⚔️ Combat moves

A short reference of the named manoeuvres that come up often enough to deserve a shorthand. Anything not listed here is "tell the GM what you're trying, take your modifiers."

How to read this page

The moves below fall into three groups:

  • Hit / Damage modifiers — they appear as extra checkboxes or sliders on the Combat rolls panel when the situation allows. The app applies them to the relevant roll automatically.
  • Standalone actions — they have their own button on the combat panel (Dodge, Recovery, Take Hit, Use Extra Action).
  • Narrative moves — the GM rules on them in conversation. They use the same dice you already roll; no special automation in the app.

Hit / Damage modifiers

Set weapon

When: spear-type weapon in your right hand, you're not mounted, and you choose to set against a charge.

Effect: +1 Hit and +1 damage die. Mutually exclusive with Use extra strength.

Bracing a polearm against an oncoming rider is exactly what this models — and exactly why it doesn't stack with putting your own shoulder into the swing.

Charge

When: you're mounted and attacking.

Effect: +1 Hit and +1 damage die (most weapons), or +2 on each with a spear or lance. Mutually exclusive with Use extra strength.

Shield bash

When: you have a shield equipped.

Effect: a Hit modifier you can dial from 0 to +2. Use it when you want to put the rim (or the spikes) into the fight rather than just hide behind it.

Surprise move

When: melee, not a thrown weapon. Doing something the opponent isn't braced for — an elbow, a kick, a head-butt, an off-hand strike.

Effect: a Hit modifier from −3 to +3. The GM picks the value based on how unexpected the move actually is. The same option exists on the Dodge roll (range +1 to +3) for an out-of-the-ordinary evasion.

Placed shot

When: ranged weapon, you want to aim at a specific spot — a gap in the armour, an eye-slit, a weapon hand.

Effect: −4 to −8 Hit depending on how small the target is. The GM and you agree beforehand what landing the shot achieves (bypass armour, disarm, knock something loose).

Extended aim

When: ranged weapon, you spend the round lining up the shot instead of doing anything else.

Effect: −2 Hit on the next shot, but no Parry or Dodge for the round. (Yes, the value is negative — it lowers your roll target, which is the good direction on a 3d6-under check.)

Bracing (ranged)

When: two-handed ranged weapon (bow, crossbow, two-handed firearm), not mounted. Check the Bracing box on the combat panel.

Effect: +2 Hit, pre-selected. Models setting a foot, planting elbows, leaning into a stable firing position.

Throw weapon

When: the equipped weapon is a Dagger, Javelin, or Spear.

Effect: the regular melee modifiers (Set, Surprise, Shield bash, Extra strength) go away — only the GM modifier applies to the Hit roll. After the throw the weapon is downrange; retrieve it or do without.

Use extra strength

When: you have at least +4 Strength above the weapon's required Strength (dual-handed weapons wielded with both hands count as needing 2 less). Not available unarmed, and mutually exclusive with Set and Charge.

Effect: +1 damage die per level, up to 2 levels. Costs +1 Stamina per level on top of the base stamina cost of the swing. Putting your back into it actually costs something.

Use secondary weapon

When: a weapon in each hand. Tick Use secondary weapon on the combat panel before rolling.

Effect: all the Hit, Damage, and Initiative calculations use the off-hand weapon for this attack instead of the primary. Useful when the off-hand item is faster, longer, or has a different damage type.

Standalone actions

Dodge

A defence with neither weapon nor shield: 3d6 against Agility + Unarmed Combat. Always carries a pre-selected −2 "Armed Opponent" penalty unless you're facing an unarmed attacker (clear the box). Full details on the Combat page.

Recovery

Skip your attack and breathe: 3d6 against Constitution to add Stamina back. See Damage, armour & recovery.

Take Hit (defender's bookkeeping)

When an attack lands, the defender opens the Take Hit dialog: enter the attacker's hit score, damage class and damage type, optionally tick Ignore shield or Ignore armour, then roll (or enter) the damage dice. The app does the resilience absorption for you using the rules on the Damage, armour & recovery page.

Use extra action

Every round you make a Speed roll (1d6 + Speed) that accumulates into a Speed Bank. When the bank reaches 10 or more, the Use Extra Action button lights up and you can spend 10 points for one extra action this round. The remainder carries over.

GM-narrated moves

These moves don't have their own roll in the app. You describe them, the GM picks the right existing roll (a Hit, a Parry, an opposed Strength roll, etc.) and assigns a modifier with the GM slider. The roll itself is one you already know how to make.

Swipe

Strike multiple targets in one swing. Requires a relevant weapon skill of 2 or higher. The first attack takes −2; each successful hit continues to the next target with another −2 stacked on. The first miss ends the swipe.

Bind

Trap your opponent's weapon with your own. Resolved as a Hit, but a strong success doesn't deal damage — it locks the weapons together. Breaking the bind on the opponent's turn requires winning an opposed Strength roll. A high-margin bind may lead into a disarm.

Grapple

Close in and grab. A successful grapple lets you hold, throw, or pin. Maintaining or breaking the hold is an opposed Strength roll, with Unarmed Combat, Wrestling, or a similar skill adding to whichever side is appropriate.

Anything else

Swinging from a chandelier, kicking sand, tipping a table — say what you want to do, name the skills that should support it, and ask the GM what would have to be true for it to work. Genius gets rewarded; foolishness gets the other kind of reward.

See also