Combat — DAIRN

Mechanical basis: the combat rules in Cairn 2e Core Rules.

The Combat rules define the order of actions in a fight. Whether a character can act, use cover, or strike a target depends on the characters' positions and what is happening in the game world.

The main Ability Scores and the Check procedure are described in Your Character in Play. This chapter uses the abbreviations STR / DEX / WIL and HP.

Rounds and Initiative

Use Rounds when combatants begin exchanging blows and it matters who can act in time. Before that, resolve actions using the usual rules: a Check is needed when the outcome is uncertain and failure has a meaningful consequence.

A Round lasts about ten seconds in the game world. During a Round, the sides act in turn: first the Player Characters' side, then their opponents. The results of each side's actions are considered simultaneous.

Initiative determines which Player Characters can act before their opponents in the first Round. Each Player Character makes a Dexterity (DEX) Check to act. Special circumstances, preparation, or the situation in the game world may make this Check unnecessary. A character who fails the Check misses their Turn in the first Round.

The opponents then act, ending the first Round. In subsequent Rounds, the Player Characters' side acts first, followed by the opponents; there is no need to repeat the Dexterity Check for Initiative. This cycle continues until one side wins, Retreats, or reaches another clear outcome.

Actions

A Turn is the part of a Round in which a particular participant acts. On their Turn, a character can move a distance that is reasonable in the current situation and take one Action. This may be an Attack, another move, using an item, providing aid, or another action that the circumstances allow.

If an Action's outcome is uncertain and failure has a meaningful consequence, the Warden may call for an appropriate Check. An ordinary Attack does not require a separate Check to hit.

Attacks and Damage

If a character can attack a target, the Attack does not require a separate Check to hit.

The attacker rolls the Damage die specified for the weapon or Attack. Subtract the target's Armor from the result first; the resulting Damage cannot be less than 0. Total Armor cannot exceed 3.

The remaining Damage then reduces the target's Hit Protection (HP). HP represents the ability to avoid actual injury, not a pool of health.

If Damage after Armor exceeds current HP, HP becomes 0 and the excess Damage reduces Strength (STR). The consequences of Damage to STR are described under Critical Damage.

If Damage reduces HP to exactly 0 without reducing STR, no Strength Check to avoid Critical Damage is required. Reaching 0 HP does not by itself prevent a character from acting.

For example, a character has 3 HP and 1 Armor. Consider two separate cases. On a Damage roll of 4, Armor absorbs 1, leaving 3 Damage that reduces HP to 0: STR is unchanged. On a Damage roll of 6, 5 Damage remains after Armor: HP becomes 0, and the remaining 2 points of Damage reduce STR.

If several participants on the same side attack one target simultaneously, roll all the relevant dice but use only the highest result. All such Attacks must be declared before rolling. Subtract the target's Armor from the chosen result.

Critical Damage

If any Damage remains after HP falls to 0, it reduces STR. If STR falls to 0 or below, the character dies without a Check. Otherwise, they immediately make a Strength (STR) Check using the new score to avoid Critical Damage.

On a success, the character remains able to act, but their STR remains reduced. Each subsequent instance of Damage that reduces STR follows the same procedure: at STR 0 or below, the character dies; otherwise, they make another Strength Check to avoid Critical Damage.

On a failure, the character suffers Critical Damage. They can no longer act normally and can only crawl with difficulty and perform the simplest actions as they try to stay alive.

For Non-Player Characters and creatures, the Warden may treat a failed Strength Check to avoid Critical Damage as fatal, unless their description states otherwise.

Aiding the Wounded

Another character can provide Aid appropriate to the injury, such as bandaging wounds. This stabilizes the wounded character and removes the immediate threat of death. Without aid, the character dies within an hour.

During Combat, providing aid takes an Action. If the method is suitable and involves no additional risk or uncertainty, no separate Check is needed.

After stabilization, reduced Ability Scores and other consequences of the injury remain until the character recovers. Aid does not automatically restore STR. Recovery requirements and times are given in Game Procedures.

Retreat

Retreat allows a character to leave a dangerous situation. To Retreat, the character must have a safe place to go and succeed on a Dexterity (DEX) Check.

Morale

Morale represents opponents' ability to maintain their resolve in a dangerous situation. After their first casualty, opponents make a Will (WIL) Check to maintain Morale and avoid fleeing. Repeat the Check when the group loses half its original members.

A group may use its leader's WIL. A lone opponent makes a WIL Check for Morale when their HP falls to 0.

The Morale rule does not apply to Player Characters.

Enhanced and Impaired Attacks

If the attacker's situation seriously hinders an Attack—for example, the target is behind cover or the attacker's actions are severely restricted—the Attack is Impaired and deals d4 Damage regardless of its usual amount. An unarmed Attack also deals d4 Damage.

If the situation gives the attacker a decisive advantage—for example, the target is helpless or a successful maneuver has left them fully exposed to a strike—the Attack is Enhanced and deals d12 Damage.

Ranged Attacks

A Ranged Attack can hit a target if it is close enough for the attacker to see it clearly and strike it with the weapon being used. Attacks against targets at a greater distance are Impaired.

Ammunition is not tracked separately unless stated otherwise.

Blast

An Attack with Blast affects all eligible targets in the specified area. Roll the Attack die separately for each affected target.

If the situation does not make it clear how many targets Blast can affect, roll the die specified for the Attack. The result determines the number of targets.

Attacking with Two Weapons

If a character attacks with two weapons at once and the situation allows them to use both together, roll both relevant dice but use only the highest result. Such an Attack is written with a +, for example d8+d8: do not add the two results together.

Detachments

A large group of similar opponents fighting together can be treated as a single Detachment.

When a Detachment suffers Critical Damage, it flees or is significantly weakened. If its STR reaches 0, the Detachment is destroyed.

Attacks by a lone opponent against a Detachment are Impaired, except for Attacks with Blast. A Detachment's Attacks against a single target are Enhanced and have Blast.

Ability Score Loss

Damage outside Combat can directly reduce an Ability Score. Physical harm usually reduces STR.

If Strength (STR) falls to 0, the character dies. If Dexterity (DEX) falls to 0, the character is paralyzed. If Will (WIL) falls to 0, the character becomes delirious and cannot act normally.

A character who loses all their DEX or WIL remains incapacitated until the relevant Ability Score is restored. Recovery requirements are described in Game Procedures.

Character Death

If a character dies, the Player creates a new one using the rules in Character Creation. The Warden brings them into play at the first suitable opportunity, without delaying the Adventure.