[GUIDE] Core Battle Mechanics and Information v2.0

[Marushii]

Combat in This is Halloween

Conflict happens: it's an unavoidable part of life in both Halloween and the Human World. There are also times when that conflict escalates, changing from a simple disagreement to an exchange of blows. The two characters can easily RP the situation out. Or they could use the battle system to decide who emerges victorious.

This guide will go over the basics of the battle system we use in This is Halloween. This guide applies to ALL characters, from Amityville to Hunters to Horsemen to even Quest characters.

Consider this thread a guide to the core rules of This is Halloween's battle system. Here the basics will be explained, and stats will be compiled for each faction. If you ever have a question, please do not hesitate to ask it here and quote Marushii, or PM her instead.

The battle system is constantly being tweaked/updated.
It is your responsibility to check in on this often and stay up to date!
Events may have their own special rules. Check and double-check Event Posts for those rules!

 

[Marushii]

Table of Contents

// One day this will be updated. In the meantime please scroll down. //  

[Marushii]

Terminology and Dice Value Guide:

How to Decipher Dice Instructions:
Throughout this guide, the instruction of "roll xdy" will pop up numerous times. What does it mean?

"x" stands for the amount of dice you roll.
"d" stands for "dice."
"y" stands for the sides of the dice you are required to roll.

For example, "2d6" means "roll two 6-sided dice."

Initiative: 1d20
Initiative determines who makes the first move. This is optional. See "Initiating a Battle" next post for more information.

Hit Points/HP: Varies.
Hit Points or HP determines the "life" of a character. HP in TiH represents the amount of Fear a character has: the less a character has, the greater their chance is to "dissipate" or fall unconscious. It is impossible to go over your HP limit; HP is cap at your maximum bar GM status effects.

>> Above 10 HP: Your character is still kickin', still going strong.
>> Between 5-10 HP: Your character is starting to feel tired...
>> Between 1-5 HP: Your character is nearing the end of their rope.
>> At 0 HP: Your character is exhausted.
>> At -1 to -4 HP: Your character is very weak. Extremely fatigued.
>> -5 to -9 HP: Your character is now unconscious.
>> At -10 HP and greater: Please see the section "Battle End" in the next post, "The Flow of Battle."

Every character has a different amount of HP depending on their faction. Please see the respective faction posts further down the page to determine what your character's value is.

Attacking: 2dy -m
In order to attack, every character will need to roll two dice as determined by their faction post, as seen further down the page. If I was a stage one Halloween character, I would roll "2d6." But that is not enough -- you must also subtract the modifier. Please see the next section.

Modifiers:
Represented by the "-m" on the attack roll, every player must subtract the modifier to determine how successful their character's attack was. Did the attack hit? Miss? How much damage did it do? This number also determines whether your opponent was able to successfully dodge your attack.

If I was a first year or Quest Halloween character, my modifier is six. Therefore in order to determine my damage, I would roll two, 6-sided dice (2d6) and subtract 6 from the total.

Modifiers vary by faction; please see your character's corresponding faction.

>> My attack total came to a number! Now what?:
If that number is greater than zero, then congrats! You have successfully hit your opponent. Your opponent will subtract that amount from their hit points.

>> My total is less than zero. Now what?
Unfortunately it means you do no damage. Don't be afraid to get creative! Did your character just miss? Or did they fumble? Get distracted? Maybe the hit would have been successful if the opponent didn't dodge out of the way. Mix it up and get creative!

Defending:
You don't need to attack all the time in a battle. You can also opt to defend yourself. When you choose to defend, you cannot attack. The amount you roll will be

If you choose to defend, you are also choosing to give up attacking that turn. To defend, roll the dice that corresponds to your character's IC rank/year. The amount you rolled is the amount of damage you nullify done to your next turn.

A character can also opt to defend another character. The amount that is rolled is the amount of damage that will be nullified against them next round. Defense is reset at the end of every turn; it does not carry over.

Let's say Bob defends against an attack. Bob rolled a 4. Someone attacks him for 6 damage. Bob's damage is two: Attack - Defense = Damage. 6-4 = 2.

Let's say Bob is defending Joe. Bob rolled a 5. Someone attacks Joe for 8! 8-5 = 3. Who takes the 3 damage? Joe will. While it may make sense for Bob to take the damage (as he is defending Joe), consider this: what would happen if two people were defending? Who would take it? The person who posted last? For simplicity's sake, leftover damage will go to the original target.

Keep in mind that if your character is defending another person, they are not defending themselves. If anyone attacks a character that is defending another, they take the damage.

Let's say Bob is defending Joe for 4. Someone attacks Joe for 1. Bob is still defending Joe for 3. Another person attacks Joe, this time for 2. Bob is still defending Joe for 1. A third person comes up and attacks Bob for 4. Bob takes the full 4 damage, as he is concentrating on protecting Joe.

FEAR Attacks:
A Fear attack is a special attack that all characters are capable of performing. Instead of attacking or defending, a character may choose to use one of these special attacks instead in order to deal massive damage, heal themselves, or change their opponent's modifier. For more information, please view the Fear Mechanics Guide.

Fleeing: 1d20
Instead of attacking/defending/healing/using a Fear attack, a character can opt to flee from battle. The person wishing to retreat will roll 1d20. If their opponent wishes to prevent them from leaving, they may also roll 1d20. In order to flee successfully, the person wishing to run away must have rolled higher than their opponent. You can only attempt to flee when it is your turn.

Battle Code:
Please include this code in your post in EVERY battle you participate in. This will allow you to keep track of your HP, your target, and how much damage you have dealt.

[b]HP:[/b] Your HP Value.
[color=red][b]Damage:[/b][/color] The amount of damage you to do your target.
[b]Target:[/b] Who are you attacking?
[b]Effect:[/b] List any effects you suffer here. Did your opponent set you on fire? Did their special Fear attack inflict poison? Does your character's attacks leave their opponent slightly chilled? Use this space to keep track of any battle or RP'd effects for convenience.

 

[Marushii]

The Flow of Battle:

Initiating a Battle:
There's no set rule to starting a battle. If during RP it's been decided that both characters would attack each other, then by all means go for it! The players can discuss between themselves who would make the first move, or if both characters would be matched in speed or dislike for each other then the players can roll initiative.

Rolling initiative simply means each character rolls one 20-sided dice. Whoever has the higher number moves first. This is used to determine who attacks first.

Attacking:
After initiation, characters will then engage in battle. In this stage, characters can:
- Attack
- Defend
- Use a Fear Attack
- Use an Artifact
- Use a Learned Ability (Halloween)
- Use a Runic Weapon (Hunters)
- Activate Distortion (Horsemen)
- Flee

Please note that the only way a character can heal themselves mid-battle is through the use of an item, or by means of a healing Fear attack.

Battle End:
A battle can end in several ways:

- One character is defeated.
- Both characters call a draw.
- One character flees.
- Both characters are interrupted.
- One character's HP falls beneath -10.

When a character's HP falls beneath -10, that character cannot fight anymore.

For a Halloween or Horseman character, it means they have now dissipated. Their body disintegrates into Fear, whereupon it then "flows" to the nearest pumpkin patch where they reform. The process of reforming is instantaneous, however the more frequent they dissipate within a short time span the longer it takes to reform. Frequent dissipation can lead to instability along with a damaged core, which has the potential to permanently alter a character.

For a Hunter, they are without a Fear shield. It would be in their best option to retreat ASAP as soon as they hit 0 HP. The more they are attacked, the increased likelihood it will be that they will die, as they fall unconscious at -5 HP.

In addition, there is a high chance of acquiring a grievous injury at this point, or even death. If you wish to pursue this route, you must discuss it with a GM prior to doing so as it is something that will permanently affect your character.

In regards to scars, many players opt to give their scar as soon as the character hits 0 or -5 HP.  

[Marushii]

Boss Battles:

While a majority of battling in TiH is between two people, there will be times when a Boss makes an appearance. A Boss tends to come with a boatload of HP and usually hits like a truck, and may appear with or without warning. Bosses can only be played by GMs.

If you ever want to face a boss, you are also more than welcomed to send the shop mule WE ARE HALLOWEEN a plot proposal with a request for a boss battle.

EVERY BOSS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT! Some may change the modifier your character uses to attack. Some may strike multiple targets. Some may even have something called auto-damage. It is your responsibility as a player to read GM posts carefully and follow these special rules.

Auto Damage:
Auto-damage is a set amount of damage that an attacking character receives regardless of whether or not they deal damage to said boss. Please see a boss' introductory post to determine whether or not the boss has auto damage and how much it is.

ALWAYS UPDATE YOUR POSTS WITH YOUR DAMAGE!
If you roll an attack in a boss fight. Always, ALWAYS immediately edit the post to state the damage and how much HP the boss has left! NEVER PUT THIS OFF.

Fears:
When it comes to a Boss, some Fears act a little differently than against another opponent. Considering how many players are attacking a boss at one time, it is impossible to keep track of some of the changes a boss may make -- especially if it's page 23 and everyone realizes that someone made a Fear attack on page 4. Backreading and recalculating damage sucks.

For the Tainted Fang we ask that you calculate the total damage and apply it all at once.

For all other Fears and how to use them in a Boss Battle, please view the Fear Guide.  

[Marushii]

Halloween Character Stats:

Hit Points/HP Values:

Quest/Year One Students: 30/30
Year Two Students: 40/40
Year Three Students: 50/50
Year Four/Graduate Students: 60/60
Professors: ???/???

To Attack, Roll:

Quest/Year One Students: 2d6 -6
Year Two Students: 2d8 -6
Year Three Students: 2d10 -6
Year Four/Graduate Students: 2d12 -6
Professors: 2d12 -4

To Defend, Roll:
Quest/Year One Students: 1d4
Year Two Students: 1d6
Year Three Students: 1d8
Year Four/Graduate Students: 1d10
Professors: 1d12

Amount of Fear Attacks Per Battle:
Please view the Fear guide.

Effects:

• Distortion affects certain Halloween characters. If you are using distortion you MUST NOTE IT IN YOUR POST AND CALCULATE THE DAMAGE ASAP.
  

 

[Marushii]

Hunter Stats:

Hit Points/HP Values:

Trainee: 40/40
Intermediate Trainee: 50/50
Hunter: 60/60
Division Assistants: ???/???
Division Leads: ???/???

To Attack, Roll:

Trainee: 2d8 -6
Intermediate Trainee: 2d10-6
Hunter: 2d12 -6
Division Assistants: 2d12-6
Division Leads: 2d12 -4

To Defend, Roll:
Trainee: 1d6
Intermediate Trainee: 1d8
Hunter: 1d10
Division Assistant: 1d10
Division Lead: 1d12

Amount of Charged Fear Attacks Per Battle: 3/3

To Gain a Charge:
- Successfully hit an opponent with a regular attack.
- Successfully defend.
- Receive a hit from a Fear attack.

To Lose a Charge:
- Use a Fear (costs 3 charges to use a Fear, maximum you can "carry" is 3)
- Dismiss your weapon and place it into totem form

exclaim NOTE! Some Fear attacks have an effect on a weapon's ability to gain charges. Please see the Fear Guide and read through the Fears/specifically look at the one your character is using/having used on them to determine whether or not their charges are affected.

Examples:

Let's say Bob is defending Jim. Bob defends Jim for 5 damage. Jim is attacked for 3. Since Bob successfully defended Jim, only Bob will gain the charge as Jim never made contact with the opponent.

But what if there are two people defending? Let's say Sue and Bob are defending Jim against a vicious Halloween creature. Sue rolls 1, Bob rolls 2. Jim is attacked for 5 damage. Who gets the charge? Both Sue and Bob were defending Jim who was attacked. As they both successfully defended (some) of him, both Sue and Bob get a charge. Jim would only get a charge if he too was defending.

On that scenario, let's say Sue rolled a 6, Bob rolled 3. Jim is attacked again for 4 damage. Who gets the charge? Only Sue was attacked, and as she successfully blocked she gains the charge. Since she took all of the damage and negated it, neither Bob nor Jim gain a charge as their weapons did not contact the Halloween creature.

Amount of Fear Attacks per Battle:
Please view the Fear Guide.  

[Marushii]

Horseman Stats:

Hit Points/HP Values:

Outer Circle/ Inner Circle Fear Rank 1 (no growth points fulfilled): 40/40
Outer Circle/ Inner Circle Fear Rank 2 (120/120 growth points with growth rp): 50/50
Protectors: 120/120
Head Priestess: ???/???

To Attack, Roll:

Horsemen Fear Rank 1: 2d8 -6
Horsemen Fear Rank 2: 2d10-6
Protectors: 2d12 -6
Protectors when targetting two characters: 2d12 -8
Head Priestess: 2d12 -4

To Defend, Roll:
Horsmen Fear Rank 1: 1d6
Horsmen Fear Rank 2: 1d8
Protectors: 1d10
Head Priestess: 1d12

Amount of Fear Attacks Per Battle:
Please view the Fear Guide.

Effects:

• Distortion affects all Horsemen characters.
  

 

[Marushii]

IC Combat Locations:

Curious as to where you are ICly allowed to battle? Keep in mind that you can battle anywhere at anytime at anyplace, however some places and times may have IC consequences associated with them. Here is a list of battle approved locations, free from consequences. Sometimes.

In Halloween:

Please keep all battle threads in the Gym and HH Thread. Please note that any Hunter wishing to access any of Amityville's facilities may only do so in a golem. Please read "Hunters - Golems & Battling" below for more information.

>> Amityville - Outdoor Arena:
An open-roofed building located quite a ways from the gym and school. The building is highly reminiscent of the Roman Colluseum in the Human World, except the battle ground itself is a hard packed dirt floor. It is rumored that the arena was able to simulate many different types of environments for opponents to battle in, however presently it cannot. Above the arena's battelground are rows and rows of seats for spectators to watch and make bets on the combatants.

>> Amityville - Gymnasium:
A covered building with plenty of space that has been remodeled many times. A large portion of the floor has a clear force field over the pool, turning the building in a 2-in-1 location. The previous gym teacher prohibited large natural forms from using the gym due to said forms taking up too much space and damaging the gym more than their opponent.

>> Amityville - Pool:
Providing it's pool hours and the gym is not in use, the force field blocking access to the pool is removed to allow students and visitors alike to swim in it. Those wishing for a challenge may also battle inside the pool, and may have part of the force field active to create an "island" of sorts they can battle on. It is to everyone's benefit to never, ever drink the pool water.

>> Lost Clans Reserve:
There is currently no area dedicated to sparring or battling on the Lost Clans Reserve.

>> Deus Ex Machina - Training Grounds:
A section of the island dedicated to specialized training depending on a Hunter's division. The training ground also has Fear-imbued training dummies to practice utilizing their weapon on. Halloween and Horsemen characters cannot access these facilities, as they are on the Hunter island.

>> The Haunted House:
The Haunted House is a mysterious old house that is bigger than it is on the inside than outside. The House has countless rooms of varying colors, themes, and effects. All characters may battle here. Before doing so however, please see The Haunted House Rules and Instructions.

Hunters - Golems & Battling
Golem Suits are too fragile to use in combat. Upon entering combat, the Golem crumbles and the Hunter is quite forcibly returned to the Isle. This is because the golem pulls the very Fear that enables it to move and pass off like a Halloween citizen out of its body to form the shield, thus killing itself without meaning to. Bottom line: hunters in golems cannot participate in comat at this time. In addition, you cannot summon your weapon as a golem, as your weapon is not physically with you.  

[Marushii]

RP Thread Labels:

When you start a battle RP, please tag your RP with the proper battle tag:

[SPAR] - Your character is soloing it out against some training dummies. This will not count as a battle RP; max of one growth point upon hitting 600 words.
[1v1] - One opponent versus one other opponent. Both sides need to role-play rolling their dice in order to earn two growth points this way.
[1v1v1] - One verses one verses one. For disagreements that involve more than one person.
[2v2] - A team of two opponents versus two other opponents.
[2v1] - A battle of two against one, for those that feel hardcore.
3v3] - A team of three opponents versus three other opponents.
[3v1] - A battle of three against one, for those that REALLY feel hardcore.
[BOSS] - A boss battle, run only by a GM.
[FREE-FOR-ALL] - A chaotic mess of everyone versus everybody. Considering the size and chaos that this can cause, we request that you DO NOT do this. Ever. See the following disclaimer concerning incomplete battles.

You can have as many participants as you'd like in a battle as long as every person participates, and so long as you update the RP tag accordingly (ie, a team of five against five would be [5v5]).

Incomplete Battles:
If the battle is incomplete due to one or more of its participants disappearing, ALL participants will only earn ONE growth point, and that is only if they have written 600 words. The same goes for someone against an opponent who will "edit their posts in later." Only the participant who has written posts will earn a growth point, and they will only earn it if they have written 600 words. Their opponent who simply rolled out the combat will receive nothing until their posts are filled in.  

[Marushii]

NEVER DELETE A POST!

Never, EVER delete a post in a battle thread! Because of how guilds are set up, it is impossible for the guild crew to determine whether you deleted a post because you forgot to roll, or if you deleted a post because you did not land a hit. It is this implication of cheating that makes deleting a post a bannable offense. Not banned from the shop, mind you, but banned from participating in shop events for a certain amount of time. Please do not delete your post. Should you ever forget to roll, or if you rolled the wrong dice, simply quote your post and roll.

Again, never delete your posts!

 

[Marushii]

Battle F.A.Q.

I have a quest. Can I participate in battling?
If and only if it is an event. Otherwise we currently do not offer battling for Quest characters.

Can I score some sweet minipets loot from battling?
Maybe, maybe not. It is a mystery.

I suspect my battle partner of cheating. What can I do?
Contact a GM and request that they look through the battle logs. They can confirm with you whether or not a post was deleted. Otherwise, don't be afraid to ask the other person. "Excuse me, but am I misremembering? I could have sworn that you attacked me, not blocked..."

My partner calculated their damage incorrectly and refuses to change it! Help!
Contact a GM, and they will gladly provide assistance. Don't be afraid to politely talk to your partner first! "I think there's something off about your math... could you please re-check it? Then again, I might have miscalculated, haha."

Um, that person I was suspecting of cheating? They're a GM. Help?
If there is a problem with a GM, please do not hesitate to contact Marushii. GMs are people too! Don't be afraid to talk to them directly!

But what if it's Marushii cheating?!
Are you sure she's not trolling? Otherwise, don't be afraid to talk to her about it, either. If that's still scary, PM WE ARE HALLOWEEN.

Can my Halloween character ICly fight in their dormroom?
They can, but then during the middle of it gnomes will rush in, somehow manage to grab all participants and throw them in one of the combat-approved areas. Dorm rooms are too crowded for fighting.

Can my Halloween character ICly fight anywhere beside the combat-approved areas?
You can, but then gnomes somehow know you're getting into trouble and bring all parties either to one of the combat-approved areas or the office. And really, you do not want to get caught abusing combat privileges.

What's the worst that could happen?
Detention and cleaning The Other Bathroom would be preferable to the combat abuse.

Can my Hunter fight in the Halloween combat-approved areas?
Nope. Hunter Golems are far too fragile.

Can my Hunter fight anywhere outside the combat-approved areas in Deus Ex?
They can, however you wouldn't like the consequences. Let's say that in comparison, Halloween students that break the combat rules get off easy.

How many battles can I have open at one time?
As many as you can handle. I personally recommend one at a time until you get the hang of battling, though.

Do I need a battling pass to battle?
We no longer have battle passes.

I'm a Y2 about to fight a Y1. Is there any way I can make this fight even?
An upperclassman may adjust their HP pool and dice down a level to match their lower classman's rank. Ie, a Y2 can use Y1 mechanics, a Y3 can use Y2 or Y1 mechanics, etc etc. You may NOT raise your HP pool, dice, or Fear up to another level without ICly earning that rank, however. That is, if you're a Y1 you can't use Y2 dice mechanics until you've taken your exam to rank up.

How can I heal mid-battle?
Use or have someone with a healing Fear ability heal you. If it is an event and you have a healing item, use that. Otherwise, you may only heal between battles provided you have acquired the necessary learned ability.

It's an event and there's open PvP. How do I prevent someone from beating the poop out of me while I'm offline?
Events will have special battle rules. As this situation will only occur during an event, this will be addressed in the event rules.  

[Marushii]

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[Marushii]

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[Marushii]

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