D100 II SRD

This System Reference Document uses the Open Game Licence and several existing System Reference Documents to re-create the mechanics and play of the first versions of the classic D100 system. See the OGL at the end of this document for more information.

ADVENTURERS

Character Creation Checklist

Follow this checklist when creating a new character.

1. Determine the character's characteristics.
2. Determine the character's combat abilities.
3. Determine the character's other abilities.
4. Determine the character's background.
5. Outfit the character with starting equipment.

1. Characteristics

All characters and creatures have seven characteristics.

Strength (STR): A character's brute force, STR affects the amount of damage he deals, what weapons he can wield effectively, how much he can lift and so on.

Constitution (CON): A measure of the character's health, CON affects how much damage he can sustain in combat, as well as his general resistance to disease and other illnesses.

Dexterity (DEX): A character's agility, co-ordination and speed, DEX aids him in many physical actions, including combat.

Size (SIZ): This is an indication of the character's mass and, like STR and CON, can affect the amount of damage a character can deal and how well he can absorb damage. Unlike most other characteristics, a high score in SIZ is not always an advantage. While a large character can take more damage, a small character will have a much easier time when sneaking around in the shadows.

Intelligence (INT): A character's ability to think around problems, analyse information and memorise instructions. INT is a very useful characteristic for characters interested in becoming accomplished spell casters.

Power (POW): Perhaps the most abstract characteristic, POW is a measure of the character's life force and his personal force of will.

Charisma (CHA): This quantifies a character's attractiveness and leadership qualities.

Determining Characteristics

Players will need a number of six-sided dice to generate their characters' characteristics. For a human character, roll 3D6 to determine each of his characteristics.

2. Combat Abilities

These are a set of secondary scores that define exactly what the character is capable of. For characteristics higher than those given in the tables, add the modifier in the last column at the intervals shown (e.g. 17-20 followed by +4 means the sequence continues as 21-24, 25-28, 29-32, etc.).

Attack

The attack ability is added to a character's base attack chance with any weapon.

Parry

The parry ability is added to a character's base parry chance with any weapon.

Defence

A character's defence ability can be subtracted from one opponent's attack chance, or be split among several.

Damage

The damage modifier applies whenever the character uses a melee weapon. For thrown weapons, the modifier is halved.

Hit Points

A character has both total hit points and location hit points. Total hit points determine how much damage the character can sustain before reaching unconsciousness or death. Total hit points equal CON modified by STR and POW:

Location hit points are assigned to certain areas of the character's body, representing exactly how much damage he can sustain in that part.

POW Points

These are used to activate any spells the character knows. The character's starting POW points will be equal to his POW.

Strike Rank (SR)

This determines how quickly the character acts in combat. SR is determined using a combination of factors depending on whether the character is using melee weapons, missiles or spells and on other considerations such as surprise.

Movement (MOV)

Human characters have a MOV of 8.

3. Other Abilities

Every character has a range of skills that allows him to perform a variety of actions with varying degrees of expertise. Each skill has a base chance modified by one or more characteristics, depending on which category the skill belongs to. The skill categories are knowledge, manipulation, oratory, perception and stealth.

Experience

A character's experience modifier is added to his chance when making an experience roll. Every point that INT is below 6 results in an additional -3% modifier.

Knowledge

Manipulation

This ability encompasses both fine hand-eye coordination and feats of agility such as jumping and climbing.

Oratory

Oratory is the art of influencing others through speaking. It is an ability in itself and not a group of skills.

Perception

The perception ability embodies the use of all the senses, but most frequently sight and sound.

Stealth

This ability represents the character's facility in doing things without being noticed.

4. Background

The player rolls on the table below to determine the background the character comes from, which determines starting money, equipment, and which types of previous experience are available.

Background Table

¹ Starting wealth is only for characters that begin play at 16 years of age. It is not cumulative with wealth gained in previous experience.

² A poor noble only receives this allowance until his 21^st birthday.

5. Starting Equipment

The starting equipment and wealth below is for 16-year old characters. Characters that undergo previous experience will get the same basic ear, but their weapons, armour and wealth will be as given under their profession and not in addition to the equipment given here.

Common Equipment: Loincloth or shift; breeches or kilt; tunic; sandals, shoes or boots; warm cloak or coat; headgear such as a hat, hood or cap; belt knife and fire starting gear.

Barbarians: Riding animal and gear (mounted barbarians always have a cavalry horse; 20% chance for foot barbarians to have an ordinary riding horse); soft leather armour or clothing; one each of a basic melee and missile weapon (taken from the lists given under previous experience below); torches; 1 week's trail food; simple traps and snares; and camping gear (small tent, blanket, cooking utensils, etc.).

Peasants: Basic camping gear; snares; water skin; and torches.

Townsfolk: Assorted tools (spikes, mallets, etc.); rope; torches; flasks; and an oil or tallow lamp.

Poor Nobles: A ringmail hauberk and open helm; a basic hand weapon (like a broadsword or battle axe); and a missile or two-handed weapon as appropriate for the adventurer's DEX.

Rich or Very Rich Nobles: Riding horse and gear; chainmail or brigandine hauberk, chainmail sleeves and leggings; a good hand weapon such as a broadsword or scimitar; and a two-handed or missile weapon. The difference in equipment between rich and very rich nobles is mainly one of quality.

SKILLS

Base, Skill & Chance

1. Base or base chance is the untrained, unmodified chance that a character has of performing a skill.
2. Skill is the base chance, plus any ability modifiers, experience or training he has acquired.
3. Chance is the character's skill plus any situation modifiers.

Skill Rolls

Roll D100 and compare this to the relevant skill's chance. If the dice roll is equal to or less than the skill's chance, the attempt is successful. If the total is greater than the skill's chance, then it has failed.

Situation Modifiers

Any situation modifiers are temporarily applied to the skill for the current roll only. A penalty will make the roll harder while a bonus makes it easier. Where several modifiers can be applied to the same roll, they will all have an effect, stacking to make one final bonus or penalty. The most common modifier is ½ skill for a difficult task. Other situation modifiers may be listed under the skill description, or adjudicated by the referee on the spot.

Degrees of Success

Critical or Special

After the D100 roll is made, compare the result to the chance on the Degrees of Success Table above. The actual result of a critical or special success in a skill roll may be given under the skill description, otherwise it is largely up to the referee. It normally achieves one of the following results:

• The task is completed sooner.
• The task is completed to a higher degree of expertise than normal.
• The task is completed with élan and style, generally impressing witnesses.
• The character gains additional information or insight into the task thanks to their brilliance.

Fumbles

The actual result of a fumble may be listed under the skill description, otherwise it is largely up to the referee to decide. It normally results in one of the following mishaps:

• The task takes twice as long to finish and is still a failure.
• The task produces a useless result that actually makes further actions more difficult.

• The task is failed spectacularly, opening the character up to derision and scorn from witnesses.
• The character becomes impeded or even harmed by his failure.

Automatic Success & Failure

Any D100 roll of 01 is an automatic critical.

Any D100 roll of 02 to 05 is an automatic success.

Any D100 roll of 96 to 99 is an automatic failure.

Any D100 roll of 00 is an automatic fumble.

Skills over 100%

Automatic success and failure rules still apply for chances over 100%. If two skill users are in conflict in some way, such as one character using Move Quietly while the other attempts to Spot Hidden Item, any chance over 100% is applied as a negative modifier to the other character's chance. This is calculated simultaneously, e.g. if on has a chance of 110% and the other 120%, their modified chances will be 90% and 110%, respectively.

Characteristic Rolls

From time to time, the referee may need to determine the success of a task in a situation in which there is no applicable skill. In this case, he may simply take the characteristic being employed and multiply it, usually by 01-05%, and use that as the chance of success. Degrees of success may be applied to characteristic rolls at the referee's discretion.

Resistance Rolls

When two characteristic or similar scores (e.g. poison POT) are in direct conflict, the outcome is resolved on the Resistance Table below. The principle is simple -- the chance is 50%, plus or minus 5% per point of difference between the characteristics, e.g. 12 vs. 14 = 50%−10% = 40% chance. The player of the active character is the one to make the roll. When it is not obvious which is active and which is passive, the referee decides.

Skill Categories

There are 5 skill categories, each of which is linked to a particular ability modifier:

1. Knowledge
2. Manipulation
3. Oratory
4. Perception
5. Stealth

Skill Descriptions

The base chance for each skill is given after the skill name. The character's ability modifier is added to the base chance to determine his untrained skill level. Characters must buy at least 05% training in a skill with a base chance of 0% before they can use that skill.

Knowledge Skills

Evaluate Treasure (0%)

The Evaluate Treasure skill enables the character to determine the value placed on something by others, effectively guessing its market value. Particularly common or obscure objects might give a bonus or penalty to the test but success will allow a character to guess the average monetary value of the object (normally guessing accurately to within 10% of its actual value). This skill does not identify the purpose of an object. The roll should be made in secret by the referee.

Read & Write Own Language (10%)

A character will have this skill in his native tongue, or in his primary native language if there is more than one.

Read & Write Other Language (0%)

Reading and writing must be learned separately for every other language. It is independent of Speak Other Language skills.

Speak Own Language (INT x 5%)

This skill applies to all of the major native tongues a character has grown up with. The referee may also allow reduced skill in some related languages.

Speak Other Language (0%)

Speaking in every other language must be learned separately. It is independent of Read & Write Other Language skills.

Manipulation Skills

Armour Making (0%)

This skill allows the character to make a helmet or a single piece of armour (or a matched pair in the case of limb armour).

Climbing (15%)

With adequate hand and footholds, a character can climb any surface given enough time without the need for a Climbing roll. Under normal circumstances, a character can climb or descend 1 metre every 6 SR. A character can double this rate by taking a −10% penalty on his Climbing skill. The chance of Climbing without noise is Move Quietly skill multiplied by Climbing (e.g. 50% x 40% = 20%).

Hide Item (10%)

This skill is used to hide small objects (less than 75mm in any dimension), without drawing undue attention. It is usually opposed by a Spot Hidden Item roll if trying to avoid getting caught.

Jumping (15%)

In general, a successful Jumping roll allows a character to jump up to twice his own height horizontally or up to half his own height vertically, if he has at least 5 metres to run first. If he is making a standing jump, these distances are halved. Penalties for Jumping rolls can be accrued by trying to jump further or carrying a high ENC.

Lock Picking (5%)

Usually, a character will simply make a Lock Picking roll in order to succeed, with appropriate bonuses or penalties decided upon by the referee. If a lock has been built by a master with a chance above 100%, the percentage over 100% is applied as a penalty to the Lock Picking chance.

Map Making (5%)

This is the skill of making rough but useable maps by eye, rather than proper surveying.

Riding (5%)

The Riding skill must be learned separately for every different species of mount. If a character is riding a creature with the help of saddle and stirrups, at not more than a walking pace across flat terrain, a Riding roll will never be required. Rolls become necessary when a character wants to do something out of the ordinary with a mount -- traverse treacherous terrain, jump obstacles, ride bareback and so on.

If the mount is killed, falls, bolts or does something similarly unexpected, the rider must make a POW x 5% or be caught by surprise. If that roll fails, he is pinned under his mount by a random hit location, taking damage equivalent to the mount's damage modifier. If the POW roll succeeds he may make a Riding roll to avoid being pinned. If the Riding roll fails, he is still pinned. If the Riding roll succeeds, he is not pinned but he is thrown.

Unless taken completely by surprise, a character will take 1D4 points of damage to a random hit location from falling off a mount (armour and magic protects as normal). A surprised character must make a POW x 5% roll or increase this damage to 1D6 from falling, or 2D6 if he is thrown. In this case magic absorbs damage as normal, but a second POW x 5% roll is needed for armour to provide protection.

Riding skill can also be used to evaluate a mount. A character with at least 50% Riding skill may train an animal to the saddle, rolling once per week until he succeeds.

The Combat section deals with for rules on mounted combat.

Shield Making (0%)

This skill allows the character to make any type of shield. One roll is required to make a single shield.

Swimming (5%)

Characters normally swim at half their usual MOV. Swimming rolls are only required when conditions are less than ideal, e.g. swimming while heavily encumbered or in strong currents. In such cases Swimming rolls are made every 2 full turns (10 minutes). A Swimming roll must be made to take off armour in the water. Characters can only carry ½ ENC in the water, and every point over this equals a − 05% modifier.

Trap Set/Disarm (5%)

A trap must be detected before it can be disarmed. Usually, a character will simply make a Trap Set/Disarm roll in order to succeed, with appropriate bonuses or penalties decided upon by the referee. If a trap has been set by a master with a chance above 100%, the percentage over 100% is applied as a penalty to the Trap Disarm chance.

Tumbling (0%)

This allows a character to perform a variety of gymnastic and balancing tasks. The character can move at ½ MOV across an unstable surface or slope without penalty. To move at a normal MOV requires Tumbling roll. A successful roll will also halve the damage suffered from falling.

Weapon Making (0%)

This skill allows the character to make any type of weapon. One roll is required to make a single weapon.

Oratory Skill

Oratory (5%)

This skill is used when addressing large groups of people, such as a priest addressing the faithful or a general exhorting his troops to victory on the eve of a battle. It relies more upon emotional appeal than intellectual stimulation and is used for larger groups of people. There will be penalties if the character is not fluent in the language he is using for Oratory.

Perception Skills

Listen (25%)

A successful Listen roll allows the character to make out quiet noises, whispered conversation, etc. A successful Listen roll will trump a successful Move Quietly roll.

Spot Hidden Items (5%)

This skill is used when the character attempts to detect hidden objects or creatures.

Spot Traps (5%)

This skill is used when the character attempts to detect concealed traps without setting them off.

Taste Analysis (0%)

This skill is used when the character attempts to determine the general nature of a substance, and whether or not it is dangerous.

Tracking (10%)

With this skill a character can locate the tracks of a specific creature and follow them. A roll must be made to locate the trail and then again once every 2 full turns (10 minutes) they are being followed. If the trail is lost, another roll must be made to pick it up again.

Stealth Skills

Camouflage (10%

This skill is used to make an object or a person appear as part of the surrounding terrain. A successful Spot Hidden Item roll will expose the Camouflage.

Hide in Cover (5%)

The Hide In Cover skill is used whenever a character attempts to hide from another character. Hide in Cover rolls are modified according to the situation and are trumped by a successful Spot Hidden Item roll.

Move Quietly (5%)

The Move Quietly skill is used whenever a character attempts to sneak past another character. Wearing armour reduces the character's Move Quietly chance (see the Armour Table). Move Quietly rolls are modified according to the situation and are trumped by a successful Listen roll.

Pick Pockets (05%)

This skill is used to take objects from another character's person without drawing undue attention. It is usually opposed by a Spot Hidden Items roll if trying to avoid getting caught.

Weapon Skills

Every weapon and shield represents two separate skills, one for attack and one for parry. A character that has some skill in one weapon can use any other weapon of the same name with equal skill, although if he picks it up in the middle of combat he will be at ½ skill for the rest of that fight. If a character is skilled with one particular weapon, he can use other weapons of the same type and mode at ½ skill.

Weapon Skill Degrees of Success

Weapon skills have specific rules for criticals, specials and fumbles as detailed in the Combat section.

Minimum STR & DEX

This is the minimum STR and DEX a character must have to use the weapon. A strong character can substitute 2 points of STR for 1 point of DEX, e.g. a STR 11, DEX 8 character could still use a minimum STR 9, DEX 9 weapon. This does not apply if the weapon has a minimum DEX but no minimum STR.

Barbarian Weapon Base Chances

Barbarians have a 15% base chance with their tribal weapons (see Previous Experience). All other weapons are at a flat 05% and ability modifiers only apply once a barbarian character has purchased an additional 05% in training.

Two Weapon Use

Using a weapon in the character's off hand is a separate skill starting with a base chance of 05%. The opposite applies to shields, i.e. a right-handed character would consider his right hand to be the off hand for shield use.

Melee Weapon Skills Table

Shield Skills Table

Missile Weapon Skills Table

Languages

An game world can have many different languages. For any character, some are mere dialects of their mother tongue, others are part of the same family of languages, and the rest are alien to a greater or lesser extent.

Language Skill

The level of ability a character has in a particular language skill is a measure of the kind of detail he or she can communicate as well as the fluency with which it is done. This may be approximated as follows:

Communication

Ordinarily, it can be assumed that any two people whose Speak Language skills add up to 100% or more will be able to communicate freely. Only if a misunderstanding could have consequences should the following system be used:

The chance of two people conversing normally and successfully understanding one another depends on the sum of their respective skill levels in the language they are using. This figure or lower must be rolled on D100 by each participant; failure means that he or she has misunderstood what is being said by the other. As long as this adds up to at least 100%, there should be little chance of misinterpretation; a roll of 01-95 on D100 will suffice.

At times, complicated or detailed information must be conveyed, such as intricate directions to a hidden ruin or lengthy instructions on performing a ritual. In this case, the referee should decide on a difficulty modifier to apply to the D100 roll, based on the complexity of the information.

Language Families

Many languages are related, sharing common roots or having intermixed over the years. Referees should determine these linguistic groups for their game world, or use the languages given in published settings. Characters may be able to make out the gist of what someone is saying in a language related to one the character knows; likewise, it is possible to puzzle out writing in this manner as long as both languages use the same runes, letters or pictograms.

The chance of this should be determined by the referee for each language relationship, such as ½ skill for a closely related tongue or 10% of normal skill for a cultural religious cant.

Reading and Listening

The chance of a character understanding a particular piece of writing, assuming it is relatively straightforward is equal to his or her relevant Read Language ability. If the roll is failed, the character can try again once he or she has gained another 5% in that Speak Language skill.

Understanding normal spoken conversation requires a D100 check against the listener's appropriate Speak Language skill. However, if there are adverse conditions such as noise, distance or a closed door between the speaker and the eavesdropper, the referee should apply an appropriate negative modifier to the roll.

COMBAT

The Melee Round

Combat is divided into melee rounds. Each round is broken into strike ranks, which determine when a character can act. With 12 strike ranks in every melee round, a single round translates to 12 seconds of time, during which a character can perform one or more actions. Every melee round goes through the following phases:

1. Intent Phase
2. Movement Phase
3. Resolution Phase
4. Bookkeeping Phase

1. Intent Phase

Players and referee state what the participants will do in this melee round. Statements can be abandoned, but not changed during the round. Provisional intent can be stated, e.g. a character will attack any target that appears in a certain doorway.

2. Movement Phase

Characters engaged in melee can move at up to ½ MOV. Unengaged characters can move at full MOV.

3. Resolution Phase

Spells, attacks, parries and defence are resolved in order, starting with SR 0 and ending on SR 12. Characters who are disabled lose any remaining actions.

4. Bookkeeping Phase

Any changes to characters are marked, e.g. damage taken, POW points expended or ammunition fired.

Gaining Surprise

If a character manages to surprise another, he will get a free action (i.e. an attack) before the first melee round begins.

Strike Ranks

If two or more characters can act in the same SR, they will act simultaneously.

Movement

A human character may move 2 metres every 3 SR in melee combat. The Mechanics section contains detailed movement rules.

Prepare Weapon

It takes 5 SR to prepare a weapon for action. This means drawing a sword from its sheath, unhooking an axe from a belt, nocking an arrow to a bow, etc. It can also include dropping a weapon currently held to the floor and then drawing a new one. Sheathing one weapon and drawing another takes 5 SR for each action, as does readying two weapons.

Prepare Spell

It takes 5 SR to prepare a spell for casting. For battlemagic this assumes that the spell is currently held in the character's mind (see the Battlemagic section). It takes another 5 SR to ready the spell's focus if it is not already to hand.

Combat Modifiers

Situational modifiers are cumulative.

Attacks

The attack chance is equal to the attacker's modified attack skill, minus any defence bonus the target wishes to apply. To make an attack, the player rolls D100 and compares the result against his attack chance on the Degrees of Success Table under the Skills section. If a successful attack is not parried, it strikes one of the target's hit locations for the rolled damage plus any damage modifiers, after subtraction any AP for armour covering that location.

Critical Hit

Any attack may score a critical hit, with the following consequences:

• The attack ignores any armour including natural armour and magical protection.
• Critical hits avoid cover. Re-roll hit locations until an uncovered location is struck. If the target is completely hidden behind cover, the critical hit has no effect.
• Weapons parrying a critical hit take double the normal damage. Critical hits with long-hafted or thrusting weapons or daggers do not damage parrying weapons.
• Shields parrying a critical hit take double normal damage. Any damage left after penetrating shield and armour strikes the target. Critical hits with impaling weapons or daggers do not damage shields.
• Critical hits do not stack with special impales, slashes or crushes.

Impale

Thrusting weapons and daggers impale on a special success. Players may choose whether their characters impale or slash when using cut-and-thrust weapons. Impales have the following consequences:

• Roll weapon damage + maximum weapon damage + damage modifier. A character with a 1-handed short spear and a +1D4 damage modifier would roll 1D6+1 + 7 + 1D4.
• If the weapon penetrates armour or a shield, it is stuck. A melee weapon may be pulled free immediately by rolling another impale, but the weapon will be lost if the roll is failed. Thereafter (of if it is a missile) the attacker or another character can free it only if the target is immobile or the shield is dropped, by making a successful attack roll once per round at his normal SR. If this does not succeed, the weapon will come free after 5 rounds of trying.
• The target cannot regain hit points in the impaled location until the weapon is removed.
• While impaled, the target can defend and parry normally if he stands still. He will take ½ weapon damage (rounded down) every melee round if he moves around.
• The target can free a weapon stuck in his body by giving up all other actions for 1 melee round making a D100 roll on the table below:

Fumbled Attack

A player whose character has fumbled his attack must roll on the Fumbled Attack Table:

Fumbled Attack Table

Two Weapon Attack

A character with a weapon in each hand may choose to attack once and parry once; to attack twice; or to parry twice. When attacking twice, the SR for the second attack is added to the SR for the first attack, e.g. a character with one SR 4 weapon and one SR 5 weapon would attack with the first at SR 4 and with the second at SR 9.

Aiming

There are two options for aiming a physical attack (not a spell) at a specific hit location:

1.      The character can change the result of a hit location roll up or down by up to 1 for every 1 SR he delays his shot. If his attack succeeds he must choose the hit location from within that range, e.g. a delay of 2 SR and a hit location roll of 12 allows him to choose any location between 10 and 14 (abdomen, chest or right arm on a human target).

2.      The character can wait until SR 12, choose a specific hit location, and make an attack roll at ½ chance without needing to roll for location if he succeeds.

Attack Skills over 100%

If a character's attack skill (not his attack chance) is 100% or higher, he can declare his intent to split his attacks into two or more as follows:

• Each attack must be at a skill of 50% or more, excluding modifiers.
• Full situational modifiers are applied to each attack.
• The attacks are delivered one after another; the first at normal SR, the second at twice SR, the third at 3 times SR, until he runs out of attacks or strike ranks.
• Each attack must be against a different target.
• If an impale or slash results in a stuck weapon, subsequent attacks are lost.
• A character with two weapons may split his attacks normally, but may run out of SR.

Parry

The parry chance is equal to the defender's parry skill plus or minus modifiers. To parry, the player rolls D100 and compares the result against his parry chance on the Degrees of Success Table under the Skills section. Depending on the degree of success for both the attack and the parry, various results may occur.

Normal Shield Parry

• Against a normal attack, a normal parry blocks a number of points of damage up to the shield's armour points. Any remaining damage strikes the target, although it may be absorbed by armour. Shields are not damaged by attacks.
• Against an impaling or slashing attack, a normal parry will result in the attacking weapon being stuck on the shield (see Attacks, above).
• Against a critical attack, the attacker's damage is doubled and any damage which penetrates the shield goes on to strike the target. However, armour will count in this case.

Normal Weapon Parry

• Against a normal failed attack, a parrying weapon will cause damage to the attacking weapon.
• Against a normal attack, a normal parry absorbs a number of points of damage up to the weapon's hit points. If the weapon's hit points are exceeded, it will break and any remaining damage strikes the target (although it may be absorbed by armour).
• Against an impaling or slashing attack, a normal parry will result in the attacking weapon being stuck on the shield (see Attacks, above).
• Against a critical attack, the attacker's damage is doubled and any damage which penetrates the shield goes on to strike the target. However, armour will count in this case.

Two Shield/Weapon Parry

A character with a shield or weapon in each hand may choose to attack once and parry once; to attack twice; or to parry twice. A character cannot parry two incoming attacks on the same SR.

Two-Handed Weapon Parry

A character with a 2-handed weapon can attack and parry in the same round, but he cannot parry in the same SR as his attack.

Parry Skills over 100%

If a character's parry skill (not his parry chance) is 100% or higher, he can declare his intent to split his parries into two or more as follows:

• Each parry must be at a skill of 50% or more, excluding modifiers.
• Full situational modifiers are applied to each parry.
• Each parry must be against a different target.
• A character with two shields of parrying weapons may split his parries with each as above.

Damage to Weapons

• Weapons may be damaged when they parry an incoming attack, or when a failed attack is parried successfully.
• Damage to weapons is cumulative for one combat; it can be assumed that damage is made good after a fight.
• Cut-and-thrust weapons and hand-to-hand weapons will not damage other weapons.
• Weapons with long hafts will not damage other weapons, although they may take damage themselves.

Defence

A character can use his defence bonus to reduce his opponents' attack chance. Defence is directly subtracted from the attacker's chance to hit. The defending character may split his defence among different attackers in any way he wishes; he may choose to ignore some opponents, or he may direct his full defence against one. Defence is applied in blocks of 5%.

If an character has an attack chance of more than 100%, the target's defence is reduced by the amount of the chance over 100%.

Melee Weapons Table

Missile Weapons Table

Shield Table

Armour Table

Helmet Table

Mounted Combat

A Riding roll must be made every round that an untrained mount is exposed to combat, or whenever it takes damage. If this roll fails, the rider must make another Riding roll to calm the beast in the following round, and can do nothing else. If that roll also fails, the mount will panic and bolt, with the risk of falling as given under the Riding skill rules above.

Lance Charge

A mounted character with a lance and a secure seat (e.g. stirrups or a supporting saddle) may charge an opponent as long as there is a straight run of at least 20 metres between him and the target. If the attack succeeds, the damage modifier of the mount is used instead of the character. An untrained character can use a lance at ½ his 1-handed long spear skill.

Mounted Missile Combat

Shooting or throwing missiles from a moving mount incurs no additional penalties beyond those listed on the Situational Combat Modifiers Table. Heavy crossbows and arbalests cannot be reloaded while the mount is in motion.

Grappling

A grappling attack can be made to hold an opponent or to throw him or her. The attacker must make a grapple attack at his normal SR, which is resolved as follows if it succeeds:

• The target may apply defence as normal against the first attack; once the grapple is joined, neither side can defend.
• The target may oppose the initial grapple with his own grapple skill; if successful, the attack is negated.
• If the grapple is parried with a fist, it is blocked.
• If the grapple is successfully parried, the attacker has grasped the shield (or the weapon arm, in the case of a weapon parry).
• If the grapple is not avoided, the attacker has taken hold of one of the target's hit locations, rolled as normal.

Once a grapple is joined, in subsequent rounds only DEX SR applies. In the next melee round, the attacker must make another successful grapple attack to maintain the hold. If this fails, the wrestlers break apart. If it succeeds, the attacker has a choice: either attempt to throw the opponent, or, if a limb was grasped, hold the target location immobile.

Hold: To hold a limb, the attacker must succeed in a STR vs. STR roll on the resistance table. If the roll fails, he retains a grip on the limb but it is not immobilised. If two opponents are grappling, attempted holds are resolved before attempted throws; an immobilised character cannot attempt to throw his opponent. If both succeed in attaining a hold, both are immobilised.

Throw: To throw an opponent, the attacker must pit his STR+DEX vs. the target's SIZ+DEX on the resistance table. If the attempt fails, the target is not thrown but the grapple is still held. If the roll succeeds, the opponent is thrown to the ground. In addition, he must make a successful DEX x 5 roll on D100 or take 1D6 points of damage to a random hit location; armour protects normally. Two successful throw attempts cancel, and both grapplers remain standing.

Damage and Healing

When a character successfully scores damage against a target, the damage must be deducted from a specific hit location as well as from total hit points. Every weapon has a damage rating, which is listed in its statistical entry in the relevant Weapons Table.

Hit Points

All creatures have both total hit points and hit locations. Total hit points are based on CON, modified by SIZ and POW. Location points are based on total hit points. The sum of location points exceeds total hit points, but once a character's total hit points reach zero he is dead.

The table below details hit locations for humanoid beings. For creatures with different forms or appendages, see the Creatures section.

Location Points Equalled or Exceeded

Leg: The character loses use of the damaged leg and will fall if standing. No other actions may be taken for the rest of the round, but the character can fight from a prone position from the following round, with the usual penalties.

Abdomen: The character loses the use of both legs and cannot stand. He can take no action other than healing himself. If the location is not brought back to at least 1 point within 2 full turns, the character will have bled to death.

Chest: The character will be helpless and can only lie on the ground, semi-conscious. If not brought back to positive points in the chest, he will die in 2 full turns (10 minutes).

Arm: The character cannot move that arm and drops anything not strapped to it. However, he will not fall and can keep fighting with any other available means.

Head: If the head is reduced to zero or less points, the character loses consciousness and must be brought back to at least 1 point in this location, or he will die in 2 full turns.

Limits to Limb Damage

Any damage exceeding twice the location points is lost. However, any single blow causing such damage will incapacitate the character, who will be able to do nothing other than heal himself.

Location Points Exceeded by 6 Points or More

Arm or Leg: The limb has been maimed or severed, depending on the weapon used. This damage need to be taken in a single blow. Even if healed, it will remain useless. Only a Healing 6 spell or potion applied within 2 full turns, or more exotic magic, can restore the limb.

Abdomen, Chest or Head: The location has suffered massive damage. The character dies instantly.

Healing

Natural Healing: Wounds will heal normally at the rate of 1 point per week of game time.

Healing Potions: Magical healing potions can come in any form. The typical liquid form is imbibed, straight or diluted, and will randomly heal wounded locations until it runs out of points. The same applies to other ingested forms, such as pastes, pills, powders and so forth. Some types, such as balms, salves or compresses, are applied directly to the injured area and will only heal that location.

Healing Spell: The variable battle magic spell Healing (or Xenohealing) affects the targeted location directly. At least Healing 2 is required to stop bleeding. Restoring a maimed limb or re-attaching a severed one requires a Healing 6.

ADVENTURING

Resistance Rolls

It may be necessary to pit a characteristic directly against another characteristic. Examples include a character using STR vs. the SIZ of a fallen tree to shift it out of the way, or using his CON to resist the POT of a poison.

To make a resistance roll, one party is designated as active and the other as passive. If this is difficult to decide, it doesn't actually matter which is which -- the outcome will be the same. If both are equally matched, the chance for success will be 50%. This is modified by +05% for every point the active characteristic is higher than the passive, or −05% for every point it is lower. The table below makes it easy to look up the relevant chance:

Resistance Table