Sketchley's Statistics			MRG - play stats here ABOUT LINKS	MAIN INDEX
LOCATIONS	TRANSLATIONS	FAQ & RULES	UPDATES

By AARON SKETCHLEY (aaronsketch@HOTdelete_thisMAIL.com)

Ver 1.2 2018.05.28

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Official Setting information is in darkgreen. Extended Universe information is in steelblue.

Sourcebook: über-Simple Palladium

This game cannot be played without a core book of one of Palladium Books' games. Recommended are Robotech RPG Book One: Macross, Macross II the RPG or Rifts.

Distribute freely.

Quick Find Table
Stats Spiritia Abilities/Psionics Character Origin, Occupation and Skills Skills Experience "Points" (SEP) and Skills	Learning New Skills and Improving Skills Combat Basics Basic Attacks Basic Defences Impact, Stunned, and Hand to Hand Combat Damage	Expanded Combat Basics Advanced Combat Moves Expert Combat Moves Healing, Comas and Death Saving Throws

STATS

Roll 3D6 for each attribute. If the result is 16, 17, 18, roll another 1D6. If that roll's result is 6, roll another 1D6.
Max for any attribute is 30.

ME Bonus: Add to mind Saves.
PS Bonus: Add to damage in unarmed and melee combat. The damage bonus also applies to thrown weapons and bows.
PP Bonus: Add to combat rolls other then initiative, saving throws, and damage.
PE Bonus: Add to body saves.
Spd Bonus: Add to initiative. (Spd x5 = max metres run per melee. Spd x1.2 = approx kmph.)

Perception: (IQ+ME)x2%
Base Loyalty Rating: MAx5%
Base Affected by Fatigue/Resistance to Disease: PEx5%
Get noticed chance: PBx5% (note: inverse for PB below 4)
Trust/Intimidate: (MA-10)*5% (negative = 0%). Success means a temporary 25% reduction to all of the subject's abilities (when in the invoker's favor) for one scene, 15 minutes, or 1 round of combat (cumulative with MA's skill bonuses).
Charm/Impress: (PB-10)*5% (negative = 0%). Success means a temporary 25% reduction to all of the subjectfs abilities (when in the invoker's favor) for one scene, 15 minutes, or 1 round of combat (cumulative with MA's skill bonuses).
Sense of Balance: PP*1%

SPIRITIA ABILITIES/PSIONICS Optional

Players can skip this if they don't want a character with spiritia abilities/psionics.

Spiritia abilities are basically psionics that need some kind of action (usually singing) before the ability manifests. Refer to the "Rifts" core book (original) for the description of psionic powers.

To determine if your character has Spiritia abilities, roll 1D100:

01 Anima Spiritia: consult your GM to discuss abilities, how they manifest, and ISP.
02-04 Major Spiritia Abilities (Psionics): select 8 powers from 1 category or 6 from any of the 3 categories available. The categories are: Sensitive, Physical and Healer. ISP is ME+4D6. Add 1D6+1 per level*.
05-13 Minor Spiritia Abilities (Psionics): select 2 powers from any one of the following categories: Sensitive, Physical or Healer. Base ISP is ME+2D6. Add 1D6 per level*.
14-00 No Spiritia Abilities

* Players start at ME*1=% (bump up to 10% for players with an ME less than 10). Level up when the skill % is 10% higher (20%, 30%, etc.).

CHARACTER ORIGIN, OCCUPATION AND SKILLS

Base Skills
Start at IQ*3%. Add the education table skill bonus (ETSB) when determined.
Note: as this step is primarily being used as a tool to determine skills, it is possible to have a totally different background for your character.

1. determine Type of World and Settlement of origin (either by choice or randomly rolled)
2. roll for class
3. roll for education quality (follow links on class chart)
4. roll for potential base skills (same as c)

• ANY skill may be chosen as a secondary, as long as prerequisites are met, and the GM approves.
• Master Skills List.
• Skills can be selected more than once. If a skill has been selected more than once, add 1D12% (with results of 11 and 12 being +0%) to the skill for every additional appearance or selection after the first time.

1. Years of Experience: roll 1D100. 01-50: add 1 year. Roll again. 51-00: No more experience.
   For every year of experience: add 1D10% to the Base Skills, Skill Program, MOS, and Secondary Skills. Also add 1D20% to any one skill (this could be a new or existing skill).
2. Age: add the length of education + any years of experience + 16.
3. base HP: PE+1D6.
4. Base SDC: 5D6. If the character has joined the military, roll 1D6: (1-2 = +5 SDC, 3-4 = +10 SDC, 5-6 = +15 SDC)

• Calculate skill %, if you haven't already done so.
• Consulte the skill bonuses for any combat, attribute, HP or SDC bonuses. (Ignore entirely, for über-über-simple character creation).

SKILLS

Roll less then the skill percentage on 1D100 to succeed at skill checks. Skill percentages may go above 100% and may cancel penalties, but rolls of 99-100 automatically fail. Rolls of 01-02 automatically succeed.
Skill Checks can be done on 1D20: 21-(%/10)= roll needed to beat on 1D20. A roll of 20 automatically succeeds, and a roll of 1 automatically fails.

• Easy: skill x2.
• Average: no change
• Difficult: skill/2

EXPERIENCE "Points" (SEP) AND SKILLS

The GM hands out Skill Experience Points (SEP), rather than 'experience points' at the end of the session or encounter. In general, only 1 point per skill can be gained per encounter or day.

• 1 point: each time a skill is used successfully and/or when just barely failing a difficult task.
• 2 points: for an outstanding success.
• 0 points: for doing an easy task with a skill over 50%, outstanding success or not. Same for an average task with a skill over 100%.

1. Skill %-100 = Skill Level (SL)
2. Consult the Experience Multiplier Chart for the Experience Multiplier (EM).
3. EM x Skill Experience Points (SEP) = skill % increase. Add to the skill.
4. Maximum skill level is 196% (aka 98% chance at a difficult task.)

LEARNING NEW SKILLS AND IMPROVING SKILLS

New skills can be learned at any time.

• New basic skills: IQ*1%.
• New complex skills: IQ*0.5%.
• As soon as the skill has been used successfully, experience is gained and the skill can be added to the character sheet.
• 1 SEP (see Experience "Points" (SEP) And Skills) can be earned per day by being taught or observing someone performing a skill—but only if the person performing the skill is taking the time to explain what is going on and generally extends the normal length of time the task takes by anywhere from 50% to 100% longer. This cannot be done if under some sort of time pressure or if the character performing the task refuses to explain it.

COMBAT BASICS

The Melee Round:
15 seconds long. With actions that require more than 1 action to complete, the remaining actions are reduced from the total remaining, and don't invalidate the character's next action in the next phase, if any remain. Divide 15 by the number of character actions to roughly determine how much can be done in each of the character's attacks/actions.

All combat rolls except damage are a D20+ applicable bonuses. Bonuses are from attributes and a skill, if applicable.
High roll always wins. Ties go to the defender.

Also, any movement or movement change that takes place before or after an attack is free. For vehicle combat, this includes transformation to a new facing, and makes it possible to transform to battroid, turn around and shoot tailing missiles with a gun pod in one action. Transform back to fighter and resume original heading would require another action. Characters with a skill of 75% or higher can do it all in 1 attack.

1. Initiative: 1D20+bonuses, if applicable. Highest roll goes first. Tied players roll again, and the higher roll among the tied players goes first. At the end of the Melee Round, initiative is rolled again, and combat continues until one side is defeated, surrenders or gets away.
2. Actions [Attacks]: is any action, from a combat attack on an opponent, fleeing, leaping behind cover, moving, performing a skill or transforming to a different mode. Even though magic isn't applicable to the game, it can be quickened with the following change: 1 attack for spells that take 1/2 a melee. 2 attacks for spells that take 1 melee. 3 attacks for spells that take 2 melees, and so on.
3. Defend: attacks must be defended against. If a character fails to defend against an attack, they receive damage. If a character fails to parry or dodge, in many cases, they can attempt to roll with the blow, to reduce damage.
4. Damage: roll the damage dice of the weapon type, and apply any modifiers (either a bonus to the amount of damage in hand to hand combat or a reduction due to the opponent having rolled with the blow.
5. Repeat in Order of Initiative: until all characters are out of actions. Then reroll initiative and repeat.

BASIC ATTACKS

• Combat Bonus: add to all combat rolls except initiative, saving throws and damage. There are two ways to conveniently determine the bonus:

Note: Missiles: for convenience, use the same combat bonus as the pilot.

• Itano Missile Circus: firing up to all remaining missiles in 1 volley. Volleys larger than 50 missiles count as 2 actions.
  - the Rate of Fire (ROF) determines the maximum number of targets that can be attacked simultaneously.
  - fire-linking is possible only between Super Packs and internal launchers aimed in the same direction, firing the same class of missile.
  - the ROF can be combined.
• Neck Hold/Choke: works just like a normal neck hold, but does 1D4 per attack. Unlike a regular choke, the damage is not direct to HP.
• Pull Punch: is the ability to control the force of a hand to hand attack. It is usually used to reduce the attack to less than lethal force. The character can choose 1/2 damage, 1/4 damage, a single point of damage or no damage at all. A character must declare a pulled punch, the player must roll 11 or higher on a D20; failure means full damage is inflicted. Pull punch can also be used with weapons. If successful, it means that the victim was hit with a blunt part of the weapon or with a glancing blow.
• Push: Shoving one's opponent. May force a balance check, and may move the enemy or allow the PC to get past an enemy.
• Sneak Attack: the sneak attacker always has initiative, and the defender is not able to parry or dodge the first attack.
• Strike: 5 or higher is needed to hit in hand-to-hand or melee combat. 8 or higher is needed to hit with a ranged weapon; which are difficult to use against fast moving targets.
  - Called Shot: 13 or higher to hit the specified target. Depending on the size of the target, there may be additional penalties. Striking an arm is generally at -2, striking the head is at -3, and hitting the eyes or sensor is at -5 or -6. If the resulting total is 12 or less but still beats the strike number normally required, then the main body is hit instead.
  - Critical Hit: is the roll before bonuses. Damage x2+damage bonus or exactly what the player was attempting, unless the target rolls a natural 20 to defend. Jump kicks, leap attacks and power punches are all critical strikes. If two critical hits are combined, the damage is x3+damage bonus.
  - Fumble: a natural 1. Usually has quite negative effects to the attacker (gun jams, blows up, etc.). GMs should make them interesting.

BASIC DEFENCES

• Activation of PPB: is free. Effectively a single disc (one large disc, or two or three small discs, moving and protecting a location together, is up to the player).
  - anything other then keeping the PPB over a stationary point on the vehicle costs 1 action.
• Armour Rating (AR): is ignored in general. AR is only applicable to called shots (on unarmoured areas). Otherwise, the armour takes all damage from attacks until depleted (when S/MDC = 0).
• Balance Check: some actions may cause a character to be knocked down. If this happens, the character loses initiative and one attack. Roll against Sense of Balance to keep from being tripped, knocked over, falling, etc..
• Dodge: a dodge can be attempted if a parry fails or is impossible. Characters can attempt to dodge virtually anything - gunfire, magical lightening blasts, large volleys of missiles, etc.. In human scale combat, there is no combat bonus added when dodging fast moving ranged weapons (arrows, bullets, beam guns, etc.).
  - moving targets: are harder to hit with ranged weapons; either a +1 (low/med or med/high) or +3 (low/high) to dodge; pending the speed differential.
  - evasive action: the pilot spends all his attacks moving defensively. The following bonus is added to ALL dodge attempts: ground vehicles are +1, and flying vehicles are +3 to dodge (or double the speed differential dodge bonus for similar vehicles (ground vs. ground; air vs. air).
  - dodging space ship guns: Variable craft, jets and Zentraadi mobile weapons are +6. All other mobile weapons and helicopters are + 2 to dodge.
• Dodging Missile Volleys: -1 to dodge for every 4 missiles over the first 4 (8 missiles -1, 12 missiles -2, etc.).
  - Countermeasures (chaff/flares/squibs): counteract this negative modifier and distract or destroy the attacking missiles. There may be times when one should counterattack the missiles or dive for cover and hope for the best.
• Parry: parries are the primary defensive maneuver in hand-to-hand combat. A successful parry means the target takes no damage and blocked the strike from hitting (with a shield, sword, hand, etc).
  - empty handed parry of a weapon: by blocking the arm or hand of the attacker, has no combat bonuses.
  - parrying ranged weapons: can only be done with a shield, but at -10. In addition, the shield takes the attack's full damage.
• Roll with punch/fall/impact: half damage if the defender is successful (rolls higher than the attack roll).
  - Roll with Punch: attempting to roll with the blow can be made after a failed parry or even a failed dodge. Does not work against energy blasts, bullets, fire, bladed weapons, psionics or radiation. If the strike was an attempted Knock-Out or Death Strike, the blow does standard damage, and the target is still conscious.
  - Roll with Fall: 14 or higher.
  - Roll with Impact: can not be used to roll with auto cannons, machine guns, energy weapons or plasma/napalm.
• Simultaneous Attack: the defender chooses to attack instead of defend. The advantage of a simultaneous attack is that neither opponent can parry, dodge or entangle. Chances are that both attacks will strike. However, a character with paired weapons can engage in simultaneous attack (with one weapon) AND parry (with the other), OR both the paired weapons can be used to strike with no parry.
• Shooting Missiles: is possible, but the effects vary on the type of weapon used and the amount fired. In almost all cases, if a missile is hit, it's destroyed.
  Roll 1D100. If the result is less than the fratricide %, then ALL the missiles in the volley are destroyed.
  • Single Shot (Gun Pod or Laser): 15% chance of fratricide (1D20: 17 or higher).
  • 10 round burst (Gun Pod or Laser) at 1 missile: 50% chance of fratricide (1D20: 10 or higher).
  • 10 round spray (Gun Pod or Laser): hits 1D6 missiles: 50%+5% per hit chance of fratricide (1D20: 10-1 per hit or higher).
  • 20 round or greater burst (Gun Pod or Laser) at 1 missile: waste of ammunition.
  • 20 round or greater spray (Gun Pod or Laser): hits 1D6 missiles per 10 rounds fired. 50%+5% per hit chance of fratricide (1D20: 10-1 per hit or higher).
  • Missiles: ineffective against other missiles.

IMPACT, STUNNED, AND HAND TO HAND COMBAT DAMAGE

Impact Damage applicable to body armour and power armour:

• Fall: 1 SDC or HP for every 3m.
• High Speed Crash: 1D4 SDC or HP for every 16 kmph above 48 kmph.
• Impact from explosion: 1 SDC or HP for every 10 MD from the explosion.

• Fall (above 30 m): 40% for 1D4 melees
• Fall (above 60 m): 79% for 1D6 melees
• Crash: 30% for 1D4 melees if impact is more than 80 kmph. +5% for every additional 16 kmph above 80 kmph.
• Explosion impact: 60% for 1D4 melees whenever hit by more than 40 MDC at once.
  - Characters may be knocked off of their feet by forces greater than 30 MDC or more. Do a balance check.

EXPANDED COMBAT BASICS:

Helpful in rounding out and clarifying things.

• Amour Type: primitive armour (padded, leather, chain, etc.) are ineffective against firearms and better. Plate armour can defend against handguns and sub-machine guns, but not against rifles and shotgun slugs. Only advanced, sci-fi armour protects against everything (except some types of Spiritia attack).
• Blind: this could be by a burst of light or in the dark without the ability to see in the dark. Attacks and initiative are unchanged, but the character will be lashing out wildly and mostly guessing where his opponents are.
  - total darkness: can see absolutely nothing: no combat bonuses and suffers a penalty of -10 to all combat rolls. All skills that use vision are impossible to perform.
  - near darkness: there is enough light to vaguely see shapes that are very close to the character, but nothing else is discernible: no combat bonuses and suffers a penalty of -3 to all combat rolls unless the target is in grappling range. All skills that use vision suffer a -50% penalty.
• Changing modes: free if combined with another action, such as a movement change. Otherwise costs 1 action, any mode to any mode.
• Combat Range: certain hand to hand abilities can only be used at certain distances. Moving from one distance to another can be done by anyone. Movement can also be done with special moves, such as back flips, cartwheels, hand stands, leaps and rolls. Moving out of range is possible with a back flip, leap, roll or somersault.
  - Grappling Range: the characters are right on top of one another. Just about all attacks are possible except for certain kicks. Costs 1 attack or some kind of escape move to get away from a determined opponent.
  - Combat Range: only flying kicks are impossible. On any attack, you can move in closer or farther away.
  - Long Range: about 3 m. Only the leap kick, jump attack, flying jump kicks and attacks with a ranged weapon are possible. From this distance, a character can run away from combat altogether.
  - Maximum Range: a weapon's effective range x1.5. -3 to strike from effective range to maximum range.
  - Close Proximity: (mecha only) +1 strike within 150 m (all combatants, skilled and unskilled, with weaponry or fists).
• Cover: if you can see the enemy, the enemy doesn't necessarily see you. There's also a chance that the enemy has lost track of you. This works similar to a sneak attack. If the enemy is looking in your general direction when you hid and/or start moving to attack/retreat, the sneak attack bonuses are lost, but you've still got initiative.
  - partial: The enemy must make a called shot to hit you, and even then, it's only the parts that are sticking out (usually only the head, arm and gun). A failed called shot that still hits will hit the object being hidden behind.
  - full: The enemy can only shoot at the object you're hiding behind.
• Laser Communications: cost one action to set up. Radio skill check needed. Thereafter talking is free, but may require additional actions to maintain link if one or both parties are moving.
• Line of sight: if you can see them, they can see you. If you can shoot them, they are most likely able to shoot you if you're not behind cover. Outside line of sight but on sensors: read sensory equipment check needed to confirm exactly where they are before attacking.
• Low Gravity: leaps are 10 times longer/farther/higher, but done in slow motion.
  - Thrown objects: half speed and distance; others are +2 dodge the attack.
• Movement and Exertion: prolonged periods of combat or heavy exertion (an hour or more of intense, continual physical exertion) will take it's toll on the character. Reduce the following once every hour: Spd -2, Initiative -2, combat rolls -1, damage -2. The effects stack.
• Paralysed: the character cannot move or speak (0 actions). However, the combatant is still conscious and can use abilities that do not require motion, such as most Spiritia (psionic) powers.
• Prone: character is -1 to strike with melee and ranged weapons, unless the ranged weapon is helped by bracing it, such as a gun, which is +1 to strike. It takes 1 action to stand up.
  - Melee attackers: +1 to strike the prone target
  - Ranged weapons attackers: -2 to strike the prone target.
• Space Combat: is nearly impossible for the untrained. Without manuevering thrusters or something to keep the character fixed to one spot (such as magnetic boots), the character is -6 to all combat rolls and halve actions as the character flounders around, trying to keep from floating away.
  - Jet/rocket propulsion: unless otherwise noted in the stats, all can travel about 1.75x to 2x faster.
  - Running: impossible.
  - Explosions and shock-waves: 10x, but 0.1x damage in the extended shock-wave.
  - Lasers: 2x range; 2x to 3x range, 0.5x damage and is -2 to strike. - Other weapons: 2x range
  - Radio (Radar) Waves: 10x range

ADVANCED COMBAT MOVES

Anyone character can attempt these. All use a 1D20 and cost 1 action.
Bonuses only apply if the character has received one from hand to hand combat or if using a weapon he or she has a WP in that is designed for the move (staffs to trip/throw, net or lasso to entangle, sword breaker to break a sword, and so on).

• Body Block/Tackle: damage and the victim must make a balance check or be knocked down. A successful roll with punch/fall means the victim takes 1/2 damage, but is still knocked down.
• Body Flip/Throw: damage and the victim ends up knocked down, losing initiative and the next action.
  - Roll with punch: if the victim succeeds, then they take no damage and are not knocked down, but they still lose 1 action.
  - Throw into someone or something else: roll another strike roll. The second victim can attempt to defend. If the two bodies collied, then they both take the same amount of damage, lose initiative, are knocked down and lose 1 action.
• Choke: 10 or higher with bonuses to execute a proper hold. Both hands must be used to grab someone by the throat. The attacker can do no defensive moves during the choke. The victim of a choke attack cannot reduce damage by using a roll with punch. The victim can continue to attack with punches (no kicks are possible) or try to break free of the hold. If the hold isn't right, the attacker may release the hold momentarily to try again, but the defender gets a parry with full bonuses to prevent the second hold. Getting out of the Choke is the same as getting out of a crush/squeeze.
  - attack hold: Once a choke is made, the attacker can continue applying it as long as he likes, doing 1D6 directly to HP per action.
  - knock-out hold: A proper choke hold cuts off most of the blood flow to the brain. The victim falls unconcious if a proper knockout hold is maintained for an entire melee round, start to finish. The victim will remain unconscious for about 1 melee round, but upon awakening, will be disoriented for around 2 minutes (8 melees), and has no bonuses to combat rolls. Improper knockout holds may cut off the victim's air supply. If so, it will take 3D4 melees to suffocate the victim into unconsciousness.
• Crush/Squeeze: a bear hug on the victim. Both hands must be used, and both the attacker and victim can not attack or defend until released. Once the crush/squeeze succeeds, the attacker can continue applying it as long as he likes, doing damage every action, with the damage bonus added.
  - getting out of a crush/squeeze: requires brute strength: everyone involved, the victim, helpful friends, and the attacker, all roll 1D20 and add their PS attribute. Choke Holds attempted from the front are much easier to break out of; the defender gets his full bonuses to attempt to break out of the hold. If the attacker wins, the crush/squeeze continues. If the victim or a friend wins, then the victim is released. The other way out is to knock-out/stun or kill the person doing the choke.
• Disarm: an attempt to disarm or break an opponent's weapon. Roll as a normal strike. It does not give the weapon to the character making the disarm move.
• Entangle: costs 1 action. An entangled limb or weapon can be freed with a successful strike roll. It takes 1 attack and a roll to entangle to keep an opponent's arm or weapon entangled every melee round. In order to get free, the entangled opponent must roll a dodge against the entangle roll.
  - as an attack: grabbing or somehow locking up an opponent's limb, appendage or weapon.
  - as a defence: can be used instead of parrying or dodging and prevents the blow from landing. The defender must roll above the attackers's strike.
• Grab Attack: anybody during their attack can attempt to grab just about anything in reach. Attempting a grab always takes 1 action. The target of a grab can be a weapon, someone's hand or any item laying around. The defender, whoever is holding it, can attempt to hold onto it with a parry, dodge or an escape move.
  - Grabbing flying objects: the attack must be parried or dodged. If the parry or dodge is successful, then the character can attempt to grab the projectile. Grabbing hand-tossed objects requires a 10 or better, with combat bonuses. Grabbing objects fired from a device like a bow, crossbow or sling will require a 14 or better, with combat bonuses. Projectiles of any kind fired from a gun can NOT be grabbed.
• Hold: using both hands, the attacker grabs on to some part of the opponent's body and attempts to immobilize him. If the strike is successful, then the victim is helpless until released. Holds do no damage. Both the attacker and victim can not attack or defend until released. It's easy for the attacker to hold the victim so that some third character can attack unopposed or attack from the rear.
  - Arm hold: this involves twisting the arm around the victim's back. Any items in the hand of the arm being held can be easily removed.
  - Body hold: any of a number of wrestling holds. The victim can be held on the ground or in a standing position.
  - Leg hold: the victim is on the ground with his leg held up. There's no way for him to get up until the hold is released.
  - Neck hold: the victim is held around the neck from behind. This leaves the victim totally vulnerable to attacks from any other character.
  - getting out of a hold: requires agility: both the victim and attacker roll 1D20 and add their PP attribute. Ther person doing the hold also gets to add combat bonuses. If the attacker wins, the hold continues. If the victim wins, then the hold is released. The other way out is to knock-out/stun or kill the person doing the choke.
• Leap: this can be used to move into or out of combat range. Note: a bonus to leap can be used either for a leap attack, leaping into combat, or for leaping away from combat.
• Leap Attack: An airborne assault where the weapons and fists are wielded in mid-leap. A leap attack uses up 3 actions. Usually, only a single strike can be made during a leap attack. However, if two opponents are close together, the attacker can leap between them and strike both of them at the same time; roll to strike for each character. Automatic parries work in mid-leap, but dodges are impossible. A successful leap attack is a critical strike and does double damage.
• The Crazy Stuff: Shooting people while doing aerial acrobatics; parrying arrows barehanded; jumping onto a glitterboy, running up its arm to the shoulder and firing point blank into its sensors with a sawed-off, pistol grip shotgun... characters can try it, but it gets a combat modifier as either Difficult -3 or Heroic -6.
• Throw: throwing a weapon or object. Normal strike roll + applicable WP.
• Throws/Trips: This is often an Aikido or Judo-like manoeuvre, using an attacker's momentum against them. If the defender's roll is higher than the attacker's, the attacker is thrown (or tripped) and must make a balance check. Can be used as an attack, but is more often used as a parry.
• Tripping/leg hooks: this attack is designed to knock an opponent off balance. Victim makes a Sense of Balance check.

EXPERT COMBAT MOVES

Only the characters who have learned the specific move from hand to hand combat or a skill can attempt one of these.

• Back Flip: counts as 1 action. Hand to hand: none cannot do it. Hand to hand: basic has no combat bonuses. Hand to hand: expert has 1/2 combat bonuses. Hand to hand: martial arts has full combat bonuses.
  - Defensive: success means dodging and removes the character from combat, requiring the opponent to use 1 attack to move back into range, giving the character the initiative. Failure means taking full damage without a chance to roll with punch or parry.
  - Escape: this removes the character from combat, requiring the opponent to use 1 attack to move back into range, giving the character the initiative.
  - Attack: this is especially useful against someone attempting some kind of back-strike. An attack back flip can also be used as a combined strike against an opponent to the rear of the character when used with either a kick or punch. Cannot be used with death blow or knock-out/stun.
• Combination Moves: (hand to hand expert and martial arts only!) Combination moves cannot be used as a knock-out/stun or death blow attack. When using any combination move, no other automatic moves are possible.
  - combination parry/attack: uses 1 attack. The character simultaneously parries and attacks with no damage or combat bonuses. If the character successfully parries, roll to strike by using either a punch or a weapon. The victim cannot defend against the attack.
  - power block/parry: If successfully parried, roll for a strike that does 1D6. No damage or combat bonuses. Victim can only attempt to roll with punch.
  - combination grab/kick: uses 1 action. First roll to strike to grab the opponent with both hands. If successful, then roll to strike with a kick. Critical attack, does double damage, and damage and combat bonuses can be applied.
  - reverse turning kick: uses 1 action. A combination of a dodge and a kick. If the dodge succeeds, then roll to kick. The opponent can defend normally. The martial artist using the reverse turning kick gets no damage or combat bonuses.
  - drop kick: uses 1 attack. A combination of falling to the ground, a dodge, and a kick. If the dodge succeeds, roll to kick. The opponent can defend normally. No damage or combat bonuses.
• Death Blow: Intention must be announced before the attack. An automatic kill if successful. The defender can try to roll with death blow by rolling over the attacker's strike. If the defender succeeds in rolling, then the current HP and SDC are reduced to half.
• Joint Lock: uses 1 attack. Joint locks can only be used by those skill in hand to hand: expert (no combat bonuses) or martial arts (full combat bonuses). An advanced, one and two hand version of holds. Unlike other holds, locks make it impossible for the victim to escape unharmed once he/she is controlled. Joint lock holds do no damage, unless the victim tries to escape. The victim is incapable of attacking, parrying or dodging while held in a joint lock. The attacker, if using a one-handed lock, can continue to use the other hand for parries and strikes.
  - finger lock: one of the victim's fingers has been twisted around. The victim can choose to escape by sacrificing the finger, doing 1D4 damage, a save vs. pain, and a broken finger.
  - wrist lock: a wrist is twisted away from the victim's body. The victim can escape by accepting a broken wrist, 1D6 damage and a save vs. pain.
  - elbow lock: requires the attacker to use both hands. There is no escape for the victim. The attacker can not attack, parry or dodge while using this lock. Trying to use brute force to pull or twist away will cause 1D4 damage with no real chance of success.
• Jump kick and flying jump kicks: uses 2 actions. Can only be used by those skilled in hand to hand: expert (no combat bonuses) and martial arts (full bonuses), and are performed by leaping completely off the ground and attempting to land foot-first on an opponent. The advantage of a jump kick is that it works as a critical strike and doubles the normal damage inflicted.
  - jump kick: 1D8 and critical hit.
  - flying jump kick: must be made from long range. 1D10 and critical hit.
  - flying reverse turning kick: must be made from long range. 2D6 and critical hit.
• Knockout/stun: Anyone hit by this attack will be temporarily incapacitated. The victim is not necessarily unconscious, just dazed. Must be announced before the attack (or is an unanticipated effect of a natural 20). Success means that the target must save vs. body. If they fail the roll, then they fall unconscious for 1D6 melees. If they succeed, then they are only stunned for 1D4 melees. While dazed, the victim cannot make any attacks or actions, and all defensive actions are -4 and without combat bonuses. A failed roll by the attacker that is above the minimum that hits, does normal damage. This attack can be used with punches, kicks, or hand-held weapons such as swords, clubs, etc., but it cannot be used with ranged weapons.
• Paired Weapons: certain kinds of weapons, such as Sais, Nunchaku, knives, clubs and swords, can be used as paired weapons. Users of paired weapons can strike and parry simultaneously, can do twin strikes against a single target or against a pair of targets, and can parry two, different opponents at the same time. In other words, warriors skilled in paired weapons often can do two actions for every one of their melee attacks. BUT, every time they use twin actions they LOSE their automatic parry.
• Paralysis Attack: Hand to hand: Martial Arts only. The paralysis attack merely stuns the opponent. Victims can not attack, lose all combat bonuses and are affect for 1D6 melees.
• Pin/incapacitate: Wrestling only. The wrestling version of the body hold. It must be declared before the strike is rolled. Successful only on a natural roll of 18-20.
• Somersault: can only be used by those skilled in hand to hand: expert (no combat bonuses) and martial arts (full bonuses), and is an escape manoeuvrer used to get in or out of combat range. If used in place of a character's attack, it means the character can move into combat range or leave the combat area. If used instead of a parry or dodge, it means that the character must roll over the attacker's strike. Success means avoiding the attack and rolling out of combat range. Failure to beat the strike means taking full damage without a chance to roll with punch.

HEALING, COMAS AND DEATH:

Healing:

Type	HP per day	SDC per day
Natural healing (untreated): Paraprofessional Treatment (first aid, paramedic): Professional Treatment (doctor, medical facilities):	1 HP 2 HP 4 HP	2 SDC 4 SDC 6 SDC

SAVING THROWS

All saving throws use 1D20. Roll the target number or higher to save.
Saving throws DO NOT go up as a character gains experience and new levels. Arsenic is just as poisonous to a beginning character as it is when he reaches high level.

Acids: dodge. No save possible.
Body: 13. Add body bonus. An attack against a character's body, health, or vitality. Also used for pain checks. A failed pain check roll means the character loses consciousness until revived.
Mind: 13. Add mind bonus. An attack against a character's mind. Also used for insanity checks when the character experiences a psychological trauma. If a character fails an insanity check, roll or select an insanity from the table in a basebook.
Reflex: dodge. An attack to the area that the character is in.
Spiritia Powers: 10. Add body or mind bonus. Characters with Spiritia Powers only. Regular characters use either Body or Mind above.

REFERENCES

Palladium Books Game Engine and MDC Rules

Siembieda, Kevin. Rifts Conversion Book 1. Detroit: Palladium Books, 1991. Print