Rules in short

[Magnus]

Before a sample of a combat round we have to explain a few things

Combat Capacity
Combat Capacity is a representation of how competent a character is in combat and is measured in combat points.
A character's minimum combat capacity is equivalent with the skill value in the Fighting skill. If the character has a skill value of 10 in Fighting, the character has at least 10 combat points.
In order to extend beyond this amount, a character can increase his/her combat capacity beyond the points received from the Fighting skill through disciplines and specialties. However, these combat points are usually locked to a particular situation or some sort of weapon, and can only be used during circumstances that involve them.
Combat points are spent in a round on various different combat actions, whose amounts can differ from time-to-time. However, a character can never take more combat actions during an action round than the number of weapon actions a weapon or a shield has (see weapon descriptions), even if he/she has more combat points to spend.
The combat capacity is renewed after each action round.

Locked Combat Points
Depending on the specialties a character has, the specialty combat points are linked - locked that is - to combat actions that either utilize specified weapons or perform specified maneuvers and tactics.
Combat points that are linked a specific weapon cannot be used for combat actions with any other weapon. Combat points that are linked to a certain weapon group cannot be used with weapons from any other weapon group.

Example:
The character Fridgar has the skill value 6 in the Fighting skill, so when Fridgar is involved in combat he has 6 combat points.
Later in his career, the character Fridgar has skill value 9 in the Fighting skill, as well as level 1 of the Armed Fighting discipline and level 2 of the One-Handed Light Weapons specialty. The skill value for the Fighting skill first grants Fridgar 9 combat points, the Armed Fighting discipline grants him 1 more combat point for all combat actions when fighting with any manner of weapon (as opposed to fighting unarmed) and the One-Handed Light Weapons specialty grants him an additional 4 combat points for combat actions with one-handed light weapons.
When Fridgar fights with a one-handed light weapon he has 15 total combat points to use (9+1+4=14).
Should Fridgar use a weapon that is not included in the one handed light weapon category; he has only 10 combat points at his disposal (9 +1 = 10).
If he uses no weapons at all then he only has 9 combat points – his minimum from the Fighting skill.
Later on, Fridgar gets the first level of the Unarmed Fighting discipline and the Duel specialty, which combined grant him 3 additional combat points whenever he fights without any weapons at all. Whenever Fridgar fights without weapons he will have a total of 12 combat points to use (9+1+2=12).


Weapon Actions
Weapon actions have a limited number of uses per action round, according to which weapon and which shield are used. A character who uses a dagger in combat can use 4 weapon actions, while one using a two-handed sword can only use 2 weapon actions.

Sample of combat round
We use Fridgar from the previous sample.

Fridgar
Fridgar uses a sword and a shield.

Fighting (skill) SV 9 (combat points for sword + shield)
Lv1 Armed fighting (Discipline) +1 (Combat Points for sword + shield)
Lv2 One handed light weapons (speciality) +4 (Combat points for sword)

The 10 combat points from the skill and discipline can be used for both sword and shield he can distribute them how ever he choses
The 4 combat points the speciality can only be used for his sword.

Here are some of fridgars many options
[list=]He can use all 14 combat points for using his sword
He can use 10 combat points for using his shield (9+1) which leaves 5 for the sword
He can use 8 combat points for his sword and 7 for his shield or the other way around
He can use 8 combat points for one attack/parry with his sword and then another 7 for another attack/parry
And so on…[/list]

Fridgar is engaged in combat with a troll
(I only give the choices for Fridgar, not the troll)

Combat round 1
Fridgar is first in the initiative.
He decides to go for the attack and spends all 14 combat points on one attack (SV 14) and rolls the die. Success.
The troll tries to parry but fails.

Combat round 2
The troll wins the initiative and attacks (successfully) Fridgar with his club.
Fridgar decides to use 10 of his combat points for a parry with his shield (SV 10) (success).
When its Fridgars turn he has 4 combat points left and tries to attack the troll with SV 4 but misses.

Combat round 3
The troll wins again but misses his attack
When its fridgars turn he decides to use 8 combat points for one attack and 7 combat point for a second attack. Both attacks are successful. And since the troll used all his combat points for his failed attack he must take the damage without trying to parry.

Combat round 4
Fridgar wins the initiative and decides to use only 7 combat points for his attack (SV 7) and leaves the 8 for an eventual parry later on in the combat round. He fails the attack.
The troll attacks Fridgar successfully.
Since Fridgar left 8 combat points he now uses the for a parry (sword or shield).

---------
When starting to play Trudvang Chronicles you don’t have to have these floating combat point. Its easy to just put down the 2 or 3 combinations of SV

For instance if a character has a total of 20 combat points the player could write down a few combinations that he commonly will use

1: SV 12 and SV 8
2: SV 8, SV 6 and SV 6
3: SV 14 and SV 6

Each combat round the player decides which one of the combinations he will use.

As for wounds and armor its basically like:
A weapon makes damage points and the armor absorbs some or all of the damage points. The damage points that are not absorbed by the armor lowers the foes Body points.

Hope this will help you.

(The rules posted here might be a bit different in the release of Trudvang Cronicles)

[Thorgarth]

It was an effort but the example you gave is less than comprehensive, basically we know there is initiative (nothing here as how that plays out), and that Fridgar attacks with X combat points which she can allocate in X ways, "spending" on this attack or parry, etc.

Apart from that we know the she hit, nothing more than less, and the opponent may parry (if it reserved points for it) How that happened, what damage (and how it calculated for that weapon, or the existence of modifiers, etc). We don´t know the effect of said damage on the Troll, we didn't see any magic, nothing apart from she attacks, she hits, and she does damage, with armor soaking. Well that is basic mechanics on, perhaps, 95% of the systems (the rest are diceless and/or narrative systems).

It´s just a very basic layout or frame for a system to be developed.

But thanks anyway.

[Magnus]

Apart from that we know the she hit, nothing more than less, and the opponent may parry (if it reserved points for it)

How that happened,

Hmm the player rolled 1D20 and the result was lower or equal to Fridgars SV.

what damage (and how it calculated for that weapon, or the existence of modifiers, etc).

Damage
Every time a damage die is rolled for a weapon, there is a small chance that the hit with the weapon is so clean or so hazardous that the damage will be greater, resulting in an open roll. How great that chance is depends on whether the weapon is light, medium, or heavy. An open roll means that an additional damage die can be rolled, and the result is added.

Weapon - Damage (Open roll)
One-handed light weapon - 1D10 (10)
One-handed heavy weapon - 1D10 (9-10)
Two-handed weapon - 1D10 (8-10)

So if a die shows 10 one extra die is rolled and the result is added to the 10

-Fridgar rolls 10+8 = 18 damage point

Armor
The armor has a protection value that shows how much the armor absorbs from an attack's damage.

- So if the troll wears a chain mail (PV 5) and Fridgar rolled 18 damage points the troll receives 18-5=13 damage points.

Body points
All creatures - also characters - have something called Body Points (abbreviated BP in tables) Body points show how much damage the body can tolerate in terms of physical damage and blood loss, but also how much your body can tolerate in terms of damage that has nothing to do with physical violence such as diseases and intoxications. Every time a character gets injured or otherwise impairs their health, Body Points are reduced by the amount the damage indicates.

Fridgar (Human): 32 body points
Troll (large): 87 body points
Troll (small): 15 body points

- the troll fridgar is fighting has 63 body point. After Fridgars hit the troll has 50 body points left (63-13=50)

Modifications from damage

There are four different damage levels:
Light Damage SV ± 0
Injured SV -1
Seriously Injured SV -3
Critically Injured SV -7

- after the 13 damage points The troll is INJURED and receives a -1 modification to all SV

the existence of modifiers

There are many things that could modify the skill roll (SV)
fighting in dark rooms
Slippery floor
weapon quality
magical items
...
...

[bigsteveuk]

Cheers for the combat update (worth doing as it was enough to convince me to back )

I really like the fact the dagger is quicker than a 2-h sword, though the latter will probably take you head off!!!

Question though does that mean the 2-h sword would be limited to 2 attacks, 2 parries or 1 attack and 1 parry?

I posted this question on rpg.net to https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?79 ... st20460703

Cheers,

Steve

[Theo]

hey Steve,
Great
Just answered in RPG-forum.. the answer is YES, two-handes sword has that limitation.
Thanks
Theo

[Splinterbox]

I like the combat system. It's different to a lot of other D20 systems but I really get the BRP roots (it's very much like RQ2 by Chasosium which is a good thing in my book)

And I really like that all weapons do D10 damage with different chances of open rolls for more damage. The way I see it it if you are stabbed in the gut by a dagger, spear, two handed sword or whatever, the end result should be pretty much the same. One wound from any of these should cause some significant harm.

Some systems make too much of varying weapon damage turning daggers into pocket knives for carving wooden toys and not killing

[ziox]

Glossary

• SV: Skill Value
• CP: Combat Points
• WP: Weapon Actions
• IM: Initiative Modifier
• PV: Protection Value
• BV: Breach Value
• OR: Open roll
• BP: Body Points

Thorgarth, the warrior from the Stormlands had gotten away from his travelling companions in the Darkwoods. Besides the snow that creaked under his boots, the forest was quiet. He proceeded carefully keeping a keen eye on the bushes around him and a stern grip on his sword. A warm breath through the cold air came from behind a boulder. Thorgarth drew his broad sword and pulled up his shield. He felt his breathing hastening and he pressed his boots deep in the snow for grip. From behind the boulder a big troll ran out with a hatchet that he held with both of its hands. Thorgarth revolted from the stench coming from the encroaching troll. He prepared himself for the incoming attack and yelled “FOR STORMI!”
Thorgarth
Fighting: 7 SV
- Armed Fighting 2: +2 SV
- - One-Handed Heavy Weapons 3: +6 SV
- - Shield Bearer 2: +4 SV
- Battle Experience 2: +2 SV
- - Fighter 2: +4 SV
- - Armor Bearer 1: +2 Weight (Able to wear armor up to Heft 2 without modifiers)
Total CP: 25; Broad sword 6; Shield 4; Free 15
Broad sword: 3 WP; -4 IM; PV/BV 8/80; 1D10 (OR 9-10)
Large Shield: 1 WP; -3 IM; PV/BV 5/50
Leather armor: PV/BV 2/20;
IM Total: -7
BP: 30
Troll
Strength: +2
Fighting: 10 SV
- Armed Fighting 1: +1 SV
- - Two-Handed Heavy Weapons 5: +10 SV
- Battle Experience 1: +1 SV
- - Fighter 3: +6 SV
Total CP: 28; Two-handed pick 10; Free 18
Two-handed pick: 2 WP; -5 IM; PV/BV 5/50; 1D10 (OR 8-10)
IM Total: -5
BP: 40
Action Round 1
Both roll Initiative (1D10 (OR 10) plus modifiers). Thorgarth rolls a 1 and gets -6. The troll rolls a 8 and gets 3.

The troll moves forward 4 meters costing 8 CP. With his remaining 20 he divides his actions to 2 attacks one at 12 and rolls 1D20 and gets 9 resulting in a hit. Thorgarth decides to try to Parry with his 10 CP from the shield and some free CP but rolls a 15. The troll rolls damage, 1D10 OR 8-10 +2, he rolls an 8 open roll, a 4 for a total of 12 and adds 2 from its Strength for a total of 14 damage.

Thorgarths armor reduces this to 12 thanks to the PV of 2 and it exceeds the PV so BV is decreased by 1 to 19. Thorgarth takes the 12 damage noting it on his character sheet, it puts him at 18 and at the Injured Damage level meaning that he has a -1 Modifier to everything that he attempts.

Thorgarth goes next and has now 25-10=21 CP which he uses for one attack at 15 SV. He rolls a 4 and succeeds with the hit. The troll doesn’t have any more CP to Parry with and no armor so the damage roll will impact the trolls BP directly. He rolls his 1D10 OR 9-10 and gets, 10, 9, 4 for a total of 23 points of damage. Putting the troll at 17 BP and at the Seriously injured damage level giving it a -3 Modifier.

Outcome

• Thorgarth at 18 BP, leather armor at PV/BV 2/19 and a -1 Mod
• Troll at 17 BP, and a -3 Mod

Action Round 2
Both roll Initiative (1D10 (OR 10) plus modifiers). Thorgarth rolls a 10, 4 and gets 6 (14-7-1=6). The troll rolls a 9 and gets 1 (9-5-3=1).

Thorgarth still has 25 CP and want to save some for a Parry so he just attacks once for 15, saving 10 for the parry. He rolls a 15 which would hit but he is injured so he would need an 8 because of the -1. The attack is a miss so he postpones his further actions for the Parry.

The troll has 28 CP and is wild with rage in his eyes and proceeds to attack with two attacks at 11 SV. Costing him all of his CP, 28/2= 14, minus 3 at both attacks because of injuries.

The trolls rolls a 3 and hits. Thorgarth tries to Parry with 10 CP and succeeds. The troll rolls damage getting a 10 and 2 for a total of 10+2+2=14 damage. The shield blocks the damage. The shield is now at 49 BV since the damage exceeded the PV of 5.

The troll takes another swing rolling a 6 and now Thorgarth has no ability to Parry so the troll just rolls damage 1D10 OR 8-10 +2, it rolls a 10, open roll 5 for a total of 17 (10+5+2), Thorgarths armor reduces it to 15 damage but now he only has 3 BP left and is Critically Injured giving him a -7 Mod.
Outcome

• Thorgarth at 3 BP, leather armor 2/19, shield 5/49, and a -7 Mod.
• Troll at 17 BP, and a -3 Mod.

Action Round 3
Thorgarth is almost on his knees ready to receive a final mortal blow, when he sees his friend and companion Kivala behind a tree. The white haired Illmalaina is conjuring magic in secret. Thorgarth smiles, chuckles strenuously and says “Today you have met your doom.”

All roll Initiative (1D10 (OR 10) plus modifiers). Thorgarth rolls a 5 and gets (5-7-7=-9). The troll rolls a 9 and gets 1 (9-5-3=1). Kivala rolls an 8 and gets 2 since she will cast Flame Burst.

Kivala goes first and sings a chant to weave the Vitner and finishes with a “LOGILD!” She has added Increase damage from 1D10 to 1D10 OR 8-10 for a total additional cost of 15 upon the 6 for Logild for a total of 21 VP. She rolls her Vitner Craft with a -6 Modifier since it’s a level 3 spell. She rolls well, a 3 (to make this example easier).

The swirling cylinder of fire and heat rushes towards the troll as he is engulfed in the flames and Kivala rolls damage 1D10 OR 8-10. She rolls a 10, open roll 8, open roll 6 for a total of 24 damage. The troll is now dead at -7. (Actually it lives on for 1D6+Constitution but it’s down and no one is helping it to survive.)

Kivala patches Thorgarths wounds the best she can and then helps him up. They have to find their other companions and then continue on their long journey to the Jaarngand mountains.

This is how combat is played out mechanically in the current TC-rules on RiotOnline. It may be sligthly modified in the books but it should be the same. Of course both the GM and PCs should narrate how the attacks hit, miss and reactions to them.

Do you have any more questions regarding combat?
EDIT: Fixed err CP values

[Splinterbox]

Hi Ziox, that is a great example. Thanks for taking the time and effort to do this.

I will add a link to it over on Rpg.net.

[bigsteveuk]

Firstly that was really useful thanks

Secondly
Thorgarth

Fighting: 7 SV
- Armed Fighting 2: +2 SV
- - One-Handed Heavy Weapons 3: +6 SV
- - Shield Bearer 2: +4 SV
- Battle Experience 2: +2 SV
- - Fighter 2: +4 SV

Bit confused but if you add up all the SV's it comes to 25, is this how you get to the CP total?
Total CP: 19
Broad sword 6 (I assumes this is based on One-Handed Heavy Weapons 3: +6 SV)
Shield 4 (Shield Bearer 2: +4 SV);
Free 9 (Fighting: 7 SV & Battle Experience 2: +2 SV)

But what about
Armed Fighting 2: +2 SV
Fighter 2: +4

I could be failing to understand the system!!!

Thirdly
Does the BV drop by 1 every time the armour takes more damage than it can absorb?

Lastly
How many actions could you take with a broadsword and shield?

Cheers,

Steve

[Thorgarth]

There we go. Very cool combat example that clearly gives a much better impression on how things may work out in combat.

Thank you for your effort.

But just like Bigsteveuk I´m also wondering how you got to CP19?

The only negative point here, and it reinforces my conviction, is that I really feel the damage mechanic (everything does 1d10 plus an OR chance) it´s too bland and doesn´t really differentiate properly between damage sources. In the example you give that is an over abundance of OR, much greater than average chance for it. In reality there is only +10% that a broadsword MAY do more damage that a dagger. Otherwise the basic damage is equal. I just to see this as logic. It´s, for me, the most negative point I´ve encountered in the system.