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Let's Read Sword World 2.5!
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<blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 8772270" data-attributes="member: 6680772"><p>So, <strong>Special Combat Abilities</strong>. The next section of the rulebook merely goes over how they work, but in order to make it clear (and I little less dry), I'll be jumping ahead to the list of SCAs (contained in the Data section of the book), so people can see clear examples, and get an idea of what SCAs are in the game.</p><p></p><p>As I said before, these occupy much same kind of design space as Feats in WotC-era D&D. They are a collection of buffs, penalties, and exceptions to the general rules of combat. Players get one at character generation, and then additional one every odd Adventurer Level. Some of them are gated behind Skill Package or Level (or both) requirements. SCAs are split into four categories: <strong>always-on</strong>, <strong>declaration</strong>, <strong>Main Action</strong>, and <strong>automatically acquired</strong>. In contrast to Spells, which use transliterated English for names, SCAs are almost entirely in Japanese. I suppose this is another example of the "mundane" vs. "magic" dichotomy.</p><p></p><p>SCAs are presented in a uniform format that lists: Name, requirements for acquisition, use (any requirements or conditions to use it), application (only for declaration SCAs, and describes their scope), a summary of what it does, and then a detailed explanation of its mechanical effect. Some SCAs have a roman numeral after them. This indicates higher level versions that can be taken later. (For many, the later versions are in the other core rulebooks.)</p><p></p><p><strong>Always-on</strong> SCAs are the second largest category. These kinds of SCAs would probably quite familiar to a 5e player in how they work. You pick them, make adjustments to your character sheet, then forget about them. They include</p><p>Guardian I - An extension and expansion of Cover (see below).</p><p>Counterstrike - For every successful Evasion check in a round, the lower limit of your critical range goes down for your next attack. </p><p>Dodge - Available at Level 3 or higher; adds a permament +1 to your Evasion checks.</p><p>Tough - Only available to Warrior Skill Packages at level 5 or higher; a +15 to your max HP.</p><p>Twin Attack - An extension of the Ambidextrous SCA which allows you to split your attacks to different targets.</p><p>Targeting - Allows you to shoot into a Melee Zone without endangering an ally.</p><p>Eagle Eye - An extension of Targeting that allows you to shoot through a Melee Zone into the opposing Rear Zone.</p><p>Throw Enhancement I - Available at Grappler 3; increases damage and effectiveness of the Grappler's Throw SCA.</p><p>Duel Wielding - Available at Level 5; removes the penalty from double attacks with Ambidextrous.</p><p>Weapon Training A/S - Initially allows access to A-class weapons of a specified type. Can be taken again to get access to S-class weapons.</p><p>Stomp - Available at Grappler 5; allows a Kick attack following a successful Throw.</p><p>Ever Changing I - Available at Grappler or Fencer 5; allows the use of two declaration SCAs in one round.</p><p>Armor Training A/S - Allows access to A-class and later S-class armor.</p><p>Magic Enhancement Master - Extension of the Magical Enhancement SCAs that allows for more flexible and efficient use of them.</p><p>Ambidextrous - Allows two attacks at a single target, at a -2 penalty for each attack.</p><p>MP Reduction - Reduces the MP cost for spells of a specified kind of magic.</p><p></p><p><strong>Declaration</strong> SCAs are the largest group. They have a duration (typically 1 round, or 1 attack), and sometimes come with a Risk, some kind of temporary penalty.</p><p>In-fight I - Available at Grappler 5. The Grappler chooses one target, and they get a +2 to their attack against that target for 1 round. However, they can't attack any other characters for that round, and they take a -2 penalty to Evasion for that round.</p><p>Decoy Attack I - Declared along with an attack; there's a -2 penalty to hit that target, but damage is +2, if the target Evades, they keep a -1 to further Evasion checks for 1 round.</p><p>Cover I - Declared at the start of the round, the character selects 1 adjacent ally, and for the next round they can take any attack that would normally hit that ally.</p><p>Return Cut - Declared when attacking with a two-handed weapon. If the target Evades that attack, the character gets a second attack against the same target with the same weapon.</p><p>Contained Strike I - Declared along with an attack, this increases to-hit by +1, but the target number for a critical hit goes up by 1 when rolling damage.</p><p>Full Power Strike - Damage goes up by +4, but Evasion gets -2 penalty for the next round.</p><p>Challenging Strike I - If a target is hit, damage is -2, but for the next round they have to try to attack the character that used this SCA.</p><p>Defense Stance - The user chooses one of either Evasion, Life Resistance, or Spiritual Resistance, and they get +4 to that check for one round. All other checks (except for the other two of those mentioned above, and Life-or-Death checks) take a -4 penalty.</p><p>Sweeping Cut - Available at Fighter 3. One attack with a two handed sword can hit up to three enemies, but damage is -3.</p><p>Violent Cast - +2 to Wield Magic checks for damage-inducing spells.</p><p>Deadly Blow - +1 to the damage roll on successful hits, increasing the chance of a critical, but receives a -2 Evasion penalty for the next round.</p><p>Magic Enhancement/Power/Reliability/Number/Distance/Time/Area - Various enhancements for magic, each its own separate SCA.</p><p>Magic Enhancement All - An extension of the above that allows the caster to choose one or more of the above effects.</p><p>Magic Restraint - Allows the focusing of an area effect spell on a single target.</p><p>Magic Suppression - Allows the caster to exclude chosen characters from the effect of an area effect spell. Requires both Targeting and Magic Restraint.</p><p>Magical Blow - Allows someone making a melee attack to add their Magic Bonus to the damage of the attack. Takes a -2 penalty to Life Resistance and Spiritual Resistance.</p><p>Multi-action - Available at Level 5. Allows a character making a melee attack To-Hit Check to make an additional Wield Magic check on the same turn, and vice versa.</p><p>Armor Piercing - Halves Armor Protection of an enemy, in return for raising the target number for a critical hit +1.</p><p></p><p>There are only two <strong>Main Action</strong> SCAs. </p><p>Aimed Shot - The user spends one turn aiming at a target. Movement must be Limited Movement. On their next turn, they fire. If the To-hit check result is 3 or higher than the target's Evasion check, the attack does double damage. If it's 1 or 2 higher, then only normal damage is taken.</p><p>Ward Break - The character can try to dispel one ongoing magical effect (without actually using the spell).</p><p></p><p>Finally the four <strong>Automatically Acquired</strong> SCAs. These are essentially Skill Package features, automatically obtained at a certain level. They do not count against the standard SCAs characters receive at these levels. They are always on.</p><p>Extra Attack - Acquired by the Grappler at Level 1.</p><p>Treasure Hunt - Acquired by the Scout at Level 5. Provides a +1 to the Spoils roll after an enemy is defeated.</p><p>Survivability - Acquired by the Ranger at Level 5. If the ranger is in a natural environment, once per day they can automatically succeed at a Life Resistance of Spiritual Resistance check.</p><p>Sharp Eyes - Acquired by the Sage at Level 5. Same effect as Treasure Hunt.</p><p></p><p>Next up, we'll do a little final Rules clean-up, and take a look at the <strong>Fellows</strong> rules, a new addition to Sword World 2.5!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iosue, post: 8772270, member: 6680772"] So, [B]Special Combat Abilities[/B]. The next section of the rulebook merely goes over how they work, but in order to make it clear (and I little less dry), I'll be jumping ahead to the list of SCAs (contained in the Data section of the book), so people can see clear examples, and get an idea of what SCAs are in the game. As I said before, these occupy much same kind of design space as Feats in WotC-era D&D. They are a collection of buffs, penalties, and exceptions to the general rules of combat. Players get one at character generation, and then additional one every odd Adventurer Level. Some of them are gated behind Skill Package or Level (or both) requirements. SCAs are split into four categories: [B]always-on[/B], [B]declaration[/B], [B]Main Action[/B], and [B]automatically acquired[/B]. In contrast to Spells, which use transliterated English for names, SCAs are almost entirely in Japanese. I suppose this is another example of the "mundane" vs. "magic" dichotomy. SCAs are presented in a uniform format that lists: Name, requirements for acquisition, use (any requirements or conditions to use it), application (only for declaration SCAs, and describes their scope), a summary of what it does, and then a detailed explanation of its mechanical effect. Some SCAs have a roman numeral after them. This indicates higher level versions that can be taken later. (For many, the later versions are in the other core rulebooks.) [B]Always-on[/B] SCAs are the second largest category. These kinds of SCAs would probably quite familiar to a 5e player in how they work. You pick them, make adjustments to your character sheet, then forget about them. They include Guardian I - An extension and expansion of Cover (see below). Counterstrike - For every successful Evasion check in a round, the lower limit of your critical range goes down for your next attack. Dodge - Available at Level 3 or higher; adds a permament +1 to your Evasion checks. Tough - Only available to Warrior Skill Packages at level 5 or higher; a +15 to your max HP. Twin Attack - An extension of the Ambidextrous SCA which allows you to split your attacks to different targets. Targeting - Allows you to shoot into a Melee Zone without endangering an ally. Eagle Eye - An extension of Targeting that allows you to shoot through a Melee Zone into the opposing Rear Zone. Throw Enhancement I - Available at Grappler 3; increases damage and effectiveness of the Grappler's Throw SCA. Duel Wielding - Available at Level 5; removes the penalty from double attacks with Ambidextrous. Weapon Training A/S - Initially allows access to A-class weapons of a specified type. Can be taken again to get access to S-class weapons. Stomp - Available at Grappler 5; allows a Kick attack following a successful Throw. Ever Changing I - Available at Grappler or Fencer 5; allows the use of two declaration SCAs in one round. Armor Training A/S - Allows access to A-class and later S-class armor. Magic Enhancement Master - Extension of the Magical Enhancement SCAs that allows for more flexible and efficient use of them. Ambidextrous - Allows two attacks at a single target, at a -2 penalty for each attack. MP Reduction - Reduces the MP cost for spells of a specified kind of magic. [B]Declaration[/B] SCAs are the largest group. They have a duration (typically 1 round, or 1 attack), and sometimes come with a Risk, some kind of temporary penalty. In-fight I - Available at Grappler 5. The Grappler chooses one target, and they get a +2 to their attack against that target for 1 round. However, they can't attack any other characters for that round, and they take a -2 penalty to Evasion for that round. Decoy Attack I - Declared along with an attack; there's a -2 penalty to hit that target, but damage is +2, if the target Evades, they keep a -1 to further Evasion checks for 1 round. Cover I - Declared at the start of the round, the character selects 1 adjacent ally, and for the next round they can take any attack that would normally hit that ally. Return Cut - Declared when attacking with a two-handed weapon. If the target Evades that attack, the character gets a second attack against the same target with the same weapon. Contained Strike I - Declared along with an attack, this increases to-hit by +1, but the target number for a critical hit goes up by 1 when rolling damage. Full Power Strike - Damage goes up by +4, but Evasion gets -2 penalty for the next round. Challenging Strike I - If a target is hit, damage is -2, but for the next round they have to try to attack the character that used this SCA. Defense Stance - The user chooses one of either Evasion, Life Resistance, or Spiritual Resistance, and they get +4 to that check for one round. All other checks (except for the other two of those mentioned above, and Life-or-Death checks) take a -4 penalty. Sweeping Cut - Available at Fighter 3. One attack with a two handed sword can hit up to three enemies, but damage is -3. Violent Cast - +2 to Wield Magic checks for damage-inducing spells. Deadly Blow - +1 to the damage roll on successful hits, increasing the chance of a critical, but receives a -2 Evasion penalty for the next round. Magic Enhancement/Power/Reliability/Number/Distance/Time/Area - Various enhancements for magic, each its own separate SCA. Magic Enhancement All - An extension of the above that allows the caster to choose one or more of the above effects. Magic Restraint - Allows the focusing of an area effect spell on a single target. Magic Suppression - Allows the caster to exclude chosen characters from the effect of an area effect spell. Requires both Targeting and Magic Restraint. Magical Blow - Allows someone making a melee attack to add their Magic Bonus to the damage of the attack. Takes a -2 penalty to Life Resistance and Spiritual Resistance. Multi-action - Available at Level 5. Allows a character making a melee attack To-Hit Check to make an additional Wield Magic check on the same turn, and vice versa. Armor Piercing - Halves Armor Protection of an enemy, in return for raising the target number for a critical hit +1. There are only two [B]Main Action[/B] SCAs. Aimed Shot - The user spends one turn aiming at a target. Movement must be Limited Movement. On their next turn, they fire. If the To-hit check result is 3 or higher than the target's Evasion check, the attack does double damage. If it's 1 or 2 higher, then only normal damage is taken. Ward Break - The character can try to dispel one ongoing magical effect (without actually using the spell). Finally the four [B]Automatically Acquired[/B] SCAs. These are essentially Skill Package features, automatically obtained at a certain level. They do not count against the standard SCAs characters receive at these levels. They are always on. Extra Attack - Acquired by the Grappler at Level 1. Treasure Hunt - Acquired by the Scout at Level 5. Provides a +1 to the Spoils roll after an enemy is defeated. Survivability - Acquired by the Ranger at Level 5. If the ranger is in a natural environment, once per day they can automatically succeed at a Life Resistance of Spiritual Resistance check. Sharp Eyes - Acquired by the Sage at Level 5. Same effect as Treasure Hunt. Next up, we'll do a little final Rules clean-up, and take a look at the [B]Fellows[/B] rules, a new addition to Sword World 2.5! [/QUOTE]
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