COMBAT

Combat is largely based on 2ed combat, with attack rolls, reactions (dodge/parry), and damage rolls. Some 4ed elements have been adapted and some further adjustments made.

Initiative

At the start of the first round of combat each character makes an INITIATIVE (Ag-based skill) Test.

Each combatant then acts in order of SL.

·         If two or more characters are tied in SL, whichever has the higher Agility acts first.

·         Spending a point of Fortune at the start of the round lets you choose when to act during that round only (a good way to ignore surprise during the first round of combat, see below).

Awareness & surprise

At the start of combat characters are either aware of the impending danger (and can act normally) or they are not and gain the Surprised condition.

·         Surprised characters cannot act on their turn, cannot make reactions, and when they are defending the attacker gains a +20 bonus to their attack.

·         The surprised condition is lost at the end of the first round of combat or after a character has been attacked for the first time, whichever comes first.

Attack sequence

The acting character becomes the ATTACKER and may declare a single attack against a single DEFENDER.

·         Some talents and combat options allow for multiple attacks, either against the same target or multiple targets.

Attack step

Make a check using the appropriate skill (almost always WS for melee attacks and BS for missile attacks).

A success means a HIT, a failure means a MISS.

·         Attack rolls are frequently modified to account for difficult combat conditions. Darkness, bad footing, previous injury, fatigue, and many other effects can make hitting your target harder (or sometimes even easier).

Automatic success

Sorry, there is no such thing in Warhammer: Storm of Shadows. The Chaos/Dice gods are too fickle for that.

Critical hits

Any hit that is also a double is a CRITICAL HIT.

·         Some talents, combat options, and equipment grant additional critical conditions.

Example: Weapons with the Impale quality also cause crits on any single digit ‘0’ on the attack roll.

·         A critical hit can only be successfully defended against by another critical success.

In addition to hitting, a CRITICAL INJURY will be inflicted on the defender during the appropriate step (see below).

Automatic failure

Any roll of 96 or more is automatically a miss, even if your effective skill is higher.

Fumbles (critical failures)

Any miss that’s also a double is a FUMBLE. Since any roll of 96+ automatically misses, a double ‘0’ is always a fumble.

·         Fumbles vary in severity (but are never good): make a d100 roll on the Fumble table and suffer the effects.

Multiple attacks

Characters can normally make only ONE attack (or take another actions) during each of their turns, but some talents, combat options, and equipment grant additional attacks.

Note: You’re free to describe how your character lashes out at their enemies with great speed or whatever, but from a mechanical standpoint you only get one attack within the span of a round unless specifically granted more attacks by some source.

Some common sources of multiple attacks:

·         Dual Wielding: Characters armed with two weapons potentially (if the off-hand isn’t used to parry) get 1 attack with their main hand at -20 and 1 with their off-hand at -40. Certain talents (Dual Wielder and Ambidextrous, among others) will make dual wielding more effective.

·         Swift Attack increase base attacks by 1 but incurs a -10/-10 or 0/-20 penalty.

·         Lightning Attack talents increase base attacks by 2 respectively but incurs a -20/-20/-20 or 0/-20/-40 penalty.

Defense step

If the attack hits, the defender may attempt a defensive REACTION, either a PARRY (WS-based weapon skill) or a DODGE (Ag-based skill).

·         To PARRY, the defender must have ready a suitable melee weapon or other object, otherwise a parry cannot be attempted. Swords, parrying weapons, and shields grant bonuses to parries.

·         To make any kind of defensive reaction, the defender must be aware of the attack, otherwise no defense may be attempted. In most cases it’s enough not to have the Surprised condition but the GM may rule otherwise.

To defend, make an OPPOSED skill check vs the attackers roll. If the defender wins, the hit is canceled. If the attacker wins, the hit is maintained but the attacker’s SL is reduced accordingly.

·         Some talents, combat options, and equipment grant additional reactions. Only a single reaction can be attempted per attack, even if the defender has multiple reactions.

Shields & parrying weapons

If the defender has a shield or a second weapon in the off-hand, he gains a bonus parry reaction each round.

Example: Thesalva is armed with two vicious poisoned daggers. She’s eligible for a bonus parry reaction but instead makes a frenzied two-weapon attack and hopes her dodge reaction will be sufficient.

Two-handed weapons

If the defender is armed with a two-handed melee weapon, he gets a bonus parry reaction. This includes fighting two-handed with hand weapons.

Example: Ulfberth wields his fearsome beard-axe with two hands, giving him the extra leverage needed to both attack and defend. He gains a bonus parry reaction (so he could parry twice or make one parry and one dodge).

Example: Wigmar grabs the ancient longsword he got from the undead Knight Panther with both hands. He gets a bonus parry reaction (so he could parry twice or make one parry and one dodge).

Note: Fighting with two-handed weapons is superficially similar to fighting with two weapons but there is no option for a bonus attack, just the extra defense. Effectively the same as wielding a shield, except shields have better defensive options. Then again, two-handed weapons do more damage so it evens out.

Defending against missile weapons

Defenders can react normally to missile attacks in melee (predominantly pistols and the odd archer with special talents), dodging or parrying by knocking aside the weapon.

Additionally:

·         Thrown weapons can be defended against normally using dodge at +0 or parry at -20.

·         Other missile weapons (arrows, bolts, bullets etc.) can only be dodged at -20.

·         Shields provide their AP bonus vs all missile attack unless the GM decides the attack comes from a quarter not protect by the shield. This can typically happen if the defender is surprised or attacked from a great distance.

Fighting defensively

If the defender foregoes attacking on his turn, he gains a bonus parry or dodge reaction until his next turn.

Example: Ulfberth want to buy his allies time to get into position so he foregoes attacking with his two-handed beard-axe to gain a bonus parry reaction (or a bonus dodge, but his WS is better than his Ag), for a total of two bonus parries or one bonus parry and one bonus dodge.

Damage step

Roll 1d10 and add the weapons damage bonus.

·         If the number of SLs is higher than the number rolled, the attacker may cancel the damage die and add the number of SLs to damage instead, even if that number exceeds ‘10.’

Hit location

Determine hit location by reversing the dice of the attack roll and referencing the hit location chart.

·         Some abilities, combat options, and equipment affect hit location determination.

Revised hit location chart (WIP):

·         01-39 (11, 22, 33, 10, 20, 30): Body

·         40-49 (44, 40): Head

·         50-64 (55, 50, 60): Right/main arm

·         65-79 (66, 77, 70): Right/main leg

·         80-89 (88, 80): Left arm

·         90-99 (99, 90): Left leg

Damage reduction

·         Armor: Reduce damage by the number of armor points (AP) in that location.

·         Toughness: Further reduce damage by a subtracting the defender’s Toughness bonus.

Injury

If any damage remains, the defenders has been INJURED. Reduce the defender’s CURRENT WOUNDS by the amount of damage suffered.

·         Some abilities and combat options, such as poison, are only triggered by wounding attacks (as opposed to triggering from a hit) as opposed to stuff that triggers from a successful hit.

Zero (0) Wounds

When the defender reaches 0 Wounds, he’s reached his limit and immediately collapses, helpless and at the mercy of his enemies.

·         Champion-tier opponents may make a Willpower +0 test to keep on fighting. If they fail, they are not necessarily dying or even seriously injured (depending on their critical injuries, if any), but they are bruised, battered, and unwilling/unable to keep fighting.

·         Characters with at least 1 point of resolve (PCs, companions, and Master-tier enemies) may keep on fighting despite their injuries until critical injures put an end to them.

Note: Even if a character manages to keep on fighting at 0 Wounds, he’s in grave danger: any wounding hit will automatically become a critical and his luck will soon run out…

Critical injuries

Critical injuries are caused by critical hits and by any hit against a defender with 0 Wounds.

Not all critical injuries are equally severe. Roll d100 and cross-reference the table for that hit location.

·         If the defender is at 0 wounds, add 5 to the critical roll for each remaining point of damage.

Example: Anna is currently at 1 Wound (after having been brutalized by a now-dead troll) and is hit by a goblin arrow in the face doing 6 Wounds after Toughness. The goblin adds 6-1=5x5=25 to the critical roll. It rolls 48 for a total of 73, breaking Anna’s jaw, stunning her, and ruining her good looks forever. The moral of the story: don’t let trolls beat your woman and then allow goblins to shoot them in the face.

Armor deflection

When a defender suffers a critical hit, he can choose to have his armor deflect the blow. Reduce the severity of the crit by 20. Then permanently (can be repaired) reduce AP in that location by 2 (if AP is 1 reduce the crit by 10 instead).

·         Only Champions and Masters, or opponents with at least 1 point of Resilience, can use this option. The lesser folk may not.

Example: If Anna had been wearing a helmet (which she never will, being a vain female wizard), she could have reduced the crit to 73-53, “Fractured Jaw.” Still painful but not nearly as permanent.

Note: Unless you’re at 0 Wounds, this rule will prevent your from randomly dying to a lucky crit.

Sudden death criticals

Instead of tracking crits for Minions, the GM can use a simple d100 roll to determine their fate:

·         01-20: Grazing blow. No effect beyond laughing at your feeble attack.

·         31-40: Seriously injured. Fight at -20. Made a Cool test or immediately flee.

·         41-65: Critically wounded. Prone and stunned indefinitely.

·         66-100: Dead.

Some new combat talents

 

TALENTS

Tier 1 (100 XP)

Ambidextrous: Attack equally well with both hands, taking no penalties with either hand. Reduce the off-handed penalty by 10 when attacking with two weapons (-10 penalty instead of -20 when using the Dual Wielder talent).

Blather: Use the Charm skill to confuse an opponent.

Dual Wielder: When attacking with two weapons, you only take a -20 penalty on your off-hand attack (instead of -20 to the primary hand and -40 to the off-hand).

Wigmar gets this talent for free as it's part of the Noble career.

Tier 2 (200 XP)

Double Shot: You combine the power of two pistols into one powerful volley. Use the base damage and special qualities of the main weapon but roll 2d10 for damage instead of only 1 die. This attack can only be made in melee or at close range.

Double Strike: You plunge two melee weapons into the target at the same time. Use the base damage and special qualities of the main weapon but roll 2d10 for damage instead of only 1 die.

Swift Attack: You lash out at your enemies with fury and speed. You may make 2 melee attacks during 1 round, either with a -10 penalty to WS to both attacks or a -20 penalty to the second attack. You can attack the same target or different targets. You cannot make this attack with cumbersome weapons.

Tier 3 (300 XP)

Lightning Attack: You strike with unbelievable speed. You may attempt to make 3 melee attacks during 1 round, with a -20 penalty to all 3 attacks or  a -20 penalty to the 2^nd attack and a -40 penalty to the 3^rd attack. You can attack the same target or different targets. You cannot make this attack with cumbersome weapons.

From the Journal of one Wigmar Heck, pt 30 (Run for the hills)

1 Kaldzeit

Three days of battling against the current, always surrounded by steep cliffs. It's a wonder there is any river trade at all along this hellish stretch! Full moon tonight. Maybe Ulfberth will turn and put us all out of our misery? I would not object. In the meantime I will get drunk on brandy and burrow my head into elven flesh.

3 Kaldzeit

We passed below an ancient pair of megaliths hulking on either side of the river. Renate says the druids of old built them. Using what cranes, I replied. Humans can't move rocks that big with only their hands.

Past the megaliths the canyon widens somewhat and the river flows smoother. Another few hours and we'll reach the Unterbaum locks. We've seen a few boats going the other direction but we've given them as wide a berth as the river allows.

4 Kaldzeit

Didn't even bother visiting Unterbaum. Had a chat with the locals down at the docks and they confirmed that Hertzen's party had come this way. They'd tried to get the smaller boat up the River Narn but it had capsized. We'll not make the same mistake. We'll go up the locks and Renate will wait for our return there. The cultists are about two months ahead of us. Can't see how we'll catch up with them.

5 Kaldzeit

Found one of the cultists ritually slaughtered and impaled on a wooden pole. My guess: they sacrificed one of their own to whatever foul gods they believe in.

6 Kaldzeit

The weather has turned to shit again. Cold rain and wind, with a hint of snow. Enough to make everyone wet and cold and miserable. Well, Ulfberth seems to be holding up just fine actually. His Norscan blood and wolf fur I suppose. I'm glad I have Thes to keep me warm. Ankh looks positively miserable though but he's a big lad - and has the warmth of the sun inside his heart.

7 Kaldzeit

The going is extremely hard. We're following the Narn upriver to avoid getting lost but there terrain is fiendishly rugged. Saw some large canoes on the river far below today. Looked like a more pleasant way to travel - if you know how to operate one.

9 Kaldzeit

We're getting closer to the dead land, I think. The trees here are different. Younger, gnarly-looking. Like they are slowly growing back.

10 Kaldzeit

We reached the barren part of the Baden Hills. Really barren. Not a single living thing beyond a line in the dirt, going on as far as the eye can see. I wonder what happened here.

Saw an undead stag eating on a corpse. Chased it away. Another of Hertzen's men, stabbed in the gut with an old spear. Someone had cut his throat after for good measure.

We camped near a circle of ancient standing stones. Lots of old bones in the ground. Reminded me of Unfer and the Drinker.

11 Kaldzeit

We found the spot: a muddy crater in the ground, half-filled with water. Lots of tracks and discarded equipment. No prize in sight. Found another dead man in the water, murdered. These deaths are not the same as the first sacrifice. Something else is going on.

Found their camp later in the day, abandoned in a great hurry, probably many weeks ago. Another corpse in the latrine pit. The big oaken box was there, so we pried it open. Another chest inside, made of pure lead. Just as empty. 

I think the cultists got here, didn't find what they were looking for because someone else had gotten to it first. But who are killing them? Monsters? I think not. Blades made those wounds, not claw or fang.

I had first watch with Thes. Fell asleep. When I woke my elf princess was gone and a dark shape stood before me. A ghost of a woman long dead. She begged me to show mercy, to give her body a proper burial, to say a prayer over her so that she might find rest. I agreed and followed her into the darkness.

Brunhilde and a few others had come to the hills nearly two hundred years ago to retrieve a piece of warpstone that had fallen from the sky. A big piece. They had found it - and then they had been killed by the leader of the part: Dagmar von Wittgenstein, the very man whose secret tower dungeon I had opened.

Brunhilde is the cause of the cultists's deaths: she had pleaded with them too, but they had mocked her, driven her off. So she had "released the darkness in their hearts" whatever that means. The result had been bloody murder: one man every night.

She brought me to a steep rock face. Found some bones there, bleached but untouched by scavengers (there are none in the dead area). Before I could bury her remains two skaven scouts appeared. Yes, the vile rat-men are not extinct but very much alive. A most fortunate rock-slide buried the pair - I guess the ghost was to thank for that.

I made her a grave of rocks, a cairn, then headed back to camp. Ulf and Ankh were awake, with a bound Thesalva. She had tried to murder them in the night. I guess she too has darkness in her hear. But with the ghost gone she seemed her usual charming self so I had her released.

12 Kaldzeit

We made our way into the cave mouth revealed by Brunhilde's landslide. A little digging was required. I slithered inside and had a look around. Got ambushed by an undead knight that nearly was the death of me. Tried calling the light of Ankh but it didn't work. Of course it didn't - I had a lantern, didn't I? Ankh will give me light but only if I trust in his light and his light alone.

Another couple of undead - a dwarf warrior and a barbarian warrior - waited for me but were reluctant to cross the daylight filtering into the cave. Ankh gave them the light of the sun and that was it. We had a look around and secured whatever was left that had any potential worth. The knight's heavy sword for one. And a magical key from old Dagmar's pack, just like the one carried by the undead creature from the observatory basement.

More skaven appeared, trapping us inside the cave. A skaven warband, in broad daylight. They are getting bolder. They leader - Crot Scaback - spoke Reikspeil of sorts. He demanded we give them the warpstone or they would attack. I told him honestly we did not have it. He said he believed me, but that we had to die so the secret of the skaven's return would die with us. Then they covered the exit with tons of rock. We made our way out through a secondary exit, across a foaming stream, and into the hills.

13 Kaldzeit

We're out of the dead area. Found another stone circle. This one has been used more recently. By beastmen I think. Feasting on cultist flesh. Don't know how many were slaughtered. Ten maybe? A red crown was painted in blood on one of the stones. I wiped it away, foul thing.

Shot a deer to avoid starving. We should get out of these hills.

26 Kaldzeit

We ran into a villager from Unterbam, thank Sigmar. It's been nearly two weeks since the cave. I've lost track of the days and the miles walked. We've been utterly lost.

28 Kaldzeit

We're reunited with Renate, bathed, fed, drunk, and well fucked. Returning to Kemperbad should take only four days with the current and all. We'll rest there for a spell and plan our next move.

32 Kaldzeit

Kemperbad again. Finally. I must have brandy and a feather bed.