There are times in the course of your travels, you are forced to combat hostile forces either to protect yourself, your friends, your quarry, or your country. In these times, you must know how to efficiently and effectively take care of the danger you are in. These rules will help ensure your survival as well as those around you. Be mindful that each person falls to a distinct pattern of fighting, where their skills and abilities provide useful to them. Know their patterns and you may just as well be able to counteract the threat they posses.
Combat in Soluna[]
The Basics[]
During an encounter, a roster is normally formed depending on each units Dexterity or ability. In the event that multiple units have the same Dexterity value, each of those units must roll to see who goes first. There are some instances where a single unit or a single group goes first, these are called Surprise Rounds and can be utilized through traps or ambushes. You too can take advantage of this special round by ambushing the enemy yourself. The surprise round roster is different, if it's only a single unit, he or she will go first before the normal roster kicks in, if it is a group, a surprise round roster is formed based on their Dexterity, afterwards, the normal roster then kicks in. When a roster has been made, each unit has a chance to take their turns.
The Turns[]
A turn is when a unit can act in accordance to his will or program. Most turns are equivalent to 20 - 30 seconds in battle, where as turns outside of battle are 1 minute long. The latter only matters when spell effects are cast outside of battle. The turn of each unit is split into three sub acts, the Move Action, the Free Action, and the Main Action. A unit is allowed to utilize these acts in any order they wish, however they can only do one act per turn save for the Free Actions.
Move Action
A move act is when a unit can move squares equivalent to his or her Dexterity perimeter. There are certain circumstances and skills that allow the player to forgo their move act, such as being bound. You are able to extend your Move act (increase your movement range x2) by using a move-equivalent act, which is half your Main act, this is advisable for escaping high danger situations if applicable. The Move Action extension can be taken up to two times thus increasing your movement range by x4.
Free Action
A free act is a minor act that requires little to no concentration on the unit. Actions such as gesturing, communicating, and looking are considered free turns. Any act that doesn't hamper the unit in any way can be called a free action. Some abilities make certain non free act usable skills usable, such as loading a firearm quickly.
Main Action
The main act is the meat and potatoes of the units turn. This is when a unit can cast magic, attack, defend, use high concentration skills and abilities, etc. The main act can also be delayed and set to a trigger, such as "attacking once the enemy has moved within range" or "healing a target once they take damage". If none of these situations are matched at the beginning of your turn, your previous turn is forfeit. Certain situations disable this act much like the other acts.
Move Equivalent Action
The move equivalent act isn't an actual act. Certain moves and skills and abilities are not short enough to be free acts but aren't long enough to be considered main acts. These acts are called Move Equivalent Acts because you can generally forgo your move act (an action that is longer than a free act and shorter than a main act) in order to execute them. A main act is exactly two move equivalent acts.
The Fighting[]
While battling an attacker must roll *D6 where * is the number of Strength they possess. At the same time the defender must roll *D6 where * is the number of Toughness they possess. This is how it is normally, where Strength is used in an attack and Toughness is used to defend it. Some circumstances will change this and the player must take note of that and remember. Magic is different and has its own section (See Magic). Equipment such as armor and weapons add bonuses to these rolls. These bonuses are static and are added to the overall roll of the player not the base roll. For example a character with 3 Str wielding a short sword (+2 Str bonus) will not roll 5d6 but will roll 3d6 with a +2 after the roll. Alternatively someone with 2 Tgh equipped with a Targe (+2 Tgh bonus) will not roll 4d6 but will roll a 2d6 with a +2 after the roll.
When a player rolls an attack and the opposing player rolls a defense, the winner of that clash is the player that rolled the higher number. For example a player attacking with 3 Str wielding a short sword rolls 3D6+2 and gets a 10, while a player defending with 2 Tgh rolls 2D6 and gets a 7. The winner is the attacking player. So in this instance, the attack succeeds and the damage dealt is the difference between the attacking number and the defending number. 10 - 7= 3, so the defending player is dealt 3 damage.
Now lets look at another scenario. The same attacking player rolls a 6 while the defending player rolls another 7. In this instance, the defending player wins and the attack fails. No damage is dealt and the attack ends. Certain abilities will cause you to deal damage if you successfully defend against an attack.
Critical Hits
Another thing to look at is critical hits. When an attack roll die hits the maximum number it can get (I.E. a 6 on a D6) that die becomes a critical die. When this occurs, the player who rolls the critical must roll a d6 to confirm the critical. If a 6 is rolled on the confirmation roll, the attack is considered a critical hit. Critical hits will always double the amount of damage dealt to the defending person as long as the attack succeeds. For example lets take the first scenario. The attacking player rolls 3D6 and gets 6+1+1(+2). Then the attacking player rolls a d6 to confirm the hit and gets a 6 causing his attack to be a critical hit. The defending player in this instance rolls a 7 again with 2D6. 10 - 7 = 3x2 for the critical and the defending player receives 6 damage. A failed critical confirmation will simply not add the multiplier.
In the instance where multiple dice are critical, you will need to roll one d6 for each of those die to confirm it. Multiple critical dice will still only yield a x2 damage modifier if it is confirmed. For example an attacker rolls a 13 (6+6+1), they must then confirm the critical hit for each critical die they rolled, so in this case that attacker rolls 2d6. If any one of the die is confirmed to be a critical, then they receive the x2 damage multiplier. Some weapons will have a higher critical range and will be noted as such. This changes the critical multiplier of the weapon making critical hits x3 instead of x2.
Critical hits are different when it comes to ballistic weapons since they have their own damage values. In order to roll a critical, you must roll a 6 on your Dexterity die, the die used to score a critical hit and confirm it. Then you roll the damage of the ballistic weapon before you add on the multiplier.
Some weapons have an inherent increase in critical range. This is due to their sheer power that any attack made by these weapons will deal enough damage to warrant these increased critical hits. In the case of these weapons, they will have both 5 and 6 as their critical hit numbers as well as their critical hit confirmation numbers.
Ranged Attacks
Range in terms of ranged weapons are not similar to the range of melee weapons. With regards to ranged weapons, their inherent range is just the minimum allowed without penalties. For each space you shoot over your range you get deductions to your total roll accordingly (I.E. 1 space over is -1, 2 spaces over is -2, 3 spaces over is -3 etc.)
Automatic and Semi-Automatic Guns
These rules relate to guns which are categorized into three different genres. There are single shot guns such as bolt action rifles, then there are semi-autos which are most handguns, and there are automatics, which as most machine guns. The rules for single shot guns are different to single shot ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows. Bows have specific quivers that allow the user easy access to their arrows or bolts, however bullets are not as easily accessible. The barrel needs to be opened and the bullets must be placed inside. So for single shot weapons, a player can only attack once with it, then they must reload the weapon (using up a main action) then they can shoot again.
For Semi-Automatics the rules are a little different. Semi-autos are allowed one attack per turn like single shot weapons, however due to their magazine size, a character using a semi-automatic weapon does not have to reload their weapon right after the first shot. Reloading only effects them once their clip has been exhausted. For abilities such as Double Shoot, these and the automatics are the only weapons affected.
Automatic weapons are allowed to make three attacks in one main action. They also follow the same rules regarding reloading as semi-automatics. These weapons are deadlier than their other cousins, however their drawback is that their effective range is pretty low; the burst of the weapon makes aiming harder.
Reloading Guns
Reloading either manually or through the insertion of a clip is a main action unless you have a skill that makes it a move equivalent action. A successful Deft maneuver can also make reloading a move equivalent action.
Switching Items/Using Items
When switching items in the middle of battle (i.e. switching to a different weapon or taking out an item from a pack) is considered half a main action, or a move-equivalent action. When a player wishes to switch to an item/weapon they may forgo their move action and still make a main action, or forgo their main action and use up two move equivalent actions (i.e. a player may double move). A successful Deft maneuver can also make switching items a move equivalent action.
Alternatively, using a mundane item such as a potion or other healing is also considered a move equivalent action. That means in a turn, you are able to move, take an item from your pack, then use it.
Cover
There are times in battle or during your adventures when taking cover happens to be a good tactical maneuver. In these cases you are shielded from sight and from the barrage of blows that your foe may or may not be sending towards you. Cover is separated into three different types depending on how covered a player is. These types are: Minimal, Moderate, and Maximum, and each of the three coverage types have specific penalties and bonuses.
Minimal cover comes from some shields, small pieces of debris, etc. Anything that is 70-60% smaller than your body can count as minimal cover. When minimally covered, you gain a +1 bonus to any toughness or dexterity rolls when being attacked.
Moderate cover comes from tower shields and bigger artefacts, anything that covers 50% of your body is considered moderate cover. Moderate cover confers a +3 bonus to toughness and dexterity rolls.
Maximum cover is when you are completely blocked by a shield, wall, door, etc. Being completely covered grants you a +5 bonus to your toughness or dexterity rolls.
Flanked and Flanking
When someone is being attacked in between two opposing beings, that person is flanked, while the two opposing beings are flanking. This tactic has the added benefit of granting you bonuses or penalties to Str and Tgh. In this situation, the person that is flanked is given a -2 to their overall Tgh roll against attacks while those who are flanking are given a +2 bonus to their overall Str roll.
Coup de Grace
During a fight you are able to deliver an instant kill attack on an enemy that is prone. Being prone can be brought about in various ways, such as the target being asleep or the target being tripped and on the floor. These attacks don't require a Str roll nor do they require a damage roll unless circumstances state otherwise.
Dual Wielding
Dual wielding is the act of holding two weapons at the same time, with one weapon for each hand. A player who attempts this can make two separate attacks against a single opponent similar to the Flurry skill. However due to the decrease in stability and concentration in wielding two weapons at the same time, a player normally gets a -4 penalty to your total attack roll for each attack attempt you make. Weapons that state that no shield can be usable when wielding them, can also be dual wielded however, the penalty becomes a -6 for each attack attempt you make. There are a few weapons that are exempt from dual wielding, ever: the sniper rifle, composite bows, and launchers. Those who wish to negate or lessen their penalty should choose to learn the Double Grasp ability.
Vehicles in Combat[]
Please note the various and complex rules for using vehicles listed below. Generally vehicles will function like a unit but may require a certain amount of personnel to use as well as the corresponding Technical check (see "Skills"). Each vehicle will have it's own perimeters with it's hardness acting as toughness and it's speed acting as its dexterity. Strength is reliant on the armaments the vehicle is equipped with while mind and abilities are negligible since they are machines unless equipped with an artificial intelligence. Health stays as it is while it's skills are reliant on the driver.
When riding a vehicle you forgo your own dexterity modifier and must rely on the speed of the craft itself. Also some abilities cannot be used while manning a vehicle while others can be used only with specific types of vehicles. Perimeters such as your toughness, strength, and mind only come into play during specific events. Getting into or on a vehicle is a main action unless you make the appropriate Acrobatics check to make it a move equivalent action while getting off or out of one is always a free action.
Vehicular Battles
Some vehicles are equipped with armaments, such as those owned by the military for skirmishes and fringe battles as well as private police units for anti-personnel encounters. When battling with vehicles, the vehicle can be both a boon and a curse. Though the vehicle itself acts as unit, each with it's own individual perimeters, and can be used as armor, the cost of decreased mobility or the requirement of multiple persons to function effectively might be too steep. Special vehicular weaponry are usually powerful enough to obliterate other vehicles such as the cannons on military airships or even gatling guns on land crafts. Vehicles are objects and as such they have their own hardness value, which acts as their Toughness score. Penetrating this hardness, through the use of HF weapons and ammunition or other effect, can whittle away the colossal amount of Health Points these vehicles have. When attempting to Sunder a vehicle, you must overcome it's challenge. As a general rule, the sunder challenge for an object is twice its hardness value. A broken or damaged vehicle may cease to function until an appropriate repair craft is made if applicable.
Most vehicles are technologically advanced and thus must require the proper Technical check to use. Special functions and tricks used with the vehicle require its own corresponding Technical check as well. Because vehicles are mechanized, multiple functions such as moving while unloading your weapons can be initialized with a flick of a few buttons and levers. This makes any activity made similar in terms of actions to those of a single unit. Moving takes a move action while attacking and other more complex actions are main actions. Free actions with vehicles are reliant on the capabilities of their passengers and drivers, such as making Technical checks and speaking through a loudspeaker etc.
Personnel VS Vehicles
It is advised to avoid confrontation with vehicles when attacking as a simple unit. Vehicles are deadly and have enough force in speed to instantly kill the unwary. If forced to do so however, you may use HF weapons to negate the vehicles hardness and begin to whittle away at their health. Grenades and bombs that deal damage are also efficient since their are inherently capable of ignoring armor. Another efficient yet difficult tactic is to disable the driver of the vehicle. Without someone to man them, vehicles are not dangerous, unless you encounter a remote controlled or automated vehicle, then special tactics need to be applied.
Attacking on/with Vehicles
When using vehicles to attack, such as using the craft to ram into someone or something, it counts as a ranged attack. Each unit that may be hit with a vehicle is subject to evading the craft using the Dexterity modifier against a challenge of 1 for each foot in between you and your target. When a vehicle hits a target with a toughness or hardness higher than it's own, it will suffer 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet it was attacking with, similar to falling damage. A successful hit with your vehicle will deal enough damage to drop their HP to 0 while a failure will result in nothing.
When attacking from a vehicle, such as out of a window or when using speeders to attack, there are special rules. When attacking with a ranged weapon while your vehicle is moving you gain a -4 penalty to attack rolls. Melee attacks must be performed when the vehicle is stopped unless you posses the proper ability. When attacking from a vehicle but not driving it, you are subject to make Acrobatic checks depending on the current stability of the vehicle you are in. A success means you are able to perform whatever action you may wish to do.
On the other hand, when attacking from the vehicle and are steering it (called mounted), like when attacking with scooters, you are subject to constant Technical checks when attempting to perform an action as long as the vehicle is not stationary. For the specific Technical checks required to make specific functions with your vehicle refer to the Skills page. Any sort of failure in the Technical checks will negate the action you wish to perform.
The Victory[]
The causes for victory differs in each encounter, however, most of the time, your opponents defeat or your defeat would end an encounter. The same goes for fleeing the battle. After a battle has ended, there are usually spoils to be taken, either from the environment or the items carried by the fallen. Make sure you take anything that may prove useful for your travel, such as medicine and ammo, just in case another battle encounter awaits around the bend.