Combat system

Sometimes something just wants to tear you to pieces, and there’s no point in talking to it. In this section, we’ll discuss the combat system.

Basics

The combat system in Call of Cthulhu is turn-based. A round is one turn for each participant in combat. On their turn, a participant can take one of the following actions:

• attack using a melee combat skill or firearms skill
• perform a fighting maneuver
• flee from combat
• cast spells
• perform other actions that require time and skill checks. For example, treating a wounded companion

It’s worth noting that monsters can make more than 1 attack per turn.

A character can delay their turn, but not beyond the end of the round. If the end of the round is reached and no turn has been taken, it’s considered skipped.

Important

Combat rolls cannot be pushed.

Turn Order Within a Round

Turn order is determined by DEX value from highest to lowest. However, those using firearms get +50 for determining turn order, since pulling a trigger is faster than striking with a hand or swinging a club.

Example

Three participants are in combat: Zombie (DEX 30), John with a club (DEX 60), Jane with a shotgun (DEX 50). The turn order in this case:

1. Jane - 50 + 50 = 100
2. John - 60
3. Zombie - 30

Melee Combat

When damage is dealt by hand or tentacle, regardless of whether there’s anything in that appendage, melee combat rules apply.

1. The attacker declares intent to attack in melee combat
2. The defender chooses how to react:
   1. dodge
   2. counterattack
3. Both roll dice to determine the winner in the contest
4. Damage is calculated based on the roll results

Besides Brawl, there can be special melee weapon skills including swords, axes, spears, whips, garrotes, and even chainsaws. The Brawl skill is used when fighting with basic weapons that don’t require special skills - bats, knives, chair legs, bottles, any improvised weapons.

Dodging

The dodge skill allows you to take no damage from an attack if you achieve equal or greater success.

Counterattack

If the target decides to strike back, the target’s success must be higher than the attacker’s success. Note that counterattacks cannot score critical hits. If both roll failures, this may mean both take damage.

Determining Damage

If a skill check achieves a success or hard success, damage is determined by rolling damage dice.

If an extreme success (⅕ of Skill) or critical success (01 on d100) is achieved, critical damage is dealt:

• for blunt weapons, damage equals maximum weapon damage + maximum damage bonus
• for impaling weapons - maximum damage + additional damage roll. Firearms are considered impaling weapons

Example

John uses a knife and rolls an extreme success.
Knife damage is 1d4 + 2 + DB.
John’s DB is 1d4.
Damage equals 4 + 2 + 4 + (1d4 + 2 + 1d4)
John rolled 2 and 3 on his d4s.
Result: 10 + 7 = 17 damage points
For reference, maximum HP of a human is 18, average is 13

Outnumbered

When a target has made as many reactions as it can perform attacks, it enters an outnumbered state. In this state, melee attacks receive a bonus die on the attack roll.

Fighting Maneuvers

If the goal of an attack is something other than dealing damage, then a fighting maneuver is used.

1. Determine the difference in Build

   1. If the target has a build 3 or more points higher, the maneuver is impossible
   2. If the target has a build 2 points higher, the attacker receives two penalty dice
   3. If the target has a build 1 point higher, the attacker receives one penalty die
   4. If the target has equal or lower Build, the maneuver is performed without modifiers

2. The attacker makes an attack roll, the target can:

   1. dodge, works the same way
   2. counterattack
   3. perform a responsive maneuver = counterattack

As a result of a successful maneuver, you can:

• disarm an opponent
• take an item
• escape a grapple
• grapple
• knock down
• push from height

In certain cases, a maneuver leads to gaining bonuses or imposing penalties on the opponent.

Thrown weapons

Bows, slings, crossbows work the same way as firearms.
Thrown weapons can be dodged. Half of DB is applied to thrown weapons, bows and slings.

Firearms

tbd… it’s quite a big topic.