Combat

These are the skills that you need to learn in order to take an active part in Physical Combat.

Armour Use

This Skill Category enables you to use the numerous types of armour that are available. As previously mentioned, armour increases your PAC which means that the amount of physical damage you take from blows are reduced. The amount of PAC the armour gives you varies according to the type you wear. Light armour like Padded Cloth or Soft Leather gives only small amounts of protection and is relatively cheap, whilst heavy armour like Chain mail or Plate gives a lot of protection but is much more cumbersome and expensive. You do not need any proficiency in this skill category if you wish to wear head armour.

Ambidexterity

With proficiency in this skill category, you can use your left hand equally well as your right hand if you are right handed (or vice versa if you are left-handed). If you wish to use a weapon in your off hand then you need the ambidexterity skill of at least the level of the weapon. With AMBI I you can use any weapon from Bladed I, Hafted I or Thrown I in your off hand. With AMBI II you can use any weapon from Bladed I/II, Hafted I/II or Thrown I/II. AMBI III allows any size III or smaller weapon to be used in your off hand whilst AMBI IV allows you to use from Bladed IV, Hafted IV or Pole I/II in your off hand providing STRENGTH IV is also known. Crossbows can also be used one handed with this skill.

Bladed Weaponry

This skill allows the use of swords and daggers in combat. The table below shows the weapons, skill level needed, lengths and physical damage inflicted with a blow. The damage before a slash indicates single hand damage whilst the number after indicates damage when wielded with two hands.

Great swords can only be wielded single-handedly if STRENGTH IV is also known.

Hafted Weaponry

This skill allows the use of clubs, axes, hammers and maces in combat. The table below shows the weapons, lengths and physical damage inflicted with a blow. The damage before a slash indicates single hand damage whilst the number after indicates damage when wielded with two hands.

Hafted IV can only be wielded single-handedly if Strength IV is also known.

Mastery

This skill category enables you to become a master in the use of a specific type of weapon or armour, but you can only master the use of weapons or armour you have already specialised in.

This means you can inflict an extra point of physical damage by the weapon, and use a special ability once per Encounter. In the case of armour you can gain the benefit of an extra point of PAC or increase the level of Dexterity you can use when wearing the armour.

In both cases, the bonus gained is cumulative with any other bonuses from the skill categories, Specialisation, Strength or Dexterity, or from potions, spells or magical items. The level of the proficiency you require depends on the level of proficiency needed to use the weapon or armour.

It is possible to become a master in more than one weapon or type of armour, however to do this you must purchase the skill each time. You do not need to purchase the lower level skills before the higher-level skills unlike other skills, you only require the level of mastery equivalent to the skill level in the weapon or armour you wish to master.

When Mastery in an armour is chosen, the character may choose to replace the +1 PAC benefit as described above with an increase to the Maximum Dexterity allowed by the armour of +1. A character can change this choice by informing the battleboarder later but not during the course of an adventure.

As an additional benefit the character can recognise a master crafted weapon of the appropriate type by testing the balance. Further they can immediately master the balance and benefit from its master crafted qualities as if it had been rebalanced.

The following are the special abilities that are learnt dependent on which type of weapon or shield you have Mastery in, and successfully landing a blow on a specific location.

• Bladed Mastery grants a single FUMBLE MINOR per encounter (must hit an arm)

• Hafted Mastery grants a single BREAK per encounter (must hit a weapon or shield)

• Polearm Mastery grants a single STRIKEDOWN per encounter (must hit a leg)

• Projectile Mastery grants no additional benefit

• Thrown Mastery grants Through damage to thrown weapons

• Shield Mastery grants you an additional single use immunity to a Break Effect/Spell per Encounter on the Shield

Polearm Weaponry

Proficiency in this skill category enables you to use staves and polearms in combat. The table below shows the damage inflicted, weapon and skill level needed with the minimum and maximum length of the weapon.

Normally all polearms must be used in two hands to inflict damage with them, however, with the strength IV skill, you can use pole I or II weapons with only one hand and still inflict damage with them.

Some Pole weapons are safe to strike with the butt or haft of the weapon (subject to passing a safety check). Striking with the butt or haft of a pole deals the damage of the relevant striking surface, usually either as a Plan Staff or a Shod Staff. The master crafted bonus and the skills Specialization and Mastery apply to the weapon as a whole and thus the haft will benefit from these as normal for the primary striking end.

Double weapons which receive Weapon Effects (such as Flame Blade, Spirit Hammer, but also Break) affect the whole weapon, thus both ends are affected by a single spell. Note that some spells specify they only function on "sharp" or "blunt" weapons, in this case only the appropriate striking surfaces receive the damage benefits, although the whole weapon is considered to be under the effect.

Projectile Weaponry

This Skill category enables you to use bows and crossbows in combat. This skill allows the use of any size bow or crossbow, although damage inflicted by such weapons is dependent on the skill level. Shown below is the Skill category with the damage and damage call in the table. All damage caused by Projectile weapons pierces all normal physical armour to inflict Through damage regardless of PAC. Damage bonuses from the STRENGTH skill do not increase damage in this skill category although a characters DEXTERITY bonus applies to damage instead. Specialisation, Mastery and magical bonuses apply as normal.

Shield Use

This gives you the ability to use shields for protection during combat, blows which strike a shield do no damage to the wielder.

Specialisation

This skill category enables you to become specialised in the use of a specific type of weapon or armour, but you can only specialise in the use of a weapon or armour type you have the appropriate skill to use.

This means you can inflict an extra point of physical damage by the weapon, and use a special ability once per Encounter. In the case of armour you can gain the benefit of an extra point of PAC or increase the level of Dexterity you can use when wearing the armour.

In both cases, the bonus gained is cumulative with any other bonuses from the skill categories, Mastery, Strength or Dexterity, or from potions, spells or magical items. The level of the proficiency you require depends on the level of proficiency needed to use the weapon or armour.

It is possible to become specialised in more than one weapon or type of armour, however to do this you must purchase the skill each time. You do not need to purchase the lower level skills before the higher-level skills unlike other skills, you only require the level of specialisation equivalent to the skill level in the weapon or armour you wish to specialise.

When Specialisation in an armour is chosen, the character may choose to replace the +1 PAC benefit as described above with an increase to the Maximum Dexterity allowed by the armour of +1. A character can change this choice by informing the battleboarder later but not during the course of an adventure.

As an additional benefit the character can recognise a master crafted weapon of the appropriate type by testing the balance. Further if the character spends some time practicing or using the weapon (usually about 5 minutes or 1 encounter) they can master the balance and benefit from its master crafted qualities as if it had been rebalanced.

When Specialisation in Shields is chosen, the character can effectively use a single use immunity to a Break Effect/Spell per Encounter on the Shield.

Subdual

This Skill Category enables you to use any weapon that you are proficient with to knock an opponent unconscious. To use this skill during combat, the call "SUB" or "SUBDUE" should be called. Subdual damage cannot injure anyone below 0 TBP, LBP or Hits, and cannot cause bleeding wounds.

It is not possible to use a weapon that causes magical damage to subdue an opponent.

Thrown Weaponry

This Skill allows you to throw missiles during combat. The damage caused is related to your proficiency in the skill. Unlike Projectile weaponry, Damage bonuses from the STRENGTH skill increase damage in this skill category normally. A character with a DEXTERITY bonus may apply this to damage instead of their STRENGTH skill, but may not add bonuses from both. Specialisation, Mastery and magical bonuses apply as normal.