Combat

Combat is vastly simplified from the GURPS standard, but the available maneuvers and postures are the same. See GURPS Basic Set: Characters or GURPS Lite for a complete list.

Turn Sequence:

1. The first character to declare an action begins combat. Characters who have higher Basic Speeds than she does may perform a Free Action or a Ready maneuver or an All-Out-Defense maneuver before the initial action is resolved.
2. Each character may act in order from highest Basic Speed to lowest, skipping those who chose to act in step 1. When your turn comes up, you may perform a single maneuver.
3. On subsequent rounds characters act in order of Basic Speed (high to low).

Attacking:

1. Choose your attack and make your attack roll.
2. If you succeed on your attack roll, your foe can try to defend.
3. If your foe’s defense fails, you’ve hit him. Roll for damage.

Defending:

• Dodge: You may dodge multiple different attacks each round of combat. Dodge = Move + 3.
• Block: You may attempt to block one attack each round of combat. Block = [½×(Shield Skill)] + 3.
• Parry: You may attempt to parry one attack each round of combat. Parry = [½×(Skill or DX)] + 3.

Damage and Injury:

1. Roll to see how much basic damage you did. Check your weapon’s stats for this.
2. Subtract the victim’s DR from the basic damage to see how much gets through.
3. If any damage gets through DR, subtract it from the victim’s HPs.

Thresholds:

• HP ≤ 0 ⇒ HT roll each turn to remain conscious.
• HP ≤ -[Max HP] ⇒ HT roll to stay alive.
• HP ≤ -2×[Max HP] ⇒ HT roll to stay alive.
• HP ≤ -3×[Max HP] ⇒ HT roll to stay alive.
• HP ≤ -4×[Max HP] ⇒ HT roll to stay alive.
• HP ≤ -5×[Max HP] ⇒ You die.

Wildcard Points

For each wildcard skill in which you spend character points, you receive wildcard points equal to 2 + ½ its relative skill level, dropping fractional points after those from all skills have been combined. For example, if you have a wildcard skill at Attribute−1, you get 1 wildcard point. If you have two wildcard skills at Attribute−1, you get 3 wildcard points.

Point costs are as follows:

• 1 WP: to rectify a minor player oversight which makes sense regarding any wildcard skills you have (of course you picked up X needed item before leaving the spaceport; you remembered to do Y earlier; etc.).
• 1 WP: to gain a hint on a puzzle, question, or quandary relating to your wildcard skills.
• 1 WP: to add a minor detail to the story that fits the scene (there happens to be a beat cop nearby, you can find a working phone within a minute or two, etc.).
• 2 WP: to add a more unlikely detail to the story (an NPC who could be friend or foe turns out to have read your book, etc.). It must still match the scene.

• 1 WP: before a dice roll to add a +2 bonus if you have a complementary aspect.
• 1 WP: after a dice roll to add a +1 bonus if you have a complementary aspect. May not be used on a critical failure or to cause a critical success.
• 2 WP: after a dice roll to change a critical failure to a failure. You must come up with an explanation as to how you avoid the consequences of a critical failure.
• 3 WP: after a dice roll to change a success to a critical success. You must come up with a reason as to why a critical success is necessary for your character (i.e. convince the GM that it’s important).

• 1 WP: after a successful skill roll to add a minor bonus effect if you have either spent points in that skill or you have a complementary aspect.
• 2 WP: after a successful skill roll to add a minor bonus effect if you have neither points in that skill nor a complementary aspect.

• n WP: Resist a compel. n=points offered by the GM.

In addition, points may be spent to assist another player’s or NPC’s rolls, or to hinder (reverse effect: +2 becomes −2, cancel a critical success, etc.) an NPC’s rolls. If you wish to hinder another player, however, you must be directly involved in the action in order to spend points. Regardless of whom you’re affecting and how, you must invoke an aspect to do so.

Wildcard points automatically refresh at the beginning of each session. The GM may, at their discretion, call for a refresh during a session.  Extra points may not be saved between sessions, but please let the GM know if you end a session with a significant surplus. All uses of wildcard points are subject to GM approval.