Player Guide: Core Combat Rules
Combat at a Glance
Combat in this system isn’t just about hitting or missing.
Every attack lands somewhere on a spectrum:
Miss -> Glancing -> Partial -> Solid -> Critical
Even when you don’t land a perfect hit, you’re still doing something — wearing your opponent down, testing their defenses, and setting up stronger hits later.
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Making an Attack
Whenever you attack, you’re trying to overcome your opponent’s defense — not just hit them, but hit them well.
Step 1: Roll to Hit
Roll a d20 and add your modifier:
- Physical attacks use DEX
- Spells use INT
Step 2: Compare to Defense
Your target’s Defense is:
10 + Dodge (Dodge comes from SPD)
Step 3: Check the Result
Subtract their Defense from your roll:
Margin = Your Roll - Defense
This margin tells you how cleanly your attack lands.
You’re not just asking:
"Did I hit?"
You’re asking:
"How well did I hit?"
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Hit Results
Here’s how to read your result:
Miss (≤ -5)
You fail to connect at all. The attack is avoided completely.
Glancing Hit (-4 to -1)
You barely connect. The target absorbs or deflects the attack.
Partial Hit (0 to +4)
You land a hit, but not cleanly. Some damage gets through.
Solid Hit (≥ +5)
A clean, direct hit. Full damage.
Critical Hit (Natural 20)
A perfect strike. Expect bonus effects.
Critical Fail (Natural 1)
Something goes wrong.
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Damage and Defense
Damage is split between two resources:
EN (Energy / Stamina)
This represents your ability to defend yourself — blocking, bracing, rolling with hits.
HP (Health)
This is your actual physical condition — when this drops, you’re getting hurt.
How damage is applied:
Miss
- No damage
Glancing Hit
- All damage goes to EN
- No real injury
Partial Hit
- Damage is split between EN and HP
- You’re starting to break through
Solid Hit
- Full damage goes to HP
- No mitigation
Critical Hit
- Full HP damage + extra effects
In short:
EN protects you.
HP is what actually kills you.
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What It Looks Like in Play
If you're ever unsure how to describe a result, think of it like this:
Miss
You dodge completely or the attack fails.
Glancing
You block it, deflect it, or absorb it with your body.
Partial
You take the hit, but lessen the impact.
Solid
You get hit cleanly.
Critical
You get hit hard, with serious consequences.
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Quick Example
You attack an enemy:
First roll is low -> Glancing
They raise their guard and absorb the blow. You drain their EN.
Next attack is better -> Partial
You push through their defense. Some damage hits HP.
Next attack is strong -> Solid
You land a clean hit. Full damage to HP.
This is how fights progress — you wear enemies down, then break through.
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Player Tips
Even weak hits matter
Glancing hits still drain EN. You’re always making progress.
Watch your EN
Low EN means you can’t defend well — you’re exposed.
Solid hits are dangerous
This is when real damage happens.
Work together
One player drains EN, another lands the finishing blow.
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Core Idea of the System
This system is built so that:
- You rarely waste a turn
- Every action has an effect
- Combat feels gradual and dynamic
You’re not waiting to succeed — you’re building toward it.
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