Combinations


Styles and Signature Moves

Many warriors train to use a specific series of moves in combat. These moves are practiced intensively until they become second nature, flowing from one to another. Effectively the series of moves become like a single attack or defence, and can be used in place of them. This means that instead of using a normal attack, a character may use an attack combination instead, that may have more than one blow involved.

The elements that go together in a combination may be any of the following

A Combination starting with an active defence may be used as a defence

A Combination starting with an attack may be used as an attack

Restrictions

A swing cannot be included more than once in the same combination (they take too long) except with a weapon that weights 1lb or less. No more than one active defence may be included in a combination.

Although combinations can legally use the feint manoeuvre, they can only do so as a full action. A combination, since it is formulaic, does not count the normal feint bonuses. Similarly although any attack in a combination may strike a particular body part, and count Hit location bonuses, the attack must always strike that particular body part. In other words a strike to the face cannot be substituted for a strike to the arm.

All combinations apply to a particular weapon only. Thus a manoeuvre involving a Broadsword thrust cannot be used with a Shortsword.

No more than one active defence can be used with a combination, unless the combination can only be used when full defending.

If a combination uses a defence then it must specify whether the defence involves retreating or falling prone. If the combination does not specify (for example) retreating, then the warrior may not retreat when defending.

Attacking Combinations

An attacking combination begins with an attack. This may be a thrust or swing, a shield bash, grapple, punch or kick. Any manoeuvre which can be used in place of an attack, such as Disarm, Feint, Sword of Truth and so forth can be used as the first item in a Combination. It can then be followed with a second, and maybe a third such manoeuvre (specifying hit locations etc.). An Attacking Combination cannot include any active defence, or any manoeuvre that requires you to have defended (such as the shield rim weapon breaking).

e.g. The Beheader!

The Beheader is a deadly move. It consists of a Feint, followed by another Feint (remember this will carry the bonuses of the previous feint), followed by a swing to the neck. i.e. feint (broadsword)/feint (broadsword)/swing to the neck (broadsword).

e.g. Thrusting Advance

This combination is used when advancing through opposing foes and trying to clear a path, and requires a short thrusting weapon and a shield. It consists of a Shield Bash (to move them out of the way) followed by a thrust to the vitals while they are opened up to your attack. i.e. Shield Bash/Thrust to the vitals (Shortsword).

Defending Combinations

A defending combination begins with an active defence. Its perfectly valid for it to then include a weapon attack, but it must be the weapon that did the defence, unless the defence was a dodge. i.e. Blocks may only be followed by Shield Bash attacks, and Parries may only be followed by attacks with the weapon that parried. Other than these restrictions any attack can be part of a Defending Combination, including one that requires a defence to have been made, so long as the defence started the combination.

A combination may include more than one active defence (which must be different). However in this case it can only be used when full defending. Obviously a combination with only two elements confers no especial bonus in this situation, but a three action defence (Parry/Dodge/Dodge for example) may be useful.

e.g. Parry and Disarm

Normally you can try to disarm anyone you have parried on your previous turn, or you can try to disarm right away if your parry was a critical. This combination allows you to make your disarm attempt right away (in your opponent's turn) as if you had just criticaled. i.e. Parry (Broadsword)/Disarm (Broadsword).

e.g. Wrist Cutter

A warrior trained in the wrist cutter technique has practiced the art of parrying an incoming attack, whirling on the spot, and then striking at the wrist of extended striking arm. Carefully done the technique can utterly defeat an attacker in a single blow. i.e. Parry (Broadsword)/Swing at weapon hand (Broadsword).

Purchasing a Combination

A Combination represents one of two things, a signature move that the warrior often uses, or an element of his fighting style that he is taught by a master warrior. Normally any combination a warrior uses is considered part of his style unless the GM forbids it (its not in keeping with the style, or uses weapons the style does not teach), unless the player has commonly used the sequence so many times that it is already a trademark move, in which case he may turn it into a combination.

Purchasing a Combination from a style

The Player must pay 4 points for a combination of 2 elements and 8 points for a combination of 3 elements. Learning the combination requires at least a skill of 15 in the primary weapon used, and takes a month of full time training to perfect. During this time the Player has no time for other training of any sort.

Purchasing a Signature move

Firstly the character must have used the move frequently in combat, enough so that it is a typical move. The GM can always rule that a combination is not frequent enough to meet this requirement. Secondly the player must spend at least a month practicing the move to make it perfect. Thirdly they must make an IQ roll (at -2 if the combination has 3 elements) to be able to master the combination. If this roll fails then the month is wasted. Finally they must pay 4 points for a combination of 2 elements and 8 points for a combination of 3 elements.

Using a Combination

To use a Combination the player declares that he will use it in place of an attack or defence as appropriate. Any foe that has seen the combination in action before, or has the Style Familiarity advantage for the relevant style can make a quick contest of their Weapon Skill, Duelling, or Style skill (use the best) against the skill used to start the combination. If the opponent wins then they get a +3 bonus to all defence rolls against any attacks in the combination, since they have successfully recognised the move and know where it is going.

The player then rolls against each element of the combination using his current skills for each manoeuvre. If any of the rolls fail then the rest of the combination cannot be attempted. This means that all Defensive Combinations will automatically fail if the defence that begins them fails.