INITIATIVE: To decide who goes first in combat, reveal a card.

Suit	Initiative
♥♦	Your group goes first.
♣♠	The enemy group goes first.

The group order stays the same until the combat is over.

The individual order is not tracked; go with what makes the most sense or who’s most excited to play next.

The combat ends when all player characters or enemies run out of resilience, or if one side decides to withdraw (see Enemy Morale).

Enemies

Enemies are made of resilience, armor and weapons, which work exactly like yours. You can build your own enemies or convert some from existing OSR bestiaries.

Mobs of enemies may be grouped together as a single entity.

During Your Turn

During a combat turn, choose one:

• Make a trial roll to attempt to reduce future DRs, to damage your target’s armor/weapon, or to otherwise alter the fiction.
• Perform an attack.

Attack | The Game

To attack, choose between:

WEAPON: When attacking with a weapon, the weapon’s die rating will serve as damage die.

FEAT: When trying to harm an enemy through other means, the GM assigns a damage die to your action (d4 - d12).

In both cases, make a trial roll (including card to hand or XP).

SUCCESS: Use the damage die as is, or step it up if you rolled a 20.

SETBACK: Step down the damage die once, or twice if you rolled a 1. The GM may inflict a consequence in addition to or in place of the stepped down damage die (e.g., a damaged weapon).

Roll the damage die and deal that much damage to your target’s resilience, minus their armor die roll. A damage die always ranges from a d4 to a d12.

During An Enemy’s Turn

Enemies attack and prompt you to defend with a trial roll (including card to hand or XP).

SUCCESS: You avoid the attack, and the DR of your next roll is lowered if you rolled a 20.

SETBACK: You get hit, the GM uses the enemy's damage die, stepped up if you rolled a 1. The GM may inflict a consequence in addition to or in place of the damage dealt to you (e.g., your armor is damaged, you gain a condition). The GM rolls the damage die and deals that much damage to your resilience, minus your armor die roll.

Enemy Morale

When enemies feel outnumbered or see their leader fall, reveal a card to determine how they react.

Suit	Morale
♥	They panic and try to flee.
♦	They surrender or negotiate.
♣	They stay in the fight.
♠	They double down on the fight.