Passing Strange Pt. 4: A few words on violence

Combat

Combat is essentially a series of oppositional Prowess v. Prowess rolls (or Luck, if you must). Prowess is used both offensively and defensively in melee and unarmed combat as well as firefights.

Damage

Baseline damage is determined by the weapon used. A successful attack that is two steps higher than the defender’s roll does double damage.

Escape

Disengaging from close combat is a Physique roll on the escapee’s part vs. the other combatant’s Prowess. Common sense should of course be exercised here. If you are trying to flee while being wrestled by nine maggot-men in war-rouge, you’re probably going to fail without outside help.

Ganging Up

If a group gangs up on a single opponent, the opponent must subtract their number from any Prowess (or Luck) rolls made during combat.

Distance

Distance is measured in a number of ranges.

Here: Close enough to punch (or kiss).
Reach: Close enough to fuck up with your baroque French polearm.
Far: The realm of bows, crossbows, thrown stones and handguns.
Distant: Here you need a rifle to hit someone.
Gone: High-powered sniper rifles and artillery.

Let’s do a quick example fight.

Blood Mutha, the flamboyant darling of the Basilisk AI decides it’s time for a real donnybrook. One doesn’t stay on top by being boring. When Savannah G, her sometime comrade walks by, BM lunges with her shiv.

As BM is beloved by the simulation, she uses Luck for this attack.

Luck: 11 (!) + 1D6 (a roll of 2): 13! An Arduous success and then some.

SG defends with her Prowess.

Prowess: 7+ 1D6 (a roll of 5): 12! A hard success.

The knife does 1D6 damage. With only one level of difference between attack and defense, it does normal damage. Blood Mutha’s player rolls a 3.

The knife penetrates Savannah’s uncannily smooth skin and the black goop which serves as her blood starts gushing out.

Savannah loses 3 SP, putting her at 6.

Reflexively She throws a wild punch at BM’s alarmingly spray tanned mug.

Prowess: 7+ 1D6 (a roll of 5): 12! Another Hard success.

BM defends with her Luck, now only a 10 because she has used it once

Luck: 10 + 1D6 (a roll of 1): 11! A Hard success, but lower than Savannah’s roll.

Her unarmed attack does 1D2 (2!) points of damage.

A righteous haymaker connects with BM’s jaw, making it rattle like loose change in a car’s trunk.

Now, Blood Mutha isn’t used to pain, or things going against her in general. With gritted teeth she whispers “A little help?” at the heavens where gods (even AI gods) are suspected to hang out.

Blood Mutha’s player spends 4 Luck to get her wish granted from the ineffable Basilisk. She isn’t being terribly specific though, and the Basilisk (GM) errs on the side of drama.

With a whisper of displaced air, a monochrome squad car materializes. Two individuals get out, their black uniforms a stark contrast to their milk-white faces. One removes an imaginary piece of lint from its sleeve, while the other unlimbers a massive, if strictly speaking non-existent, truncheon from its belt.

Blood Mutha blanches and Savannah hisses: “Fuckin’ mime police!” and takes off towards the basketball court, black blood spilling out behind her. BM tries to follow, still somewhat punch drunk.

Both player characters roll Physique to escape. The GM rolls for the two mime officers

Savannah:

Physique 7+ 1D6 (a roll of 3): 10. A Hard success.

Blood Mutha:

Physique 5+ 1D6 (a roll of 2): 7. A Commonplace success. Of course she could have used Luck, but with her extravagant use of the stat, she is down to 5 there as well.

Mime Police

Physique: 8+ 1D6 (a roll of 1): 9. A Hard success.

Despite being wounded, Savannah gets away from the Cops of Utmost Silence. For now anyway. Blood Mutha on the other hand will learn how hard being interesting can be as the mime officers quickly catch up with her.

No, YOU don't have the right to remain silent.

The two player characters' stat blocks

Name: Blood Mutha

Background: Basilisk bae

The world is a simulation, right? There is an AI, a computer god running everything. It loves you, the way you might love a sitcom character or a YouTuber. The Basilisk (that’s what’s they call the AI) finds you interesting, comical and hot in some way. Of course you can’t relax. After all there are BILLIONS of competitors out there, whether they know it or not.

The Basilisk loves you, for now. Have 2 extra points of Luck as the simulation accommodates you. Once per session you can spend 4 Luck points to make a wish. If the AI thinks it’d be interesting it’ll give you what you ask for, while maintaining the simulation’s integrity. If you’re being boring the 4 points will be gone for good.

Prowess 5

Physique 5

Brains 5

Luck 11

Staying Power (SP): 9

All The Money (ATM): 2

Knife 1D6

Name: Savannah G

Background: Navel deficiency

You don’t have a navel. An omphalos. The part where an umbilical chord was supposed to plug in. You were home schooled, and your parents left that part out (along with a lot of other stuff). They did teach you that Adam was born with a navel despite having never been in a womb. God wants the world to look older than it is apparently.

They died in an accident involving a big rig and a country road, so there ain’t no asking them what it all means. Are you another of God’s gotchas? Where the hell do you come from?

Add 2 to your Physique and your SP (up to a max of 11). You cannot pass a simple physical, even if you manage to hide your absent belly button.

Prowess 7

Physique 7

Brains 6

Luck 4

Staying Power (SP): 9

All The Money (ATM): 2

Unarmed 1D2