Combat and Extended Skill Challenges

As I mentioned in the general rules overview, encounters will typically require multiple rolls to overcome. This system is intended to resolve fights over the course of 1-3 updates and be fairly abstract on the mechanical side, with more focus being given to narrative flow over having the thread vote on specific attacks (though suggestions on how to go about attacking are welcome and, if possible, will be incorporated into the updates).

Thus, combat works as follows:

• A single “round” is composed of four rolls. These are most often either Physique or Agility (decided at the time by the person rolling). These rolls are always resolved in the exact order in which they happen.
• Physique rolls represent attacks against the opponent (whether hitting them, pushing them over, throwing a chair, etc.) They are the typical way to win combat encounters. Agility rolls are defensive -- they are usually made after unsuccessful Physique rolls to mitigate the consequences of failure
• Each encounter is represented by two stats: Rating and Hits. The rating is the target number for all rolls made against that encounter. Hits represent the number of successful Physique rolls required to beat the encounter.
• Failing a Physique roll means the enemy strikes back or gains sufficient advantage to deal the character Fatigue or (more rarely) Arousal damage. More pressingly, a failure reduces the number of the character’s own Hits by one. Once that number goes down to zero, the combat is lost. A typical character has four Hits.
• As combat is a tiring, stressful affair for those not specifically trained in it, each roll you make costs 2 Fatigue even if you are successful.
• Upon failing a Physique roll, it is possible to give up one of your attacks for the round by replacing it with an Agility roll. If successful, it allows for avoiding the enemy’s counterattack, preventing the loss of a Hit. However, as it is not an attack, the enemy’s number of Hits remains unchanged.
• Failed Agility rolls are treated the same as failed Physique rolls. It is possible to mitigate it with another Agility roll, but the consequence from the original failed roll remains.
• Critical successes typically double the effectiveness of your attacks. Critical successes on Agility rolls can mitigate an extra failure that round.
• Critical failures open the character up to a consequence. This means the enemy manages to hamper the character in some way (for example, by pinning or trapping them), giving penalties to all rolls until a successful Agility check is made.
• Due to your chosen background’s Unresisting trait, critical failures that result in a pin will mean automatic submission and loss

Extended skill challenges are mechanically identical to combat, except that the attributes they use, challenge rating, number of hits, cost of “attacks” and results of failure may change depending on context and the character’s goal.