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2004-09-01T12:22:32Z

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= Introduction =

White Wolf presented a new form of combat with the World of
Darkness series. This system uses only a single roll to determine the
results of combat. This enables combat to be faster and less roll
intensive, which is a good thing to many people. These rules are an
attempt to retrofit the defense ideas, but not exact mechanics, into
the Exalted game system while still keeping the general feel of the
game in place.

= Defense =

This is not the Defense of World of Darkness, but it is inspired by
it. If you want to see the original, pick up the book and send a
little money toward White Wolf.

A character's base defense is equal to the <i>higher</i> of their
Dexterity or Wits. This is a character's raw ability to get out of the
way or avoid the attack. Defense is added to soak, which is calculated
normally as per the main Exalted book. This includes Stamina and
armor.

= Combat Skills =

With the new system, there is only a single roll instead of an attack
and damage roll. Because of this, these rules uses the attribute that
inflicts the damage for the attack.

* Dexterity + Archery
* Strength + Brawl
* Dexterity + Martial Arts
* Strength + Melee
* Strength + Thrown

From the WOD book, all melee attacks (including Martial Arts) used
Strength, but the description of Martial Arts indicates that it is
combat based on precision and grace instead of raw physical power.

This does lead to another problem, in Exalted, Brawl is pretty much
the second cousin to Martial Arts. Brawl gets only a few feats instead
of the endless chains of fighting styles of Martial Arts. It also gets
less weapons that can be used with the skill. To compensate, either
Brawl needs to be given more usefulness or there is no reason to have
it. This system treats Brawl as all "hard" martial arts and Martial
Arts as the "soft" styles. They both are identical, except for Charms
and Style chains.

Weapons may only be used with Brawl or Martial Arts if they are
associated with the style. Otherwise, the weapon is considered a Melee
weapon with the same skill requirement. This means that any Melee
character can pick up a strange weapon and use it, which should be the
case.

Lunars can use either Brawl or Martial Arts in their natural
forms. Since Dexterity doesn't change, using Martial Arts ensures a
constant ability in combat while Brawl changes based on the mouse form
or the twenty meter squid form (which probably has a Strength 7 or
higher). Also Strength is easier to improve in Deadly Beast Form.

= Attacking =

When attacking, a character determines the number of dice from their
attack (Strength or Dexterity plus an ability), plus the accuracy and
damage of the weapon. They subtract the defense of their opponent from
this number.

If the attacker still has remaining dice, they roll it and every
success counts as 1 point of damage. A ten does not count as double
and the character cannot fail.

If the defender has equal or more defenses then attacking,
i.e. defense plus soak is greater than attacking skill and damage,
there is a chance that they missed. If the attacking character's
ability plus weapon accuracy (but not attribute) is equal to or
greater than the defense (not including soak) of the defender, they
automatically do a single die of damage (plus any Willpower
expenditures).

= Parrying and Dodging =

A character may choose to parry or dodge as appropriate. Successes
from these rolls are added to their defense for purposes of that
attack.

= Charms =

Any charm that adds to Dexterity + Attack adds to the attack value. Charms
that double the dice from the attack roll, now double the dice from the attack skill (ability plus accuracy)
above the defender's Defense (but not soak).

= Complications =

Multiple attackers against a single defender reduce their defense by 1
for each attacker beyond the first. The first one attacking attacks at
full defense, the second character (not attack) is at -1 defense, the
third is at -2, and so on. Characters with a low defense and multiple
attackers may actually have have their soak "reduced". This is done to
prevent a min/max character from creating an untouchable and also to
keep play interesting. Anyone can be dragged down, given enough
bodies.

A character may spend a willpower on either the attack or the actual
damage roll. For an attack, it just adds +1 to the effective attack
skill. If spend through a virtue, it adds +1 for every dot of that
virtue. A character may also spend a willpower on the damage, assuming
they hit. This performs as normal, granting either extra dice or an
automatic success. A character may not spend willpower on both the
attack and the damage of the same attack.

= Comments =

Comments welcomed and encouraged.

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