Danger and Combat

Violence is quick, loud, and difficult to undo. When a fight begins, establish the surroundings, the enemies, and what everyone wants.

Rounds and turns

At the start of each round, roll Initiative equal to DEX × 2; lower rolls act first, with higher DEX winning ties. On your turn, take one action and move up to your Move Rate in yards. You may attack, Dodge, Parry, cast, use an item, aim, or disengage.

Attacking

Roll d100 against the appropriate weapon skill, applying range and circumstance modifiers. On an ordinary success, roll the weapon's damage and subtract the target's Armor. Damage cannot go below 0. A special success deals maximum weapon damage and ignores armor. A critical deals maximum damage plus your damage bonus and ignores armor.

At point-blank range, firearms gain +10%. Medium range is −20%, long range −40%, and extreme range −80%. Track ammunition. A roll in a weapon's malfunction range may jam or break it.

Defending

If you have not acted, you may Dodge one attack you can perceive using DEX × 2. With a ready melee weapon, Parry using half your Melee skill. A successful Parry may allow a counterattack at −20%. You cannot Parry a firearm or a reach weapon without suitable reach. You may only Dodge or Parry once each round.

Wounds

Your maximum Hit Points are floor((CON+SIZ) ÷ 10), minimum 1. A single hit dealing half or more of your maximum HP is a Major Wound: make a CON check or fall unconscious. At 0 HP, you are unconscious and lose 1 HP each round until stabilized. You die at negative CON HP.

Armor reduces damage by a flat amount. Armor does not stack; use the highest value worn. Mythos attacks may bypass ordinary armor, leaving only magical protection or a specific weakness effective.

Chases

A chase uses range bands: Engaged, Close, Medium, Far, and Lost. Each round, everyone moves and may take one additional action. The lead makes a relevant check—Athletics, Drive Auto, Stealth, Survival, or another sensible skill. A success maintains or improves the gap; failure loses a band; a fumble creates an obstacle or immediate engagement. An escape attempt is an opposed check against the pursuer.

Choose the action that fits the scene: climb, jump, push through, hide, drive, attack, or protect someone slower. The environment is part of the chase.

Staying alive

At 0 HP, an ally can attempt First Aid using DEX × 5 once per round. An ordinary success stabilizes you; a critical also restores 1d3 HP. You cannot stabilize yourself. Once safe, home rest restores 1 HP per day, a clinic restores 1d3 per visit, and hospital care generally restores 2 HP per day.