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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dragonblade" data-source="post: 4665206" data-attributes="member: 2804">My Palladium House Rules patch v2.5--------------Number of Attacks:Every character gets a base of 2 Hand-to-Hand Attacks per round PLUS whatever they get from HTH Martial Arts or Expert or whatever (including any of the myriad martial arts in N&S or Mystic China).  So a level one character with HTH martial arts would get 4 attacks (+1 if they took Boxing). An attack does not necessarily mean you have to actually attack. Any significant action in combat could be used as an "attack". GM discretion. Minor actions are generally free, and you can also generally move up to your speed in addition to attacking. Combat should be fluid, freeform, cinematic and fun. A single attack action on your turn in initiative order could simply be: "I punch my enemy" all the way to, "My character leaps across the table, and fires his pistol at the guy by the door."General combat:Combat flow is the same.  Roll initiative.  Combatants take turns in descending initiative order.  Roll to Strike when you attack.  If you are being attacked then you can roll to Parry or Dodge.  Move to the next combatant until everyone has used up all their attacks.  Roll initiative again.  Repeat.The Palladium combat system offers a wide variety of different combat moves which can apply different modifiers to your strikes, dodges, and parries. The Ninjas and Superspies RPG probably has the most exhaustive list.Some special combat moves take up more than one attack.  Thats fine, simply subtract the cost of the move from the number of attacks you have remaining in your attack "pool" so to speak.  Most magic spells or special powers or whatever usually cost 1 attack.You can delay and act later in the initiative order, but if you wait until your turn comes back around your action is lost. Don't forget that unlike in d20, everyone rerolls initiative once all combatants have used up all their attacks. A single combat round is approximately 15 seconds and starts when initiative is rolled, and ends when everyone is out of attacks. If combat is continuing then you would reroll initiative for the second round of combat.Dodging:Dodging costs 1 attack unless you have Auto-Dodge, but you don't lose your turn.  Example, I have 4 attacks.  I have highest init, so I go first.  I attack and the defender dodges or parries.  I have 3 attacks left.  My foe attacks me.  I dodge and now have 2 attacks left.  My turn again, I attack and now have 1 attack left.  And so on.You CAN dodge even if you are out of attacks but dodging will cost you attacks if you have them.  If you have Auto-Dodge then you do not lose an attack when you dodge.If you are surrounded by numerous foes or fighting a particularly tough one it is conceivable that you might choose to spend most of your actions dodging and not attack back.  In this case, winning initiative in a subsequent round becomes important so that you can go first and attack.  Or you can choose to not dodge one of the attacks and save an attack action for striking.If multiple enemies attack you before your next turn in initiative order comes up again, you can opt to apply the results of one dodge roll against all attacks until your turn in initiative comes up again, or you can spend an attack to roll your dodge again. Once your turn in initiative comes up, your dodge ends regardless of whether you choose to attack or not.Dodge rules generally apply to parries as well, but most HTH styles make parry an auto-action meaning you can roll unlimited parries and it never costs an attack. Generally speaking, you can only parry melee attacks unless otherwised allowed per the description of a power or special ability. All attacks can be dodged.Bursts:You can fire several different kind of bursts.  They do varying degrees of damage depending on how long you hold the trigger down and how many rounds you use up.  Any weapon that says it has "Standard rate of fire" or can fire bursts in its description can fire bursts.  Any weapon that specifically says it cannot fire bursts or can only fire single shots or can only fire pre-set pulses/ bursts CANNOT fire bursts.  For example, some rail guns only fire pre-set bursts.  Those weapons follow the rules in their description and cannot be used to fire freeform variable bursts as written below.  When in doubt, GM decides.  All bursts cost 1 attack to use.  Its simply a matter of how many rounds you want to fire.  If you have a vehicle, a power back, or are playing a Bot or a Borg, you can link an energy weapon such as laser or plasma weapons to your power system and can basically fire long-bursts all day long without worrying about ammo. Obviously this doesn't apply to weapons that fire solid projectiles like regular guns, rail guns, etc.Mini- burst:  uses up 1d4+1 rounds and does x2 damageShort-burst: uses up 1d6+4 rounds and does x3 damageMedium burst: uses up 1d8 +6 rounds and does x4 damageLong-burst: uses up 1d10+8 rounds and does x5 damageSprays:A burst capable weapon can spray any number of adjacent targets (within reason, GM's should rule out ridiculous abuses).  Roll to strike normally and each defender can choose to roll a dodge vs. that one strike roll.  Any defender hit takes damage from one shot.  A spray uses up 1d4+1 rounds per target.  GM adjudication is important here because tightly clustered targets may be hit by more than one round each.  Also there is a limit to how many opponents can effectively be targeted in 1 attack.  It is impossible to write rules that cover every situation so GM common sense should prevail.Missiles:When firing missiles singly or in a volley, roll to strike using all relevant modifiers.  That is the Strike roll for the FIRST missile.  Every missile in a volley beyond the first missile gains a cumulative +1 to Strike.  Example, I fire 4 missiles.  My Strike roll is a 15.  Thus missiles 2,3,and 4 have strike rolls of 16, 17, and 18, respectively.  Next the defender rolls to dodge.  If he rolls 18 or higher than he is ok and dodged all the missiles.  If he rolled a 16, then he is hit by two missiles (those with strike rolls of 17 and 18) and dodges two.Called shots:Making a called shot is difficult but can be done.  Some mecha have specific called shot modifiers depending upon the location.  You can use these or use mine.  I generally hold that the head is -8 and that specific limbs are -4.  Other areas can be determined by the GM on a case by case basis.  Of course, individual GMs are free to change these values for increased or reduced lethality.  An attacker must announce a called shot and then roll to strike.  The defender can dodge and the called shot modifier can be applied as a penalty to the attackers roll or as a bonus to the defenders.  I usually say bonus for the defender.  Any strike roll that rolls high enough to hit but not high enough to hit  with the called shot modifier hits the main body instead.  Called shots to the head that miss, miss completely.  A called shot costs 2 attacks and must be a single shot.  Weapons that cannot fire single shots cannot be used for called shots.  Generally the head and/or any limb can take 25% of the damage that the main body can unless otherwise noted.Movement:A character can generally move anywhere and as much as they like within reason everytime their turn in combat comes up.  Look at a characters speed and extrapolate from there.  To encourage fast anime-style combat, any "reasonable" movement should be allowed.  Movement is usually free.Any Palladium rule not specifically superceded by my house rules was generally kept as is or adjudicated on a case by case basis.</blockquote>

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