Creative Combat Options

Han Solo screaming and chasing a bunch of stormtroopers down a hallway. Hobbits ducking through a troll's legs. Swashbucklers swinging on chandeliers. A fierce orc warrior bellowing a war cry to draw the attention of his gods and make his enemies freeze in terror for fatal fraction of a second. The comic relief con artist trying to fast talk his way out of a beating, then distracting the thugs so he can hit them over the head with a nearby blunt object before running away. There are so many interesting things that can happen in combat and I really want to encourage combat scenes to be more than just "I hit him". With that in mind, I made options to use other skills and abilities to boost combat skills (primarily using the concept of Advantage from the Detailed challenge in the core resolution mechanics).

Creativity in Combat – Maneuvers

In combat, a quick wit and strong will is just as important as quick feet and a strong arm. These attributes are used most directly through maneuvers. Maneuvers are a catchall category for those clever and creative actions that can be useful in defeating a foe (or just surviving a fight) but which don't have a specific skill for them. Maneuvers are performed with a simple opposed Attribute roll. On a basic success, the maneuvering character (or an ally they designate when making the roll) gains a +1D bonus to their next action against the target of the maneuver. With Advantage, the target is also Stunned for being put off-balance. For example:

Might Maneuvers: Flipping over a table to block a foe's path or offer cover. Pulling a bookshelf down on a foe's head. Tossing a barrel into a crowd of henchmen to scatter them like skittles.

Finesse Maneuvers: Diving under a table to attack from an unexpected direction. Climbing a bookshelf and kicking heavy books down onto your enemies. Balancing atop a barrel as you roll it through a crowd.

Cunning Maneuvers: Blasting the door control mechanism to make the door slam shut on the foe lunging toward you. Smashing an oil lamp on the floor to create a slick spot (or a fire if the lamp was lit). Cutting the rope that holds a chandelier while an enemy is standing beneath it.

Will Maneuvers: Opposing psychics staring each other down and engaging in a quick mental tug of war. A warrior charging an enemy through an unexpected, dangerous path (e.g. leaping through a fire instead of going around). A berzerker pulling himself further onto the shaft of a foe's spear after being stabbed in order to get close enough to strike back. (Will maneuvers are often rare because most active uses of Will are covered by Intimidation or Persuasion.)

Social Skills in Combat – Duels of Wits

Like the more general Maneuvers, the social skills can also be used in combat to gain a slight advantage. In fact, these skills had been used in combat for eons before the invention of weapons. Consider the predator's intimidating roar or defensive displays (like a bird or puffer fish making itself look bigger) to give an attacker pause or trick them into backing off. There are two types of mental and social skill rolls that can be of use in combat: opposed (used against enemies) and unopposed (used to help oneself or an ally). Opposed skill rolls are called Duels of Wits and offer the same benefits as Maneuvers: on a basic success, the winner of the duel or an ally they designate gains a +1D bonus to their next action against the loser of the duel. With Advantage, the target is also Stunned for being so distracted. The opposed rolls for Duels of Wits follow the same pattern as using social skills outside of combat:

• Bluff is opposed by Cunning.
• Intimidation is opposed by Guts (or Will).
• Taunt is opposed by Composure (or Cunning).

Bluff: This skill can be used as a Duel of Wits for feints and deceptive tactics like making foes look behind them when there is no threat there. It can also be used as a normal social skill attempt for things like “I'm harmless so you can ignore me for now” or “Ignore my friend because I'm the important one”.

Intimidation: As a Duel of Wits, this skill can be used rattle opponents to disrupt their defense or make them fatally hesitate at the wrong moment due to your fearsome stare or ferocious battle cry. This skill can also be used in combat as a normal social action for less immediate benefits. For example, by using the short-term goal “I want you to run away from me”, a character could cause a foe to run away or at least back off and give ground; or, by using the goal “I want you to treat me as the biggest threat”, a character could draw attackers away from friends and allies.

Taunt: As a Duel of Wits, this skill can cause an enemy to make a foolish hot-headed mistake that can be exploited, such as a swordsman who lures his opponent into launching a rushed and sloppy attack so the taunter can make a vicious riposte. This skill can also be used as a normal social action for things like “Put down your gun and come fight me like a man!” or “Go pick on someone your own size!”

Social Skills in Combat – Command

Unopposed mental and social skill rolls made in combat to bolster oneself or an ally are called Commands (although they aren't always issued with official authority). A basic success with a Command counters one -1D penalty for an ally (including removing the Stunned or Dazed condition) and each point of Advantage counters an additional -1D.

Concentration: This skill is not really a Command skill, but is included here because it has the same effect. Unlike the Command skills, Concentration can't be used to help other characters: it is essentially used to bolster and “command” oneself. It is used to shut out distractions and can be used to oppose the Taunt skill or to counter the penalties from sources like injuries, environmental conditions, or being stunned by enemy Maneuvers. (N.B.: Using this skill counts as an action and the Multiple Action Penalty applies normally, so using Concentration to counter a single -1D penalty will still result in the character suffering a -1D penalty for having divided attention. The real benefit of this skill is in reducing larger penalties to a single -1D penalty.)

Intimidation: This skill is used by leaders who rule through fear with a “might makes right” style such as barbarian warlords or grizzled sergeants who tell their men “don't fear the enemy, fear me!”. It's not necessarily cruel, because sometimes fear is the best way to motivate your followers and keep them alive.

Persuasion (Will): This skill is used to make rallying speeches and appeals to patriotism (“For king and country!”), honor (“Death before retreat!”), glory (“They'll sing songs about us!”), and greed (“Think of the money!”).

Taunt (Cunning): This skill is used to anger another character through insults and anger can be a great motivator in combat for one's allies. “Is that the best you've got?” “Do you want to be remembered as the one who let this town fall?” “You're scared? Your mommas must be really proud of you! Run home if you want but I'm through running!”