This is part of a series of articles that attempts to make some of the more confusing rules calls simple. In this one, we look at some reminders from our Rules Guides. Don’t forget to check out Part 1 (particularly for damage reduction) and Part 2 (about ways to incapacitate someone).
Reminders
A couple of reminders from our previous parts:
If you call “Bane” on a damage call against a creature with damage reduction, they just cancel out. Pretend it’s a normal damage call… it doesn’t get increased or decreased.
We talked about untying someone’s bonds in a previous blog, but don’t forget: if you want to untie someone quickly (5 seconds), it takes 1 Mind to cut their bonds. Otherwise it takes 1 minute but no Mind.
If you’re Stunned (including Takedown), you have to crumple to the ground for 5 seconds. You can’t just stand there.
Bleed Out
So… you’re reduced to 0 Body. Congrats! You’re in Bleed Out. First, realize that you can’t fake Bleed Out, so if you take a hit, fall over, and start acting like you’re dying, you’re going against the rules. There’s no real reason to lie down in a fight if you’re not in Bleed Out, so don’t do that. Bleed Out ends when your Bleed Out timer expires (typically 5 minutes, but some items or skills can change that) or you receive a Killing Blow. Once it ends, you’re dead and should lie on the ground for 10 minutes before going to Ops.
What’s a Killing Blow? Generally it’s a strike that takes three seconds, that you then declare. While you have to role play it, you don’t have to count out loud (although it’s a good idea if you’re an NPC to count to create a compelling scene). Murder acts as a Killing Blow as part of a strike, so effects that prevent Killing Blows prevent the effects of Murder.
The Lexicon
We have some terms in the Lexicon that you should know; it collects a number of rules into one place. Some highlights:
Agony - This call is countered by Basic Mental Endurance if it’s an Area of Effect or By My Voice call, or by Avoid if it’s delivered via a Strike or Ranged Attack.
Nail - This skill is countered by Avoid unless it’s an Area of Effect or By My Voice call, then you’re just stuck. It just forces you to keep your foot in the same spot on the ground for 1 minute or until you enter Bleed Out - you can still use skills and defend yourself.
Terror - This skill is countered by Basic Mental Endurance, and makes you flee for 30 seconds. It’s different than Fear, which just prevents you from attacking the source of your fear.
On the topic of Fear, please note you can’t use Basic Mental Endurance to counter it, and it is broken when you’re attacked by any foe; it doesn’t have to be the creature that caused it, but it can’t be your buddy tapping you for 2 damage.
Other Notes
Some other notes our Rules Guides asked us to pass on:
You can’t target yourself with a skill unless it says otherwise.
When you use your last Resolve, you can’t use items that cost or make you lose Resolve for the remainder of the event (this means no injectables!)
When you’re Blinded, you can’t use skills you’ve spent build on, so you can’t use Florentine.
If you Break something trapped, or the trap itself, you trigger the trap. Breaking containers Break the contents.