Combat System Revisions for Mage: the Epic Fantasy

• Roll Wits + Alertness, dif 4. For expediency, we will use a declare-on-your-turn system and initiative will only be rolled before the first turn of combat. (HOUSE RULE)
• Declare a Dice Pool split if performing multiple actions. In essence, the number of dice available for each action is divided by the number of actions the mage declares sheh will take during that turn (rounding fractions of 0.5 or lower down). For example, a mage with 6 dice in Dex + Melee and 5 dice in Strength + Athletics who decides to jump onto a platform and attack the warrior standing there during the same turn has 2 dice to jump and 3 dice to attack. If the mage wished to attack with two weapons after the jump, the jump would have 2 dice and each attack would have 2 dice. Let's not get silly here, folks. A turn is only three seconds long. A character may use each hand once (to attack, defend, or manipulate a focus) and take some defensive (parry/dodge), movement-oriented (jumping a low fence), or mystical action (building an Effect at a serious penalty as noted below) each turn, limiting the dice pool split to three actions.
• Declare full or partial defensive actions. If the character wishes, sheh may choose to add hes entire Dex + Dodge or Dex + Parry dice pool to the normal pool for a turn, taking no actions except Dodges/Parries. These dice receive the same penalties for multiple Dodges/Parries as the "free" defensive dice. A partial defensive action is basically a dice pool split that otherwise follows the same rules as a full defense.
• Declare any magick cast. Only one Arete check may be made each turn. If the mage splits hes dice pool, the Arete check usually does not lose dice, but the difficulty of the Effect is increased by 2 for the first extra action and by 1 for every additional action. An active Mind 1 Effect or successful Wits + Meditation check (if activated as an action earlier in the scene; difficulty of this check is 5 + the difficulty penalty) can reduce this penalty by one each.

• Roll attack. Depending on the weapon employed in the attack, this could be Dex + Melee/Do/Archery/Brawl/Fencing. Calculate the number of successes at the difficulty given for the attack given on the charts below.
• Dodge or Parry. Unless the defender is heavily armored or very tough, it is probably in hes best interests to avoid damage from attacks. A Dodge/Parry must be declared immediately following the declaration of the attack, before the attack is rolled. Each combatant has one free Dodge (Dex + Dodge) or Parry (Dex + Fencing/Melee) each turn (difficulty 6). It is possible to make additional Dodges and/or Parries, but each Dodge/Parry after the first suffers a +1 cumulative difficulty penalty. A Parry may not be declared against a missile attack or a weapon made of raw magic (a blade of Forces, for example) except with a shield. It is impossible to Dodge and Parry the same attack except by magical means.

Use the charts below to determine difficulty and damage. Each success after the first adds a level of damage to the attack. For example, a warrior with a Strength of 3 and a longsword inflicts 5 plus additional successes health levels of damage each attack.
• Each success on the defensive action subtracts one success from the attacker's strike. If the number of successes on this defensive action is equal to or greater than the number of successes gained on the attack, the attack is evaded, and the defender takes no damage. If the attacker earns more successes, the strike connects, inflicting the damage listed below for the weapon + 1 per success beyond those required to foil the defensive action. For example, if an attack wins 4 successes and the defender wins 2 successes on a dodge, the weapon damage is increased by 1.
• Soak lethal and aggravated damage. Each point of armor reduces damage from all attacks inflicting aggravated or lethal damage by one unless the attack inflicts direct Pattern damage.
• Soak bashing damage. Each point of armor and Stamina reduces the damage from all attacks inflicting bashing damage by one unless the damage is not physical in nature, such as that inflicted by Mind attacks.

Melee Weapon Notes

1. The minimum Strength required to wield a bastard sword with two hands is 2 instead of 3.
2. A greatsword must be wielded with two hands, but the minimum Strength required to wield it is 3. In addition, repositioning it for another attack requires an action, so attacking with a greatsword more than once every two turns is only possible by splitting dice pools.
3. The minimum Strength required to wield a katana with two hands is 2, instead of 3. It is possible to use Dex + Do instead of Dex + Melee when wielding a katana.
4. The main-gauche is primarily a defensive weapon. In addition to its fencing application, Parry attempts with a main-gauche are at a difficulty of 5, not 6.
5. While a rapier is not an impressive weapon in the hands of an amateur, a warrior who has studied fencing can accomplish feats with this blade that make hem just as deadly as a swordsman with a much heavier weapon.
6. The difficulty to attempts to disarm using a flail is 7 instead of 8.
7. A great axe must be wielded with two hands, but the minimum Strength required to wield it is 3. The great axe is a slow weapon, and may only be used to attack once every second round unless the wielder splits hes dice pools.
8. A great club requires two hands to use and a minimum Strength of 3. Its wielder may only attack every other turn unless sheh splits dice pools.
9. A spiked club requires two hands to use and a minimum Strength of 2.
10. A mattock requires two hands to wield, an action to reposition, and a minimum Strength of 4 to use.
11. A quarterstaff requires two hands and a minimum Strength of 1 to employ. It is, however, a fast weapon, granting an extra attack at half the normal dice pool on every other turn (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc...).
12. As quarterstaff above but requires a minimum Strength of 2 to employ.
13. All pole arms require two hands to use. Long-handled pole arms are excellent for keeping an opponent at bay. Unless an enemy can flank the wielder, a warrior with a readied pole arm automatically gets the first attack on an enemy not using a long-handled pole arm (noted with a 13), regardless of initiative. Moreover, if the enemy is running or charging when struck, the pole arm inflicts its modifier in additional damage dice.
14. Damage given is from horseback. When used on foot, the lance is a nearly useless weapon, inflicting only Strength in damage. If it strikes on a charge from horseback, the mount’s Strength is added to the lance’s damage. Any opponent with a melee weapon other than a pole arm noted with a (13) may not attack a charging horseman wielding a lance until after the lance attack is rolled.
15. Requires two hands to use.
16. Unless an enemy can flank the wielder, a warrior with a readied spear automatically gets the first attack on an enemy not using a pole arm, regardless of initiative. Moreover, if the enemy is running or charging when struck, the spear inflicts 3 additional damage dice.

Missile Weapon Notes

1. Let’s be realistic about this. Only the most skilled archers are going to load, draw, aim, and fire a bow every three seconds. Loading requires a full turn unless the archer splits dice pools.
2. It is possible to fire twice as far, but archers doing so are at a +2 difficulty penalty. Archers engaged in melee cannot parry unless they have a buckler, and they cannot fire while engaged in melee unless they forfeit their free dodge for that turn.
3. In order to use a missile weapon, the archer must have a minimum Strength equal to the damage bonus - 0 for a sling, 1 for a short bow, 2 for a compound bow, and 3 for a long bow. This restricts archery less than the Sorcerers Crusade rules but penalizes weak archers with fewer damage dice. Each weapon is given a maximum damage rating to represent the structural limits of the device. An archer with a Strength of 5 and an archer with a Strength of 3 both inflict the same damage with a short bow. Additional damage may be inflicted by scoring more successes on attack than a target scores on Dodge/Parry, so an archer with a Strength of 3 who fires a short bow and scores three extra successes beyond that needed to hit inflicts seven health levels of damage.
4. As weapon + 1. Rapiers and main-gauches can be thrown at a +3 difficulty instead of +1.
5. Damage inflicted is equal to the weapon’s usual damage -1. Strength requirements to throw melee weapons are one greater than that required to wield the weapon in melee.

Unarmed Combat and Special Maneuver Notes

1. The difficulty listed is for humanoids for whom biting would truly be a weapon of last resort. In creatures that bite as a primary attack, the difficulty for bites is 5, not 7.
2. The damage listed is for humanoids for whom biting and clawing would truly be a weapon of last resort. In creatures that bite and/or claw as a primary attack (wolves, lions, etc...), the damage will be greater (Strength or Strength + 1 for claws, Strength + 1 or Strength + 2 for bites).
3. If the attacker achieves a number of successes greater than the victim's Strength, the weapon goes flying. If the number of successes is greater than twice the victim's Strength, the attacker may snatch it away from the victim if sheh possesses the Strength required to wield it.
4. Every parry or dodge after the first in each turn is at +1 difficulty - 6 for the first dodge/parry, 7 for the second, 8 for the third, etc...
5. If the number of successes on the attack (after Dodge/Parry) exceeds the victim's Strength, the attacker grapples the target. After the initial grapple, the attacker inflicts bashing damage equal to the number of successes sheh makes on a Strength + Brawl check (dif 6). A grappled opponent cannot parry or dodge this, but may grapple in return each turn, provoking a contested Strength + Brawl check. The winner inflicts an amount of bashing damage equal to the difference. By allowing a grapple to take place or by splitting hes dice pool, each combatant may attack with a small weapon (knife, dagger, etc...) or close combat strike (punch, bite, etc...), though the victim of these strikes may parry as normal. A grappled creature can escape instead of inflicting damage if hes contested Strength + Brawl check achieves a number of extra successes equal to or greater than hes opponent's Strength score.
6. This attack inflicts no damage. On a successful attack, the attacker holds the target, preventing either attacker or victim from taking any physical actions. Every turn, each combatant makes a contested Strength + Brawl roll (dif 6). If the attacker wins, sheh maintains the hold. If the victim wins, sheh breaks free of the hold.
7. It is possible to parry an attack that inflicts bashing damage even when unarmed, though this requires a Dex + Brawl or Dex + Do roll instead of a Dex + Melee check. Weapons can be used to parry most tangible melee attacks. Shields can parry melee, missile, and pure magic attacks.
8. The attacker attempts to trip the victim, either with hes legs or an appropriate melee weapon (no daggers or rapiers here, okay?). If the attack is successful, the victim must make a Dex + Athletics roll (dif 8) or suffer a knockdown in addition to the damage from the attack.
9. On a successful hit, both the attacker and the target must roll Dex + Athletics (dif 7) or suffer a knockdown. If the target (not the attacker) is not knocked down, sheh is unbalanced and suffers a +1 difficulty penalty to all actions for the next full turn.

Basic Manuever Notes

1. If the attacker achieves a number of successes greater than the victim's Strength, the weapon goes flying. If the number of successes is greater than twice the victim's Strength, the attacker may snatch it away from the victim if sheh possesses the Strength required to wield it.
2. If the number of successes on the attack (after Dodge/Parry) exceeds the victim's Strength, the attacker grapples the target. After the initial grapple, the attacker inflicts damage equal to the number of successes sheh makes on a Strength + Do check (dif 6). A grappled opponent cannot parry or dodge this, but may grapple in return each turn, provoking a contested Strength + Brawl/Do check. The winner inflicts an amount of bashing damage equal to the difference. By allowing a grapple to take place or by splitting hes dice pool, each combatant may attack with a small weapon (knife, dagger, etc...) or close combat strike (punch, bite, etc...), though the victim of these strikes may parry as normal. A grappled creature can escape instead of inflicting damage if hes contested Strength + Brawl/Do check achieves a number of extra successes equal to or greater than hes opponent's Strength score.
3. An unarmed Doist may parry melee attacks that inflict bashing damage as per normal. Sheh may also parry melee attacks that inflict lethal damage, but may not reduce lethal damage by more than hes Do score (a Monk with two dots of Do may eliminate two health levels of damage inflicted by a sword).
4. The attacker attempts to trip the victim, either with hes legs or an appropriate melee weapon (no daggers or rapiers here, okay?). If the attack is successful, the victim must make a Dex + Athletics roll (dif 8) or suffer a knockdown in addition to the damage from the attack.
5. On a succesful attack, the victim must roll Dex + Athletics (dif 7) or suffer a knockdown. If the target is not knocked down, sheh is unbalanced and suffers a +1 difficulty penalty to all actions for the next full turn.

For every point of Do a Monk possesses beyond the first, sheh may learn one of the following advanced techniques:

Catch/Deflect Missiles: The Monk may deflect or catch an incoming missile on a Dex + Do roll, provided sheh has one or more free hand. This counts as a Parry action. The difficulty of this depends on the missile involved.

Flying Leap: With a turn's preparation and a successful Dex + Do (dif 6), the Doist may either double hes normal leaping distance or stay aloft for one turn per success by bouncing off of various walls, branches, or other hard surfaces.

Iron Shout: By channeling hes inner strength through a deafening yell, a skillful Monk can either toughen hemself against blows (Stamina + Do, dif 7) or frighten hes opponents (Manipulation + Do, dif is enemy's Willpower). The first requires the expenditure of a point of Willpower, but grants the Monk a point of armor per success for one full turn. The second either causes an enemy to flee or stuns hem for one turn. This intimidating shout may instead be employed against several weak-willed (Willpower 4 or less) opponents, with each success affecting one character.

Redirection: On a successful Dex + Do (dif 8), an attack may be parried and turned back. This special parry both reduces the damage inflicted by an incoming attack and inflicts an amount of bashing or lethal damage to the attacker equal to the number of successes the Monk scores. This redirected attack cannot be dodged or parried.

Fencing is a highly artistic and secretive combat style once unique to Troubadours and those trained by them. Even in these enlightened times, it is the fighting style of the most elite swordsmen and a carefully guarded secret. Knowledge of Fencing allows the warrior to employ several unique manuevers when wielding a rapier and/or main gauche.

• Counterstrike: A dangerous but deadly manuever, the fencer waits until the opponent is fully engaged in the attack before striking, catching an enemy with hes guard down. The fencer surrenders hes ability to dodge or to parry with the weapon intended for the counterstrike for one turn, so this manuever is best employed with the Florentine Style or a shield in a partial defensive parry while lashing out with the weapon at the same time. The fencer's current initiative rating must be higher than hes opponent's to initiate this attack, and sheh must hold hes action until the opponent's attack. Unless the attacker has a shield or a second weapon, the counterstrike may not be dodged or parried and inflicts its damage at the same moment as the incoming attack. Employing a counterstrike without a shield or second weapon to parry the incoming attack certainly allows the fencer to concentrate all hes attention on the attack but it is also likely to result in hes simultaneous demise unless sheh has significant mystical defenses or heavy armor.
• Fletch: Also known as ballistra, the fencer runs or slides in toward her target and lashes out or thrusts. The momentum carries the point through the target's body.
• Florentine Style: A favored (and very intimidating) halfling style involving two weapons, often of equal length, alternating between defense and attack. In game terms, a fencer must have at least 5 dice in hes Dex + Fencing pool. From there, he can choose to employ one weapon as a shield (adding one to the attackers difficulty) or as a second attack (spliting hes dice pool, but adding a bonus die to the pool before the split). If the second weapon is used to increase the difficulty of incoming attacks, it may not be used to parry during that turn.
• Riposte: This blindingly fast counter follows a parry. As the fencer sets up hes next shot, the character gains one effective success to the initiative roll sheh made at the beginning of combat. If sheh originally had three successes on initiative, sheh now acts as though sheh has four, possibly allowing hem to get an extra shot against an opponent once ahead of hem in the initiative order. By alternating between parries and ripostes, the fencer's attacks come more and more quickly, making it very difficult to block or dodge the thin strand of flashing steel. The riposte must follow a partial or full defense parry - no other action can be taken between the two moves, or the opportunity is lost.
• Thrust: A sudden dip of the blade sends it deep into an enemy's flesh - and usually into an organ. This is one of the deadliest fencing maneuvers because it happens so quickly: one moment, the fencer faces you with a motionless blade; the next, the blade passes through your heart. A thrust cannot be used if the intended weapon was used to parry since the fencer's last turn. Of course, using Florentine Style complicates this considerably, forcing the fencer to decide between free parries, increasing the difficulties of enemy attacks (with no opportunity to parry), or splitting dice pools (granting a partial action and the opportunity for free parries).
• Tranche: A quick move whips the blade across the victim's hand, chest, face, or leg. The cut is usually superficial but very painful; the target must roll hes Willpower against diff 8 or be stunned on the following turn. A good manuever for ending a fight quickly with minimal bloodshed.

Few characters in fantasy fiction are more romanticized than the archer. There is something at once mysterious and frightening about a warrior who can kill from a distance. David felled Goliath with a shepherd's sling. The Welsh longbowmen killed hundreds of armored knights before the horses even finished crossing the battlefield. William Tell earned immortality in our tales with his marksmanship under incredible duress. And even Robin Hood's reputation is as much that of an archer as a do-gooder.

Certainly, magic can enhance the image and skill of an archer, but the initial skill goes a long way. When a character receives hes 4th point of Archery, sheh picks one of the advanced skills below. When sheh earns hes 5th dot, sheh picks a second advanced skill.

• Faultless Aim: This archer never takes a shot that would result in disaster. It is impossible for hem to botch an Archery check. Even if sheh is firing into the thick of melee while hanging upside-down, sheh will not accidentally shoot an ally or hemself or inflict damage to hes bow.
• Melee Archery: Archers are notoriously short-lived in melee, but this skilled archer has learned a trick or two for surviving the chaos of close combat. An archer with this skill can use hes bow to parry (dif 7, but uses Dex + Archery), strike using an arrow as a dagger (Dex + Melee, dif 6, Strength + 1 lethal damage), and take evasive actions intended to create enough space to use hes bow or sling against an enemy who has engaged hem in melee.
• Rapid Shot: This skilled archer may fire a bow or sling once every turn without splitting dice pools. Moreover, sheh may fire twice in a turn by splitting hes dice pool. In essence, bows and slings in hes hands have an effective rate of fire of one per turn instead of one per two turns.
• Remarkable Range: This keen-eyed archer has learned ways to fire farther with minimal loss of accuracy. Sheh can fire twice the listed range without suffering the +2 difficulty penalty, and can fire as much as three times the listed range as accurately as a lesser archer can fire double the listed range (+2 difficulty penalty).

Since this chronicle is set before the evolution of Tournament Armor and Titan's Armor, these armor types are not available. Each point of armor ("Protection" in the chart below) reduces all bashing, lethal, and aggravated damage other than direct Pattern attacks, Mind magic, and similar non-physical threats by one per point of armor. Armor is not invincible, and any single attack that inflicts more than twice its armor value destroys the armor. Given the significant defensive advantage armor provides under the new system, I have opted to assign Dexterity penalties for armor based on the base M:tA book rather than the gentler M:SC rules.