Combat skills

Bows (and crossbows) are lethal weapons in the hands of a skilled user.

Thrown

• 1-point skill

You may throw weapons of 8” or larger provided that it has been passed as safe for throwing. Throwing weapons may include axes and javelins, but you cannot throw shuriken, rocks or tiny throwing knives shorter than 8” long.

Ambidexterity

• 1-point skill

This skill allows you to simultaneously wield two weapons (or implements) up to 42” long each. Your opponent still only takes one hit per second at most if hit swiftly and repeatedly - even when using two weapons at once. It is not possible to wield two weapons at once without this skill. You cannot wield two weapons if either is longer than 42”.

Weapon Master

• 2-point skill

This skill allows you to wield one-handed spears, great weapons, polearms and pikes.

Marksman

• 4-point skill

You may use a bow or crossbow. All missile weapons require both hands to shoot, and do IMPALE automatically, with no need to call the effect.

Shield

• 2-point skill

Any character can use a buckler up to 15” in diameter. A character with this skill can use a larger shield; the maximum size for the shield is based on the shield shape.

A shield must be gripped by a handle held in the hand to protect the wearer. A shield that is simply strapped to the body does not protect the wearer. All blows that strike a slung shield are considered to hit the character wearing it.

Some special calls still affect a character even if the blow is blocked by a shield and it is important for a shield user to know which ones these are so they can react appropriately. A character is still repelled, entangled, or knocked off their feet if the blow strikes their shield, although they do not lose any hits.

Endurance

• 2-point skill
• The cost of this skill increases by 1 point each time you purchase it

You gain 1 additional hit each time you purchase this skill.

Fortitude	Bleed Time	Bleed Time under Venom
0	3 minutes	30 seconds
1	4 minutes	40 seconds
2	6 minutes	50 seconds
3	9 minutes	60 seconds
4	13 minutes	70 seconds
5	18 minutes	80 seconds

Fortitude

• 1-point skill
• The cost of this skill increases by 1 point each time you purchase it

Normal characters bleed to death in three minutes if they are reduced to zero hits. Each time you purchase this skill the time taken for your character to bleed to death increases. The increase is one minute for the first level of fortitude purchased, two minutes for the second level and so on.

Normal characters bleed to death in thirty seconds when affected by venom. Each level of this skill that you purchase gives you ten additional seconds before you become terminal when affected by venom. The increase is ten seconds for the first level of fortitude purchased, ten seconds for the second level and so on.

Dreadnought

• 1-point skill

You gain 1 additional hit provided you are wearing armour made of steel or similar materials that covers the torso and one other location. The armour must be at least 1mm thick so that it is physically heavy. Base metals that weigh the same such as brass are fine, but light armours such as aluminium and titanium armour, butchers mail, or a suit of mail with an open weave (sometimes called "ring mail") do not.