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--- system:combat [2018/01/20 23:06]
mousus6 created
+++ system:combat [2021/02/03 15:20] (current)
mousus6 (fixed last strengthen weaken reference)
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-======Combat======
+====== Combat ======
-=====Basic Rules=====
+This page details all you generally need to know about combat in Moonrise to be able to join in - we go through the important bits before adventures so don't worry too much if it doesn't all stick at once.
-Combat is resolved using LARP-safe weapon phys-reps. Upon landing a blow against an opponent, damage calls are used to indicate what effect an attack has on them, which may include special effects. There are no unarmed attacks. Hits to the hand count as hits against a weapon or shield held in that hand (if the hand is empty or holding a non-combat item this is a hit against the arm).
-Hits and calls are subject to a one-second rule: with the exception of RESIST, NULL and IMMUNE you may only make one call per second. If you are hit more than once a second by another person, you should only take the effect of one blow per second from that person.
+===== Basic Rules =====
-Characters and monsters in Moonrise have a pool of hits indicating how much damage they can take. These hits are “global”, ie. hits are lost from this pool regardless of where on the body they land. Whilst this system features armour, this is abstracted into the total number of hits a character has.
+  * Fighting is done with LARP-safe (foam) weapon phys-reps (props), there are no unarmed attacks.
+  * When you land a hit, you make a "damage call" to indicate what your attack did. This can include an amount of damage and/or an additional effect.
+  * You can call damage (and should aim to hit) only once per second.
+  * Hits to the head don't count.  Please don't aim for the head (or other sensitive areas!).
+  * Hits to the hand count as hitting any weapon or shield that they may be holding.
+  * Hits are otherwise "global" and hits that land anywhere on the body are treated the same way, there is no distinction between hits gained from wearing armour and baseline hits.
-When their pool of hits reaches 0, characters usually have a period of time over which they either bleed out, or discorporate, usually 60 seconds, known as a “death count”. If not healed or stabilised in some way by the end of this period, a character dies.
+===== Damage =====
-=====Damage=====
+  * Calls can have a damage component which will be ZERO (no damage), SINGLE (one point of damage) DOUBLE (2 damage), TRIPLE (3 damage), QUAD (4 damage), QUINT (5 damage) or HEX (6 damage).
-Damage calls may include a damage component, which can range from ZERO (no damage), to SINGLE (one point of damage) through to HEX (six points of damage). No single call may have a damage component above HEX except for one delivered with a LARP-safe arrow or bolt shot from an appropriate bow. In this case, damage above 6 is expressed simply as a number, eg. SEVEN.
+  * LARP-safe arrows or bolts shot from bows may exceed this limit, higher damage is expressed just as a number, eg. SEVEN
+  * No other attacks may ever deal more than HEX.
+  * Attacks that hit a weapon your character knows how to use (for monsters you can assume that you do!) don't deal damage, but additional effects still apply.
+  * Attacks that hit a shield your character knows how to use and is actively using don't deal damage or additional effects.
+  * You have a single pool of hits which is how much damage you can take. When a damage call is made against you, you lose the relevant number of hits.
+  * There's no distinction between armour and body hits or such - armour is already factored into the number of hits you have.
+  * Unless you are specifically playing a non-combatant monster when your hits reaches 0 you are wounded non-fatally and your morale has probably broken (non-combatants go straight to bleeding out).
+  * Once per encounter when you are on 0 hits you may heal yourself to return to the fight (or more sensibly flee). For the remainder of the encounter after doing so whilst on 0 hits you have a 60 second "death count" over which your character bleeds out or discorporates.
+  * If your death count expires before you are healed or stabilised in some way (see calls below), your character dies.
-Attacks which strike a weapon or shield (or a hand holding such) which the wielder is capable of using do not deal damage, and the damage component of the call may be ignored without needing to call RESIST. Any effect component, as detailed below, still applies.
+===== Effect Calls =====
-=====Effect Calls=====
+  * Calls can have an effect component which indicates an additional effect the attack has (in addition to any damage dealt).
-Effect calls follow any damage component of the call and are limited to one per call. They come in Physical and Mental variants; the former uses the active voice and the latter the passive. Whilst the Physical version of a call may represent some physical force, eg. a blast knocking someone back for a REPEL, the Mental version generally represents something more abstract, such as inducing fear and causing someone to flee for BE REPELLED. Negative effects such as this are referred to as Impairments.
+  * The effect comes after the damage, eg. "ZERO PUSH"
+  * Calls on their own (active voice) are physical effects of some sort, prefixed by "BE" (passive voice) they are mental/spiritual and generally represent something more abstract
+    * eg. PUSH may be a gust of wind knocking you back, whilst BE PUSHED may be an influence which causes you to flee in fear.
+    * You may choose to roleplay receiving types of attacks differently so long as you follow the appropriate rules for the call.
+    * Mechanically the difference is only relevant to the types of effect you character may be able to resist (VOID) - otherwise you don't need to worry about the difference between physical and mental calls.
+  * Effects which have a negative impact on you are known as "Impairments".
+  * Almost all effects have a default duration of 10s
+  * Calls may have a duration at the end, after the effect call:
+    * This can be a number of seconds, eg. SINGLE STUN 3, which deals 1 point of damage and causes the STUN impairment for 3 seconds.
+    * The duration can also be CONTACT, meaning the effect will last as long as the weapon that made the call maintains contact with the target. After the first few seconds, breaking contact for more than one second will end the impairment.
+    * The duration can be ONGOING, in which case it lasts for the rest of the encounter or until otherwise suspended. Unless rapidly countered with a resisting call, players who take one of these should check with a GM or the person who made the call for any lasting effects.
+  * All characters can focus utterly on resisting any Impairments they are suffering.
+    * Whilst doing this you can ignore the effects of any Impairments you are afflicted by.
+    * If you are under conflicting impairments you can't resolve (eg. both legs under LOCK, hit by PUSH) you must do this.
+    * You can still defend yourself with one hand and make resisting calls you would otherwise be able to.
+    * You can't make other calls, maintain a contact, move, use a shield, speak, or do anything else.
+    * After doing this for one minute you may call VOID to one of the Impairments you were under for that whole minute.
-With the exception of HEAL and DISAPPEARING, all calls have a default duration of 10 seconds. This may be modified with a duration, specified as a number of seconds, at the end of the call.
+===== Basic Calls =====
-//Eg. SINGLE DAZE 3 - Deals 1 point of damage and causes the DAZE impairment for 3 seconds.//
+These calls can be made on their own or combined with damage:
-A duration of CONTACT means the effect persists for as long as contact is maintained with the weapon used to make the call. If contact is broken for one second or longer after the first 10 seconds the effect ends (the intention of this initial grace period is to allow for slow reactions on the part of the one receiving the call which if the call had started from the first moment of the blow landing would have prevented contact from being broken, if you intend to not maintain the contact simply make the call as a normal duration call).  As a reminder for those afflicted by CONTACT calls held items count as part of you for taking the effect component of calls so transferring the weapon maintaining CONTACT to your weapon/shield will have no appreciable effect.
+==== FALL / BE FELLED  ====
+  * For the duration, a part of your body above the waist (eg. hand, elbow, back) must be in contact with the ground
+  * The duration starts when you first touch the ground
+  * As long as contact is maintained you can still move and fight during this time
-A duration of ONGOING means the effect lasts until the end of the encounter or otherwise suspended. At the end of the encounter players who have taken an ONGOING call should check with a GM or the source of the call in case there are lasting effects.
+==== PUSH / BE PUSHED  ====
+  * For the duration, you should move briskly away from the caller
+  * This ends early if the caller drops to 0 hits
+  * You can still fight normally during this time
+  * If the path away from the caller is blocked or unsafe you can move around them at constant distance
-Anybody may respond to impairments by focusing utterly on resisting them. By taking no action except defending yourself with one hand or calling RESIST/NULL/IMMUNE; including making (non-RESIST) calls, moving, using a shield or speaking, you may ignore the effect of any Impairments you are currently suffering. Doing this is mandatory if you would otherwise be under multiple directly conflicting Impairments, eg. REPEL when both legs are LOCKed.  After a whole minute of continuously doing this to resist an ONGOING Impairment you may call RESIST to one of the Impairments you were under for that minute.
+==== DRAW / BE DRAWN ====
+  * For the duration, you should move briskly towards the caller
+  * You can stop moving when you're within short weapon range, although this doesn't end the impairment
+  * This ends early if the caller drops to 0 hits
+  * You can still fight normally during this time
+  * If the path towards the caller is blocked or unsafe you can move around them at constant distance
-A simultaneous REPEL and DRAW from the same target may be resolved by moving in a constant distance orbit around them.
+==== DISARM / BE DISARMED ====
+  * For the duration, you can't use the item held by the arm closest to where the hit landed (if the call wasn't associated with a weapon hit you get to choose one)
+  * Weapons can't be used to call damage and weapons and shields count as extensions of your body and so take damage when you're holding them under this impairment
+  * If the item represents an in-character item which your character may drop, you can choose to drop the item for the duration
+  * Non-combat items must be dropped for the duration
-====Basic Calls====
+==== LOCK / BE LOCKED ====
-The following calls may be combined with damage or be made in isolation:
+  * For the duration, you can't use the limb closest to where the hit landed (if the call wasn't associated with a weapon hit you get to choose one)
-^Physical^Mental^Effect^
+  * Affected arms hang down and can't be moved from a rest position
-|STRIKEDOWN|BE STRUCKDOWN|The target must keep any part of their body from above the waist (eg. hand, elbow, back) in contact with the ground for the duration which functionally starts when the first eligible body part touches the ground.|
+  * Affected legs can't move (but can rotate) the foot
-|REPEL|BE REPELLED|The target must move briskly away from the caller. The target remains fully capable of fighting for the entire duration. The Impairment ends early if the source drops to 0 hits. In ambiguous cases the target may move at constant distance to the source of the REPEL in order to reach a point where they can successfully move away.|
-|DRAW|BE DRAWN|The target must move briskly towards the caller. The target remains fully capable of fighting for the entire duration. The Impairment ends early if the source drops to 0 hits. In ambiguous cases the target may move at constant distance to the source of the DRAW in order to reach a point where they can successfully move towards. You may stop approaching whilst within knife range without having further effect on the call.|
-|DISARM|BE DISARMED|The target loses the ability to use a held item as a weapon or defence for the duration for the duration, affects nearest arm or occupied arm of victim’s choice if no physical contact. The affected item cannot be used to call damage and counts as an extension of the target’s body for the sake of taking hits for the duration. If the weapon represents an in-character object being held by the target (as opposed to representing a monster’s body part or such) they may choose to drop it during this period, and if re-acquired before the duration is over the effect continues to apply (this has no effect on entities other than the original target). If used on non-combat items, these must be dropped for the duration.|
-|LOCK|BE LOCKED|The target loses use of a limb for the duration, affects nearest limb to point of strike or limb of victim’s choice if no physical contact. An affected arm drops to and cannot be moved from a rest position. An affected leg cannot relocate the locked foot. If subject to LOCK EVERYTHING the target is also incapable of making verbal noise.  This is a stronger affliction than choosing to focus on resisting an affliction so should likely be taken in that way.|
-|DAZE|BE DAZED|The target cannot attack or voluntarily make calls.  They can defend themselves one handed (or continue one other one handed activity instead of defending themselves if they wish) and move no faster than a stagger.|
-|STRENGTHEN|BE STRENGTHENED|The target is capable of inflicting more damage for the duration of the call.  Physical blows deal +1 damage.  STRENGTHEN does not stack.  This call ends an existing WEAKEN instead of its usual effect if the target is already afflicted by WEAKEN, regardless of durations.|
-|WEAKEN|BE WEAKENED|The target is less capable of inflicting damage for the duration of the call.  Physical blows deal 1 less damage.  WEAKEN does not stack. This call ends an existing STRENGTHEN instead of its usual effect if the target is already benefitting from STRENGTHEN, regardless of durations.|
-====Special Calls====
+==== FREEZE / BE FROZEN ====
-The following calls are special calls which are not combined with damage:
+  * For the duration you are entirely incapable of moving and speaking
-^Call^Effect^
+  * You can still concentrate on fully resisting this and be able to defend yourself slightly
-|EFFECT/BE AFFECTED|Freetext description of what is happening. Results of instantaneous actions persist beyond the actual duration of the call. //Eg. EFFECT “Disappear” 30, call DISAPPEARING and after 30 seconds call APPEARING vs EFFECT “Call DISAPPEARING”//|
+  * You can still make calls that require no physical action on your part
-|HEAL|The target gains a healing surge, this lasts until consumed.  If they already have a healing surge this has no effect.When dropped with a healing surge or newly granted one on the floor can someone can spend 5 seconds invulnerable on the floor to get up at full hits with all of their per encounter RESISTs also suspending all ONGOING effects on them. At the end of the encounter check with source for any lingering effects. This call is one of two exceptions to the default duration of 10 seconds.|
-|STABILISE|Pauses the target’s death count for the duration of the call.|
-|DISAPPEARING|The maker of the call has ceased to be present at their current location.They should put 2 fingers in the air to indicate this.  The target does not take any new calls other than GAIN APPEARING during this period.  The target may still make calls that are the results of actions they started earlier but cannot initiate any other interactions.  Whilst disappeared you cannot perform actions that will give mechanical benefit at a later point //(eg. body mages may not usefully knot strings, spirit guides cannot perform steps of katas)//.  If you find yourself without a way of calling APPEARING after a minute make your way out of the encounter to the side. This call is one of two exceptions to the default duration of 10 seconds.|
-|APPEARING| The maker of the call has reappeared in the encounter in their current location.  If appearing directly behind someone the call should be loud to alert them to your presence. No affliction can prevent you from making the appearing call. Like all non-resist calls APPEARING triggers the 1 second rule.|
-|GAIN| The target gains use of the specified call or the stated number of hits. These are consumed before any other sources of the call or hits and fade at the end of the duration. Calls default to melee unless otherwise specified. Effects may be combined with normal damage calls. Damage calls granted by GAIN are not affected by STRENGTHEN or WEAKEN. Calls granted by GAIN are always of default duration. DURING may be appended before the duration to indicate the call can be used as many times as wanted over the duration. //Examples: GAIN STRIKEDOWN DURING: For the next 10 seconds any of your melee calls may have STRIKEDOWN as an effect. GAIN LOCK 20: Over the next 20 seconds you may make one melee call with LOCK as an effect.//|
-|EXECUTE| If currently on a death count, the target immediately dies.|
-|RESIST|Used to indicate that the effect component of a received call was resisted, and that doing so has consumed a limited resource. This call is one of three exceptions to the 1 second rule.|
-|NULL|Used to indicate that a received call or some component of it was resisted, and that this will continue to be resisted for a limited amount of time. This call is one of three exceptions to the 1 second rule.|
-|IMMUNE|Used to indicate that a received call or some component of it was resisted, and that this will continue to happen however many times the call is made or however long one waits.This call is one of three exceptions to the 1 second rule.|
-|FIAT|Like Effect but cannot be resisted by any means.|
-====Call Modifiers====
+==== STUN / BE STUNNED ====
-The following modifiers may be applied to the start of calls:
+  * For the duration, you can't attack or voluntarily make non-resisting calls
-  * **MASS** - The call affects everybody (whichever side of a fight they may be on) within 5 meters of the caller. It does not typically affect them. Unlike other LARP systems you may be used to, if an ability allows you to make a MASS call you may not reduce it to an arc.
+  * You can use one hand to maintain any previous activity, including defending yourself
-  * **ARC** - The call affects everybody within 5 meters of the caller, but limited to an arc marked out with outstretched hands. Some sources of ARC calls may specify limits to the arc that can be made. If not, you may make the arc a full circle and instead make a MASS call.
+  * You can't move faster than a stagger
-  * **RANGED** - Used purely for disambiguation, the call did not require weapon contact between the caller and the target.  Where the caller is not currently attempting to strike the target with a weapon this call component should be skipped.
-=====Physical and Spiritual=====
+==== BUFF / BE BUFFED  ====
-Moonrise features two planes in which combat may occur: the Physical plane and an abstract spiritual space in which Vision Quests occur. Whilst in the Physical world a character uses their physical hits, and whilst on a Vision Quest they use their spirit hits. Damage from regular damage calls is dealt against the appropriate pool for the plane combat is taking place within.
+  * For the duration, your physical blows do +1 damage
+  * You can only be doing at most +1 damage from BUFF
+  * If you were affected by SAP, this call instead immediately ends that impairment regardless of durations
-Generally, Physical combat involves more hits, higher damage and more Physical effect calls, whilst Vision Quest combat involves less hits, less damage and more of a skew towards Mental effect calls. Unless specified otherwise, skills function the same in both the Physical plane and on Vision Quests.
+==== SAP / BE SAPPED  ====
-Whilst there may be rare situations in which Player Characters may take spiritual damage in the Physical world, PCs are not permitted to gain any ability which would allow them to do this (so GMs need only define a single hit pool for most monsters).
+  * For the duration, your physical blows do -1 damage
+  * You can only be doing at most -1 damage from SAP
+  * If you were affected by BUFF, this call instead immediately ends that impairment regardless of durations
-Regular adventures will feature Vision Quests at various points throughout, and there are Greater Vision Quests which last for an entire adventure, for which Vision Quest rules are always in place.
+===== Special Calls =====
+These calls are never combined with damage. Except for EFFECT, these calls have no physical/mental distinction and may always just be called as they are, optionally with a duration (with default 10 seconds):
+==== EFFECT / BE AFFECTED ====
+  * This call is followed by a short free-text description of an effect
+  * For the duration, you should do your best to respond appropriately and do anything the description tells you to
+  * The results of anything the effect commands you to do persist even beyond the duration of the call
+    * eg. On taking EFFECT "Call HEAL on yourself" you should call HEAL on yourself, you'll stay HEALed even when the effect ends
+    * However, EFFECT "Disappear", as an ongoing effect will cause you to reappear when it wears off, even though it is done via the GONE call, as it was just a command to disappear and not specifically to make the "GONE" call
+  * Any less obvious mechanical results of the EFFECT will probably be called by the originator of the EFFECT so when using a VOID to end it ensure that the originator can hear the call being made
+==== HEAL ====
+  * This call has no duration and may always just be called as HEAL
+  * If you didn't already have a healing surge you gain one. If you did it has no effect.
+  * When you fall to 0 hits and have a healing surge or are given one whilst on your death count you can get up again.
+  * This heals you to full hits, restores any per-encounter VOID calls you may have had and suspends any ONGOING impairments on you.
+  * At the end of the encounter if you are a player you should check with the source of any ONGOING effects this suspended for any lingering effects
+  * Whilst you are getting up you have a 5 second period of invulnerability during which you can ignore any damage and effects
+==== STABILISE ====
+  * For the duration, your death count is paused
+==== SUBDUE ====
+  * For the duration, your death count is paused
+  * After you have been under this affliction for 10 seconds you cannot make use of a healing surge to restore yourself to full hits whilst you are still under this Impairment (you may still receive a HEAL call but cannot use it until this Impairment ends)
+==== GONE (formerly DISAPPEARING) ====
+  * This call has no duration and may always just be called as GONE
+  * You have vanished, put two fingers in the air to indicate this
+  * Whilst vanished you can't attack or do anything which will help you later, eg. preparing spells
+  * Whilst vanished, you do not take any new calls other than GAIN APPEARING, impairments you had continue to affect you.
+  * After one minute having vanished if you do not have a way to appear again you have left the encounter, stand to one side
+  * It's common for things to let you call GONE and GAIN APPEARING (with the default 10s duration) giving you a limited amount of time to reappear
+==== APPEARING ====
+  * This call has no duration and may always just be called as APPEARING
+  * You have reappeared and are no longer vanished
+  * You can always make the APPEARING call if you have access to it, regardless of any impairments you're under
+==== GAIN ====
+  * You can use the specified damage or effect call once during the duration by melee
+  * Effect calls from GAIN are always of default duration, and may be combined with your standard damage call
+  * Damage calls from GAIN are not affected by BUFF or SAP, and may be combined with additional effects you may also call
+  * If the duration is preceded by DURING, you can, rather than once, use the specified call as many times as you like during the effect duration
+    * eg. GAIN FALL DURING: for the next 10 seconds you can call FALL on every hit
+  * Otherwise, you can use the specified call once at some point during the effect duration
+    * eg. GAIN QUAD 20: over the next 20 seconds you may call QUAD on one hit, if not used this is wasted
+==== EXECUTE ====
+  * This call has no duration and may always just be called as EXECUTE
+  * If you are currently on your death count, you immediately die (if STABILISE or SUBDUE is currently pausing your death count you still count as on your death count)
+  * If you are on 0 hits but have the ability to HEAL yourself you may do so and instantly take a HEX after healing instead of dying.
+==== FIAT ====
+  * This call is intended for GM use and special conditions, player abilities should not grant it
+  * This call is identical to EFFECT, but may not be resisted by any means, including fully concentrating
+===== Call Modifiers =====
+The following may be added to the front of any call:
+  * MASS: This call affects everybody else within 5 meters of the caller, unless specified it doesn't hit them
+  * ARC: This call affects everybody else within 5 meters of the caller but limited to the arc made by their outstretched arms
+  * RANGED: This call is a ranged attack and doesn't require weapon contact. This is used to disambiguate where someone makes a ranged attack whilst also attacking the same person in melee.
+===== Resisting Calls =====
+These special calls are the only calls which may be made more than once per second.
+  * VOID (formerly RESIST): Allows you to end the effects of one Impairment early with no lasting consequences. You will usually have a small pool of VOID calls in an encounter.
+  *  NULL: Indicates some part or all of a call never took effect, and that this is a temporary effect which will wear off with time.
+  * IMMUNE: Indicates some part or all of a call never took effect, and that repeatedly attacking or just waiting it out won't help.
+===== Physical and Spiritual =====
+  * Moonrise has two planes on which combat can occur, the physical world and the abstract spiritual space in which Vision Quests occur
+  * In the physical plane called damage affects physical hits, in the spiritual it affects spirit hits
+  * Monsters will typically just have one pool of hits and not need to care about the distinction
+  * Physical combat tends to involve more hits, higher damage and more physical effect calls
+  * Spiritual combat tends to involve fewer hits, low damage, more mental effect calls and often more puzzle-like mechanics
+  * Unless specified otherwise, skills work the same in both planes, though any damage dealt is of the appropriate type
+===== Errata =====
+  * CONTACT is instantly broken by DRAW or PUSH on either party (preventable with NULL/IMMUNE but never with VOID)
+  * Simultaneous PUSH and DRAW from the same target is resolved by moving at a constant distance orbit around them
+  * FALL body part can change (can roll, etc.)
+  * DISARM on an arm not holding anything can still affect a weapon in the other hand
+  * After DISAPPEARING, you can still make calls associated with things you set up earlier (eg. traps)
+  * APPEARING is still subject to the 1 second rule, so after making it you need to wait a second before you start attacking someone
+  * Calls from GAIN are consumed before any other sources of the same call
+  * MASS calls cannot inherently be reduced to an ARC
+  * If an ARC call doesn't specify a particular angle range, an ARC -can- be enlarged into a MASS
+  * Other than using your own hits as a resource for some abilities, effects which cause loss of the other type of hit to the current plane you're in are very rare. Player characters will never get abilities which do this.
+  * SAP on a character doing SINGLE reduces them to ZERO
+  * RANGED DISARM or LOCK never get to specify an additional target beyond the person you're calling it at
+  * FREEZE is a worse affliction than choosing to focus on resisting an affliction.  With both it and any particularly horrifying EFFECT calls it is not in any way cheating to concentrate on resisting completely.

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