Copyright 2003
White Wolf
Combat
Combat in vampire attempts to capture the drama of violent conflict without downplaying its grim reality. Every effort ahs been made to create a system true to the dynamics, limitations, and viciousness of real combat while still leaving room for the unique (and often spectacular elements) that vampires bring to it.
No rules can fully reflect the variety of situations encountered in warfare. The combat system is meant to add depth to the game, not create conflict between Storytellers and players.
COMBAT BEGINS
Someone will initiate a challenge - "I am BRUTALLY ramming this knife through your ribcage.
A trait must be declared as well as the action.
Combat has begun. The people involved in this starting challenge will resolve their actions after that, Combat rounds will begin.
Step One:
All blood is spent to fuel disciplines or heal.
All willpower is spent to fuel disciplines (if required prior to challenge), refresh trait categories, or heal.
Step Twp:
Alacrity is resolved.
Step Three:
All mental actions are declared and resolved.
All mental/physical challenges are declared and resolved.
Step Four:
All social actions are declared and resolved.
Step Five:
Physical actions are determined to be individual or mob combat.
-Characters with Celerity go First, starting with those with the Highest levels of Celerity. If two people have the same levels of Celerity, then order is decided by traits.
-Characters wielding weapons that have the Speed ability take their actions second.
-Then Characters with out Celerity or Speed weapons take their actions starting with the character that has the highest physical traits.
-You may take up to 3 steps during a physical combat action. However, if you take 3 full steps, you are unable to attack. You may take up to 2 steps during a physical combat action and still attack. For each step taken (up to 2 steps) while conducting an attack, you are at a 1 trait physical penalty in your combat action. One step and an attack would place a player at a 1 trait physical penalty. Two steps and an attack would place a player at a 2 trait physical penalty. Steps may only be taken before the physical attack
All physical actions are declared and resolved.
Step Six:
Swiftness Round
Physical actions are determined to be individual or mob combat.
All physical actions are declared and resolved.
Step Seven:
Legerity Round
Physical actions are determined to be individual or mob combat.
All physical actions are declared and resolved.
Step Eight:>
All blood healing that has been spent is completed.
All applicable Virtue tests are made.
Begin again with Step One.
Notes on combat -
- The Bomb or Winning on Ties need not be declared prior to its use in any challenge.
- Willpower may be used to ignore wound penalties at any time but only lasts until the end of Step Eight.
- The order of physical actions is determined as those with the highest speed descending by speed and in relation to remaining physical traits with ties resolved by simple tests. Mental and Social order of actions is resolved much the same way but with no regard to Celerity speed.
- The ten minute courtesy rule does not apply during combat.
- Alacrity as well as all levels of Celerity involve only physical actions and powers.
- Use of Disciplines such as Cauldron of Blood or Bone Crafting can only exist in the normal round as they are included in the concept of mental/social actions.
- Surprise must be declared after the initiator declares both a trait and an action. Once that declaration has been made, the count for Surprise may be started. The count must be clearly audible. Do not stop counting until you have reached at least Surprise Six or the target has fully responded. A response must include a Trait and an action to stop the count. Surprise does not allow a full battery of Celerity actions. A surprise round includes only one action with all benefits included.
Fair Escape -
This rule involves the ability to get away from someone prior to interaction with them. Fair Escape may not be called if you are within thirty feet of the person you are attempting to escape from unless you are using Obfuscate. If you are using Obfuscate, it must be employed prior to any challenge. Once any challenges have begun, ther is NO Fair Escape. The scene should be played out normally. If someone declares Fair Escape, the person hunting them may call out a celerity action. If the person trying to escape cannot at least match the speed, Fair Escape is not achieved.
Keep in mind that Fair Escape is a rule that was implemented to keep people from getting injured playing the game. If people had to actually run away from others when they saw the boot squad coming, there is a chance they could run into other players or furniture in the process. It is an OOC rule that was created for your personnel safety, not your character.
Called Shots -
There may be no forced addition to the mechanics outcome of a challenge due to RP alone when in combat or otherwise. If you declare that you are brutal enough to cut off his head, you may be successful in the challenge, but will not instantly remove the targets head. The effects of the challenge can never be greater than the mechanics involved. This is part of the checks and balance system of Live Action. In the above example, the target may have received two lethal wounds in the neck region, but was not decapitated. If the two lethal wounds would have put the target below torpor, then the effect would be decapitation.
Disputes over the results of 'Called Shots' are in the favor of the target, for obvious reasons. Narrators may be sought for clarification. Called Shots are for added RP enjoyment and may interest some in a few Ability Specializations. They should be treated as any other RP effect that goes on in this game.
Frenzy -
Talking someone out of a Frenzy cannot be performed during combat. The process of calming someone's Beast must be done through roleplay in a scene and cannot be adequately performed during combat. Also, the initial stimulus for the Frenzy must be vacant when attempting to calm someone from a Frenzy.
