Combat
Combat Guide
There are two ways to describe combat when encountering them in your threads, that being with or without the use of dice rolls to determine the outcome. At OIA, we give the player as much control over their story as we can, within boundaries placed to enhance their experience and keep everything fair between everyone. That being said, you may determine a combat encounter without the use of dice, though we ask that you describe the attacks and damages realistically and fairly. Your character will not be able to fight and kill an entire pack of wolves on their own and such a thread may result in editing or ret-conning (deletion). The other method, one that uses dice to control the outcome of the battle based on your rolls, is something that is allowed and encouraged on this forum.
Those who wish to use this method must sign into our discord server to determine their rolls, as this is the best way of tracking outcomes for fair play. Players must catalogue all dice rolls within the discord category ‘forum-rolls’.
While there will always be a way to cheat any system, understand that this is meant to be a fun experience enjoyed by all parties. If, for whatever reason, you suspect someone is manipulating their rolls, do not roleplay with them using this method. If the individual is suspected to be power playing, contact a storyteller or administrator.
How to Determine Combat Sequence
Every member of the party rolls a D20, the corresponding number determines their place in the order of attacks. The Storyteller rolls a D20 for any NPC or Creature Characters (unless assigned to a player by the Storyteller). If two players roll the same number, the player with the highest Speed (stat) attacks before the other. If they have the same Speed Stat, both players roll again.
Creatures of a higher rank have a slight advantage as the rank number (1, 2, 3 etc) is always added to their Combat Sequence Roll. For example, the Storyteller rolls a D20 for a Creature to determine their place in the order of attacks, then adds the Creature’s Rank (1, 2, 3, etc) to the number rolled. If a Player Character and a Creature end up with the same number, the Creature always goes first.
How to Make an Attack
When making a Combat Attack, either Melee or Ranged, the Player must first roll a D20 to see if their character hits. If a 10 or higher is rolled, the attack is successful. You do not roll a D20 for a Magic Attack, as some Magic Attacks have their own Pass or Fail (P/F) systems in place.
If successful, the player then rolls their Weapon Dice, for simple weapons this is usually a D6 or D10 (Dual Wield). If your Character uses Dual Wield, they cannot use a shield. The Player rolls their Weapon Dice (1D6) and adds the correlating number to either their Body Stat (for melee attacks) or Speed Stat (for ranged attacks). The resulting total is the damage done to a selected opponent for that round of combat (deduct damage from opponents health total). They must then wait till the following round to make another attack.
Rounds are usually ten seconds within role-play where it is assumed that all characters are acting simultaneously.
How to Determine Health
All Characters start with 50 Health Points + their Fortitude State. If your Character has 15 Points in Fortitude, their total Health would be 65. If you assigned no points to Fortitude, their total Health is 55. All Creature Health totals are posted at the beginning of combat and updated as they take damage. Players are responsible for updating their Character’s Health total throughout the fight.
Health Totals can also be increased with Armor. Simple Armor gives your Character +10 Health. See Armor Rules for details.
How to Block Damage
Damage cannot be blocked, however, some damage can be negated with certain spells and shields. A Simple Shield negates 1D6 of damage per attack made against your Character if that Character is using a Shield. This is the disadvantage of Dual Wielding (stronger attacks but no ability to negate damage).
How to Determine Creature Damage
All Creatures roll a D20 to see if they can attack. 10 or higher indicates a successful attack. If successful, the Storyteller chooses an attack from the Creature’s Attack List, for example, Bite (1D6). The Storyteller rolls the Creature Attack Dice and the correlating number is the damage dealt to the selected target. Creatures do not add Stat Totals to their attacks like players do. Creature Stats are for Shapeshifters who take on the form of that Creature to use in battle.
A Character that has taken the form of a Creature, uses the Creature Stats and Health just as they would their own. Once the Creature’s health is depleted, the change (Shapeshift) is undone. Player Character Health Totals are not affected while in the form of a Creature. For example, if the Character’s Health Total was 10 before they shifted, it would become the total of the Creature they shifted into. Once the Creature’s total Health is depleted, the Character returns to their original form and is once again on 10 health.
How to Determine Defeat
When a Creature’s Total Health Points are taken to zero, that Creature is assumed dead. If a Character’s Total Health Points are taken to zero, that Character is assumed to be unconscious. If extra damage, surpassing the Character’s Total Health Points is done to the Character in their unconscious state, they are considered dead. For example, if a Character with a Total Health Pool of 55 points were to fall to zero, and then take an extra 55 points of damage, they would be considered dead.
Player Versus Player Combat
Characters that decide to enter into combat must first consent to said combat with Out of Character (OOC) communication and then determine if it is meant to be to the death.
How to Determine Loot
When a Creature is defeated, the Storyteller will roll a dice to determine which loot item the player gains. If a Character is defeated by another Character, the Player of the defeated Character will roll a dice to determine which item is taken from them. The item must be on their person (not just in their loot list). Items are listed, and the correlating number rolled determines which item on that list is taken. Items can be taken only from an unconscious or dead Character. Creatures do not take items from Characters.
Non-Player Characters (NPCs) function the same way as player Characters, however, only one NPC (the lead NPC or antagonist) can take an item from an unconscious or dead Character.
Characters hunting for creatures in Thread (forum role-play), such as rabbits, deer, etc are able to source additional loot from these animals rather than just one loot item per kill. When writing on the forum, Characters may collect meat, pelts, bones, and other loot items from a dead animal, however, when live roleplaying, or roleplaying in a moderated events, loot will be determined one item per kill.
There are two ways to describe combat when encountering them in your threads, that being with or without the use of dice rolls to determine the outcome. At OIA, we give the player as much control over their story as we can, within boundaries placed to enhance their experience and keep everything fair between everyone. That being said, you may determine a combat encounter without the use of dice, though we ask that you describe the attacks and damages realistically and fairly. Your character will not be able to fight and kill an entire pack of wolves on their own and such a thread may result in editing or ret-conning (deletion). The other method, one that uses dice to control the outcome of the battle based on your rolls, is something that is allowed and encouraged on this forum.
Those who wish to use this method must sign into our discord server to determine their rolls, as this is the best way of tracking outcomes for fair play. Players must catalogue all dice rolls within the discord category ‘forum-rolls’.
While there will always be a way to cheat any system, understand that this is meant to be a fun experience enjoyed by all parties. If, for whatever reason, you suspect someone is manipulating their rolls, do not roleplay with them using this method. If the individual is suspected to be power playing, contact a storyteller or administrator.
How to Determine Combat Sequence
Every member of the party rolls a D20, the corresponding number determines their place in the order of attacks. The Storyteller rolls a D20 for any NPC or Creature Characters (unless assigned to a player by the Storyteller). If two players roll the same number, the player with the highest Speed (stat) attacks before the other. If they have the same Speed Stat, both players roll again.
Creatures of a higher rank have a slight advantage as the rank number (1, 2, 3 etc) is always added to their Combat Sequence Roll. For example, the Storyteller rolls a D20 for a Creature to determine their place in the order of attacks, then adds the Creature’s Rank (1, 2, 3, etc) to the number rolled. If a Player Character and a Creature end up with the same number, the Creature always goes first.
How to Make an Attack
When making a Combat Attack, either Melee or Ranged, the Player must first roll a D20 to see if their character hits. If a 10 or higher is rolled, the attack is successful. You do not roll a D20 for a Magic Attack, as some Magic Attacks have their own Pass or Fail (P/F) systems in place.
If successful, the player then rolls their Weapon Dice, for simple weapons this is usually a D6 or D10 (Dual Wield). If your Character uses Dual Wield, they cannot use a shield. The Player rolls their Weapon Dice (1D6) and adds the correlating number to either their Body Stat (for melee attacks) or Speed Stat (for ranged attacks). The resulting total is the damage done to a selected opponent for that round of combat (deduct damage from opponents health total). They must then wait till the following round to make another attack.
Rounds are usually ten seconds within role-play where it is assumed that all characters are acting simultaneously.
How to Determine Health
All Characters start with 50 Health Points + their Fortitude State. If your Character has 15 Points in Fortitude, their total Health would be 65. If you assigned no points to Fortitude, their total Health is 55. All Creature Health totals are posted at the beginning of combat and updated as they take damage. Players are responsible for updating their Character’s Health total throughout the fight.
Health Totals can also be increased with Armor. Simple Armor gives your Character +10 Health. See Armor Rules for details.
How to Block Damage
Damage cannot be blocked, however, some damage can be negated with certain spells and shields. A Simple Shield negates 1D6 of damage per attack made against your Character if that Character is using a Shield. This is the disadvantage of Dual Wielding (stronger attacks but no ability to negate damage).
How to Determine Creature Damage
All Creatures roll a D20 to see if they can attack. 10 or higher indicates a successful attack. If successful, the Storyteller chooses an attack from the Creature’s Attack List, for example, Bite (1D6). The Storyteller rolls the Creature Attack Dice and the correlating number is the damage dealt to the selected target. Creatures do not add Stat Totals to their attacks like players do. Creature Stats are for Shapeshifters who take on the form of that Creature to use in battle.
A Character that has taken the form of a Creature, uses the Creature Stats and Health just as they would their own. Once the Creature’s health is depleted, the change (Shapeshift) is undone. Player Character Health Totals are not affected while in the form of a Creature. For example, if the Character’s Health Total was 10 before they shifted, it would become the total of the Creature they shifted into. Once the Creature’s total Health is depleted, the Character returns to their original form and is once again on 10 health.
How to Determine Defeat
When a Creature’s Total Health Points are taken to zero, that Creature is assumed dead. If a Character’s Total Health Points are taken to zero, that Character is assumed to be unconscious. If extra damage, surpassing the Character’s Total Health Points is done to the Character in their unconscious state, they are considered dead. For example, if a Character with a Total Health Pool of 55 points were to fall to zero, and then take an extra 55 points of damage, they would be considered dead.
Player Versus Player Combat
Characters that decide to enter into combat must first consent to said combat with Out of Character (OOC) communication and then determine if it is meant to be to the death.
How to Determine Loot
When a Creature is defeated, the Storyteller will roll a dice to determine which loot item the player gains. If a Character is defeated by another Character, the Player of the defeated Character will roll a dice to determine which item is taken from them. The item must be on their person (not just in their loot list). Items are listed, and the correlating number rolled determines which item on that list is taken. Items can be taken only from an unconscious or dead Character. Creatures do not take items from Characters.
Non-Player Characters (NPCs) function the same way as player Characters, however, only one NPC (the lead NPC or antagonist) can take an item from an unconscious or dead Character.
Characters hunting for creatures in Thread (forum role-play), such as rabbits, deer, etc are able to source additional loot from these animals rather than just one loot item per kill. When writing on the forum, Characters may collect meat, pelts, bones, and other loot items from a dead animal, however, when live roleplaying, or roleplaying in a moderated events, loot will be determined one item per kill.
