Codes of the Flesh

It's time to go retro! Here are some house rules from the original Dreams of Flesh and Spirit website for Tribe 8 1st edition.

Additional Combat Manuevers

Manuever	ACC	Init	Dodge	Parry	Dam	Notes
Fend	n/a	0	+1	+1	n/a	Character can do nothing but dodge, parry or move. This may be combined with Defensive Blows for -1 Parry or Keep at Bay for -1 ACC.
Shield Bash	-1	0	-1	n/a	0	May only be attempted with a wood or metal shield. Character attempts to knock opponent off-balance with shield. The target may Dodge but not Parry. If successful, the opponent must make an AGI test vs. a Threshold equal to the MoS of the attack plus the straight DM of the shield (AD does not add in).
Set	0	-1	-1*	-1*	*	A character may set a long spear or poleaxe with piercing damage against a Charge. If the character dodges or parries, the set is lost (the weapon is dropped or moved). Multiply the attacker's BLD by one of following values and add to the weapon's DM: attacker is walking (x0), attacker is jogging (x.5), attacker is running (x1), attacker is charging (x1.5).
Stun	-1	0	0	0	*	Stuns work the same as in the Tribe 8 Companion, with the exception that the defender must make a HEA roll to stay conscious at -2.

Alternative Initiative Resolution

• Actions are declared from lowest Combat Sense roll to highest, and then resolved from highest to lowest. Once actions have been declared, they may be changed at the time of their character's turn, but this incurs a -1 penalty to the action that they do take. Regardless, characters cannot act before their Combat Sense roll would indicate. 
• Initiative is rolled for every three rounds. PCs may spend one (and only one) Emergency Die to temporarily bump their initiative order up by one for one round. Other factors that affect initiative, such as advanced manuevers, likewise only affect initiative for one round. 
• Characters may interrupt those with a higher Combat Sense roll at any time, taking a penalty to their actions equal to the difference between the two characters' Combat Sense Rolls.

Blunt Damage and Stabbing With Hack/Slash Weapons

Weapons that cause blunt damage ( Maces, clubs, etc...) allows the character being attacked to treat their Light Wound Threshold as being 5 points higher than their normal amount. Deep Wound and Instant Death Thresholds' are not affected.

Weapons that can be classified as hack/slash types can use stabbing damage instead of slashing damage. The character being attacked treats their Light Wound Threshold as being 5 points lower than their normal amount. The attacking character is at -1 ACC if they use this technique with a weapon that does not have an inherent Parry bonus. Deep Wound and Instant Death Thresholds' are not affected.

Credit for this rule goes to Wulf Corbett

"Pushing" Strength

Characters may attempt to push their Strength beyond its normal limits. This can normally only be done once per scene (if a player pushes this issue, they should be forced to increase their Strength score permanently through spending experience). Strength can be pushed up to 2 levels for characters with STR 0 or higher, or 1 level for characters with STR below 0. Characters risk physical injury when doing this, and must make a Health roll vs. a threshold of 4 for one level of Strength or 6 for two levels. Failing this roll results in a Light Wound for the character (in the form of torn ligaments, strains, etc.); fumbling it will result in a Deep Wound.

- Credit to this rule goes to Edwyn Kumar.

Sparring Rules

This one is from Rusted Sky, by Edwyn Kumar.

Now you can try out that move all the Jackers are using and not get killed in the process.

Here's how it works.

1) Standard initiative, attack, and defense rolls are made.

2) The MoS of the attack does no real damage as long as it is equal to or less than double your natural skill level. But, it does cause a One Round action modifier according to what the damage *would have been*. Flesh wounds -1, Deep wounds -2. Instant Deaths are treated as Deep wounds.

3) Stun checks last less time than usual. For a sparring deep wound, a failed stun check lasts 1d6 minutes. For a sparring Flesh wound, a failed stun check lasts 1d6 rounds. Instant Death results in an automatic stun for 1d6 minutes - KO !

(Remember, no real wounds are caused and the action penalties disappear after the next round.)

4) If the MoS is greater than double the skill level of the attacker, regular damage is assigned with all the normal combat rule and damage results.

(This is to mimic that a less skilled fighter has less control than a skilled one, so sparring someone with a high skill level is actually a beneficial thing. You're less likely to actually get hurt!)

i.e. Juniper and Mana have decided to have a sparring match. Mana is using a sword and Juniper is using a quarter staff. They both roll initiative and Mana wins! ( Surprise, surprise ).

She decides to lunge at Juniper, making a standard attack roll. Her skill is 3/+2. She rolls, 6,2,2 resulting in an 8 (6+2). Juniper makes a dodge roll, instead of parrying. His skill is 2/+1. He rolls a 5,3 resulting in a 6. That's a MoS of 2 for Mana! less than double her skill level, so no real damage. Her sword causes AD+11, which will be 18x MOs 2 = 36. Ouch, deep wound, taking in Junipers light armor. He is at -2 next round only and the rest of this one, but manages to pass his stun check.

Later in the fight, he retaliates, with a skill of 1/+1. Mana smiles and parries. Juniper rolls a 6 resulting in a 7 (6+1). Mana rolls a 2,2,1. Ooops! Junipers MoS is 3. More than twice his skill level! Mana is going to take real damage now. His staff causes AD+7, which is 11x MoS 3 = 33. An actual Deep wound for Mana who is not fighting with her regular armor. She won't be pleased! Standard injury rules take effect, as she glares at Juniper and limps to the side.

There we go, now playtest the new combat maneuvers, with the characters you love, in the safety of Hom and Mek's guidance.