Fist Fights

(Back to Combat)

To explain the combat rules, we shall start with a simple, old-fashioned, one-on-one fist fight. Later we can add rules for melee weapons, multiple opponents, firearms, and other options.

This fight might be a barroom brawl, or any situation where two people are determined to hurt one another in unarmed combat. This is not a boxing match or a martial arts class; there are no holds barred here. This is down and dirty: fists fly, feet lash out, hair is pulled, foreheads clash, nails rake, fingers twist, vulnerable parts are targeted, eyes gouged, and teeth spat out. This is all encompassed in one skill: Brawling. The alternative to attacking is to try to avoid being hit, and this is represented by the Dodge skill.

Melee attacks are resolved using opposed skill rolls. When attacked, a character has a simple choice: either dodge or fight back.


 * If the character chooses to fight back, use the target's Fighting skill to oppose the attacker's Fighting skill.
 * If the character choose to dodge, use the target's Dodge skill to oppose the attacker's Fighting skill.
 * If the target is neither fighting back nor dodging, refer to surprise attacks.