Homebrew Cairn/Block Parry Dodge-like fighty rules: quick reference

(Man, if only you guys had as much gear as *these* guys!)

Very loose summary

You'll be told what the monsters are seem to intend to do.
Decide what you're doing. Moving, attacking, moving and attacking, doing a gambit like tripping or disarming a foe, etc.
If you do only 1 thing you'll act before enemies trying to do 2 things.
If you're attacked, decide whether to Just take it, Fight Back, Block, Dodge, or Parry.

How rounds work

Rounds take about 6 seconds.
At the start of the round, the GM hints at what the bad guys intend to do. "The orc is looking at Jim, with its sword out".
Then the players decide what they're doing.

Quick turns go before Full turns.

Quick turns are a single action:

• attacking a close opponent
• firing a bow
• moving around
• retreating
• casting a fast spell.
  

Weapons act as a tie-breaker. When a distance is being closed, the longer weapon goes first; when both combatants are starting off close to each other, the shorter weapon goes first.

Turn order:

• Quick turns go before full turns.
• When approaching, longer weapons strike first.
• When already engaged, shorter weapons strike first.
• If “ties” still remain, resolve with a DEX Save by the Player Character.

Multiple Attackers

If multiple attackers target the same foe at the same time, roll all damage dice and keep one. Note that a creature can still take damage at multiple moments during a round (before and after their turn, as part of Fight Back, etc.), and that these separate moments do not use a shared single highest result.

Also note that only the weapon tag/effects of the highest result are used; it’s as if only the highest result lands the blow.

Any of the 'helping' attack rolls that roll 4 or higher bolster the highest result, adding +1 damage to it.

Stunts & Maneuvers: Performing Gambits

When making an attack, a character can choose to make a gambit instead. A gambit is a move such as stunning, shoving, disarming, tripping, and so forth. A gambit should be decided upon when an attack is declared. Gambits deal no damage.

To perform a gambit, the weapon damage dice of the attacker is rolled. If this roll comes up 1, 2, or 3, this becomes the Difficulty of the Save. On a 4 or higher, no Difficulty is applied.

The type of Save is determined by the Warden, and the target of the Gambit must make this Save equal or under their Ability and above the Difficulty.

If the target fails, the gambit succeeds. If the target succeeds, they may immediately try a gambit of their own against the performer of the gambit. This effect can cause a chain of failed gambits, until one succeeds.

Harald wants to shove his opponent down some stairs. He’s wielding a dagger, so he rolls a d6, and rolls a 2. The goblin now needs to roll equal or under their STR of 8, and above 2.

Gambits cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried. If multiple attackers attack a single target and one or more attackers choose to perform a gambit, resolve those before checking who rolled the highest damage. To determine the priority of Gambits in the initiative order, use the size of your weapon as normally done for initiative.

Sacrificing Gear

When in a desperate spot, a character can sacrifice their equipment to negate an incoming blow. Performing such a feat requires either desperation or complete dedication. The character needs to either be at 0 HP or choose to lower their defense and “drop” to 0 HP voluntarily. This move destroys the used equipment, which is now useless unless repaired. Repairing costs are 75% of the item’s cost when new, but shields are always broken when sacrificed and cannot be repaired.

Mundane attacks (weapons, claws, teeth, etc.) can be stopped with Balanced (d8) and Slow (d10) weapons, shields, and medium and heavy armor.

Special attacks (magic, elemental energy, etc.) can only be stopped with heavy armor and shields.

Block, Dodge & Parry

Before damage is rolled, Player Characters under attack have the following options:

• Defend. The character tries to defend themselves without taking any particular risks or trying any moves. This is resolved by simply taking the damage to HP — the default option.

• Fight Back. The defender chooses one attacker and makes an attack, after they’ve taken the incoming damage. Fighting back incurs 1 Fatigue.

• Block. Incoming Fast (d6) or Balanced (d8) attacks become Impaired. To block, the defender must wield a balanced or slow weapon or a shield. Blocking incurs 1 Fatigue, unless it is performed with a shield or slow weapon while wearing heavy armor (3 Armor), in which case it incurs no Fatigue.

• Dodge. Any incoming Slow (d10) or Balanced (d8) attacks become Impaired. It is not possible to dodge in heavy armor (3 Armor) or while wielding a slow weapon. Dodging incurs 1 Fatigue, unless it is performed with a fast weapon (or unarmed) while wielding light (1 Armor) or no Armor, in which case it incurs no Fatigue.

• Parry. The defender chooses one attacking opponent that they are able to attack in return and rolls weapon damage. If the defender rolls higher attack damage than the attacker, the attacker’s dice roll is invalidated, and the defender deals their damage straight to the attacker’s STR. This damage does not trigger a STR Save. If the attacker rolls higher, the damage is dealt to the defender’s STR instead. This damage does not trigger a STR Save. If the two rolls are equal, both weapons bounce off each other with a satisfying twing! and a rain of sparks. No damage is done to either party.
  

Each of these options is essentially a reaction — they happen in the split-second in which a character is attacked. Some enemies might also have access to these abilities as well. Note that an attacking creature cannot take a reaction; if an orc blademaster strikes at a PC and the PC fights back, the orc cannot block or take similar reactions, as that could create an infinite chain of reactions.

Death and Dismemberment Table

Stolen from skerples.
Death and Dismemberment Roll (X): 1d20 + Number of Current Injuries - current STR

Physical damage

Energy damage

Fatal Wounds

A PC has 3 rounds to clear all their Fatal Wounds, or they die. They can attempt to remove a Fatal Wound at the end of their turn by rolling a 1 on a d6. An adjacent ally can attempt to remove a Fatal Wound by spending their turn doctoring the wounded PC and then rolling under half their Intelligence. Up to two allies can help at once, but no more (although they might lend bonuses to the roll), and only two Fatal Wounds can be removed per round by doctoring, no matter how many allies are present.

Magical healing removes 1 Fatal Wound per 2 points of HP it would normally restore.

PCs with Fatal Wounds are unconscious. This does not mean they are quiet or asleep (they can be screaming their heads off, clutching their stumps, etc.), but it means that they cannot take any conscious or deliberate actions. No shouting advice, no hopping away, nothing helpful or useful or sensible. Remind them of that. If they try anyway, they automatically fail their next Fatal Wound roll.

An allied PC can run over to a wounded PC and help them in the same turn provided they act without hesitation. If they delay (other than to ask the GM to clarify what they see), they run over and help on the next turn.

Injuries

The Death and Dismemberment table is not the only way to gain these Injuries. Injuries gained by any means count for the Death and Dismemberment Roll.