Combat in Arcadia Complex

The narrative-driven nature of Arcadia Complex over traditional numeric system means that combat is not a major focus of the plot, but conflict can still be found frequently along the adventures of the ISS Downrider. This page serves as a breakdown and loose rulesheet for how combat is handled in the plot, for reference both by players and by the GM.

Basics of Combat

Combat in Arcadia Complex is handled usually in the same call-response fashion as normal exploration posts, with the GM handling the actions of enemies, their attacks, and responses to player character movements, and players reacting to enemy attacks and launching their own. In more frantic or solo battles, sometimes combat may be handled through short-form joint posts to hurry things along.

Initiation and Exit

Combat may be spontaneous (such as an ambush) or foreshadowed through growing dialogue or tensions, with the start of combat proper being the first attack. Combat continues until either party is incapacitated, killed, flees, or otherwise disengages from combat. Combat may be initiated either as a full group, or as lesser groups, but fleeing from combat usually requires all characters involved to agree to fleeing.

Describing Attacks and Damage Dealt

It is best practice to describe attacks with their general target and damage type in mind. This goes both ways, as players will be attacking NPCs and vice versa. However, it is ill-advised (and generally ignored) for players to describe the actual impact of attacks.

It is usually left to the GM to describe damage, both to NPCs and to Player Characters. The likelyhood of a given attack landing on an enemy, and much damage is dealt is not down to exact numerics, but is influenced by factors such as weight, damage type, armor and the agility of an enemy.

"Rule of Stacking"

The rule of stacking is a vague narrative rule that places diminishing returns on varied attacks against a particular enemy all destined to land at the same time. The long and the short of it, the more attacks are aimed at an enemy at the same time, the less likely subsequent attacks are going to land. Usually, the most impactful / disruptive attack takes precedent, but smaller attacks (e.g. everyone shooting the enemy with a gun) are likely to share damage collectively.

For instance, if an enemy is being targeted by several attacks, one of which is likely to disrupt their position (such as throws, heavy hits, or crowd control), that attack is more likely to land, but by extension all other attacks are likely to miss. Throwing an explosive at an enemy nearly guarantees anyone shooting them is not going to have sight on them for long. This also means that close quarters combatants are at risk of crossfire if ranged characters are targeting the same enemy. Physically speaking, the larger an enemy is, the less protection they receive from the rule of stacking.

Damage Types

Different attacks can deal different kinds of damage, which can be more or less effective against certain kinds of threats. In general, attacks are split into two categories: Physical Damage and Elemental Damage. An attack can be composed of more than one type of damage, but will usually boil down to one of both category types (eg, a spear of ice being thrown would boil down to deal both Puncture and Cryo damage).

Physical Damage

Impact

Impact damage is incurred mostly by blunt attacks, shockwaves, blasts, throwing, and debris impacts. These physically disperse impact force across a wider area, and do not incur bleeding except under heavy damage. In general, attacks dealing great impact damage have a higher chance of disrupting enemies and enemy attacks, being able to displace or even send enemies flying.

Impact is the most effective against contact-based shielding, moderately effective against living creatures (especially fleshy ones), but are usually ineffective against robots unless the impact is of a large scale. Impact is ineffective against heavily armored targets, but can still disrupt them, and break through lighter armor.

Puncture

Puncture damage is incurred mostly by bullets, shrapnel, spears, and spikes. These physically control the force of imapct into a single point, usually resulting in narrow wounds with deep penetration, and can incur bleeding. In general, attacks dealing puncture damage have only moderate chances of disruption based on velocity and weight, depending on if an enemy is armored or not.

Puncture is generally neutral to shielding, but is effective against armored targets that would shrug off other damage types.

Slash

Slash damage is incurred mostly by swords, saws, glaives, and other means of rending something apart. These physically control the force of impact into a long strike, with the highest chance of causing bleeding and dismemberment. In general, attacks dealing slash damage have varying chances of disruption and crowd control based on force and enemy type.

Slash is extremely strong against flesh, fabric armor, and wire, but is generally ineffective against shielding, robotics, and armor.

Elemental Damage

Heat

Cryo

Electric

Corrosive

Drowse

Echyllis

Folly

Enemy Types

Combat Log

OOC Notes

This page was originally created by Pancakei on Thu 11-11-21.