Special Combat Maneuvers

There are certain special maneuvers or activities that commonly arise in combat.

Shoving and Grappling

To shove a target the attacker must make a successful melee attack. This attack does no damage, but forces an opposed Str/Exert or Str/Punch skill check. If the attacker wins, the target is shoved back up to 3 meters or knocked prone at the attacker’s discretion.

To grapple, the attacker must make a successful unarmed melee attack while having both hands free. This attack does no damage but forces an opposed Str/Punch skill check. If the attacker wins, the victim is grappled. A grappled victim remains so until they take a Main Action to perform a successful opposed Str/Punch skill check against their assailant.

While grappled, neither the assailant or the target can move from their location, nor can they fight with anything but unarmed attacks, including Body Blades cyber or similar body-mounted weaponry. At the end of each round, a grappled victim automatically suffers damage as if hit by their assailant’s unarmed attack.

If the attacker wishes to move the grappled target, they must spend a Main Action and make an opposed Str/Punch skill check. On a success, they move the target up to 3 meters along with them or throw them 2 meters and leave them prone. On a loss or tie, the target escapes.

An attacker can grapple only one target at a time, but a defender can be grappled by multiple assailants, within reason. Any skill checks forced on a multiply-grappled target are compared against all assailants, and win only if all assailant rolls are beaten.

These rules assume both assailant and target are relatively human-sized. Grappling or shoving humanoid but substantially larger targets is done with a -2 penalty on all skill checks, while trying to handle quadrupeds or those only barely plausible to wrestle is done at a -4 penalty.

Dual-Wielding Weapons

Some attackers prefer to use two weapons at once. PCs who wish to do so must have at least level-1 in the relevant weapon skills, such as Stab-1 and Shoot-1 for dual-wielding a knife and pistol.

When making an attack while dual-wielding, the attacker chooses which weapon they wish to use, rolling the attack roll accordingly. On a hit, the weapon does +2 damage so long as the target is within range of both wielded weapons. This bonus does not add to Shock.

Managing two weapons at once is difficult, and applies a -1 penalty to all hit rolls.

Execution Attacks

A target that is entirely unsuspecting of damage is subject to execution attacks. A subject that is expecting danger or alert to potential harm cannot be targeted by an execution attack.

A ranged execution attack requires one full minute of aiming, waiting, and adjusting on the part of the would-be sniper. Any disturbance during this time will spoil the shot. After spending this time, the assassin may make a Dex/Shoot skill check. The difficulty is 6 for an attack within two meters, 8 for an attack within the weapon’s normal range, or 10 for one at the weapon’s long range. On a success, the attack hits; the victim’s Armor Class is ignored.

A melee execution attack requires one full minute of near proximity to the target, watching for just the right opening and getting to within melee range of the victim. If this time is granted, the assassin may make a melee attack, automatically hitting.

When a target is hit with an execution attack they must make a Physical saving throw at a penalty equal to the assailant’s combat skill. On a failure, they are immediately reduced to zero hit points and Mortally Wounded, or knocked unconscious if the weapon was non-lethal.

If they succeed on the save, they still take damage normally. Successful execution attacks always count as Traumatic Hits, so the ensuing multiplied damage or Major Injury may be enough to kill the victim anyway.