ZeroSpace 4e EN:Actions

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Now we come to the most complicated part of ZeroSpace: actions! There are a lot of rules here because we tried to address the most common actions a character would attempt. However, just because we wrote it down doesn't mean you have to use it, nor should you feel constrained from making a call if a situation arises that we did not anticipate. You should treat these rules as examples, not as restrictions on your own sense of fun and fair play.

Don't use the rules unless you need to.

Order Of Play

Time is important. Without some way to keep track of time, everything happens at once, and that is terribly confusing.

Scenes

Time in the game is usually divided into scenes. A scene typically starts when the characters arrive at a place, and ends when they leave. A scene could also be a period of time while the characters are together and moving toward a destination. In some cases, a scene might end even though the characters haven't moved at all, such as when they go to sleep, or when a fight ends and they begin talking about their plans for what to do next. Any time you feel would be a good time to "go to a commercial" or "start a new chapter", that's a good time to end the scene and start a new one.

Rounds

Combat time is divided into rounds. One round is six seconds, give or take, giving us ten rounds per minute. In a round, each character gets a turn. During their turn, a character can travel a distance up to their base movement (walking, typically) and still have time to do something useful (such as making an attack or using a skill) as well as perform minor useful actions like dropping a weapon, deactivating a power, or crouching behind cover. We call these "move actions", "standard actions", and "quick actions", respectively. A character can perform these actions in any order.


Example:

Round 1 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn
Round 2 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn
Round 3 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn


Everything that happens in a round is assumed to occur more or less simultaneously, but the players can't all speak at once. To keep the game orderly, we need a way to determine the order in which characters act when combat starts.

Initiating Conflict

Conflict begins when one side decides to stop talking and start shooting. Combat begins with the side that starts shooting. If the PCs start the conflict, they take their turns in whatever order they like, and then the GM takes the turns of the NPCs. If the NPCs start the conflict, the GM takes the turns of the NPCs, then the PCs take their turns in whatever order they like. When every character has had the opportunity to take a turn, the next round begins, and so on until the conflict has ended.

The environment always goes last in a round. Any falling objects (including characters) fall, and any uncontrolled vehicles move, after all of the characters have had the opportunity to take their turn. If any object or vehicle is under the direct control of a character, then the object or vehicle will move when that character does.

Delaying A Turn

If a player does not wish to use their character's turn when they have the opportunity, perhaps wanting to wait and see what an opponent does, the character may delay their turn, with the option of using it later in the round or on a successive round. The character may then interrupt another character's turn.

Delaying a turn does not alter the order of play. After the character has taken their turn, the order of play resumes its previous sequence.

Example:

Combat starts when Apex runs around a corner and sees Boomer, who is giving commands to his minions. The GM declares that the order of play is Apex, then Boomer, then Boomer's minions.

Round 1 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

On the second round, Crimson runs around the corner, startling Boomer's minions because, wow, that guy is huge. The GM declares that the order of play is Apex, then Boomer, then Crimson, then Boomer's minions.

Round 2 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

On the third round, Apex delays her turn, waiting to see what Crimson does. When it is Crimson's turn, he attempts to grapple with Boomer. Apex uses her delayed turn to assist Crimson by combining her attack with his.

Round 3 Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Apex's turn (delayed)
Boomer's minions' turn

On the fourth round, order of play returns to its previous sequence.

Round 4 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

Forcing An Action

Sometimes a character might need to take a desperate action before they have had the opportunity to take their turn in a round or after they have already taken their turn in a round. This is known as forcing the character's action. Forcing an action allows a character to sacrifice their next turn in order to dive clear, activate a defensive power, or take another purely defensive action. A forced action can also be used to take a defensive action on someone else's behalf, such as diving in front of an attack to protect an innocent bystander. The character may not force an action which the GM could construe as an attack, such as blocking a bullet with an opponent's unconscious body or running into someone. When a character forces their action, they sacrifice their next available turn, whether that action is in the current round or on the next round. A character may only force an action once per round.

Because a forced action is always defensive, it always takes place at the appropriate time, either before or during the attack which triggered it. The attacker does not have the opportunity to "take back" their attack.

Forcing an action does not alter the order of play. After the character's next available turn has passed (the turn they sacrificed in order to take a defensive action sooner), the order of play resumes its previous sequence.

Example:

Continuing from the previous example, on the fifth round, the order of play is Apex, then Boomer, then Crimson, then Boomer's minions.

Round 5 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

On the sixth round, Apex makes short work of two of Boomer's minions with a sweep attack. Boomer then pulls out a sinister-looking weapon, aims it at Crimson, and fires. Apex forces her next action to leap between Boomer and Crimson, taking the full brunt of Boomer's attack.

Round 6 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Apex's turn (forced from round 7)
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

On the seventh round, Apex loses her turn because she forced it in the previous round.

Round 7 (Apex forced her turn early)
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

On the eighth round, order of play returns to its previous sequence.

Round 8 Apex's turn
Boomer's turn
Crimson's turn
Boomer's minions' turn

Types Of Actions

There are three types kinds of actions a character may perform during their turn in a round: move actions, standard actions, and quick actions. Under normal circumstances, a character can perform one move action and one standard action during their turn. In addition, a character can perform as many quick actions as the GM deems reasonable.

When it is not a character's turn, they can still react to events around them. Free actions can be attempted at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable.

On your turn One move action
One standard action
As many quick actions as the GM deems reasonable
Any time As many free actions as the GM deems reasonable


Move Action

With a move action, a character may move the distance permitted by their Agility and/or Brawn (depending on whether they are walking, swimming, or jumping), or they may use a movement power to move up to the distance that the power allows. With the GM's permission, the character may instead perform any equivalent action: opening an access hatch, standing up from a prone or seated position, squeezing the throttle on a motorcycle, or what have you.

A character making a double move (running) or an all-out move (sprinting) receives a +3 DV bonus, but incurs a -Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS AV penalty.

Movement itself does not generally require a roll, although the GM may require an Agility + Athletics roll if there is some obstacle to the character's free movement (distractions, inclement weather, uneven ground, etc.), and reduce the character's movement to one-half its normal value if they fail the roll (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half).

Standard Action

With a standard action, a character may attempt to perform one task. This could be attempting to use a skill, attempting to attack an opponent in combat, activating a power and attacking someone with it, or a similar activity. Under normal circumstances, a character can perform this action before, during, or after they move.

Quick Action

A quick action takes essentially no time. A character can't perform quick actions until it is their turn to act in the round, but during their turn, they can perform as many quick actions as the GM deems reasonable (perhaps as many as a half dozen). Typical quick actions include activating a power (but not attacking with it), deactivating a power, dropping a weapon, crouching behind cover, and so on.

Free Action

A free action takes essentially no time and can be performed at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable. Roleplaying, for example, is a free action. This might include banter with the character's teammates, making fun of an enemy's name or clothing, or noticing a trap. A free action may also be a response to something another character does, usually at the request of the GM.

Rolling Dice

When a character attempts a task and the outcome is either contested or there is some random element involved, the player must roll dice to see if the character succeeds. The player rolls two six-sided dice ("2d6") and counts the dots. The player adds this to the character's appropriate attribute (Agility, Brawn, etc.) and an appropriate skill (Diplomacy, Ranged Combat, etc.). This total is the character's Action Value, or "AV".

2d6 + [Attribute] + [Skill] + [Equipment (up to Skill)]

If the character has appropriate equipment, they may add their equipment level to their Action Value, but only up to their skill level. If the character's Action Value equals or exceeds the DV (Defense Value or Difficulty Value) assigned by the GM, the character's attempt succeeds. There is no roll for routine tasks: a character automatically succeeds at a routine task.

A character may attempt a task in which they have no skill, if the GM says it is possible. For example, anyone can tell a lie, but it takes a skilled woodworker to make a mortise and tenon joint.

Rolling a "natural 2" (minimum on two dice) or a "natural 12" (maximum on two dice) has no special significance.

=Helpless Characters

The Action Value and Defense Value of a helpless or unconscious character is zero. The GM may allow a DV bonus to apply, if it makes sense.

Bonuses

A character's roll may have one or more bonuses. Only the highest bonus applies. Receiving a +1, a +2, and a +3 bonus at the same time adds 3 to the character's roll.

A bonus is usually +3 added to the character's Action Value (AV) or defense, although some maneuvers such as Teamwork have a variable bonus. Similarly, a character's damage roll may have one or more bonuses. These are usually +1 or +3 points of damage. The highest bonus is added to the attacker's damage.

Penalties

A character's roll may have one or more penalties. Unlike bonuses, penalties are cumulative. Incurring a -1, a -2, and a -3 penalty at the same time subtracts 6 from the character's roll.

A penalty is usually -3 subtracted from the character's Action Value (AV), although some maneuvers such as Called Shots have a variable penalty. Similarly, a character's damage roll may have one or more penalties. Each penalty is subtracted from the attacker's damage.

Difficulty

The difficulty of the task depends on whether someone or something is actively working against the character.

Table: Unopposed rolls Table: Opposed rolls
Difficulty Value (DV) Difficulty Value (DV)
12 Moderately difficult 8 + [Attribute] + [Skill] + [Equipment (up to Skill)]
15 Remarkably difficult Examples:
Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat
Agility + Ranged Combat
Presence + Mental Combat
etc.
18 Extremely difficult
21 Inconceivable!


Unopposed Tasks

If no one is actively working against the character, the GM simply sets a Difficulty Value (DV). In most cases, if the GM requires the player to roll dice to accomplish an unopposed task, it's because the GM has deemed that task "moderately difficult". Moderately difficult tasks have a difficulty of 12 (DV 12). More difficult tasks have a higher difficulty.


Table: Difficulty examples
DV Example
-- Routine Perform a familiar task under ordinary conditions
12 Moderately difficult Perform a familiar task under hostile conditions, or an unfamiliar task under ordinary conditions
15 Remarkably difficult Perform an unfamiliar task under hostile conditions
18 Extremely difficult Perform an esoteric task under ordinary conditions
21 Inconceivable! Perform an esoteric task under hostile conditions


There is no roll for routine tasks: characters automatically succeed at routine tasks. Similarly, there is usually no need to roll if there is no penalty for failure and/or no time limit: it might take months, but the character will succeed eventually.

Opposed Tasks

If the character is actively competing against an opponent, the difficulty is usually equal to 8 plus the opponent's relevant attribute and skill. In combat, the relevant attribute of the target is normally Brawn for Hand-to-hand Combat attacks, Agility for Ranged Combat attacks, and Presence for Mental Combat attacks.

Working As A Team

Characters are more effective together than they are alone. To work as a team on a task, each of the players makes a roll as usual. Everyone on the team receives a +3 AV bonus. Only the highest final Action Value is applied to the task at hand.

To work as a team on an attack, each of the players makes a roll as usual. Everyone on the team receives a +3 AV bonus. Only the attack with the highest final Action Value is applied to the target. If a team member's attack is successful, that attack receives a +3 DV damage bonus.

Characters are not required to use the same skill or the same type of attack to work together.

Extended Tasks

Some tasks are more complex or time-consuming than can reasonably be resolved with a single roll. For example, constructing a ship or racing through a city could both be extended tasks. When attempting an extended task, the GM sets a Difficulty Value and the required number of successes. The GM might also set a maximum number of attempts, to indicate tasks which have a time limit or a penalty for failure. In extended opposed tasks, such as a competition between rival scientists to create a vaccine, the first person or team to achieve the required number of successful rolls succeeds at the task.

Attacks And Damage

Each attack, regardless of its source, is one of three types: normal, mental, or alteration.

Most attacks are normal attacks. A normal attack is either hand-to-hand (1 m) or has a range based on the character's weapon or Power Level, and it affects a single target. Normal attacks are targeted with and opposed by Agility + Ranged Combat or Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat, and they are usually obvious. A successful normal attack reduces the target's current Health (or Endurance, if it is a stunning attack). Damage Resistance is subtracted from the points of damage an attacker deals. The character takes the remaining points of damage. Normally, an unarmed hand-to-hand normal attack deals Endurance damage.

Mental attacks are those which affect the target's mind directly. Mental attacks are targeted with and opposed by Presence + Mental Combat, and they are obvious to anyone who has Mental Resistance or mental powers, but they are usually invisible to everyone else. A mental attack has a range based on the character's weapon or Power Level, and it affects a single target. Damage Resistance is not effective against mental attacks: only Mental Resistance is effective against mental attacks. However, mental attacks deal half of the points of damage which exceed the target's Mental Resistance (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half, to a minimum of 1).

Alteration attacks are those which transform the target in some way, or which directly affect one of the target's attributes. An alteration power is either hand-to-hand (1 m) or has a range based on the character's Power Level, and it affects a single target. Alteration attacks are targeted with and opposed by the Agility + Ranged Combat or Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat, and they are usually obvious. Damage Resistance is not effective against alteration attacks: only Alteration Resistance is effective against alteration attacks. However, alteration attacks deal half of the points of damage which exceed the target's Alteration Resistance (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half, to a minimum of 1).

If the attacker's roll succeeds, the player rolls dice based on the character's Power Level (1d6 + Power Level) or on the full equipment level of the weapon (1d6 + equipment level). The target's resistance (Damage Resistance, Mental Resistance, or Alteration Resistance) is deducted from the points of damage. If the attack is a normal attack, the remaining points of damage are deducted from the target's Health (or Endurance, if it is a stunning attack attack). If the attack is a mental attack or an alteration attack, half of the final points of damage are applied to the target (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half, to a minimum of 1). Roll damage and deduct resistance before dividing.

Bonuses And Penalties

Bonuses are not cumulative: only the highest bonus applies. Receiving a +1, a +2, and a +3 bonus at the same time adds 3 to the character's roll.

Penalties are cumulative. Incurring a -1, a -2, and a -3 penalty at the same time subtracts 6 from the character's roll.

Here are some typical bonuses and penalties:


Table: Typical bonuses and penalties
Circumstance Modifiers
Character is blinded -Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS AV -3 DV
Character is charging a target -3 AV
Character is behind cover +3 DV
Character is attempting to disarm a target -3 AV
Character is attempting to takedown a target -3 AV
Character is distracted or surprised -3 AV -3 DV
Character is dodging +Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS DV
Character is prone in hand-to-hand combat -3 AV -3 DV
Character is prone in ranged combat +3 AV +3 DV
Character is restrained -3 AV -3 DV
Character is running or sprinting -Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS AV +3 DV
Character is underwater or weightless -3 AV -3 DV


Cover

A character hiding behind an obstruction is more difficult to hit. The character gains a +3 DV bonus.

Dodging

During their turn, or as a forced action, a character may use a standard action to focus exclusively on defense. A character who is using their action to dodge may not attack or use a move action, even if they otherwise could. Dodging might involve using finesse to harmlessly divert attacks away, or it might entail using brute force to withstand attacks: the choice is up to the player. Dodging grants the character a +Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS DV bonus. A character who is using their action to dodge continues to receive this benefit until they take their next turn.

Prone Characters

Ranged combat is easier for a prone character, but hand-to-hand combat is more difficult. In ranged combat, the character receives a +3 AV bonus and a +3 DV bonus. In hand-to-hand combat, the character incurs a -3 AV penalty and a -3 DV penalty.

Standing up from a prone or seated position requires a move or standard action.

Restrained Characters

A restrained character is not helpless, but they can't use movement until they break free. A restrained character incurs a -3 AV penalty on any task or attack and a -3 DV penalty on their defense.

If the character is completely immobilized, they are considered helpless rather then merely restrained.

Running For Cover

Attacks which are particularly large, such as explosions and collapsing castles, are much more difficult to avoid. The only way to avoid such attacks is to not be under them when they land. A character may force their action to move to the nearest open ground which is beyond the area of the attack or behind the nearest cover. As usual, a character making a double move (running) or an all-out move (sprinting) receives a +3 DV bonus, but incurs a -Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS AV penalty.

Range

There are five range bands: hand-to-hand, short, medium, long, and extreme. Hand-to-hand is the distance that a character can reach with their hands or with a hand-held weapon: anywhere from "in your face" up to about one meter. Short range is the distance that a character can easily reach with small hand-held weapons, or with thrown weapons with a bit of luck: up to 10 meters. Medium range is too far for thrown weapons, but is within range of most small arms: up to 100 meters or so. Long range is too far for most handguns, but is within range of most rifles, with careful aim and a steady hand: up to a kilometer. A few weapons have even greater range, called "extreme": these are effective at distances of 10 kilometers or more.

Weapons that are useful at a distance have an effective range given in their description, while the range of powers is based on the character's Power Level.


Table: Range bands
Range Typical weapons
Hand-to-hand (1 m) Fist, sword, club
Short (10 m) Pistol, flamethrower, grenade
Medium (100 m) Carbine, crossbow, rifle
Long (1 km) Sniper rifle, shoulder-fired missile
Extreme (10 km+) Long-range artillery, guided missile

Plot Points

Each player begins each game session with one Plot Point. The GM awards a player a Plot Point when their character does something particularly clever, heroic, or surprising, or when the GM overrides a roll of the dice to make things more difficult for the characters. It's probably reasonable for each player to receive an additional Plot Point over the course of a typical three or four hour game session. Unspent Plot Points do not carry over to the next game.

Plot Points can be spent by players at any time, even when their character is unconscious. The examples listed here are the most common uses for Plot Points, but they aren't the only ones. If a player wants to spend a Plot Point to make something fun happen, and it has about the same impact on the game as these examples, the GM should permit it.

Extra Action

Spending a Plot Point allows the character to use an extra movement action or an extra standard action. If it isn't their turn, the extra action takes place after the current character's turn is finished.

Extra Effort

Spending a Plot Point allows the character to try even harder to succeed at the current task. The player may re-roll their dice, or they may gain a +3 bonus to their current Action Value or Defense Value. The player may decide to spend the Plot Point before or after the dice are rolled.

Improvisation

Improvisation permits the character to use a skill or power they do not have, if they can explain it as a clever use of the skills and abilities that they do have. Improvisation usually only lasts for one round, but it might last as long as a scene if that makes sense and the GM agrees.

Inspiration

When all else fails, a player can spend a Plot Point to receive a hint from the GM on what to do next. If the GM finds this happening with any regularity, they should make their plots less mysterious.

Rally

Under normal circumstances, an injured character recovers half of the Health they have lost (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half) after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate for an hour or so. Spending a Plot Point allows a character to rally and immediately recover half of the Health they have lost, as though they have had an hour's worth of rest.

Retcon

"Retcon" is short for "retroactive continuity": changing the past in a helpful way. This can be a needed resource that had previously been overlooked ("If we only had a wheelbarrow..."), or it can take the form of a character revealing a previously unknown era in their history, thus giving them new information. A retcon could also be used to apply a character's skills and abilities in a way that makes it seem they planned ahead in a particularly clever way, such as having already established a false identity as a caterer in order to sneak into an exclusive banquet.

A retcon should not overtly violate what has been established in the game.

Surge

A surge increases one of the character's attributes by one. A character with Brawn 5 could gain a temporary surge to Brawn 6, or a character with Power Level 7 could gain a temporary surge to Power Level 8.

A surge usually only lasts for one round, but it might last as long as a scene if that make senses and the GM agrees.

Consequences

Knockback (Optional)

Knockback is an optional rule which will make combat cover a greater physical area, possibly causing collateral damage in the process.

When struck by a normal attack, a target is pushed away from the attacker (or from the center of an explosion). The distance the target is moved is equal to the amount by which a player's roll exceeds the target number. If the target number is 12, and the player's total is 15, the target will be pushed back 3 meters.

If the target is pushed more than 2 meters, they must succeed at a moderately difficult (DV 12) Agility + Athletics roll or be knocked prone. If the target is flying or swimming and fails this roll, they don't fall to the ground, but the mechanical effects are the same: they are easier to hit with a Hand-to-hand Combat attack, harder to hit with a Ranged Combat or Mental Combat attack, and recovering their equilibrium requires a move action.

Targets who take knockback often smash through walls and windows, destroying whatever they pass through or happen to land on, but they take no significant injury themselves from doing so.

Failure

Failure is not the end of the world. A failed attempt may not give the character the result they wanted, but it should not mean the game grinds to a halt. Rather than having a failed attempt be a dead-end, it could mean that the desired outcome has a greater cost, or perhaps the desired outcome has undesirable side effects. Remember that success and failure are both paths to the same goal: to make the game more fun. Failure is okay. Boredom is not.

Failure should never make the game less interesting.

For example, Inspector Dupuis is trying to intimidate a low-level gangster into revealing details about the organization's plans to distribute a dangerous, highly experimental drug. Sadly, Inspector Dupuis's player rolls poorly, and fails to intimidate the gangster. Rather than having this be the end of this line of inquiry, the GM has several options.

  • Quid pro quo: The gangster will give Dupuis the information, but only if Dupuis gives the gangster something in exchange. This could be something as prosaic as money, but it could be something more interesting, such as information about a rival organization or a favour to call in later.
  • Red herring: The gangster tells Dupuis what they want to hear, but the information is not true or it leads Dupuis off on a wild goose chase. If the gangster is clever, they may send Dupuis after a rival organization that has been causing problems.
  • Stirring the pot: Dupuis gets the information, but their activities attract attention. A rival organization learns of the drug as a result of Dupuis' activities, and they try to beat Dupuis to the prize. Alternately, the rival organization might use Dupuis as a stalking horse, allowing Dupuis and the gang to fight each other so that the rival organization will have an easier time taking the spoils from the winner.
  • Alerting the enemy: Dupuis gets the information, but the gang learns of Dupuis's interest in their activities and they begin to make preparations. It could even be that the gangster was intended to be captured by Dupuis all along, in order to set them up for an ambush!

Recovery

Recovering Endurance

When a character loses Endurance, that amount is subtracted from their current Endurance. Endurance is replenished by rest and relaxation.

Endurance may not be reduced below zero. A character with zero Endurance is unconscious. If a character with zero Endurance takes additional points of Endurance damage from another attack, the damage is treated as points of Health damage. The target recovers their lost Endurance after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Recovering Health

When a character loses Health, that amount is subtracted from their current Health. Health is replenished by rest and medical care.

Health may not be reduced below zero. A character with zero Health is unconscious, their Endurance is also reduced to zero, and they are probably out of the fight.

Normally, an injured character may recover half of their lost Health (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half) by resting for about an hour. After that, a character may only recover additional Health by getting a good night's sleep (or its equivalent, for characters who don't sleep). Barring some gruesome disfigurement, a character's Health will be completely replenished after a solid night's rest.

If the character has taken some other form of damage, such as points of damage to one of their attributes, this damage is temporary. It all comes back after the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Recovering From Ongoing Effects

If the attack causes some unusual effect or affects the target in some unusual way, it lasts for the duration of the current scene or conflict. However, an attack that deprives a character of their free will or that alters them against their will in some way can be opposed.

To "break out" of an attack with an ongoing physical effect, such as blindness or being forced to sleep, the target must use a standard action to attempt a Brawn + Survival roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker (or the full equipment level of the weapon). If the target has Alteration Resistance, they may add it to this roll.

To "break out" of an attack with an ongoing mental effect, such as mind control, the target must use a standard action to attempt a Presence + Survival roll against 8 + Power Level of the attacker (or the full equipment level of the weapon). If the target has Mental Resistance, they may add it to this roll.

If the target's roll is successful, they recover from the ongoing effect.

Inanimate Objects

Inanimate objects have Health, reflecting the structural integrity of the object. An object which has lost more than half of its Health is damaged, and may not work properly. An object which has lost of all of its Health is effectively destroyed.

Unnamed Characters

An unnamed character is defeated on any successful attack. They make up for this by vastly outnumbering the player characters.

Death

In the source material which ZeroSpace seeks to emulate, main characters very rarely die. That being said, if the GM and the player both agree that the game would be best served by the character taking the final bow, then so be it. The most important thing to remember about death is that it should never be decided by a roll of the dice.

Special Attacks

These attacks are special cases, which have their own bonuses and penalties. Generally speaking, special attacks are exclusive: you could not normally combine Spreading An Attack with Suppressing Fire, for example.

Area Attacks

Area attacks deal damage to everyone within a certain distance of the target -- everyone within 5 meters, typically. The attacker rolls once for the attack.

Blinding Attacks

A successful blinding attack renders the target unable to see clearly. Unless they have Blindfighting or Blindsight, a character who can't see incurs a -Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS AV penalty on any task or attack, a -3 DV penalty on their defense, and they fail any Mental Combat attack rolls.

To recover from a blinding attack, the target must use a standard action to attempt a Brawn + Survival roll against 8 + Power Level of the attack (or the full equipment level of the weapon). If the target has Alteration Resistance, they may add it to this roll. If the target succeeds at this roll, they recover from the blinding attack. If the target has not recovered from the blinding attack by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Called Shots

A called shot is an attempt to hit a target in a vulnerable spot. Called shots add +1 point of damage for each -1 AV penalty. If the attacker chooses to incur a -5 AV penalty, they deal an additional +5 points of damage if the attack is successful.

Charging

A charging attack involves using the velocity of the attacker to increase the damage. Charging requires the attacker to use their move action to travel to the target, followed by a Hand-to-hand Combat roll. A charging character incurs a -3 AV penalty on their attack, but they gain +3 points of bonus damage if the attack is successful.

Disarming

A disarm is a special hand-to-hand attack that does not deal points of damage, but instead deprives the target of a piece of held equipment. A disarm attack requires a successful Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat roll against 8 + Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat of the target. The attacker incurs a -3 AV penalty on this attack.

If the attacker's roll is successful, the attacker may choose one equipment item held by the target and either take it away from them or knock it from the target's grasp.

Distracting

Distraction can be used by a character to mislead an enemy into dropping their guard. Distracting an opponent requires using a standard action to attempt a Presence + Deception roll against 8 + Presence + Survival of the opponent. A distracted character incurs a -3 AV penalty on their next task or attack, or a -3 DV penalty on their next defense, whichever happens first.

Grappling

A grapple is a special hand-to-hand attack that does not deal points of damage, but instead restrains the target. A grapple attack requires a successful Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat roll against 8 + Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat of the target.

If the attack is successful, the target is restrained. A restrained character is not helpless, but they can't use movement until they break free. A restrained character incurs a -3 AV penalty on any task or attack and a -3 DV penalty on their defense.

A grapple is not normally able to deal damage directly (like a punch), but the attacker may attempt to use leverage to hurt the grappled character by making another Hand-to-hand Combat attack on one of their future turns.

Breaking Free Of A Grapple

To break free of a grapple, the target must use a standard action to attempt a successful Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat roll against 8 + Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat of the attacker. If the target succeeds at this roll, they break free of the grapple. Alternately, the grappling character may release the restrained character at any time as a free action.

Hurting A Grappled Target

If the attacker wishes to exert strength or leverage in an attempt to hurt the restrained character, they must use a standard action to attempt a Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat roll against 8 + the restrained character's Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat. The attacker receives a +3 Action Value bonus, as usual.

Grapple vs Grapple

If the grappled character succeeds in a grapple attack against the original attacker, both characters are considered restrained. Neither character can use move actions until they break free of their opponent's grapple.

Throwing A Grappled Target

If the attacker wishes to throw the grappled character, the distance an attacker may throw the defender is based on the Brawn of the attacker and the mass of the defender. To see how far a character can throw an opponent, subtract the Brawn required to lift the target from the character's total Brawn. Look up the difference in the "Brawn" column: this indicates how far the character can throw the target. For example, a character with Brawn 4 could throw an opponent weighing up to 110 kg up to 2 meters.

Piercing Attacks

Damage Resistance, Alteration Resistance, and Mental Resistance are less effective against piercing attacks. The target's resistance against the attack is reduced to one-half of its normal value (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half, to a minimum of 1).

Spreading An Attack

Spreading an attack permits a character to make ranged attacks against adjacent targets simultaneously. The character chooses a primary target, and then makes a separate Ranged Combat roll against that target and against each target within hand-to-hand range of that target. The attacker incurs an AV penalty equal to the number of targets.

Stunning Attacks

Some attacks are normal, but nonlethal. The points of damage are deducted from the target's Endurance rather than from their Health. If a character with zero Endurance takes additional points of Endurance damage from another attack, the damage is treated as points of Health damage. The target recovers their lost Endurance after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Suppressing Fire

Suppressing fire is an attempt to hit a target by spraying them with multiple shots. Suppressing fire deals one less point of damage for each +1 AV bonus. If the attacker chooses to gain a +5 AV bonus, they deal 5 fewer points of damage if the attack is successful. Only powers, or weapons with "suppressing fire" in the notes, are capable of suppressing fire.

Sweep Attack

A sweep attack permits a character to make hand-to-hand attacks against anyone within reach of the character simultaneously. The character makes a separate Hand-to-hand Combat roll against each target within hand-to-hand range. The attacker incurs an AV penalty equal to the number of targets.

Takedown

A takedown attack is an unarmed hand-to-hand attack that makes the target fall to the ground. A takedown requires a successful Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat roll against 8 + Brawn + Hand-to-hand Combat of the target. If the attacker's roll is successful, the defender falls to the ground and takes damage from the impact.

The attacker deals Endurance damage equal to their Brawn. The target subtracts their Damage Resistance from the amount the attacker rolled. The target's Endurance is reduced by the remaining amount. This damage can be increased with the Iron Fists gift or the Strike power.

A prone character must normally use a move or standard action to get back up.

Terrifying Attacks

A successful terrifying attack causes the target to involuntarily cower or run away (defender's choice). The terrified character receives a +3 DV bonus.

To recover from a terrifying attack, the target must use a standard action to attempt a Presence + Survival roll against 8 + Power Level of the attack (or the full equipment level of the weapon). If the target has Mental Resistance, they may add it to this roll.

If the character has not recovered from the terrifying attack by the end of the scene, then they recover their composure shortly thereafter.