A few first writeups. Veeeery chaotic.
Combat is handled in the following sequence:
Magic: Both adversaries may cast a spell. The combatant with higher Skill may go first. If Skill is tied, the one with the higher Mind goes first. If they are still tied, the one who initiated combat goes first.
The effects of spells are applied.
If the spell is offensive, it is a contest of Mind vs. Mind, unless otherwise stated. If the attacker loses, there is no effect, but energy is still paid. If the defender loses, apply damage or a detrimental effect.
If any of the combatants wants to proceed to the Archery phase, do so, otherwise include another Magic phase.
Archery: Both sides may fire a missile weapon. The one with higher Skill goes first. If Skill is tied, the one who initiated combat goes first. A ranged attack is a contest of Skill. If the shooter wins, apply damage, if not, there is no effect.
If any of the combatants wants to proceed to the Melee phase, do so, otherwise insert another Archery phase.
Melee: After trading arrows and spells, bloody melee commences. The combatant with higher Skill strikes first, if Skill is tied, the one with higher Might, if might is tied as well, the one who initiated combat.
If one or both combatants have more than one attack, they take turns, striking one blow each. These are contests of Might.
Unlike Magic or Archery, if either combatant wishes to stay in Melee, another melee phase is inserted thereafter, and so on, until one of the adversaries lies defeated. If both combatants wish to end combat, do so. Note that monsters never voluntarily end combat.
If the adversaries wish to continue combat after leaving melee, insert another Magic phase and proceed from there.
Each contest is handled as follows:
*Both contestants compare their rating in the relevant attribute.
*Each has an option to play a combat card face down. Any combat card may be played so, but if it is not relevant for the contest in question, discard it without effect once it is revealed.
*Both contestants take a six-sided die and place it concealed in front of them. Depending on abilities they get a certain number of attempts to guess the number the opponent has set in front of him. – if they guess their opponent’s number, he loses the dice, otherwise he adds it to his total.
*Both contestants have an option to play additional combat cards face up.
*When both are done playing face up cards, reveal the hidden cards.
*Add up the Attribute, total bonuses of combat cards and your die.
*If your total is higher than the opponent’s, you win the contest.
*If there is a tie, both contestants take another die and set in concealed in front of them. Both have again the opportunity to guess the opponent’s total. The higher number wins. If both are tied again, repeat.
There 3 attributes. Every time a level is gained, choose one card from one of the attributes you have access to. Certain cards have prerequisites expressed in a number and a symbol – Fist/hand, mask and scroll. So, seeing “5 Fist” in a card text means that you must already have 5 fist cards before you can choose this card when leveling up. Likewise, if a weapon has a prerequisite of “5 Fist”, you must have a minimum of five Fist cards before you can use it (note that you can own the weapon regardless of whether you have the necessary Fist rating, it just does you no good).
Let’s call the attributes Might, Skill and Wits.
Might Abilities:
The Might attribute is used for close combat, and is required to use heavy weapons and armor.
*Tough as Nails, Iron Jaw, Just Plain Big, Me Smash, Endless Resolve: +1 hit point.
*Right where it hurts: if you wound an opponent, he gets -2 Wits and Skill until your next melee phase.
*Crush to Mush: you deal an extra point of damage in close combat.
*Scrap Metal: pay one energy to ignore opponent’s armor this melee phase.
*Unnecessary Cruelty: each time you wound an opponent, he gets a cumulative -1 to all stats until the end of combat.
*There are no Fairies: You get one extra guess against magic.
*Bloody Mess: If your attack deals at least two more damage to an enemy than he has hit points left, you receive an extra treasure.
*Cool: You take one damage less from fire attacks.
*Really Hot: You take one damage less from cold attacks.
*Gift of Fury: Spend one energy to add +2 to your Might for this melee phase. You may spend multiple points of energy this way.
*Berserk: At the start of a melee phase, you may pay one life to add +3 to might and +2 to damage caused for that phase only.
*Art of Killing: Spend one energy to make an extra melee attack after the regular one. (Needs some measure of Skill)
Skill Abilities:
*Tree Hugger: Forest tiles cost only 2 to enter.
*Hillbilly: Hills and Mountains cost only 2 to enter.
*Hyperactive/Sugar Addict/Coffee Connoisseur/High on Speed: +2 movement.
*Crippling Shot: if you hit an enemy with a missile attack, he receives -2 Might until the end of combat.
*Run like Hell: you may flee from combat at the start of a phase – this is a contest of skill against your adversary. If you win, you withdraw to an adjacent square. If you lose, you take one damage and may try again.
*Point Blank Shot: You may insert an archery phase before a melee phase. If you do, you may not attack in that close combat step.
*Rapid Shot: you may choose to fire twice in the first archery phase. If you do, you take a -3 penalty to Skill for both shots.
*Lucky Punk: spend one energy to automatically hit with a ranged attack. One use per combat.
*Backstab!: You may discard a combat card to make a contest of skill before battle. If you win, the battle starts in the phase of your choosing and your first attack deals double damage.
Mind Abilities:
*Tricky Teleport: play after a melee phase. Spend one energy to move to a magic phase, or spend two energy to end combat and place your hero in an adjacent square.
Combat Cards:
*Charge: Combat starts in the melee phase.
*Caught with Pants Down: you get a free archery phase before the combat.
*Make Funny Faces: Play when an opponent spends energy. Until a combat turn has passed, he must spend an additional energy card when he uses an ability that requires energy.
*Dis-arm: Use before melee phase. Add your Might and Skill, opponent does the same. Make a contest. If you win, he must discard his weapon if hero, or takes a penalty of -3 to Might if creature.
*Spank: if you defeat a hero, you may play this card to make him lose 5 Fame.
*My Daddy was an Elf: +3 to Skill for one contest or attack.
*Now you see me, now you don’t: Use after melee phase. If you win a contest of skill, insert an archery phase.
*Illegal Doping, What did you call my mom? , Gimme yer lunch money!, Dwarven Ale…
+3 to Might for one melee phase or contest.
*Check out My Diploma! , Vastly Superior Nerd, A Swift Cup of Coffee: +3 to mind for one contest or magic phase.
*Kick below the waist: play before a melee attack. If you succeed, your opponent discards two combat cards.
*No Way! : cancel one combat card just played.
*Am I good or what? If you succeeded in wounding your enemy, either cast another spell, shoot once more or strike once more in combat, depending on the phase in which you wounded him.
*Your Shoelace is untied: Play before a combat phase. Make a contest of Mind. If you win, move to a combat phase of your choosing.
***
