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Basic Combat

Fighting Safety Guidelines

  • Safety is prioritized at Claritas. Although realistic-looking combat is appreciated and encouraged, swings should not be made at full force.
  • At any point during combat, any player can break character to tell any other player that they are swinging too hard.
  • Players should roleplay (RP) swinging their weapons based on the amount of effort it would realistically take to swing a weapon of that size. This includes accurate wind-up and heft on attacks. As a result of this, excessively rapid attacks (machine gunning) are not permitted. 
  • Players will use appropriate force when using a bow, i.e., they should not use a full draw for short-range shots.
  • Players should not swing at other participants’ heads or necks. Swinging upward is also not allowed. Swinging directly downward is not advised. Ideally, players should swing diagonally at the torso.
  • Players should not hit bows with weapons. Players should not use a bow to block weapon hits.
  • Stabbing is allowed, but must be done carefully. Players can make one stabbing motion at a time before resuming swinging.
  • Players cannot grab others’ weapons or shields.
  • If it is unsafe to play the full effect of a Stun Effect or other role play action, the player can choose a safer alternative (For example, if it is unsafe for a player to close their eyes during a Blind effect due to crowded combat, they can keep their eyes open and role play blindness instead).

Damage

  • To make a weapon attack, a player calls out the damage their weapon does each time they strike.
  • Some Talents alter or increase damage. When using a Talent, the player will call out the talent name and the amount of damage it deals in total. See the Talents page for more information.
  • Collision damage (often from Pushes or Pulls) occurs when a target is forcefully moved into another target or an object. Collisions cause 3 damage to all armor locations. 

Durability 

  • Players track damage done to them against their Durability Points (DP), which are made up of Health Points (HP), Armor Points (AP), and sometimes Shell Points (SP).
    • Senior adventurers have separate Durability Points on each of five body regions: each arm, each leg, and the torso. The head is not a region.
    • Junior adventurers do not have separate body regions; all hits are counted against one pool of Durability Points.
  • Unless otherwise indicated, damage is done to Shell Points first, then to Armor Points, then to Health Points
  • If the Health Points of a limb falls to 0, that region becomes unusable–If an arm falls to 0, the player cannot use the arm; if a leg falls to 0, the player must limp or drag their foot. If the torso (or total pool for Junior adventurers) falls to 0, the player falls unconscious.

Armor Points

  • A player's Armor Points are determined by the armor that they have equipped and some talents. In combat, most damage is dealt to armor first.
  • If the Armor Points are depleted, the remaining damage is dealt directly to a player's Health Points.

Health Points

  • Health Points are part of the player’s character build.
  • Very few Talents directly damage Health Points instead of Armor Points during combat.
  • Environmental factors or other roleplay-based effects can directly affect Health Points.
  • For more information see the Health section.

 

Shell Points

  • Shell Points are gained through talents and items.
  • Shell Points expire at the end of the encounter during which they are applied.
  • Shell points are not regional for Senior adventurers.

 

Tough Skin

Tough Skin is a modifier that players can choose to begin with. Most players do not choose Tough Skin because it greatly limits their ability to easily access durability points, but it may be a good option for players who wish to play characters who don’t wish to engage with armor mechanics. In game, Tough Skins are individuals with particularly effective natural armor. Tough Skins cannot wear armor on top of their natural armor.

 

Players using this modification start with 5 armor points and can spend 3 XP to gain an additional armor point. This natural armor gets heavier as it grows: it weighs 1 weight per 6 armor points (rounded down). Tough skin armor acts like normal armor in a fight but can be healed or mended and cannot be affected by any crafting talent. This armor is fully refreshed when the player rests in a town.

 

Some kin have naturally occurring “armor effects” to their tough skin because of unique physiology. Kin that do not have a special effect will start with 6 armor points instead of 5 and the weight increase won’t start until 7 armor (7, 13, 19, etc.). Armor points can be removed and XP refunded once per event.

 

Stun Effects

Stun Effects

Stun Effects include any effect that changes the way a character can move or interact with their surroundings. When hit with a Stun Effect, players should role play the full extent of the effect.

  • Blind: The target cannot see for the duration and must close their eyes.
    • (Rank I) - 5 seconds
    • (Rank II) - 10 seconds
    • (Rank III) - 20 seconds
  • Feed: The target cannot move,deal damage or use talents unless otherwise specified for the duration. The effect breaks when the attacker takes damage, is forced to move, or the feed finishes.  Feed is generally an NPC ability, so the exact effect may vary.
  • Frenzy: The target must immediately attack the nearest target, including allies, for the duration.
    • (Rank I) - 5 seconds
    • (Rank II) - 10 seconds
    • (Rank III) - 20 seconds
  • Gimp: The target cannot easily move the affected leg and should RP a limp. The target cannot run. Gimp lasts 60 seconds.
  • Push/Pull: The target is forced to move in a direction as indicated by the player. Pushes and Pulls cause collision damage if the target hits another target or an object.
    • (Rank I) - 5'
    • (Rank II) - 10'
    • (Rank III) - 20'
  • Knockdown
    • The target falls down, such that they either get on all fours or touch their back to the ground. If the target is unable to fall safely, they may take a 5-second shaken effect instead.
  • Tether: The target cannot run for the duration. The target cannot use or be affected by any talents that would make them move or become immune.
    • (Rank I) - 15 seconds
    • (Rank II) - 30 seconds
    • (Rank III) - 60 seconds
  • Numbness: The target's base damage is reduced to a minimum of 1 for 60 seconds.
    • (Rank I) - Reduces swings by 1
    • (Rank II) - Reduces swings by 2
    • (Rank III) - Reduces swings by 3
  • Pin: The target’s leg is stuck in place for a duration. The target may remove the effect at its halfway point or beyond, which ends the effect early, but if the target removes the effect early they must take a gimp effect. If both of the target’s legs are gimped, they cannot end a pin effect early. This is true for all pins. 
    • (Rank I) - 5 seconds
    • (Rank II) - 10 seconds
    • (Rank III) - 20 seconds
  • Shaken: The target cannot make offensive actions and must walk for the duration.
    • (Rank I) - 5 seconds
    • (Rank II) - 10 seconds
    • (Rank III) - 20 seconds
  • Stumble: The target stumbles two steps away from the player.

 

Injury Rules and Non-Combat

If you have an injury, disability, or health condition that prevents you from participating in combat, please reach out to the GMs.

 

Although combat is a significant component of Claritas, you can still participate without fighting. There are plenty of gameplay styles and other accommodations that can be made so that you can take part. We tend to handle injury rules and/or non-combat persons on a case-by-case basis and will work with you to make a case-specific accommodation. Many of our classes (Noble, Cleric, Wizard-Neuromancer, Warrior-Field Craftsmen) do not inherently need to participate in combat to have a meaningful impact. Some examples of injury/non-combat rules are below:

 

A player has a shoulder injury and cannot be hit by weapons. If combat occurs, the player can move throughout combat and can strike as normal. Enemy combatants who are within arms’ length will deal damage to the player by holding their weapon toward the player and counting. The player takes a Feed effect, where they cannot move or deal damage. The player takes 1 point of damage for each second of counting until a teammate deals damage or a stun effect to the enemy combatant.

 

A player can walk but is unable to participate in combat. If combat occurs, the player will move to the side and watch without participating in fighting. Once the combat is over, the player may rejoin the party and use talents or items.