Combat Rules

These are the combat rules, sans any explanations of Skills (again, its own section). I need to slim this down, though. There's just too much damn fiddly bits to keep track. It needs to be more streamlined. I considered axing Called Shots, as that can easily be handled by the changes in how Raises work, but then I don't want to make losing limbs quite so easy. Need to think about that. And there's probably a lot of archaic terms being phased out that still litter the descriptions. Over all, this system (especially the Initiative and Brute parts) have been extensively playtested and work great (and yes, are lifted from 7th Sea).


Combat Rules

Initiative

At the start of a combat round, you roll dice equal to your Void Ring, plus any additional bonus dice. These are Action Dice, and they DO NOT explode and you DO NOT add them together. The numbers shown on the Action Dice are the Phases in which you will be able to act. If you roll the same number on multiple Action Dice, you will be able to act more than once in that Phase.

Next, the GM will begin to count up from Phase 1, until he reaches Phase 10. When he calls a Phase in which you are able to act, you may do one of 2 things with each Action Die showing the current Phase:

Spend the Action Die in order to perform an Action. Spent Action Dice are gone, and no longer affect play.

Leave the Action Die where it is, making it a Held Action. Once you’ve held an Action, it remains on the table, and is considered to match any later Phase called. The Action Die itself, however, does not change, which is important when figuring an Initiative Total.

When the GM reaches Phase 10, everyone must use their remaining Action Dice or lose them. Once all Action Dice are spent or forfeited, the round is over, a new round begins, and the process is repeated.

If more than one character wishes to act in the same Phase, each adds up all his remaining Action Dice (including the one he wants to spend, but not any Action Dice that have been spent; they’re long gone). This total is his Initiative Total. The character with the highest Initiative Total can act first. If there is a tie, the character with the highest Air Ring goes first. If there is still a tie, both act simultaneously.

If you really, really need an Action now (such as to defend yourself) but have no Action Dice in the current Phase nor any Held Actions, you can use an Interrupt Action. You exchange any 2 Action Dice showing a later Phase for 1 Action Die showing the current Phase. You must declare your intention to use an Interrupt Action at the beginning of the Phase, before anyone else has acted, and must still compare Initiative Totals. You can declare an Interrupt Action for an Active Defense, however, even after the beginning of the Phase and regardless of Initiative Total. You cannot use an Interrupt Action to make an attack.

Ambushes:
Given sufficient time (at the GM’s discretion), you can set up an ambush using the Stealth Skill (see the Stealth Skill for more information). Detecting an ambush uses an opposed Investigation / Perception roll, just as if you had tried to sneak up on someone using Stealth. Setting up an ambush must occur outside a normal combat round; once you are in a combat round, you must use Stealth (Sneaking) to catch a foe unawares. Those who fail to detect an ambush suffer from a surprise round once it is triggered.

When an ambush is triggered:

• A skirmish ensues.
• The first round is a “surprise round.” Only those who detected the ambush or who are one of the ambushers can roll for Inititiative and take Actions.
• Those “ambushed,” while unable to take Actions, are not “unaware,” meaning their TN to be Hit does not lower to 5 automatically.
• Those ambushed can still spend a Void Point to take an Action as normal, although it must still be a non-attack Action as normal.

Actions

When you spend an Action Die, you can move, perform a simple action, a complex action, cast a spell, attack, use a Full Attack, use a Full Defense, or use an Active Defense.

Move:
You can normally move a distance equal to your Water Ring x 5’ per Action, or twice that if you’re running. You can perform a simple action on your Action and still move, but not run. If mounted, you use the mount’s Water Ring to determine distance, and can move and perform an attack or cast a spell as well, as long as the mount is not galloping. If you are prone, you can move to stand up, spending your Action, or even crawl at half your normal speed. Climbing or otherwise moving up a height level (usually measured at 10’ intervals) also costs an Action. You can drop down more than one level in an Action, but will take falling damage doing so.

Simple Action:
Simple actions are just that: simple. Anything that can be performed with no risk or Skill roll is a simple action. This includes drawing or sheathing a weapon, falling to the ground, taking out or putting away a spell scroll, opening a door, tossing an item to a nearby comrade, etc.

Complex Action:
A complex action is one that requires a Skill roll or otherwise requires care and precision. Sending a signal using your tessen across the battlefield is a complex action, because it requires a Battle Skill roll. Picking up a fragile glass statue and putting it in your pack is also complex action; it requires no roll (unless the GM is feeling REALLY sadistic), but does require a certain level of attention.

Cast a Spell:
This is covered under the Spells section. Usually, it takes a number of Actions equal to the Mastery Level of the spell to cast it successfully, although Raises can reduce this time. Any use of an Action Die before the completion of the spell wastes any Actions already spent casting it, even Held or Interrupt Actions.

Attack:
You can make an attack against an enemy. You may attack once per Action, unless a Technique or other ability gives you more attacks per Action. Reloading a ranged weapon, as long as it is light (like a bow or a sling) can be combined with the attack itself, although it would normally be a simple action. When making an attack, you roll your Skill (usually a Bujutsu Skill) / Trait (usually Agility for melee attacks or Reflexes for ranged attacks) against the opponent’s TN to be Hit. You can use a variety of maneuvers when making an attack, described further on. When making damage rolls, each weapon has a Damage Rating (DR). You add your Strength in unkept dice to the DR when rolling damage for melee weapons. When making ranged attacks with a bow, you add your Strength or the bow’s Strength (whichever is lower) in unkept dice to the DR of the arrow being used. If making an unarmed attack, the DR is 0k1, and you add your Strength in unkept dice.

Full Attack:
You attack your enemy with full abandon, caring little for your own safety. You can attack as normal, and gain 3 Free Raises, which can only be used for increased damage, on all melee attack rolls until your next Action. Until then, all opponents gain 3 Free Raises on their attack rolls against you as well, to spend however they wish.

Full Defense:
You dedicate yourself to doing nothing but defending yourself. You use the Defense Skill to increase your TN to be Hit until your next Action. For more information, see the Defense Skill in the Skills section. If you can move without losing your Full Defense bonus, you can move and perform a Full Defense on the same Action, but not run.

Active Defense:
While Full Defense is an ongoing concern, an Active Defense is an emergency action for when the opponent otherwise would have hit you. First, you spend an Action Die showing this Phase (you can use Held or Interrupt Actions as well). Then you make a contested roll to dodge the attack, using his attack roll as an opposing roll. You use your Defense (Dodge) / Reflexes (although Techniques, weapons, other Skills, etc. may allow you to use different Skill / Trait rolls). If you are successful, the attack fails. If you fail, the attack succeeds and the opponent rolls damage. This is usually only usable against melee attacks, but some maneuvers may allow it to be used against ranged attacks. You can also attempt an Active Defense when prone, although you then suffer a +20 TN penalty. You can use a variety of maneuvers when making an Active Defense, described further on.

Attack Maneuvers

Beat:
You must make Raises equal to the opponent’s Strength Rank. If your attack is successful, he cannot use an Active Defense, and if he was on Full Defense he loses his TN bonus.

Beheading:
The Highlander maneuver. You must make 4 Raises specifically for this maneuver and use an appropriate weapon. You cannot use Free Raises for a Beheading. If you hit successfully, you must deal damage equal to the opponent’s Earth Ring x 6 to take off his head. This is an instant kill. If the opponent has a Technique or other ability that lets him act when Out, Down, or Dead, he can still use it, his body flailing about in a last ditch effort for vengeance, unless you did enough damage to kill him normally. He cannot, however, spend a Void Point for a Final Strike.

Bind:
By making 2 Raises, you can attempt to bind your opponent’s weapon and yours together so that neither of you can use them. Weapons that can Entangle gain a Free Raise when attempting this maneuver. If successful, both your weapons are rendered useless as you lock them together or press them against a barrier. To break the bind, a bound character must spend 1 Action and make a contested Bujutsu Skill / Strength roll against his opponent’s Bujutsu Skill / Strength. If successful, the bind is broken. The one who initiated this maneuver can end it at any time, as can the opponent by releasing is weapon from his grip. You can also spend an Action to increase your hold, gaining a +1k1 bonus on all contested rolls to maintain the bind.

Blind Shot:
When making a ranged attack, you can attempt to fire at an opponent you cannot see. You must have a general idea that the opponent is out there (you swear you just saw him a moment ago, heard the trees on that side of the river rustle, etc.) you must make 3 Raises on your attack roll and exceed his (Agility + Insight Rank) x 5. If successful, you have gauged his approximate position and struck him. He still benefits from any cover, however, so if he is completely concealed, such as behind a wall, he is still safe from the attack, although quickly considering a swift career change...

Called Shot:
Called shots inflict no additional damage (Increased Damage Raises are, in effect, called shots aimed at such a result), but might have additional effects depending upon the situation. A vain opponent may be enraged by an attack to his face, an enemy standing on one leg may fall when it is hit, the foe may drop an important item when his hand is attacked, etc. Different body parts require a different number of Raises:

• Torso: 1 Raise; you can attempt to cut an opponent in half if your attack kills him and you have a suitable weapon (no knives, etc.). It sure looks cool. Add an additional Raise if your trying to attack something specific on his torso, like a badge, long necklace, nipple ring, etc.
• Arm or Leg: 2 Raises; you can attempt to cut the offending leg or arm clean off if you have a suitable weapon and do damage equal to the victim’s Earth Ring x 6.
• Head: 3 Raises; you can attempt to attack his facial extremities, such as an eye, ear, or nose with an additional Raise and if you deal damage equal to the victim’s Earth Ring x 3. This not a beheading; that’s a separate maneuver.
• Other Extremity: 3 Raises; this includes hands, feet, fingers, and even the groin. If you wish to cut off such a target, you must make an additional Raise and deal damage equal to the opponent’s Earth Ring x 3. And cutting of his groinal appendage, no matter how funny, is a bit dishonorable and just plain mean. But it is funny. For you, not so much for him...

Charge:
By making 1 Raise, you can combine your attack with a move, but you cannot run, move only in a straight line, and your movement ends after your attack. You can do this as a Full Attack, allowing you to run. If you are mounted, the mount can continue to finish his movement after the attack.

Cover Shot:
When making a ranged attack, you normally lose any cover you benefiting from until your next Action. By making a Raise per level of cover (1 Raise for Slight, 2 for Partial, etc; see Cover under Defense Maneuvers), you can pop out of your cover, attack, and return to your cover. Even if your attack fails, you still regain the benefit of your cover.

Defeat Multiple Brutes:
When attacking Brute Squads, you can make defeat additional members of the Squad by 1 per Raise. So if a Brute Squad of 6 were attacking you, you could make 2 Raises on your attack roll, defeating 3 of them if you succeed. If you fail, you hit none of them. When you make this attack with a ranged weapon, it is assumed you have fired in rapid succession, faster than mere Brutes could react to, even if it is only 1 attack. You must have an enough ammunition to do so, however, so if you were making Raises to defeat 3 Brutes, you would have to have at least 3 arrows on hand; otherwise, you could not attempt the maneuver. See the Brute Squad section for more rules on Brute Squads.

Disarm Shot:
When making a ranged attack, you try to knock a weapon or other item out of the opponent’s grasp. Only weapons currently being held one-handed (including the katana if it is currently being held in one hand) can be disarmed with a range attack. You must make 3 Raises and make a contested attack roll against his Bujutsu / Strength. If you do not want to cause any damage when disarming the opponent, you must make an additional Raise.

Entangle:
If you have the appropriate weapon (see the Weapons section) you can make an Entangle attempt. You make an attack roll with 1 Raise against your opponent. If successful, you inflict no damage, but the target is entangled, as the weapon’s rope, chain, or leather wraps around him He has a +20 TN penalty to all physical actions, and must spend an Action to free himself with either a Strength of Sleight of Hand Skill / Agility roll. The TN for the roll is 15 for rope and 25 for chain or leather. You can increase this TN by +5 per additional Raise or even combine the Entangle with a Knockdown.

Feint:
With 1 Raise, you can make a quick, non-damaging attack against an opponent to throw him off-guard. Instead of using your Agility or Reflexes to make your attack roll, use your Intelligence. If your attack is successful, you deal no damage, but do gain a Free Raise on your next attack roll against that opponent, as long as you attack before he does. You can make multiple Raises for the Feint, gaining and additional Free Raise per Raise. This maneuver can be used with an Interrupt Action.

Increased Damage:
You can declare a Raise on your attack roll to increase the resulting damage roll. Each such Raise grants you a +1k0 bonus to your subsequent damage roll. You can make as many Raises as possible for such an effect.

Knockdown:
With 3 Raises, you can attempt a Knockdown. You must be using a two-handed weapon, unarmed, or an entangling weapon. You can attempt the maneuver with any other weapon, but must also make a Called Shot to his legs (2 Raises). If the attack is successful, and also exceeds his Earth Ring x 5, he is knocked prone.

Pommel Strike:
You can make 2 Raises to strike your opponent with the hilt or butt of your melee weapon. If successful, the weapon’s DR is only 0k1 for this attack, but the opponent is considered unaware (TN to be Hit is 5) until his next Action.

Active Defense Maneuvers

Overriding Skills:
Certain Skills override the Defense Skill when used for an Active Defense, depending on the situation.

Situation	Skill Used to Defend
May be used at any time, unless overruled by another Skill	Defense
May be used when parrying with the appropriate weapon	Bojutsu, Chisaijutsu, Himitsuheiki, Nofujutsu, Yarijutsu
May be used when being fired at by a ranged attack	Defense (Yadomejutsu)
Must be used when climbing, swimming, or on uneven terrain	Athletics
Must be used when riding an animal	Bajutsu

Cover:
You cannot normally dodge ranged attacks. You can quickly grab some cover, though. If any available cover is nearby, you can attempt an Active Defense by making a Defense (Cover) / Reflexes roll against his attack roll. If successful, you have not negated his attack roll. Instead, you have succeeded in getting under some degree of cover, immediately adding the TN bonus from the cover to your TN to be Hit against the attack roll. There must be some cover obviously around for you to attempt this maneuver (you don’t just conjure up a tree out of thin air) and you must be able to move (it doesn’t cost you an additional Action to simply move for this, but you can’t be otherwise immobilized), although complete cover, such as from a high wall, will negate the attack completely. In certain situations, such as a duel in a field of bamboo trees, you may be able to use cover against melee attacks as well.

Counterspell:
See the Spellcraft Skill in the Skills section.

Disarm:
If an opponent has just missed you (whether because of just your TN to be Hit, an Active Defense, or whatever), you can spend an Action to attempt to disarm him of his weapon. You make a Skill / Agility roll against his Bujutsu Skill / Strength. If he is using a small weapon (wakizashi-size or smaller), you gain a Free Raise. If the weapon is being held two-handed, you must make 2 Raises. If you are attempting the maneuver barehanded, you must make 2 Raises. If successful, the weapon is pulled from his grasp. For 2 additional Raises, you end up with the weapon in your hand if you have a free hand to hold it. This is an Active Defense roll, not an attack roll.

Guard:
You can attempt to interpose yourself with an attack meant for another if you are within melee combat range of the attacker. You must make an Active Defense roll against the attacker’s roll, before he makes his attack roll. He then makes his attack roll against your Active Defense roll, but must make 3 Raises. If he fails, you are the new target of his attack, and his attack roll hits you if it would otherwise hit your TN to be Hit, although you may make an additional Active Defense against this attack. If his attack roll beats your first Active Defense roll, then he continues his attack against his original opponent, using the same roll, although the 3 Raises do not affect the original target’s TN to be Hit.

Parry:
If you have an appropriate weapon (see the Weapons section), you can attempt to parry the attack, using an appropriate Bujutsu Skill / Reflexes roll.

Hand-to-Hand Combat Maneuvers

Sweeps, Throws & Grapples

Several different styles use grappling and throwing techniques. When you are making escape or landing rolls against throws, grappling, and sweeping, you can substitute hand-to-hand Skill for any Skill rolls involved in escaping, if your Skill teaches the basic form of Grappling, Sweeping, or Throws as appropriate.

Basic Forms

Hand-to-hand martial arts in Rokugan tend to share certain similarities, as there are only so many ways to punch, kick, throw, or grab. Almost all such styles use a mixture of fundamental attacks called “basic forms,” which are listed in their description. If the Karate Skill has the basic form listed as an Emphasis, you can use the Skill to perform the maneuver. The basic forms are:

Block: You can use your Skill to defend against other unarmed attacks or possibly even other weapons. You use can your Skill as an Active Defense, rolling Skill / Agility vs. the opponent’s hand-to-hand attack roll. You either block the attack with an arm or leg, absorbing the blow according to your training, or even push away the attacking the limb so its passes harmlessly by. You can do the same against melee weapons with 2 Raises (by advancing in close and deflecting the wielder’s arm). Any weapon with polearm qualities requires 3 Raises, as you focus on the haft of the weapon, its great reach keeping the wielder out of range. Chain and other entangling weapons cannot be blocked, and neither can ranged weapons.

Combination Strike: This is a combination of punches and / or kicks, that are aimed at one target. You let loose with a flurry of blows. It requires you to make the attack as a Full Attack, and each attack roll requires a number of Raises equal to the number of attacks in the combination, which must be decided upon before making the first attack. You cannot make more total attacks than Ranks you have in the Skill or Raises you make. Each attack is a separate punch or kick attack.

Grappling: You attempt to take hold of and immobilize your opponent by making a Skill / Agility roll against the target's Agility x 5 (+ any modifiers to his TN to be Hit). If successful, the target is caught in a grapple. His TN to be Hit is considered to be 5, and he loses any modifiers to his TN to be Hit that involve movement. Your TN to be Hit depends upon whether you choose to make it a Full Grapple or a Partial Grapple. A Full Grapple requires a Full Attack action and immobilizes both your legs and arms, throwing both of you to the ground and making your TN to be Hit the same as the target's. A Partial Grapple does not require the Full Attack action (although you may choose to do so anyway) and immobilizes either the target's arms or legs, although it will still control his movement. This will not diminish your TN to be Hit. Once the grapple is successful, the attack has a DR of 0k1, and does the same amount of Wounds at the beginning of each round thereafter. To escape, the target must take an action to make either an Athletics / Strength or Athletics / Agility roll against your Skill x 5. If the target succeeds, he is free. Otherwise, he remains immobilized. You can release an opponent at any time from your hold.

Headbutt: This is a rare attack form, and is usually reserved for close combat situations, especially when locked in a grapple. If in a grappling situation, the TN to hit the your target is 5, and the target must make an opposed Earth roll against the total Wounds suffered from the attack, with failure meaning his grip is lost. The attack has a DR of 3k1, but also has a DR of 1k1 against yourself, as both of you suffer Wounds.

Kick: This is a somewhat more powerful attack form, but requires you to make 2 Raises when making the attack roll. Your legs must be free, and the attack has a DR of 0k2.

Punch: This is the most basic attack form, and has no modifiers. Your arms must be free, and the attack has a DR of 0k1.

Shove: Shoving may be done with or without a weapon. This form will not work on opponents who weigh more than twice what your Strength could lift. The attack ignores armor. You make a Skill / Strength roll against the target's TN to be Hit. If successful, the opponent is thrown back 3' x your Strength, +3' per Raise, and can be knocked prone for 1 Raise. Being shoved or colliding with a shoved person prevents the target's next attack. This attack does no damage, but tumbling down a flight of stairs does 3k2 Wounds. Plunging into a 20' deep spiked pit does 4k4. And falling off the south side of the Wall does 10k10. Just so you know.

Sweeping: You attempt to knock down your opponent by kicking his legs out from underneath him. You make a Skill / Agility roll against the target's Agility x 5 (+ any modifiers to his TN to be Hit), but ignore the target's armor. If successful, the target is knocked to the ground and is prone. The target must then make an Athletics / Agility roll with a TN of your Skill x 5 +5 per Raise made during the attack. If he succeeds, he takes no damage. If he fails, he takes damage with a DR of 0k1 and is "stunned", losing his next action.

Throwing: You attempt to throw your opponent through the air. You make a Skill / Agility roll against the target's Agility x 5 (+ any modifiers to his TN to be Hit). If successful, the target is thrown up to the your Strength x 3' in any direction. The target must then make an Athletics / Agility roll with a TN of your Skill x 5 +5 per Raise made during the attack. If he succeeds, he takes no damage. If he fails, he takes damage with a DR of 0k1 and is "stunned", losing his next action. In either case, he lands off his feet and is prone.

TN to be Hit

Basic TN:
Your basic TN to be Hit is equal to your Reflexes x 5, plus any other modifiers.

Armor Bonus:
Depending upon your armor, you receive a bonus to your TN to be Hit. For more information on armor, see the Equipment section.

• Ashigaru Armor: Grants a +3 TN bonus.
• Light Armor: Grants a +5 TN bonus, but you suffer a +5 TN penalty to all Athletics and Stealth Skill rolls.
• Heavy Armor: Grants a +10 TN bonus, but you suffer a +5 TN penalty to all rolls involving Agility or Reflexes.
• Riding Armor: Grants a +8 TN bonus, and is considered heavy armor for the purposes of Techniques or other such abilities. You suffer a +5 TN penalty to all rolls involving Agility or Reflexes if not mounted, and the TN bonus increases to +13 when mounted.
• Fine Quality: Any armor of Fine quality gains an additional +2 TN bonus.

Cover:
You may be able to grab some cover when under fire or even when fighting in melee combat, using the terrain to you advantage.

Cover Type	Example	TN to be Hit Bonus
Slight	Other people close by, bushes	+5
Partial	Large creature nearby, bamboo stalks, low wall	+10
Substantial	Partially submerged, trench, trees	+15
Total	High wall, building, completely submerged	Attack fails

Okuden, etc:
Several Okuden, Kiho, and other such abilities give you a bonus to your TN to be Hit either at certain times, most of the time, or “at all times”.

Unaware or Immobilized:
If for some reason you are unaware of an attack or otherwise immobilized (including prone), your TN to be Hit is reduced to just 5. You still receive any armor bonuses and cover bonuses, but you do not receive any other bonuses unless they specifically say you gain the TN to be Hit bonus “at all times.”

Miscellaneous Combat Modifiers

Higher Ground:
When attacking an opponent from higher ground (including mounted), you gain a –5 TN bonus to your attack roll. When attacking an opponent who has higher ground, you suffer a +5 TN penalty to your attack roll.

Off-hand Fighting:
You suffer a +5 TN penalty to all actions using your off-hand (usually your left hand, although it can be your right). The Ambidexterity Advantage negates this penalty.

Range Penalties:
When using ranged weapons, the distance between you and your target affects your attack roll TN.

Range	TN Penalty
50’ or less	0
51’ – 100’	+5
101’ – 150’	+10
151’ – 200’	+15
201’ – 250’	+20
251’ +	+10 per additional 50’, if still in range at all

Uneven Terrain:
When fighting an opponent on uneven or even unfamiliar terrain (a bog, a jagged cliff, a ship in rough seas, etc.) you suffer a TN penalty, varying from +5 to +15 (GM’s determination) to all Agility or Reflex involved rolls.

Brute Squads

Not every NPC is the focus of a story or adventure. They don’t need names, motivations, or depth of character. They just need orders, and to give the PC’s something to fight. These random opponents (usually warriors or monsters, but not always) are called “Brute Squads.”

Sample Squad TR’s:

• TR 1: Peasant mob, peasant levy, zombies
• TR 2: Ashigaru soldiers, Rank 1 samurai, goblins
• TR 3: Rank 2 samurai, Goju assassins
• TR 4: Rank 3 samurai, most elite units
• TR 5: Rank 4 samurai, minor oni

Brute Squads typically come in groups of six, since its hard for more than six people to attack a single person at once. They do not attack in quite the same way as most characters do in the game, nor do they take damage the same way. Since they appear often in large groups, they use a much more streamlined version of the rules.

Each Brute Squad has a Threat Rating (TR) from 1 to 5. Peasants and peasant levies would have a TR of 1, while 5 would be a squad of highly trained Elite House Guards or dangerously fearsome minor oni. All Rings and Traits are considered equal to the Threat Rating for the purposes of mechanics (although a lone Brute, once promoted to official NPC, may actually have higher or lower Rings and Traits). Also, when the Brute Squad makes a combat roll, they act as a squad, making one roll for all of them. They roll dice equal to their number, and keep dice equal to their TR.

Some Brute Squads have Skills, especially samurai Brute Squads. These Skills work differently than those of normal characters. Instead of rolling (Skill) keep (Trait), the Brute Squad adds dice to their roll when using the Skill equal to their TR, no matter how many Brutes are in the Squad.

When a Squad hits an opponent, they roll damage as per the usual weapon wielded by the Brute Squad. If multiple weapons of sufficiently different DR’s are used, use the average DR (round down, minimum 0k1). Instead of Strength, the Squad adds the number of Brutes to the dice rolled for damage. They may be Brutes, but they’re nothing to be laughed at.

Brute Squads also have a TN to be Hit. Their TN to be Hit is equal to their (TR + 1) x 5, so a Brute Squad (TR 3) has a TN to be Hit of 20. Each hit automatically incapacitates or kills a Brute (character’s choice), depending on the weapon used; no damage needs to be rolled. A successful attack defeats 1 Brute. An additional Brute can be defeated per Raise on the opponent’s attack roll.

Finally, Brute Squads can also aid other characters. When acting in concert, the Brute Squads give the character a bonus to any attack roll totals equal to the TR of the Squad. If the Squad has the Skill in use, the character can add their TR x 2 to his roll total instead. The character gains the bonus for each Brute aiding him, but cannot benefit from more Brutes than his Void Ring.

Special Qualities

Some, usually supernatural creatures, have special abilities that give them certain benefits.

Carapace:
Some can shrug off powerful blows, making them more dangerous than they would normally be. This can be because of a thick hide, intense training, or some other supernatural ability.

Carapace is scaled from 1 to 10, indicating how hard he is to harm. This is its Carapace Rating (CR). Whenever someone with a CR is dealt damage, the attacker’s damage roll suffers a penalty of –Xk0, where X is the creature’s CR. The attacker still rolls a minimum of 1 die for damage.

Some materials or weapons may bypass the CR entirely, depending on the creature or ability.

Fear:
Even in a land as a fantastic as Hachigoku, not everyone can be prepared for every bizarre encounter. The Fear mechanic represents the effect of something that could cease a character to hesitate, or even paralyze him. Fear is usually created by creatures, although some magical effects and other techniques can create this extreme level of psychological trauma. A situation or encounter itself may produce Fear, at the GM’s discretion, but only in the most horrific situations (such as walking in on a cannibalistic ritual).

Fear effects are scaled from 1 to 10. When encountering a Fear effect, the character may choose to run, although that is generally dishonorable. If he chooses to confront the source, he must make a Willpower roll, adding his Honor Rank to each die rolled. The TN of the roll is equal to the Fear x 5. If he succeeds, he can act normally. If he fails, he suffers a –Xk0 to all Skill rolls, where X is the Fear rating, and he cannot spend any Void Points against the source (including gaining an Action to attack the foe, as well as similar effects).

Invulnerability:
Invulnerability denotes resistance to damage, beyond simple Carapace. Creatures with Invulnerability take no damage from normal sources, although they are still subject to other effects of being struck, such as throwing or Knockdown. By default, those with this ability are still vulnerable to weapons of magic spells, blessed weapons, nemuranai, and the like. Some may be vulnerable to jade or crystal as well, or other sources, noted in their descriptions.