Supplementary Combat Rules

COMBAT RULES SUPPLEMENT

1) BLOCK - This has been a point of controversy for quite some time now - and no wonder with the ambiguous description given in the Champions rules. Let’s set the record straight once and for all. A character can block at any time with the exception of an active phase he’s already taken a full action in. Depending on when a character decides to block, there will be varying consequences. If a character blocks out of phase, success will mean that next phase he may execute a half-phase action - failure means that his next phase is negated. If a character blocks in one of his active phases before he has taken his last action, then there is no penalty no matter what the outcome of the block maneuver.

OTHER ITEMS OF CONCERN

1) OSF (Obvious Semi-accessible Focus) - Hey gang! Tired of the same old IIF, IAF. OAF, OIF combinations that seem to have that extra element missing?!? Well, here’s a twist on the old standard of the accessible focus. It’s called the semi-accessible focus and can only be teamed up with the OBVIOUS option. What it means in Reader’s Digest terms is that it’s exactly like an OAF except for one thing: once it’s grabbed, it isn’t automatically seized by the "grabber", but will remain in the hands of the individual with the highest roll on his strength dice (a tie naturally going to the "grabbee"). This foci limitation is usually worth +3/4 unless the character has an outrageously high strength, at which point the limitation value may be decreased at the GM’s discretion.

2) MULTIPLE POWERS - How many powers can a character use in one round? The answer is simple, but must be explained. First, the following rules must be adhered to: any attack can not have more than 100 active points total, including linked powers (unless approved by the GM for special circumstance - good conception and some hefty disads) a character can only make one attack per active phase the character still has to pay end for continuing powers unless bought down. Therefore, if a character has an elemental control with EB and TK (or a non-ultra multipower), he could not attack with both powers in the same phase, unless they were purchased as linked powers. However, if a character grabs someone with a TK in one phase, and has the active points to use an EB in the next phase, he can do both at the same time, taking in account that he will be spending a lot of end in that phase. Yes, this means that a character could use a 100 pt. TK in one round and a 100 pt. EB in the next, but either he’s going to be paying 20 end that phase (30 total including the end spent the previous phase), or if he has bought the end down, he has paid for it in the long run. (200 points bought to 0 end costs a total of 350 points! Yeah, yeah that’s what elementals and multipowers are for... you point scientists, you!)