Combat
Combat is a Scene in which characters attempt to harm, hinder, or out-manoeuvre each other through force, weaponry, magic, or similar danger.
Narateer's preferred melee combat model is the Melee Exchange.
A Melee Exchange is one beat of close combat: footwork, pressure, feints, cuts, parries, shields, evasive movement, and the moment where one combatant gains the better line. It is not "I attack, then you defend, then you attack." It is a contested exchange of tempo.
Core Combat Attributes
| Purpose | Linked Vital |
|---|---|
| Melee Exchange Rolls | Agility |
| Melee Damage, light weapons | Strength or Agility |
| Melee Damage, heavy weapons | Strength |
| Ranged thrown damage | Strength or Agility |
| Ranged loaded projectile damage | Agility |
Agility is the default linked Vital for ordinary melee and ranged attack checks. The Guide may allow another Vital when the fiction clearly supports it.
Light weapons may use Strength or Agility for damage. Heavy weapons use Strength for damage. Weapon damage always uses the applied Damage Vital after the weapon's Damage Vital Cap is enforced.
Skill Level In Combat
During your activation, proactive Melee actions are limited by your Melee Skill Level.
Proactive Melee uses during your activation = Melee SL + 1
Minimum = 1 proactive Melee use, even at Melee SL 0.
This limits how many separate exchanges, shoves, trips, feints, disarms, grapples, or other initiated Melee actions you can make during your activation.
Melee Skill Level also limits Boost on Melee rolls.
Maximum Boost AD = Melee Skill Level
Skill Level does not grant default rerolls. Rerolls come from Advantage, Disadvantage, class powers, equipment traits, conditions, or specific rules.
Tempo
The combatant whose activation it is normally has Tempo.
Tempo means they are the one pressing the immediate moment. They choose whether to initiate an exchange, where pressure is applied, and how much AD they commit.
Having Tempo does not mean the other combatant is passive. If the responder is aware, able to act, within reach, and has Ready AD available, they may answer the exchange.
Melee Exchange Flow
- The combatant with Tempo declares a Melee Exchange and target.
- Confirm the tempo-holder has not exceeded their proactive Melee-use limit.
- The tempo-holder spends the weapon's base exchange cost, usually 1 AD. Heavy weapons usually cost 2 AD.
- The tempo-holder may Boost the roll, up to Melee Skill Level and available Ready AD.
- The responder chooses a response if they are aware, able, in reach, and have Ready AD.
- Roll the committed AD.
- Resolve Edge and explicit reroll rules.
- Compare the final totals.
- If a combatant who can deal damage wins the exchange, calculate Hit Margin, Damage Score, and Wounds.
Exchange Dice = weapon base exchange cost + Boost AD
Exchange Responses
| Response | Cost | Roll? | Can Deal Damage? | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Response | 0 AD | No | No | The responder cannot or chooses not to answer. |
| Full Guard | Weapon base exchange cost + optional Boost AD | Yes | No | The responder focuses entirely on avoiding harm. |
| Clash | Weapon base exchange cost + optional Boost AD | Yes | Yes | The responder fights back inside the same exchange. |
No Response
If the responder is unaware, unable to act, out of Ready AD, out of reach, incapacitated, or chooses not to answer, they make no roll.
The tempo-holder rolls against target number 0 unless the scene, cover, position, condition, spell, class power, or Guide ruling modifies it.
Full Guard
Full Guard means the responder is focused on not being hurt. They roll Melee, may Boost within the normal Melee Skill Level limit, and may stop the exchange by equalling or beating the tempo-holder's result.
A combatant using Full Guard cannot deal damage in that exchange.
If the tempo-holder still wins, Full Guard adds +1 Protection Rating against that exchange.
Clash
Clash means both combatants commit to the exchange.
Both roll Melee. The higher final total wins the exchange. Only the winner may deal damage.
If both results are tied, neither combatant lands a clean hit.
Winning An Exchange
Compare the final totals.
Winner = higher final total
Tie = no clean hit
Hit Margin measures how decisively the exchange was won.
Hit Margin = Winner's total - Loser's total
Only a combatant who is allowed to deal damage can turn a won exchange into damage.
- Clash can deal damage if it wins.
- Full Guard cannot deal damage, even if its roll is higher.
- No Response cannot deal damage.
Strike Rating And Protection Rating
Strike Rating measures the force and weapon threat behind a clean hit.
Strike Rating = Weapon Damage + min(active Damage Vital, Damage Vital Cap)
Protection Rating measures passive protection against the hit.
Protection Rating = armour Soak + Full Guard bonus, if any
Full Guard bonus is +1 Protection Rating when the guarded combatant is the one being hit.
Shields and defensive weapons do not add a default extra defence pool to Melee Exchange resolution. In the exchange model, shields and guard-focused weapons may still matter through equipment traits, fictional positioning, cover, class powers, or special rules, but they are not part of the default exchange math.
Damage Score
Damage Score measures how much harm gets through after dominance, weapon threat, force, armour, and Full Guard.
Damage Score = Hit Margin + Strike Rating - Protection Rating
If Damage Score is 0 or less, the hit causes no Wound.
Wound Conversion
| Damage Score | Wounds |
|---|---|
| 0 or less | 0 |
| 1-4 | 1 |
| 5-6 | 2 |
| 7-8 | 3 |
| 9-10 | 5 |
| 11+ | 8 |
Applying Wounds
For each Wound dealt:
- Reduce the target's Vitality by 1.
- Move 1 AD into the Wounded pool.
- Wounds strip Ready AD first.
- Only if the target has no Ready AD remaining do Wounds move Used AD into the Wounded pool.
This means a hard hit can immediately reduce the target's ability to act, answer, or press tempo.
Continuation Checks
The combat engine may call for Continuation Checks when a combatant reaches important pressure points such as half capacity or system shock. If a combatant falters, the duel can end before reaching 0 Vitality.
Example: Clash
Mira has Tempo and initiates a Melee Exchange against Orin.
- Mira: AGI 3, Melee SL 3, arming sword Weapon Damage 2, Damage Vital Cap 3.
- Orin: AGI 3, Melee SL 3, leather armour Soak 1, mace Weapon Damage 2, Damage Vital Cap 3.
Step 1: Mira Presses
Mira spends 1 AD for the arming sword's base exchange cost and Boosts with 2 extra AD.
Mira's Exchange Dice = 1 + 2 = 3 AD
Step 2: Orin Clashes
Orin is aware, in reach, and has Ready AD. He chooses Clash, spends 1 AD for his mace's base exchange cost, and Boosts with 1 extra AD.
Orin's Exchange Dice = 1 + 1 = 2 AD
Step 3: Roll And Compare
Mira rolls 4 dots.
Orin rolls 2 dots.
Mira wins the exchange.
Hit Margin = 4 - 2 = 2
Step 4: Damage
Mira's Strike Rating:
Weapon Damage 2 + min(AGI 3, cap 3) = 5
Orin's Protection Rating:
Leather Soak 1
Damage Score:
Hit Margin 2 + Strike Rating 5 - Protection Rating 1 = 6
Damage Score 6 converts to 2 Wounds.
Orin loses 2 Vitality and moves 2 AD into Wounded, taking Ready AD first.
Example: Full Guard
Orin expects a heavy strike and chooses Full Guard instead of Clash.
He rolls Melee and gets 3 dots. Mira rolls 4 dots.
Mira still wins the exchange.
Hit Margin = 4 - 3 = 1
Because Orin used Full Guard, his Protection Rating is:
Leather Soak 1 + Full Guard 1 = 2
Damage Score:
Hit Margin 1 + Strike Rating 5 - Protection Rating 2 = 4
Damage Score 4 converts to 1 Wound.
Orin reduced the damage but could not deal damage back because Full Guard is protective, not offensive.
Tactical Notes
- Heavy attacks are strong because they commit to a decisive exchange.
- Double Tap creates repeated pressure without going all-in on one roll.
- Flurry can still pressure Ready AD, but proactive Melee uses prevent unlimited spam.
- Defensive play now means choosing Full Guard often. It survives pressure well but cannot win if it never Clashes or presses Tempo.
- Armour matters after the exchange is won. It does not stop the opponent from winning the exchange.
- Full Guard is a simple defensive posture: it can stop the exchange, and if it fails, it adds +1 Protection.
- Undefended targets are vulnerable because target number 0 means any positive result can land.
Combat Lab Strategy Reference
These strategy names are used in the combat lab and matrix tests. They describe spending priorities, not equipment type.
| Strategy | Tempo Plan | Response Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced | Prefer one moderate exchange, usually Boost 1 when able. | Prefer a moderate response, usually Boost 1 when able. |
| Double Tap | Prefer two exchanges if possible, reducing Boost if needed. | Clash without planned Boost. |
| Flurry | Initiate as many unboosted exchanges as proactive Melee uses and Ready AD allow. | Clash without planned Boost. |
| Defensive | Prefer one lighter/moderate exchange. | Prefer Full Guard with maximum legal Boost whenever able. |
| Heavy | Prefer one maximum-Boost exchange, capped by Skill Level and Ready AD. | Clash without planned Boost if able. |
Players are not locked into these named strategies. They are testing profiles and useful shorthand for common combat behaviours.
Summary
- Preferred melee combat uses Melee Exchanges.
- The combatant with Tempo initiates the exchange.
- The responder may choose No Response, Full Guard, or Clash.
- Full Guard can stop or reduce harm, but cannot deal damage.
- Clash lets either combatant win and deal damage.
- Ties land no clean hit.
- During your activation, proactive Melee uses are limited to Melee SL + 1, minimum 1.
- Boost is capped by Melee Skill Level.
- Strike Rating = Weapon Damage + min(active Damage Vital, Damage Vital Cap).
- Protection Rating = armour Soak, plus +1 if the target used Full Guard.
- Damage Score = Hit Margin + Strike Rating - Protection Rating.
- Wounds: 1-4 = 1, 5-6 = 2, 7-8 = 3, 9-10 = 5, 11+ = 8.
- Wounds move Ready AD first, then Used AD only if no Ready AD remain.
- Older combat-loop material has been archived and is not an optional rule.