Combat and YOU

[Brian]

The Hero System Wants YOU:

   Your quick guide to combat in the Hero system.

   I. Stats
      i. Base stats
      ii.  Derived stats
      iii.  OCV, DCV, and Movement

   II.  Skills
      i.  Combat Skills
      ii.  Combat-related Talents
      iii.  Skill Pools

   III.  Standard Maneuvers

   IV.  Optional Maneuvers

   V.  Martial Maneuvers

   VI.  Other Combat Info
      i.  Sequencing
      ii.  Zero Phase Actions
      iii.  Damage types
      iv.  Brian's Freaky House Rules
   

   I. Stats:
      i. Base stats:

   Strength:  This is, quite obviously, going to have an effect on which weapons you can wield, and if you meet the strength minimum, will allow you to add additional damage classes.  If you are fighting bare-handed, then you can punch for your strength divided by five damage classes of normal damage, or an additional damage class (and -1 OCV) for a kick.

   Dexterity:  This is going to affect your ability to hit, dodge, and how many actions you get per round.  Your dex, divided by 3, is your OCV.

   Constitution:  This is going to give you your pain threshold to resist being dazed.  If you take more stun (after defenses) than your CON stat, you are dazed, and lose your next action to recover.

   Body:  This is how much actual damage you can take before you can't move anymore.  In a super-heroic campaign, you can act normally until you get to negative body -- in a heroic game, being at less than one half your body means serious penalties (you're hurt!) and negative means you're unconscious, and won't recover until your body is a positive number again.

   Intelligence:  In combat, outside of perception rolls, INT is used for perception checks, which are important.  If you are unaware of an attack, and not combat-ready, you are at 0 DCV (you're not trying to dodge), and if you are combat ready, but unaware, you are at one half DCV.

   Ego:  This stat will influence your presence of mind.  If you have a low EGO, convincing yourself to fight in the face of overpowering odds is difficult, and making your body work when damaged is nearly impossible.

   Presence:  If EGO is your internal willpower, PRE is your external willpower -- how confident you appear while battling (or even while not).  The more PRE you have, the more effective your presence attacks will be.

   Comeliness:  ...this ain't White Wolf.


      ii. Derived stats:

   PD:  Your physical defense.  This is how much normal physical damage you can shake off and ignore (both body and stun).

   ED:  Your energy defense.  As above, but for normal energy damage.

   Speed:  Your speed.  This is going to affect, flat out, how many actions you get per turn.

   Recovery:  This is how much END and Stun you will recover every recovery; your normal recovery, your gratis recovery, and your deliberate recovery.  It will restore both END and Stun simultaneously, assuming both aren't at max.

   Endurance:  You spend END with each action you take.  The more END you have, the more actions you can make without needing to take a recovery.  A normal movement is 1 END, an attack using STR will also cost END.  You pay 1 END for every 5 STR you use (weapons may increase this, or decrease this, depending).

   Stun:  Your body's reserve for abuse.  This is considered minor bruising in terms of damage, and if you burn through your END, you'll be using your stun next.

      iii. OCV, DCV, and Movement

   OCV:  Your Offensive Combat Value.  Whenever you are in combat, you want to roll below 11 on 3d6 to hit.  Your roll is lowered by the value of your OCV, and raised by the value of your target's DCV (plus any other modifiers).

   DCV:  Defensive Combat Value.  As above.

   Movement:  This influences how far you can move on your active segments.  Higher numbers mean greater distances.  Good for putting distance between you and a foe.


   II.  Skills
      i.  Combat Skills

   Combat skills are skills that modify your performance in combat.  Usually, combat skills are simply ranks in a weapon skill.  They come in three flavors:

   Familiarity:  You can use this weapon without a penalty to your OCV.

   Skill Rank:  You have a bonus to your OCV with this weapon.

   Ranged Combat Skill Levels:  This is your ability to reduce your range penalties with ranged weapons, which is independent from your actual skill with ranged weapons.  RCSLs will not give you bonuses to your OCV, they'll only cancel penalties from attacking at range.

      ii.  Combat-related Talents

   These are Perks and Talents that modify your effectiveness in combat.

   Ambidexterity:  No weapon penalty for off-hand in combat.

   Combat Luck:  For Heroic characters in Super-Heroic campaigns; Combat Luck grants a small amount of resistant PD and ED.

   Combat Sense:  This eliminates penalties for fighting in darkness or while blinded.

   Danger Sense:  This will give you a much better perception roll against some specific attacks while in combat.

   Lightning Reflexes:  This talent allows you to act before someone else of your speed, in your Dex order.

      iii.  Skill Pools

   Skill Pools come in a few types.

   +1 to any skill: Which can be applied to either OCV or DCV, but not both.  This can also be used for an acrobatics or breakfall roll, if you're attempting an maneuver that requires such.

   +1 to OCV or DCV: Which can be applied to either OCV, or DCV, but not both.

   MA Skill levels:  Every 10 points of Martial Arts skill grants a +1 OCV or DCV.  These bonuses may also (instead) be applied to damage classes, to a maximum of 2x your weapons max damage (or 2x your STR/5, if you are empty-handed).  A martial artist of sufficient skill can split his bonuses any way he wants, as long as he doesn't exceed the weapon's maximum damage (or he risks breaking the weapon; empty handed, he will also take any damage above 2x his own STR, though he can still apply his PD to that damage).


   III.  Standard Maneuvers

   Things You Can Do In Combat, and When

   Notes:  Each of these actions is a 1/2 phase action unless otherwise labeled.  You can make up to two 1/2 phase actions, but any attack action is considered to end your phase, even if it only takes 1/2 a phase to perform.  Aborting requires you to sacrifice your next move to make an action in advance.

   Block:  This allows you to block an incoming weapon or HTH attack.  You can block a weapon attack only if you have another weapon (grabbing a non-edged weapon is considered a grab, not a block).  You can abort your next action in order to block an incoming attack.  If you block an enemy's attack, you will act before they do, if you both have the same next active phase, even if they have a higher Dex.  A block is an attack roll vs. the enemy's weapon.  If you successfully block one attack, you may continue blocking additional attacks (with a cumulative -2 penalty) until you fail.  If you choose to take additional blocks, you can not abort your next action after that point.

   Brace:  Take a 1/2 DCV penalty in order to eliminate up to two points of OCV penalties for ranged attacks.  This also lowers the required STR for the weapon in question by 5 points.  This is a zero phase action, though you cannot un-brace until you take another action.  (You may hold an action, act in the phase immediately before your next action, brace, attack, and un-brace as a zero-phase action when you take your next action, however.)

   Disarm:  -2 OCV, -0 DCV  Roll a STR. vs. STR roll to knock a weapon out of an opponent's hands.  (This requires a weapon.)

   Dodge:  Give up any other action until your next segment, and earn a +3 bonus to your DCV.  You may abort your next action to dodge.

   Full-move:  Move up to your full movement.  This is a full-phase action.

   Grab:  -1 OCV and -2 DCV to grab an opponent or object held by an opponent.  If you are successful (and they fail their Escape roll) you may either Squeeze (apply STR damage without an attack roll) or Throw (see Martial Throw), or have simply taken whatever they were holding from them.

   Grab By:  -3 OCV and -4 DCV to grab an opponent after making a FULL move.  (The rest is as above).

   Half-move:  Move up to one half your movement, and then make any other 1/2 phase action.

   Haymaker:  +0 OCV, -5 DCV.  Do an additional 4 DC of damage with any attack.  This is a half-phase action, but requires a full additional segment to hit (for strategy, consider combining this with held attacks, and a brief examination of which speeds act when).  This also incurs 2x the normal END cost for the attack in question.

   Hold an Action:  Save your action, and use it to act in any later phase (before your next active phase; otherwise the held action is lost).  Additionally, since you're reading this, and it's a massively boring endeavor, remind me that you've just earned an additional character point.  No, seriously.

   Move By:  -2 OCV, -2 DCV. Attack an enemy who you pass by during a full-move, or partial-move.  You will deal (STR/2) + (Velocity/5)d6 damage.  Attacker takes 1/3 of this damage (PD applies).  With weapon attacks, your weapon will take this damage, not you (3x the weapon's total damage will cause it to break).

   Move Through:  -(Velocity/5) OCV, -2 DCV.  As above, only instead of passing by an enemy, you attempt to move through them.  You may also rush an enemy who is at the end of your movement instead of being forced to pass by them.  Attacker takes 1/2 damage if enemy is knocked down, and full damage if the enemy remains standing. With weapon attacks, your weapon will take this damage, not you (3x the weapon's total damage will cause it to break).

   Presence Attack:  This is a zero phase action.  A presence attack is a presence check, where you attempt to overcome your opponent's ego.  If you surpass their ego by a sufficient amount, they become intimidated, and may suffer penalties to their OCV, or run away.

   Set:  This is a full phase action.  Setting is taking time to aim, and grants a +1 bonus to OCV.  You may both Set and Brace in the same phase, but it requires a full phase, you cannot move (or you lose your bonuses) and you are at 1/2 DCV.  You retain the +1 OCV bonus as long as you remain Set (aiming at a target and remaining stationary).

   Strike:  Your basic, normal attack, as per bare-hands, weapon, or Power (if you have one).


   IV.  Optional Maneuvers

   Much like Standard Maneuvers, only Optional.

   Blazing Away: +0 OCV, +0 DCV Fire as many shots as you want, but you only hit if you roll a natural 3.  We don't use this rule in this game, because it is stupid.  Use Rapid Fire if you're going for a multiple-bursts-of-gunfire effect.

   Club Weapon: +0 OCV, +0 DCV.  Killing weapon does equivalent normal damage (using the 'flat' of a blade, for example).  This is not possible with all weapons.

   Cover: -2 OCV, -0 DCV.  Make an attack (with a gun), but hold your fire until you're ready to do damage.  This allows you to keep someone 'covered' at gunpoint.  When you want to attack, no attack roll is required -- you simply deal damage.

   Dive For Cover: Move up to three hexes away with a successful dex roll (+1 for Breakfall or Acrobatics (Breakfall is an Everyman skill in this campaign)), -1 for each hex you travel.  You may also use this (if you wish) to try and take a shot for another character within your Dive For Cover range.  Diving for Cover requires you to abort your next action, and leaves you prone on the ground (1/2 DCV).  After diving, you cannot stand until you have an action again.

   Hipshot: -1 OCV, +0 DCV.  +1 DEX for the purposes of initiative when trying to fire a weapon at an opponent.

   Hurry:  -2 OCV, -2 DCV.  +1d6 DEX for the purposes of initiative when trying to perform any action.  (You can use this to try and sequence faster than an opponent.)

   Pulling a Punch:  -1/5d6 OCV, +0 DCV.  Your OCV is lessened by your total DC/5.  On an 'exact' roll, you do full damage.  Otherwise, target takes full stun and 1/2 Body.

   Rapid Fire: -2/x OCV, 1/2 DCV.  This is a full-phase action.  Each attack incurs a -2 OCV penalty, but you may make as many attacks as you wish (until you miss).  You must declare how many attacks you are making before you begin firing; after your first miss, all other declared attacks are automatic misses.  IE., if you rapid fire at four targets (or one target four times) your total penalty for each roll is -8 OCV.

   Roll With a Punch: -2 OCV, -2 DCV.  Abort to block after you've already been hit.  If successful, you lose your next attack, and take 1/2 damage from the hit you've taken.  You must declare your intent to Roll With a Punch before the damage is rolled.

   Snap Shot: -1 OCV, +0 DCV.  Move, attack, and move again.  This is designed for a character in concealment to emerge, fire at an enemy, and conceal himself again.  In some situations, it MAY be performed with HTH attacks.  You are vulnerable to attack during the phase (from your dex until the end of the phase).  You cannot use this if you are not completely concealed (able to duck behind a wall, etc).

   Suppression Fire:  -2 OCV, -0 DCV.  Continually fire at a specific hex/area (not at a target).  This requires an autofire weapon.  If your attack roll is successful, anyone entering the area of suppressed fire is automatically hit (no further to-hit rolls required).  Suppression fire lasts until your next phase.

   Sweep: As per Rapid Fire, only with HTH attacks.  Like Rapid Fire, you must declare how many attacks you are making before you begin.  END costs must be paid for each attack in the Sweep attempt, even if they miss.


   V.  Martial Maneuvers

   Much like the lesser, mortal maneuvers, only with the word Martial in front.  Martial maneuvers, like other maneuvers, are all half-phase actions, unless otherwise noted.

   Choke Hold:  -2 OCV, +2 DCV.  This attack combines Grab with a 2d6 NND attack.  NND means No Normal Defense, so a character's PD does not apply to this attack.  A Special Defense (like an armored collar) would protect against it, however.

   Defensive Strike:  +1 OCV, +3 DCV.  Just like a normal strike, only with automatic bonuses.

   Killing Strike:  -2OCV, +0 DCV.  This is a 1/2 die (1d3) killing attack.  Since it's normally impossible to do killing damage bare-handed, and you can increase the power of this attack with STR, its value is obvious.

   Legsweep:  +2 OCV, -1 DCV.  STR+1d6 Strike.  When you hit your opponent with this, he falls down (if you do Knockdown).

   Martial Block:  +2 OCV, +2 DCV.  As per a normal block.

   Martial Disarm:  -1 OCV, +1 DCV.  Like a normal disarm, except that you add 10 points of STR to your roll to calculate effectiveness.

   Martial Dodge:  +5 DCV.  Otherwise, as per normal dodge.

   Martial Escape:  Gives +15 STR for the purposes of escaping someone else's Grab.

   Martial Grab:  -1 OCV, -1 DCV.  As per normal Grab, only with an extra +10 for the purposes of holding (not to Squeeze).

   Martial Strike:  +0 OCV, +2 DCV.  As per a normal Strike, with an extra 2d6 of damage.

   Martial Throw:  +0 OCV, +0 DCV.  Do STR + velocity/5 strike, and your target is prone (if you are successful).

   Nerve Strike:  -1 OCV, +1 DCV.  2d6 NND (1).

   Offensive Strike:  -2 OCV, +1 DCV.  Do STR + 4d6 damage.

   Sacrifice Throw:  +2 OCV, +1 DCV.  Do STR damage, both you and your target fall.

   +1 Damage Class:  This isn't a maneuver, but it is a bonus you can buy for your MA package.  It will apply to all your MA attacks, and can be purchased repeatedly.

   Weapon Element:  This allows the inclusion of a weapon element into a MA package.  (Essentially, it's adding a Familiarity with a weapon to the package.  The House Rule is that these familiarities can be upgraded into full weapon skill ranks.)

   VI.  Other Combat Info

      i.  Sequencing

   Sequencing works like this.  There are 12 phases (and depending on the situation, there may be a phase zero).  You get as many actions during these 12 phases as your Speed rating.  If you and an opponent (or ally) share a phase, you will act in order of Dex (highest first).

   This chart shows who acts on which phases:

Code Select Expand


Speed/Phase
 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12
1 -  -  -  -  -  -  X  -  -  -  -  -
2 -  -  -  -  -  X  -  -  -  -  -  X
3 -  -  -  X  -  -  -  X  -  -  -  X
4 -  -  X  -  -  X  -  -  X  -  -  X
5 -  -  X  -  X  -  -  X  -  X  -  X
6 -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  XIt's unlikely you're going to run into anything higher speed than this.

      ii.  Zero phase actions

   In addition to the normal combat maneuvers, there are some zero phase actions available to you.  On your segment, or on post-segment 12 (if you are not prone, dazed, or stunned), you may adjust your bonuses, if you have them assigned and wish to change those assignments.



      iii.  Damage types

   Most damage comes in two types, with two variations.

   First off, you have Physical damage.  This is damage that is dealt by a physical blow, or some other physical effect.

   Secondly, you have Energy damage.  This is damage that is from a non-solid force, such as fire, electricity, or intense cold.

   Both of these damage types come in Normal and Killing varieties.  Normal damage is damage from things that are blunt, or spread out.  Something your body feasibly can protect itself against.  You will be able to use your PD and ED against the Body and Stun of Normal attacks.  Killing damage is piercing or slashing damage.  This is from intense forms of energy (lava vs. candles, lightning bolt vs. tazer, etc.) or from edged or piercing weapons (blades, bullets, etc).  You can not use your PD or ED against the Body or Stun of killing damage.

   Damage classes are interchangeable between the two types of damage.  One damage class of normal damage is 1d6.  It deals its face value in stun, and 0 body for a roll of 1, 1 body for a roll of 2-5, and 2 body for a roll of 6.  Three damage classes of killing damage are 1d6.  You do the face value of the die in body, and that number multiplied by 1d6-1 in stun.  Note that 3d6 normal, and 1d6 killing damage have the same maximum body.  A single damage class of killing damage is +1.  Two damage classes is 1/2d6 (1d3).  For reading this you may claim a character point from the GM.  At this point you've earned it.

   Alternate forms of damage:

   Flash damage.  This is not actually damage, but represents a form of attack against your senses (flash of light or sound) that stuns you.  Flash damage is rolled like Normal damage, and you are unable to use your senses for a number of segments (phases) equal to the total of the Body dealt by the dice.  While blinded or deafened, if you do not have Combat Senses, you are at 1/2 OCV, and 1/2 DCV, and limited to HTH attacks only.

   NND.  NND attacks are No Normal Defense, and PD or ED do not apply.  For example, these might be a cloud of toxic gas, a chokehold, or a throat-jab.  Special defenses can apply (gas mask, armored collar, etc).

   Attack vs. Power Defense.  Power Defense is a special defense (a power you can purchase, if it's available in your framework) which gives you resistance to various powers such as drain, or aid.  Normally, this can not directly do damage, and instead simulates magical effects (and therefore, magic resistance).  At the GM's option, this may apply equally to beneficial and detrimental power effects.

   Taking Stun.  As mentioned before, taking more Stun than your CON (from a single attack) leaves you dazed.  If you go below zero Stun, you are not (necessarily) knocked out.  You are, however, Stunned.  While Stunned, you are at 0 DCV.  While Dazed, you are at 1/2 DCV.  If your Stun drops below 10, you are Knocked Out until you can recover enough stun to be above zero again.  (Note that when recovering from KO, your END will start at the same value your Stun is once it becomes positive.)

      iv.  Brian's Freaky House Rules

   Blazing Away is stupid.  We don't use it.

   Rapid Fire and Sweep have a cap of double your speed for the number of attacks you can make in a phase.

   You CAN apply your natural PD and ED to the STUN of killing attacks IF you have armor that deflects some (any) amount of the killing Body.  You cannot take less Stun than Body, however.

   By standard rules, if KOed, by more than 10 points, you are moved down the time scale once for each 10 points below 0 Stun you are at.  House rules grant you a gratis recovery on your next phase (or post segment-12, whichever comes first) before this rule is applied.

You can Push your STR with an EGO roll.  If you pass your EGO roll, you add 5 STR (for 5 extra END) to your attack roll.  You must declare that you are Pushing before you make your attack roll.  If you pass your EGO roll by more than 5, you can add 15 STR (for 15 extra END).

[Brian]

In addition:  If you think of a manuever that isn't covered by the rules, ask me about it.  If it's reasonable, we'll find a way to make it work.  These are really just guidelines.

Also, if you have any questions about this, feel free to ask me.  Seriously.

[Brian]

New house rule (it's been in effect, but no one was eligable for it before).  If you have more than 10 points in combat skills, you're assumed to be proficient in combat.  What this means, is that for every 10 points (rounded down) that you have of combat skills, you get a +1 that you can assign to OCV, DCV, or Damage Class, at will.  You can change what your bonus applies to (and if you have more than one, split them as you see fit) only on your phase.  But you can change it every phase, should you desire.

Note: If you generally keep points in DCV when you're not in combat, this is something the GM should probably be kept aware of!

[Brian]

Mental Awarness.

On Earth, all PCs who regularly deal with those who have mental powers (I expect this to be all of you, eventually) will develop some level of mental awarness.  This is limited to yourself; basically, unless someone rolls really well on their attempt to use a mental power on you, you'll be aware of it.

This is a departure from the standard rules, which state that anyone who has a mental power used against them is aware of it (unless they exceed your ego by ~20 on their roll).  However, this also means that normal people have NO mental awareness at all.  This may not apply to normal people in dreams.