• COMBAT

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COMBAT BASICS

Every attack in Critical Beatdown is either a striking attack, grappling attack or dynamic attack.

A strike is an attempt to hit your opponent with hands, feet, elbows, knees, claws, etc.

  • Strikes use your REFLEX stat.
    • Basic strikes get a bonus from your Quick perk to hit.
    • Targeted strikes [strikes aimed at the groin, eyes, throat, etc.] get a bonus from Precise.

A grapple is any attack that requires you to grab your opponent.

  • Grapples use your BODY stat.
    • Grapples get a bonus from your Strong perk.

A dynamic attack is an explosive, sudden, unorthodox attack meant to catch an opponent off guard.
[jump kicks, tackles, acrobatic moves, sweeps, headbutts, bites, foreign objects, etc.]

  • Dynamic attacks use your REFLEX stat.
    • Dynamic attacks get a bonus from Quick perk.

FIGHT!

Roll initiative to see who acts first. Roll 2d6 [one positive. one negative.]

  • Add this result to each fighter’s REFLEX [+quick]. The highest number acts first.
  • In the event of a tie, the fighter with the highest REFLEX [+quick] wins.
  • Whoever wins initiative chooses an action. An action can be making an attack, using an ability, drawing a weapon, getting up, etc.
  • You get one action for every 3 points of REFLEX [+quick] you have. Once you’ve used up all your actions, your turn is complete.
  • Then your opponent takes his turn and uses all his available actions.
  • Once all combatants have completed their respective turn, the round is complete.

MAKING ATTACKS

To make an attack, decide which move you want to use, and combine that move’s Fighting Style Rank + the corresponding Biometric Stat + corresponding Perk + any applicable bonuses. This number is your Attack Number.

Example:

Tyson is a Boxing Master [giving him a rank of 6]. One of his signature moves is Punch [which gives him a +3 bonus]. His REFLEX is Very Good [5] and he has the Quick Perk [which is a +2 bonus]. Combine these numbers for a total of 16.
His Attack Number for Punches is 16.

  • Roll 2d6. One die positive. One die negative. This normally results in a number between -5 and +5.
  • Add this result to your Attack Number. If the number equals or exceeds your opponent’s Defense Number, the attack is successful.
  • There are two exceptions: Snake Eyes and Double 6’s.
  • Snake Eyes is a Botch. You’ve completely missed your chance to attack. 
    • Automatic failure.
    • Instantly ends turn.
    • Opponent gets automatic uncontested attack. 
  • Double 6’s is a Critical success. 
    • Double damage. [Don’t double the Skill Level bonus on moves that get that bonus.]
    • Roll 2d6 [both positive] and add that number to the damage.
    • If you roll a Critical on a stunning move, your opponent is automatically Stunned.

An Attack has to equal or exceed the opponent’s Defense Number for that type of attack [strike, grapple, rush]. For instance, if your opponent has a Strike Defense of 15, you have to roll a 15 or better to hit them with a strike.

  • If you match the number exactly, the attack does its regular amount of damage.
  • If you exceed the number, you get an extra point of damage for every point over the Defense Number.

This can lead to pretty substantial damage in some cases which brings us to…

DAMAGE EFFECTS

When you land an attack, the damage you deal can trigger special effects based on your opponent’s thresholds.

STUN

If a single attack deals damage equal to or exceeding your opponent’s STUN value, they are stunned.

STUN Threshold: BODY(+Tough) + Willpower

When Stunned:

  • You get an immediate uncontested follow-up attack
  • If you already had an additional action remaining, that action is now uncontested
  • If you didn’t have an additional action, you get a free one

STUN CHECKS

Some moves have a Stun Check notation. These moves give you an additional chance to stun your opponent, even if your damage doesn’t reach their STUN threshold.

How Stun Checks Work:

  1. Your attack hits and deals damage normally
  2. Roll 2d6 (both dice positive) and add your Skill Level in that fighting style
  3. Add an extra point for each point your attack exceeds the Defense Number
  4. If this total equals or exceeds your opponent’s STUN value → they are stunned
  5. Stunned opponents give you an immediate uncontested follow-up attack

KNOCKDOWN

If a single attack deals damage equal to or exceeding your opponent’s KNOCKDOWN value, they are knocked down.

KNOCKDOWN Threshold: (STUN) + REFLEX

When Knocked Down:

  • All attacks against knocked down opponents are uncontested
  • Effectiveness depends on opponent’s Defense Style:
    • Brutal Defense: Automatically absorbs BODY[+Tough] damage
    • Slick Defense: Takes full damage (cannot dodge while down)
  • Opponent cannot perform an action until they get back up
  • Getting up takes one action

BREAK (INJURY)

If a single attack deals damage equal to or exceeding your opponent’s BREAK value, they are injured.

BREAK Threshold: (3 × BODY) + Tough

When Injured:

  • Suffer a -3 penalty to all rolls (including initiative rolls)
  • Each subsequent injury adds an additional -1 penalty
  • Penalties stack: 1st injury = -3, 2nd injury = -4, 3rd injury = -5, etc.

Uncontested Attacks

There are some situations where it’s all but impossible to miss. [while your opponent is Stunned, Knocked Down, Grappled, etc.] In these cases, roll 2d6 [one positive. one negative.]

  • If you roll Snake Eyes, you’ve Botched the attack, and allowed them to recover, escape, get up, etc. 
  • If you roll Double 6’s, Critical hit! Double damage + 2d6 bonus.
  • Any other roll is an automatic hit. If the result is positive, add those points to damage.

DEFENSE

Just like there are Attack Numbers, There are also Defense Numbers.

You have strike defense, grapple defense and dynamic defense. This measures your skill at defending against each different type of attack. These are determined by your Biometric stats and bolstered by your Perks… [see chart below] and can be further enhanced by certain fighting styles, abilities, etc. 

The higher these numbers are, the harder you are to hit with that type of attack, but remember… this game is primarily about offense, so only the attacker gets a dice roll. The Defense Number is a static number that has to be met or exceeded for an attack to be successful.

There are two styles of defense: Brutal and Slick. Your style is determined by your Biometric stats and Perks. Whichever combination of these is higher is your style of defense for that type of attack.

Strike Defense Grapple Defense Dynamic Defense
Brutal
BODY[+tough]		 Brutal
BODY[+strong]		 Brutal
BODY[+strong]
Slick
REFLEX[+quick]		 Slick
REFLEX[+precise]		 Slick
REFLEX[+instinct]

Brutal Defense

for fighters with higher BODY stat and Perks.

Brutal Defense is ugly but effective. It’s covering up and bracing for impact. 

  • When knocked down, mounted or grappled, Brutal defense automatically absorbs BODY stat number [+ Tough perk, when applicable].
  • Successful defense against blunt weapons and unarmed attacks absorb your BODY[+tough] damage.
  • Successful defense against edged weapons and Tooth + Nail attacks absorb your BODY damage. These attacks ignore the Tough perk.

Pro: Brutal Defense automatically kicks in when you’re knocked down, mounted or grappled.

Con: You often take some damage even when your Defense is successful.

Slick Defense

for fighters with higher REFLEX stat and Perks.

Slick Defense is technical and graceful. It avoids attacks altogether when possible. 

  • Slick Defense cannot be used while knocked down, mounted or grappled. 
  • Attacks against Slick fighters in these states take full damage.
  • However, successful defense against weapons, Tooth + Nail attacks and unarmed attacks, take NO damage.

Pro: Successful Defense completely nullifies weapon, Tooth + Nail and unarmed attacks.

Con: Slick Defense is useless when knocked down, mounted or grappled.

YOU WIN!!!

  • winning a fight with a PERFECT [not taking any damage] earns you FIVE credits
  • If you win with 50% of your LIFE or better, you win THREE credits.
  • If you win with LESS THAN HALF of your LIFE, you win ONE credits.