Combat

Combat in Knave is fast, mean, and honest about its odds. The full text, with the designer's notes, is in @Missing file.

Initiative

At the start of every round, the referee rolls a d6: on 1–3 all enemies act first, on 4–6 all PCs act first. It rerolls each round, so one side can act twice in a row. Never assume you're safe.

Your turn

Move up to your combat speed (usually 40 feet) and take one action: attack, cast a spell, attempt a stunt, move again, or anything else the referee deems reasonable.

Attacking

• Melee: d20 + Strength bonus. Strikes adjacent foes.
• Ranged: d20 + Wisdom bonus. Cannot be used while you are engaged in melee.

Beat the target's armor defense — strictly greater — and you hit. An attack is just an opposed save wearing a helmet: equally, the defender may roll d20 + armor bonus against the attacker's ability defense, with identical odds. Your sheet's combat panel prints your exact attack and defense rolls; read them off.

On a hit, roll the weapon's damage die. Using the ideal weapon against an enemy type adds a bonus damage die — a cudgel sings against a @Missing file.

Stunts

Shove, trip, disarm, stun, sunder armor: resolve it as a versus save. A stunt deals no damage directly, but the referee is politely reminded that ledges exist.

Fighting dirty

Catch an enemy unaware, off balance, on lower ground, disarmed, or otherwise compromised, and choose one: (A) make your attack or stunt against them with advantage, or (B) make an attack and a stunt against them in the same round, without advantage.

Criticals and breakage

• Attacker rolls a natural 20 (or defender a natural 1): the defender takes an extra damage die and their armor loses 1 quality.
• Attacker rolls a natural 1 (or defender a natural 20): the attacker's weapon loses 1 quality.

At 0 quality an item is destroyed. Each point of quality costs 10% of the item's price to repair.

Going down

At 0 HP you are unconscious. At −1 or less you are dead. Roll a new level 1 knave and rejoin the party as soon as possible — the dungeon doesn't wait, and neither should you.