Character Combat

The Galaxy is a dangerous place, and sometimes you have to fight to survive. Whether the enemy takes the form of Battle Droids or Stormtroopers, a Dark Force-user, or a rampaging Rancor, you need to be able to defend yourself. Using blasters, Vibroblades, and Lightsabers, heroes regularly get caught up in blazing firefights, wild cantina brawls, and mesmerizing duels.

You can try to bluff your way out of a tough situation, attempt to sneak away when your opponent is distracted, or even dazzle an enemy with your charming personality. But when all else fails, nothing beats having a good blaster at your side.

This article highlights; the statistics of combat, the sequence of combat, and special combat actions.

Combat Statistics

Several fundamental statistics determine how well you do in combat:

Your Initiative Skill, that will determine when you act during a round.
Your Combat Focus, your priorities in combat, and how you approach it.
Your Combat Positioning, the location you attack your target from.
Your Attacks, how effective you are at landing the attacks against your chosen targets.
Your Damage, how much damage the attacks you hit deal.
Your Defense Scores, stats that determine how effective you are at avoiding attacks.
Your Vital Scores, stats that determine how resilient you are against incoming damage.
Your Character State, the current physical & mental state of your character, in or outside of combat.
Your Condition Tracks, the physical condition of your body.

Initiative

In every round during combat, each combatant gets a turn to do something. Initiative determines the order in which each combatant acts during a round of combat.

Initiative Checks

At the start of an Encounter, each participant, aware of the situation, makes an Initiative check. (A character can make an Initiative check Untrained.) The GM rolls Initiative checks for NPCs & opponents. The results of these checks determine the Initiative Order of this Encounter. Except for certain circumstances, your Initiative result will not carry over to another encounter.

Initiative Order

The combatants' Initiative checks determine the order in which they act, from highest to lowest.

All combatants act in order, from the highest Initiative check result to the lowest until the end of the encounter. Certain actions such as Delay, Ready, Reactions, or Free Actions allow a combatant to act outside of their turn in a round.

A character's place in the Initiative order remains the same for all rounds of combat during a given encounter.

The GM will track the Initiative Order allowing combat to move quickly from one character to the next.

If two combatants have the same Initiative check result, the character with the highest Initiative skill modifier acts first. If there is still a tie, the combatant with the highest Dexterity Score will determine who acts first. If a tie still remains, roll an additional Initiative check to determine which character goes before the other. If there is still a tie the two players themselves must engage in death combat to determine who will go first, and live...or they may flip a coin.

To save time, the GM can make a single Initiative check for all of the opponents, rolling 1d20 and adding the lowest Initiative check modifier in the group. That way, each player gets a turn in the round and the enemy combatants take all their actions in one turn.

At the GM's option, however, they can make separate Initiative checks for different groups of opponents or even individual foes. For instance, the GM may make one Initiative check for an Imperial Officer and another check for their squad of Stormtroopers.

Joining a Battle

If characters enter a battle after it has begun, they make their Initiative check at that time and act whenever their turn comes up in the existing order.

Combat Style

Combat Positioning

Attacks

During your turn, you may make a number of different Attack actions; Standard or Special Attacks, Combat Maneuvers, Martial Techniques, or Force Power Attacks. When you make an attack roll, roll 1d20 and add the appropriate modifiers depending on the type of attack being made. If the result of your roll equals or exceeds the target's targeted Defense, your attack is successful and you move on to Damage Calculation.

Attack Roll Formulas

Melee Weapon, Improvised Weapon, or Unarmed/Martial Attack rolls are formulated as follows:

1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Strength Modifier + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Attack Roll Modifiers.

Ranged Weapon or Thrown Weapon Attack rolls are formulated as follows:

1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Dexterity Modifier + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Attack Roll Modifiers + Target Range Penalty (If Any).

A Combat Maneuver Attack roll is formulated as follows:

1d20 + Combat Maneuver Attack Bonus + Additional Combat Maneuver Attack Roll Modifiers.

A Force Power Attack attack roll is formulated as follows:

1d20 + Use the Force Skill modifier + Additional Force Attack modifiers.

Double-Grip & Single-Grip Attack Roll Formulas

Melee Rolls

Double-Grip (wielding a One-Handed Weapon with two hands) Melee Attack Rolls are formulated as follows:

1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Half Character Strength Modifier (rounded down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Attack Roll Modifiers.

Single-Grip (wielding a Two-Handed Weapon with one hand) Melee Attack Rolls are formulated as follows:

1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Half Character Strength Modifier (rounded down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Attack Roll Modifiers - 10 (Single-Grip Melee Attack Penalty).

Ranged Rolls

Double-Grip (wielding a One-Handed Weapon with two hands) Ranged Attack Rolls are formulated as follows:

1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Double Character Dexterity Modifier + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Attack Roll Modifiers + Target Range Penalty (If Any).

Single-Grip (wielding a Two-Handed Weapon with one hand) Ranged Attack Rolls are formulated as follows:

1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + One-Half Character Dexterity Modifier (rounded down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Attack Roll Modifiers + Target Range Penalty (If Any) - 5 (Single-Grip Ranged Attack Penalty).

Special Attacks

After your hero has a Base Attack Bonus of 6 or higher they unlock the use of Special Attacks. Special Attacks are single-target attacks that deal extra damage at the cost of Attack actions & an Attack roll penalty. Special Attacks cannot deal Critical Damage

Types of Special Attacks

Heavy Attack

Unlocked at Base Attack Bonus 6, you may make a Heavy Attack by spending two Attack actions with a -6 penalty on your Attack roll to multiply the Damage Die rolled by 3 before you add any additional Damage bonuses. If the damage dealt by your Heavy Attack exceeds your target's Damage Threshold you inflict a Devastating Injury on your opponent, the injury roll is made with 1d20 + your relevant modifiers.

Improved Heavy Attack

Unlocked at Base Attack Bonus 12, you may make an Improved Heavy Attack by spending three Attack actions with a -12 penalty on your Attack roll to multiply the Damage Die rolled by 4 before you add any additional Damage bonuses. If the damage dealt by your Super Attack exceeds your target's Damage Threshold you inflict a Devastating Injury on your opponent, the injury roll is made with 3d20s + your relevant modifiers.

Master Heavy Attack

Unlocked at Base Attack Bonus 18, you may make an Ultimate Attack by spending two Attack actions with a -18 penalty on your Attack roll to multiply the Damage Die rolled by 5 before you add any additional Damage bonuses. If the damage dealt by your Ultimate Attack exceeds your target's Damage Threshold you inflict a Devastating Injury on your opponent, and the injury roll is normal.

Damage

When you make an attack, and it's successful, you may proceed with your damage roll.

Damage Calculation

Roll the damage die indicated by the weapon, or attack method, being used and add the appropriate modifiers to complete Damage Calculation.

Damage Calculation Formulas

Melee Weapon, Combat Maneuver, Improvised Weapon, Thrown Weapon, or Unarmed/Martial Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Strength Modifier + Weapon Upgrade Modifier (if applicable) + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Ranged Weapon Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Force Power Attack Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Force Power Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Additional Force Damage Roll Modifiers.

If the result of your attack roll fell within your weapon's Critical Threat Range, multiply the results of your Damage Dice roll before you add any other damage modifiers.

Double-Grip & Single-Grip Damage Calculation Formulas

Melee Damage Rolls

Double-Grip (wielding a One-Handed Weapon with two hands) Melee Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Double Character Strength Modifier + Weapon Upgrade Modifier (if applicable) + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Single-Grip (wielding a Two-Handed Weapon with one hand) Melee Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Strength Modifier/2.5 (Rounded Down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier (if applicable) + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Ranged Damage Rolls

Double-Grip (wielding a One-Handed Weapon with two hands) Ranged Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Single-Grip (wielding a Two-Handed Weapon with one hand) Ranged Damage Calculation is formulated as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die) + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Special Attack Damage Calculation Formulas

Heavy Attack Damage Calculation is as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die)*2 + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + *Strength Modifier (if applicable) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier (if applicable) + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Improved Heavy Attack Damage Calculation is as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die)*3 + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + *Strength Modifier (if applicable) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier (if applicable) + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Master Heavy Attack Damage Calculation is as follows:

(Weapon Damage Die)*4 + One-Half Heroic Level (Rounded Down) + *Strength Modifier (if applicable) + Weapon Upgrade Modifier (if applicable) + Additional Damage Roll Modifiers.

Damage Dealt

After damage calculation, the GM will compare your results against your target's Damage Resistance & other Vital Scores, to determine the Damage Dealt to your target's Hit Points.

Defense Scores

A creature's Defense Scores represent their ability to avoid taking Damage and overcome attacks on the body and mind. Each creature has several Defense Scores broken up into two categories, Standard Defenses & Special Defenses.

Standard Defense Formulas

General Defense: 10 + One-Half Hero Level + Dexterity Modifier + Armor Bonus + Class Bonus + Size Modifier + Additional General Defense Modifiers.
Combat Maneuver Defense: 10 + Dexterity Modifier + Combat Maneuver Attack Bonus + Additional Combat Maneuver Defense Modifiers.

Special Defense Formulas

Fortitude Defense: 10 + One-Half Hero Level + Constitution Modifier + Class Bonus + Size Modifier + Additional Fortitude Defense Modifiers.
Reflex Defense: 10 + One-Half Hero Level + Dexterity Modifier + Class Bonus + Size Modifier + Additional Reflex Defense Modifiers.
Will Defense: 10 + One-Half Hero Level + Wisdom Modifier + Class Bonus + Additional Will Defense Modifiers.
Devastating Injury Defense: Hero Level + Constitution Modifier + Class Bonus + Size Modifier + Additional Devastating Injury Defense Modifiers.

Vital Scores

Shield Rating

Some Abilities, Devices, Droids, Traits, and Vehicles, have or provide a Shield Rating (SR). Whenever a target with SR takes damage from an attack, reduce the damage by the Shield Rating.

Shield Damage

When a Shield absorbs any damage from an attack, the Shield Rating is reduced by 5.

This reduction is cumulative, so a target's Shield Rating will eventually be reduced to 0.

If the damage dealt to a Shield exceeds its Shield Rating, the Shield Rating is reduced by 10 and the remaining damage is dealt to the target's Hit Points, subtracting Damage Resistance normally.

Damage Resistance

A creature or object with Damage Resistance (DR) ignores a certain amount of damage every attack. The amount of damage they ignore is always indicated.

Damage Resistance sometimes only affects one or more specific damage types (noted before the DR value). In other circumstances, Damage Reduction is sometimes bypassed by one or more specific damage types (noted after the DR value with a double slash).

Damage Threshold

When a single attack made against you deals damage that equals or exceeds your Damage Threshold, but not enough to drop you to 0 Hit Points, you move -1 step along the Condition Track. If the attack exceeds double your Damage Threshold you move an additional step down the track, this effect stacks on itself for each multiple your Damage Threshold is passed. If the attack is a Critical Hit you move an additional -1 down the track.

If an attack deals over half your total Hit Points or more in one attack see the Massive Damage rules.

Damage Threshold Formula

Damage Threshold: 5 + One-Half Hero Level (rounded down) + Consitution Modifier + Class modifier + Equipment modifier + Size modifier + Species modifier + Ability modifiers.

Mental Threshold

When a single Mind-Affecting ability is used against you effectively, compare the results of its activation roll against your Mental Threshold. If their roll equals or exceeds your Mental Threshold you move -1 down the Condition Track. If the roll exceeds double your Mental Threshold you move an additional step down the track, this effect stacks on itself for each multiple your Mental Threshold is passed. If the roll is a Critical Success you move an additional -1 down the track.

In situations of enduring extreme stress during Skill Challenges, confronting ghosts or demons of one's past, or extreme scenarios where every second is a life-or-death struggle, your Mental Threshold is challenged as well. In these situations (or other situations up to GM discretion) you will have to make a Wisdom Save. If your save is successful you make it through to the other side unfazed, if not you move -1 down the Condition Track.

Mental Threshold Formula

Mental Threshold: 5 + One-Half Hero Level (rounded down) + Wisdom Modifier + Class modifier + Equipment modifier + Species modifier + Ability modifiers.

Hit Points

Hit Points (abbreviated "HP") represents two things in the game world: the ability to take physical punishment and keep going, and the ability to turn a serious blow into a graze or near miss. As you become more experienced, you become more adept at parrying strikes, dodging attacks, and rolling with blows, such that you minimize or avoid significant physical trauma, but all this slowly wears you down.

Rather than trying to keep track of the difference between attacks and how much physical injury you take, Hit Points are an abstract measure of your total ability to survive Damage. As long as you have at least 1 Hit Point, you can act normally on your turn.

Temporary Hit Points

Temporary Hit Points can come from a variety of sources, like the Massassi's Duty Bound Species Trait or the Noble's Bolster Ally Talent. When a creature gains Temporary Hit Points, they gain a temporary pool of Hit Points that acts as a short-term damage buffer for that creature. Damage is subtracted from Temporary Hit Points first, and any Temporary Hit Points remaining at the end of an encounter go away.

Second Wind

You can catch a Second Wind as a Swift Action if you are reduced to one-half your maximum Hit Points or less. This Action gives one-quarter of your full Hit Point total (rounded down) or a number of points equal to your Constitution score, whichever is greater, as Temporary Hit Points. You can Catch a Second Wind only once per day. Certain Feats or Talents may allow you to Catch a Second Wind more often, sometimes even more than once in a single encounter.

Only Heroic characters can Catch a Second Wind; NPCs, creatures, objects, devices, and Vehicles cannot. Exception: An NPC that takes the Extra Second Wind feat can catch a Second Wind once per day.

Character States

A Character State is a special condition that impacts your character's efficiency during missions. Whether it is something beneficial like being inspired by your team leader or the petrifying fear of staring down a Sith Lord, character states can drastically affect a creature's ability to be an effective combatant in the field.

The full Character States list.

Character Condition Tracks

A character's Condition Tracks represent their body's well-being split into two tracks; your overall Condition Track, consisting of 15 steps; and your Limbs condition track, consisting of 5 steps each.

The Condition Track

A 15-step track that reflects the physical vitality of a creature or Droid. The farther they fall down the track the more worse for wear they are.

Limb Condition Track

A 5-step condition track that serves as a rough measure of the vitality of each limb a creature or Droid has.

Combat Sequence

Combat takes place in a series of rounds, with each character taking one turn each round.

Generally, combat runs in the following way:

The GM determines which characters are aware of their opponent at the start of the battle. If at least some combatants are unaware of their opponents, a Surprise Round happens before regular rounds begin.
If there is a Surprise Round, each combatant unaware of combat starts the battle Flat-Footed.
The combatants who are aware of combat may take a turn in the Surprise Round, so they make an Initiative check and prepare to act on their turn.
Combatants who were unaware do not get a turn in the Surprise Round.
After all aware combatants take their Suprise Round turns, all combatants are now ready to begin the first regular round. If all combatants were aware of their opponents when the battle began, there is no Surprise Round and this is the first step in the Combat Sequence. If there is no Surprise Round, no one starts Flat-Footed (everyone was alert enough to be ready for a fight).
Combatants act in Initiative Order.
When everyone has had a turn, the combatant with the highest Initiative Count acts again, and Steps 5 and 6 repeat until combat ends.

Combat Rounds

During combat, characters must typically wait until their Turn to act within a Round of combat. Each round represents 6 seconds in the game world with all combatants' turns taking place within that time. In the real world, a turn is an opportunity for each character involved in a round of combat to take one or more Actions.

Each round begins with the character with the highest Initiative check result and then proceeds, in descending order, from there. The following rounds use the same Initiative Order. When a character's turn comes up in the Initiative Order, that character may take their turn.

For almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a round or the beginning of a round. The term "Round" works like the word "Month." A month can mean either a calendar month or a span of time from a day in one month to the same day the next month. In the same way, a round can be a segment of game time starting with the first character to act and ending with the last, but it usually means a span of time from one round to the same Initiative number the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same Combatant Turn that they began on.

Actions in Combat

On your character's turn, you may take a Standard Action, a Move Action, a Swift Action, and three Free Actions (in any order).

You may take one additional Move or Swift Action in place of a Standard Action (or two Free Actions), but not the other way around. You may also take a single Swift or Free Action in place of a Move Action, but not the other way around. Finally, you may sacrifice all Actions during your turn to perform a single Full-Round Action. Additionally, during, or even outside of your turn, you may also take a number of Reactions (equal to 3 + your Dexterity Modifier). Reactions must be triggered by some sort of prompt committed by yourself, an ally, or an opponent, before they may be used.

Full-Round Actions

A Full-Round Action consumes all of your efforts during a given round, effectively replacing all other Actions on your turn. Some uses of Skills require a Full-Round Action to complete. Examples include bypassing a lock (using the Mechanics skill), searching an area for clues (using the Perception skill), and entering a Force Trance (using the Use the Force skill).

A Full-Round Action can't span multiple rounds; for example, you cannot perform a Full-Round Action that replaces your Move Action and Swift Action in the first round and your Standard Action in the following round.

Standard Actions

A Standard Action is usually the most important Action you'll take in a round, and it often consists of some sort of attack- swinging a Lightsaber, firing a blaster, throwing a punch, hurling a Grenade, and so on. You may perform one Standard Action on your turn.

Move Actions

A Move Action represents physical movement. The most common Move Action is moving up to your Speed. Standing up from a Prone position, opening a door, and drawing a weapon are also Move Actions. You can perform one Move Action on your turn, or two if you give up your Standard Action.

With the exception of specific movement-related Skills, most Move Actions don't require Skill Checks. In some cases (such as shouldering a stuck door), Ability Checks might be required.

Swift Actions

Things that require very little time or effort can be accomplished with a Swift Action. Some Actions, Feats, and Talents require one or more Swift Actions to perform. You normally get one Swift Action per round, but you can take a second Swift Action instead of a Standard Action or Move Action, and you can take three Swift Actions in a round if you give up both your Standard Action and Move Action.

Multiple Swift Actions usually have to occur on the same round or consecutive rounds, and some Actions require that the multiple Swift Actions be consecutive (that is, no other Action interrupts them). This is noted in the Action's description.

Free Actions

Free Actions consume almost no time or effort, and you may take one or more Free Actions even when it isn't your turn. Examples include calling out to your friends for help and taunting a foe. The GM puts reasonable limits on what counts as a Free Action.

Reciting the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise takes several minutes (or more) and therefore isn't a Free Action. When Flat-Footed you are unable to take Free Actions, except for speaking.
Free Actions aren't literally Free. Each turn, a character can perform three Free Actions.

Reactions

A Reaction is an instantaneous response to your own or someone else's Action, or an occurrence you've prepared for. Reactions are one of the few types of actions you may use when it's not your turn. Examples of Reactions include making a Perception check to notice a bounty hunter sneaking up behind you and instantly activating a Force Power to absorb damage from an incoming blaster bolt.

You may only take a single Reaction to any one Action or effect. A Reaction is always resolved after the Action that triggered it, though some Reactions (such as the Negate Energy Force Power, or the Block and Deflect Talents) can affect the outcomes of the Action that triggers a Reaction.

Special Combat States

There are two Combat States that can restrict your Actions in Combat. Brawl & Clash are Special Combat States that trap you in a Limited Action State.

Brawl

Brawl is a Unarmed Special Combat State where those involved are trapped in an intense fistfight with one another.

Clash

Clash is a Melee Weapon Special Combat State where those involved are locked in a climactic struggle of melee finesse.

Combat Bonuses

Attack Bonuses

Flanking

A flanking creature gains Advantage on their Attack & Damage Rolls. Creatures with blind sense, flexible eyes, or passive perception of 18+ are immune to being flanked.