack deals damage to the Damage Target determined by the dice roll, most attacks with with weapons are Targeted.
- Untargeted: This type of attack deals damage to the Damage Target of the defender's choosing, attacks with an Area of Effect (spells, explosions, etc.) and Blocked attacks are Untargeted.
Damage Targets
Swords of Infinity differs from some other role-playing games in that it tracks damage in multiple places, referred to as Damage Targets. The collection of a creature's Damage Targets is their Composition, which will also include the number required to hit it. On a human opponent the composition is, predictably, two legs (1-2), the torso (3-6), two arms (7-8), and the head (9-10) and stress (the damage target affected by Social Conflict). Damage Targets for monsters are going to depend on their Composition, and may include wings, tails, extra heads, etc.
Hitting
Hitting a target requires a Dexterity based Skill Check. When making this Skill Check add any bonus or penalty for the weight of the weapon being used to the target number of the check. If the check is successful then the attack hits and the attacker's opponent must defend.
Melee Range
Size 0 characters can typically reach targets up to 5 feet away with their Melee weapons. Weapon Traits can modify this distance.
Ranged Attacks
Attacks made with ranged weapons suffer a -1 penalty for every five foot increment of distance between the attacker and the target. Ranged attacks made with weapons that aren't design to be thrown or fired suffer a -5 penalty for every five foot increment of distance between the attacker and the target.
Critical Hits
A critical success on a hit results in one of the following additional special outcomes that can be selected by the player or the Storyteller.
- The attack can only be defended by a critical defense, even if the defensive roll is lower.
- The attack does full damage
- The attack causes a Narrative Effect that lasts for one round.
Damage
If an attack successfully hits the power of the attack has to be determined. Make a power roll with the target number based off the relevant weapon damage skill, plus any bonus or penalty to damage granted by the weight and type of the weapon.
Size Differences
Generally speaking, larger creatures are easier to hit and notice, but harder to hurt. Likewise smaller creatures are easier to hurt, but have an easier time maneuvering against a larger opponent. As a general rule, there is a bonus equal to ten times the difference between the size of the attacking character and the target. Note that the Power modifier is applied to Special Abilities, Spells and Techniques as well as regular attacks.
Big
- +10 to Damage Target Number for every size category larger
- +10 to Physical Resistance Target Number against the attacks and abilities of smaller creatures for every size category larger
Small
- +10 Hit Target Number for every size category smaller
- +10 bonus to Success chance on block and dodge for every size category smaller
- +10 bonus on Awareness skill Success chance for every size category smaller
Defending
Whenever a combat participant is successfully attacked they get a chance to defend themselves unless special circumstances would prevent it (e.g. the attacker has snuck up on the defender, or the defender is restrained). Defenders have two options for protecting themselves from physical damage, blocking and dodging, and resist the effects of special techniques like a disarm or pin with Physical Resistance. Some characters are going to be better at defending themselves by dodging, while others are more effective blockers, and it is up to the player to decide which method is the best for the situation.
Blocking
Blocking involves interposing a weapon, limb, or shield into the path of an incoming attack and can be used against both Targeted and Untargeted attacks. Defending this way does not prevent an attack from hitting, but instead it gives the defender the ability to direct the attack to a more well-protected area and also to use a shield or weapon to absorb some of the damage. To block the defender needs to succeed on a Block Skill check. Should the defender succeed the attack becomes Untargeted and he may then choose a new Damage Target for the attack and temporarily add the size class from his weapon or shield to his armor class. The defender reduces the damage he receives by this final value, potentially preventing all of it.
Example: Bjoric is being attacked and opts to defend himself by blocking. He has a 20 point specialization in block and an awareness of 35, so he needs to roll a 55 or less to succeed. Bjoric's roll is successful, and he chooses for the attack to hit him in the left arm instead of the attacker's original target, his head. Bjoric has class 3 (-30 damage) armor on his left arm, and adds the weight bonus from the size 3 (another -30 damage) shield he carries, which brings his total armor class on his left arm up to 6 (-60 damage). When his opponent rolls the power of his attack he comes up with a score of 63, Bjoric only takes the difference between these values in damage, 3 points.
Blocking Spells
Blocking can be used in lieu of Physical Resistance to prevent some physical damage from a spell.
Dodging
Dodging is an opposed Dodge Skill Check that allows a defender to avoid an attack entirely, and receive no damage. As an the defender needs to roll less than or equal to both their opponent's hit roll and their own target number. Dodging cannot be used against Untargeted attacks or spells.
Example: Parthenia is getting attacked and opts to defend herself by dodging the incoming attack. She has a dexterity of 25 and a skill specialization of 30 in dodging, so her target score for success is 55. Her opponent's attack roll is 27. Parthenia rolls a 13, which is less than both her opponent's roll of 27 and her own target score of 55, so she successfully dodges the attack and avoids all damage.
Armor
Armor reduces the amount of damage taken from an attack, and is a combatant's last line of defense. If a combatant would receive damage to a Damage Target where they are wearing a piece of armor, reduce the amount of damage taken by the armor's class times 10 (e.g. class 2 armor reduces damage by 20 points).
Critical Defense
A critical success on a defense check results in one of the following additional special outcomes that can be selected by the player or the Storyteller.
- The defender gets to make a counter attack at no action cost.
- The defense causes a Narrative Effect that lasts for one round.
- The defender is able to move up to their max distance at no action cost.
Physical Resistance
The combat conditions mentioned later in this section cause Narrative Effects that can be resisted. To defend against these Narrative Effects the defender must win a power contest using their Physical Resistance against the Power of the incoming attack or spell that includes the condition. If the defender succeeds then the effects are completely ignored by the defender.
Physical Resistance can also be used to avoid the ill effects of area of effect attacks, such as multi-target spells or explosions. If the defender's Physical Resistance check is higher than the power of the area of effect attack, the defender receives no damage.
Defensive Actions
The following are some defensive actions that a character can proactively take during their turn in order to enhance their level of protection. They are all major actions, and their effects last until the beginning of the character’s next turn.
Retreat
Characters that take the Retreat action may take a 5 foot step in any direction the first time they are attacked in that round. This movement takes place before the attack resolves. Additionally, casting a spell, making a ranged attack, or standing on Rough Terrain no longer causes them to be treated as Vulnerable.
Fortify
Fortify is a defensive action that is exclusive to characters that are equipped with a shield. While Fortified, the user is treated as though they are in Cover, with the Class of the Shield corresponding directly to the amount of Cover they receive. These benefits are lost if the user moves, and if they moved due to an external source forcing them to do so, they are additionally rendered Vulnerable.
Taking Damage
When all defensive options fail combatants take damage, which brings them closer to death, and it is this consequence that makes combat exciting and risky for players. Damage is tracked as a set of numbers for each of the combatant's Damage Targets, and causes penalties the higher it gets.
Damage Targets
Each Damage Target tracks its own damage separately and can either go up to a maximum of 100 points of damage or twice the combatant's Vitality score whichever is higher.
Consequences of Damage
As damage gets high enough, and passes certain thresholds, penalties are applied to combatants making it more difficult for them to continue to do battle. The exact values for these damage thresholds is dependent on the combatant's vitality score.
Damage Thresholds
There are two thresholds for damage, Wounded and Disabled, and each applies its own sort of penalty to the combatant. Determining a combatant's Damage Thresholds is as simple as the following:
- If a combatant's damage exceeds his Vitality Score he is wounded.
- If a combatant's damage exceeds twice his Vitality score he is disabled.
- If this damage is beyond 100 points and more than twice his Vitality Score, the Damage Target is destroyed (i.e. limbs are cut off, etc.). Destroying vital Damage Targets like the head or torso typically kills the combatant, but this is up to the Storyteller's discretion.
Wounded
If a combatant is Wounded she receives a penalty of -10 to all Power and Success checks until the damage is healed. These penalties combine with each other if multiple Damage Targets are Wounded.
Disabled
If a combatant is Disabled she loses one action per turn for each Damage Target that is Disabled, this effect combines with the Wounded penalty. Enough Disabled Damage Targets can leave a combatant completely unable to act.
Disabling an opponent's head, if there is one, typically knocks the opponent unconscious until the damage is recovered. Opponents rendered unconscious this way can still attempt a Resist Impairment Skill check to regain consciousness for the rest of the turn.
Resisting Impairment
Whenever a combatant would take damage that Wounds or Disables them, they can attempt to ignore the penalties by succeeding in a Resist Impairment skill check, success means they ignore the negative effects of the wound or disability until that Damage Target takes damage again. Only the worst penalty is ignored, e.g. a Wound cannot also be ignored on a Damage Target that has passed the Disabled threshold. This cannot be done for Damage Targets that have been destroyed.
Recovering from Damage
A living combatant will eventually recover from her wounds over time. The exact magnitude of the recovery is based on the combatant's Physical Resistance score and her level of activity during a 24 hour recovery period. Every 24 hours of in-game time roll a Power Check based on the combatant's Physical Resistance score, the 10's place of the roll is how many points of damage she heals. If the combatant did nothing but rest during that 24 hour period, she recovers from damage on every injured Damage Target, otherwise damage is healed on a single Damage Target. This process repeats until all damage on the combatant has been healed.
First Aid
A successful Intelligence based Success Check, adding any Skill Specialization in First Aid, can reduce the negative effects of an injury. First aid does not heal damage, but it does allow the injured combatant to treat a Wounded Damage target as unwounded, or a Disabled Damage Target as merely Wounded.
Using First Aid during tactical time takes 1 action.
Storyteller's Note: Players that leave open wounds untended to for several days make prime candidates for disease and infection, which can add an interesting challenge to the story.
Advanced Combat
The basics described in the beginning of this section are enough to get most players through combat, but some are going to be interested in taking more complicated actions during a battle. The advanced combat rules below give combatants more options and add a deeper strategic element to Swords of Infinity.
Vulnerability
Many circumstances can lead to a character being classified as Vulnerable. A Vulnerable character must spend spirit in order to take defensive actions, and multiple sources of vulnerability stack, increasing the spirit cost by one for each condition that makes the character Vulnerable. Spending spirit in this way counts against a character's level-based spirit spending limit, and it is possible for a character to become so vulnerable that they can no longer defend themselves.
Circumstances that cause Vulnerability
Some circumstances and environmental factors can make a character vulnerable:
- Climbing
- Swimming (unless the character has a swim speed)
- Being encumbered
- Casting a spell*
- Attacking with a ranged weapon*
- Standing in Rough Terrain*
* this instance of Vulnerable is removed by taking the retreat action
Exploit
Small creatures attacking in melee and bladed melee weapons like swords are better able to take advantage of a vulnerable opponent, these creatures and weapons receive a bonus called Exploit. Exploit increases the level of vulnerability on an already vulnerable target, and like vulnerability, sources of Exploit stack. So, for example, an attack with a dagger made by a size -1 creature following a successful stealth check would cause three stacks of vulnerable, rather than the default one stack because the attacker has Exploit +2 (1 from the dagger and one from size -1).
Cover
A combatant using obstacles to protect parts of their body from attacks receives a +10 bonus to defensive actions (Block or Dodge) made against incoming attacks and to Physical Resistance checks made against Untargeted attacks for every Damage Target that the obstacle is capable of covering (e.g. A chest-high wall would grant a +30 bonus because it can cover a character's torso and legs, a waist-high wall would grant a +20 bonus because it can protect the legs, etc.).
The Prone Position
Characters that lie prone are treated as having cover on three damage targets versus ranged attacks if they are above or on level terrain with the ranged attacker, to represent the character's smaller target profile. Likewise a prone character is treated as Vulnerable to incoming Melee Attacks to represent the constraining nature of lying on the ground. Getting into and out of the prone position costs one action.
Dual Wielding
Occasionally, individuals feel that using a single weapon to sow carnage is insufficient. In those cases, that individual turns to Dual Wielding. By occupying both hands with a weapon, an entity foregoes any pretenses of self-defense or restraint, and embraces the chaos and bloodshed of combat. While dual-wielding, a creature may make individual attacks with each weapon as normal, although any attacks made with the weapon in the user’s off-hand (determined by the player narratively) treat any weapon specializations they may have as a Tier lesser. A creature may wield a one-handed weapon in each hand, and gains the ability to make two attacks - one with each weapon - as a single action. These attacks can be made on a single target, or upon multiple targets if the user so chooses. Making a double attack in this way renders the user Vulnerable. Further, since dual wielding requires that both hands be active in holding each weapon, a creature must first drop or stow a held weapon in order to free a hand to interact with the world - such as pressing a button or using a consumable.
Unarmed Combat
Some individuals may not have a weapon - perhaps because they’ve been disarmed, or didn’t expect to be mugged, or just think that weapons are a coward’s tool. Whatever the case, when a creature is unarmed, they may still choose to make Unarmed Attacks. For most humanoids, this encompasses things like punches, kicks, and flying headbutts, although for more exotic creatures it can include things like claws, bites, or fiery breath. Creatures can choose to specialize in unarmed combat as any other weapon, with Hit Success and Power governed by Dexterity and Strength, respectively. Unless stated otherwise, unarmed attacks are treated as being made with a Class 0 weapon.
Stealth
Stealth allows a combatant to attempt to make her opponent Vulnerable by remaining unseen or unnoticed during battle. To use this technique the combatant must succeed Stealth Skill Check that is opposed by her opponent's Listen or Spot skill. If the combatant manages to succeed then her opponent is unaware of her, and therefore Vulnerable to her attacks.
Charge
A combatant can add the total straight-line distance in feet moved during their turn as a bonus to the attack's Power roll (e.g. moving 35ft in a straight line grants a +35 bonus to the attack's Power roll). This covers any sort of movement followed by an attack, such as a leaping or dropping from above, and the distance traveled can be extended using a Skill as part of the same action (e.g. the Sprint skill can be used to help a character charge further).
Retaliate
A combatant may choose to prepare a counter attack against incoming enemies, and this is accomplished with the Retaliate action. Characters that opt to Retaliate forgo an attack on their turn, instead holding it in reserve to attack one enemy that comes within the character’s melee range. The character need not necessarily attack the first enemy within range, but if they do not use it by the beginning of their next turn, the Retaliate action is wasted. The enemy targeted by the Retaliate action may choose to continue moving after the attack, or come to a stop within the first square threatened by the Retaliating character’s melee range. If the enemy chooses to continue moving, they are Vulnerable.
Combat Techniques
The following conditions are Narrative Effects that can be added to attacks, typically by Special Abilities, or to spells. These conditions are defended against with Physical Resistance made against a Target Number of the Power Check of the attack or spell.
Disrupt
The Disrupt technique allows a combatant to prevent an opponent from casting spells. If the target fails to resist this technique they lose the ability to cast spells for one full round, this also has the consequence of prematurely ending any Maintained spells that the caster may have been sustaining. Players may attempt to use their melee or ranged attack to Disrupt an enemy without using a special ability. Doing so in this way will cause the attack to deal no damage and its power roll to only be used to determine the success or failure of the disruption attempt.
Pin
The Pin technique allows a combatant to keep an opponent from moving and makes them Vulnerable to attacks. It is useful for trapping opponents that are attempting to flee. If the target fails to resist this condition they are pinned and cannot use any major action while it is being maintained. Players may attempt to pin with a melee or unarmed melee attack without the use of a special ability. Doing so in this way will cause the attack to deal no damage, and its power roll to only be used to determine the success or failure of the pin attempt.
Maintaining a Pin
A Pin can be maintained for multiple rounds by spending an action on each subsequent round.
Escaping a Pin
A Pin can be escaped by spending an action and a point of spirit.
Disarm
The Disarm technique allows a combatant to knock a held object away from an opponent, the Storyteller decides where the weapon lands. If the target fails to resist this condition the weapon is successfully Disarmed.
Trip
The Trip technique allows a combatant to knock an opponent to the ground, into the Prone Position, where it is harder for them to defend against melee attacks. If the target fails to resist the technique they are successfully tripped prone. Players may attempt to trip with an unarmed melee attack without the use of a special ability, but doing so in this way will cause the attack to deal no damage and its power roll to be used solely to determine the success or failure of the trip attempt.
Knockback
The Knockback technique allows a combatant to push an opponent back. This can be used to give other party members space, or even to force the opponent off of a cliff or into an environmental hazard. If the target fails to resist this technique they are thrown a number of feet equal to the Power of the attack. Targets that collide with a wall or other solid object take damage equal to any untraveled distance (e.g. a target would take 20 points if it hit a wall 10 feet away after being hit with a 30 foot Knockback). Players may attempt to push an enemy using an unarmed attack, melee weapon, or shield without the use of a special ability. Doing so in this way will cause the attack to deal no damage and be only used to determine the power of the knockback effect.
