Defense

Defending yourself from attacks.

Defense
If the attack is a success the opponent can make a Defense roll which is a Skill Test against either Dodge, Block, or Parry depending on what is available to them.

Dodge

• Dodge Skill is equal to Basic Speed+3 drop fractions.
• You may Dodge any attack you know about
• You may Dodge as many times per round as you would like.

Block

• Using a shield, your Block Skill is equal to Shield Skill/2, rounded down.
• You may Block once per round. (or apply a cumulative -5 per block after the first).
• You may only Block with a shield.
• Flails are Blocked at -2

Parry

• Parry Skill is equal to Weapon Wielded Skill/2, rounded down.
• Hand weapons can only Parry if Ready
• If the Attacking weapon is 3 or more times the Parrying weapon, it has a 1/3 chance of breaking.
  • The Parry still counts if it breaks.
• You may only Parry once per round per weapon wielded. (or apply a cumulative -4 per parry after the first - fencing weapons at -2 instead.)
• Parrying a bare-handed Attack successfully with your weapon allows for an immediate Attack against your weapon Skill, and on a success dealing damage to that limb.
• Thrown weapons are Parried at -1, and small weapons (such as knives) are at -2.
• Small weapons (like knives) give -1 to Parrying with.
• Flails are Parried at -4 (and cannot be parried by Fencing Weapons)
• Quarterstaffs parry at 2/3 Weapon Skill rather than 1/2.
• Fencing weapons are also 2/3. They cannot parry flails at all though.

Damage Resistance
When you are hit and your Active Defense fails, or you are unable to defend your armor and/or shield still give you some Damage Resistance.

• Your Damage Resistance (DR) is subtracted from the enemy's damage dealt (eg. 9 damage dealt - 5 DR = 4 Total Damage taken).

Special Defense Options
Acrobatic Dodge

• At least 1 point required in Acrobatics Skill, you can try a "fancy" dodge once per round.
• Make an Acrobatics roll before attempting a Dodge roll.
  • On success you gain +2 to that Dodge roll, on fail you get -2.

Sacrificial Dodge

• Must be 1 Step away, to dive in front of a friend.
• After the enemy makes an Attack roll, but before the Defense roll.
• On success you are hit, on fail you did not move fast enough and friend gets Defense roll.

Sacrificial Block

• Must be 1 Step away, to block in front of a friend.
• After the enemy makes an Attack roll, but before the Defense roll.
• Default -4 to block
• On success you are hit, on fail you did not move fast enough and friend gets Defense roll.
• Or buy the Sacrificial Block perk for one CP and gain the ability to use it as a Hard Technique (at Shield-1).
  • There are 2 other perks that allow this, but at greater point cost, and other benefits: Shield Wall perk or Teamwork perk.

Sacrificial Parry

• Must be 1 Step away, to parry in front of a friend.
• After the enemy makes an Attack roll, but before the Defense roll.
• Default -4 to parry
• Or buy the Sacrificial Parry for one CP and gain the ability to use it as a Hard Technique (at Parry-1).

Retreat

• Add this to any Passive Defense once per round.
• Move at least 1 yard, but no more than 1/10th your move.
  • You may also change facing by 1 hex-side.
• Retreating gives +3 to Dodge, or +1 to Block or Parry
  • Except when Parrying with Boxing, Judo, Karate, or any Fencing Skill; Then add +3
• Sideslip: a Retreat that allows you to move into an adjacent hex the same distance from your attacker as you started. This gives a -1 plus the bonus from Retreating (ie, +2 to Dodge, etc.)
• Slip: a Retreat that allows you to move into an adjacent hex closer to your opponent - including close combat. You gain a -2 bonus plus the bonus from Retreating (ie. +1 to Dodge, etc.)

Dodge and Drop

• When Dodging add +3 to Dodge only against Ranged Attacks or +2 to Dodge against Melee Attacks.
• This can be used Sacrificially (tackling a friend to the ground)
  • If you succeed by 3 or more neither of you is hit!
  • This can be used to dive onto an explosive (ie. Grenade) as well.
• Diving for Cover can get you behind cover 1 step away, and possibly out of an explosions radius!

Riposte

• Declare before you roll for your parry, choosing a penalty to your Parry score. The larger the penalty the greater your focus on the counter attack. This cannot reduce your Parry, before all other modifiers, except Enhanced Parry, below 8.
• Then add remaining modifiers and try to parry.
• On a success, you parry and set up a Riposte. If your first attack next turn uses the parrying weapon against that foe, one of their active defenses suffers the penalty you took for your parry.
  • Whatever you parried takes that penalty, ie.: a weapon or hand reduces Parry, a shield reduces Block, an unarmed attack other than a hand reduces Dodge.
    • Apply half the penalty to any other defense attempted against your attack.

See Parrying Heavy Weapons

Defending Against Attacks from the Side or Back
Side

• -2 to defense rolls (can only use shield on shield side, and parry on weapon side).

Back

• You cannot defend from the back unless you know it is coming in which case you get a -2 to defense rolls (cannot block or parry from the back).

Common Defense Modifiers
Above attacker: +1 if 3’ difference, +2 if 4’, or +3 if 5’
Bad footing: -1 or more (GM’s option)
Below attacker: -1 if 3’ difference, -2 if 4’, or -3 if 5’
Can’t see attacker: -4, and a block or parry requires a Hearing-2 roll
Close combat: only reach “C” weapons can parry
Distraction (e.g., clothes on fire): -1 or more (GM’s option)
Encumbered: penalty equal to encumbrance level to Dodge, or to Judo, Karate, or any fencing Parry
Mounted: penalty equal to difference between 12 and Riding skill (no penalty for Riding at 12+)

Lost Hit Points:
< HP/3 - better described as: Less than 1/3 of Hit Points remaining.

• Movement and Dodge both get halved (rounding up).

0 HP or less.

• Make a HT roll every turn. Take -1 per full multiple of HP below 0 or pass out from any maneuver besides Do Nothing.

-1xHP - better described as At Negative Total Hit Points

• Make a HT roll or die! Roll for again at every further multiple of HP

-5xHP - better described as Negative 5 of Total Hit Points

• Instant Death.

Lost Fatigue Points:
< FP/3 - better described as Less than 1/3 of Fatigue Points remaining.

• Movement, Dodge, and Strength are all halved (rounding up).

0 FP or less.

• Make a Will roll to attempt any maneuver (other than Do Nothing) or become incapacitated until your FP becomes positive. Lose 1 HP for each FP lost during this time.

-1xFP - better described as At Negative Total Fatigue Points

• Fall unconscious immediately until FP becomes positive