Echoes LARP

Battle Lore

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

All combat skills grant Battle Lore at level 3. This ability represents general knowledge and understanding of combat, as can only be gained by practical use of the tools of the trade. When performing Investigations on weapons, armor, battle sites, or other ephemera of war, this ability counts as a free Feat of Learning and Perception for each time it has been earned (i.e. multiple combat skills at level 3). This ability also grants a +2 bonus per Battle Lore to scholars, merchants, and diplomats whose research, ventures, and influence actions are focused upon the arts of war or those who wage it.

Block

Prowess : 1
Defenses: —

This ability allows a shield user to “take a hit” on their shield arm, which reduces the damage of a non-magical attack to 1, regardless of how damaging the attack was originally. The 1 point of damage is still taken off of a character’s resilience, as normal. Block will not stop the special effects of an attack, such as the stunning of a Stunning Blow, nor the knockdown of a Sweep Attack, nor the critical effect or resilience destruction of a Mortal Blow. Block is a reduction effect, and note that Threshold effects are always checked before reduction effects can take place.

Deflect

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a shield user to completely negate a melee or non-magical missile attack. Unlike Block, Deflect explicitly stops all effects of the attack. Note that Shield Pierce and Shield Break effects cannot be Deflected, nor can Mighty Blows.

Disarm

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Recover

This ability allows a sword user to cause an opponent to drop a weapon they are wielding. After saying the tagline, the user of this ability must then immediately strike the opponent’s weapon. Heavy weapons are immune to Disarm, and their wielders may call “No Effect” in response to this attack. Anyone who has been Disarmed may not pick up any items, at all, for a 3 second count.

Dodge

Prowess : 3
Defenses: —

This ability allows a character to completely negate a melee, missile, or packet-delivered magical attack of almost any sort. Unlike most other combat abilities, Dodge does not require that a character be wielding the weapon tied to the skill with which they gained it. A Feat of Agility may be used to call a Dodge effect, and is treated exactly the same as a use of this ability.

Evade

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a character to completely negate a missile weapon attack (arrows, bolts, thrown weapons, sling shots, and railcaster shots). Unlike most other combat abilities, Evade does not require that a character be wielding the weapon tied to the skill with which they gained it. Simply put, an Evade functions exactly like Dodge: any maneuver that may be defended against with a Dodge may be defended against with Evade as long as the maneuver was delivered with a missile or thrown weapon.

Fortification

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

This passive shield ability grants a +1 maximum Vitality increase as long as a character wears a suit of armor of any kind. Treat this Vitality increase as if it were natural Vitality derived from the Tough trait. Since this ability only increases a character’s maximum Vitality, they must rest or recover in order to benefit from it. As soon as the possessor of this ability takes off a suit of armor, they immediately lose the increase and must again rest to recover it if they don more armor. This ability functions even if the character is not using a shield, and the condition of the Armor does not matter: a character can wear a damaged suit at 0 armor value and still gain the bonus to maximum Vitality.

Mortal Blow

Prowess : 3
Defenses: Dodge, Deflect, Parry

This potent attack immediately destroys its target’s Resilience and inflicts a Torso wound on them, assuming it hits a legal area of any kind. Note that extremely powerful foes may be resistant to the instant critical effect, but will still take a great deal of damage.

Parry

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a character to completely negate a melee attack of almost any sort. Note that any attack which targets the weapon itself, such as a Disarm or Weapon Break, cannot be parried.

Piercing Strike

Prowess : 1

Defenses: Dodge, Stonewall, Parry

This ability allows a strike to bypass shields and natural weapons entirely, doing 1 damage to the arm of the defender. Piercing Strike must actually strike the shield, claw, or unarmed phys-rep to count. Resilience applies as normal.

Power Strike

Prowess : 1
Defenses: Dodge, Deflect, Block (reduced to 1), Parry

This ability allows a character to call extra damage for 1 swing, the amount of which depends upon their skill level and the type of weapon they are using. Note that Heavy Weapons automatically add 1 to the damage of any power strike called with them. The tagline for this ability is “Power Strike X,” where X is the damage amount. A Feat of Strength may be used to call a free instance of this ability at the character’s normal power strike damage, just as if they had spent 1 prowess and called it as usual.

Recover

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a sword user to negate a Disarm effect delivered by a melee or thrown weapon. Note that Recover cannot be used to resist magical drop effects.

Shield Bash

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Recover

Shield Bash can only be called if an opponent strikes the user’s shield with a melee attack, and when successfully used it Disarms the opponent of that weapon. Heavy weapons are immune to Disarm, and their wielders may call “No Effect” in response to this attack. Those who have been Disarmed may not pick up any items, at all, for a 3 second count. 

Note: Players should NEVER actually strike anyone with a shield; this ability is just a representation of such an attack.

Stonewall

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a shield user to completely negate a Shield Pierce, Shield Break or Shield Disarm. Note that this ability will not defend against magical break effects.

Stunning Blow

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Parry, Deflect

This special attack, if successful, does 1 damage and causes its victim to be Stunned for 1 minute. Stunning is a Mental effect, and this maneuver can be entirely resisted as such, including the damage. Stunned characters may not move from where they stand, (they may turn around and such) attack anyone with weapons, speak, or cast spells for the duration. Both mundane defenses and defensive combat maneuvers are unaffected by stunning, however. Stunning Blow explicitly ignores all Threshold effects.

Subdue

Prowess : 1
Defenses: Dodge

This Close Weapon ability must be delivered from behind, and takes the form of a pommel tap to the upper back or shoulder of the victim. If successful, the victim then falls unconscious for 5 minutes. Perceptive characters and those wearing helmets are completely immune to subdual, and call “No Effect” when hit with such. Although the attacker need not be hidden to deliver a subdual, if a potential victim actually turns around and calls “I See You” (or otherwise makes it obvious the attack is detected somehow) before the subdual takes place, then it fails. As with all attacks, only 1 subdue may be called per second, and if a victim calls a Dodge on the first (or it somehow misses) the attacker is counted as being seen, as above.

Note: All Close Weapons must have at least 1” of open cell foam on their pommel, unlike other melee weapons, and regardless of whether or not they are “intended” to be used with this ability. A Sap, in addition, may be used in a Subdue by simply striking the victim with a normal swing that targets their back/shoulder. All other Subdue restrictions apply.

Sweep Attack

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Parry, Deflect

This special attack does 1 damage and inflicts a Knockdown effect on its target: they are forced to their knees or into a sitting or prone position for one minute, and they may not stand. Victims of this effect may still attack and defend, as well as use spells and skills as normal, and they may crawl upon their hands and knees. Other characters may carry victims of Knockdown as they would someone suffering a leg wound. A Feat of Strength may be used to resist a Sweep Attack entirely, including the damage. Sweep Attacks explicitly ignore all Threshold effects.

Thrown Disarm

Prowess : 1
Defenses: Dodge, Recover

This attack is very similar to a normal Disarm, save that it is delivered by a thrown weapon and only costs 1 prowess. Like a regular Disarm, the ability must be called and the weapon struck for it to take effect. As always, Heavy Weapons are immune to Disarm effects. If the attack hits an opponent instead of a weapon, it simply does 1 damage as normal.

Thrown Subdue
Prowess : 1

Defenses: Dodge

This attack is very similar to a normal subdue, save that it is delivered by a thrown weapon and only needs to strike its victim in the back (torso). All restrictions and qualifications relating to Subdue apply to this ability, though since thrown weapons must be entirely made of foam, the pommel construction requirement is not needed. If the attack hits a legal location other than the back, it simply does 1 damage as normal.

Weapon Break

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Withstand

This attack is delivered in a way similar to a Disarm, except that if it succeeds, the target weapon is subject to a Break effect. Broken items may not be used at all, though they need not be dropped; however, if a character takes a weapon hit on a broken weapon (or shield), the damage goes directly to the arm holding it. Heavy Weapons are immune to Weapon Breaks, though not to magical sources of break effects.

Withstand

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This Mace ability allows its user to negate a Weapon Break attack entirely. Withstand is useless on magical sources of break effects, however.

Arrowbane

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

With this ability, a character automatically gains a persistent Threshold 1 versus all non-magical missile and thrown weapon attacks, assuming they are holding a shield. Arrowbane does not stack in any way with other sources of threshold.

Artful Maiming

Prowess : 1
Defenses: Dodge, Deflect

Characters with this Thrown ability may immediately wound the limbs of their opponents through precise strikes at their joints. Such attacks are called as “Maiming Strike X!” where X is Right Arm, Left Arm, Right Leg, or Left Leg. If the attack is successful, regardless of where it actuallyhits, it causes a limb wound to the called location. Note that a wounded limb, if it takes another wound, causes the Critical condition. Artful Maiming does not cause Resilience damage.

Battle Focus

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

After 3 seconds of concentration, after which they must call out “Battle Focus!” a character using this ability immediately refreshes all of their Prowess and Vitality. Battle Focus may be used a number of times per day equal to the number of times it is chosen as an ability. If a character has several Battle Focus abilities from different skills, they all add to the number of times it can be used. Using this ability does not require the character to wield a weapon/shield of the skill type(s) under which it was bought. Any effect which prevents regaining prowess/vitality will prevent this ability from restoring same.

Binding Strike

Prowess : 1
Defenses: Dodge, Deflect

After this ability is called, and assuming it successfully strikes an opponent in any legal location,Binding Strike does 1 damage to the leg of its victim (their choice which one), and a inflicts aBind effect upon them. The Bind lasts for five minutes or until the victim spends a FoStrength to break free as a 3-second count (“Strength: Breaking 1, Breaking 2, Breaking 3!”). Those immune to Bind effects may call “No Effect” when hit by Binding Strikes, negating both the damage and the Bind.

Breaker

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

Using this ability, a character can call “Stunning Blow X,” instead of a normal Stunning Blow, where X is their weapon’s current maximum Power Strike damage. The Prowess cost is still 2 and the stunning effect still takes place: the target just takes X damage instead of 1.
As well, being a Breaker grants access to the Sunder and Killing Strike abilities.

Bulwark

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

With this ability, a shield user may call Block for 0 Prowess as long as their Prowess pool is at its maximum.

Combat Fitness

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

This ability permanently reduces the time a character must rest in order to recover Prowess andVitality. After choosing this ability, it only takes 5 minutes of standard resting to do so. This ability can only be chosen once, and it applies regardless of whether or not the character is wielding the appropriate weapon or shield. Any other ability that reduces rest duration will not stack with Combat Fitness.

Crack Shot

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

This ability allows an archer to use the Binding Strike and Trick Shot maneuvers. In addition, characters with this ability may gather up to 5 arrows or bolts during any Hold that happens to be called during a battle (saying “Crack Shot”), though they may not call holds for such a purpose.

Crushing Shield

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

This ability allows reduces the cost of Shield Bash to 1. As well, a character with Crushing Shield may call “Weapon Break” for 2 prowess after taking a hit on their shield from a melee weapon, targeting it exactly as the mace ability of the same name, with no effect on heavy weapons.

Defensive Strength

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

While wielding a shield, a character with this ability may call +2 damage with all melee Power Strikes. This effect, like using a Heavy weapon, will modify any abilities which calculate damage based on Power Strikes.

Favored Weapon/Shield

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

This ability grants per-day combat maneuvers when using a particular, distinctive weapon or shield. These abilities are called as either “Favored X” or “X Favored” (player’s choice), where X is the normal ability tagline, and do not take any Prowess at all.
Upon gaining this ability, the character may designate a particular item immediately, noting it on its tag at earliest opportunity (put character name and favored abilities on it). After picking their Favored Item the character then must choose which abilities it will have. Characters with this ability have 6 Favored Points to spend on the available combat maneuvers listed in the table below, with the cost in parenthesis representing how many favored points they cost to buy as per day abilities. Once purchased (each may be bought more than once), these abilities are a permanent part of the item and are noted on its tag, though of course only the character who has chosen the item may use its abilities. As with all per-day abilities, Favored Item maneuvers refresh at sunset.

Favored items, from a roleplaying perspective, represent a seasoned warrior’s familiarity with a particular tool of their trade: they know it as they know their own limbs, and it acts as an extension of such. The physical representation of the item ought to be quite distinctive, and players should endeavor to also make sure that it is of good aesthetic quality and that it is in good condition. Favored items need not be Superior Quality, but it is entirely appropriate if they are.

If the item is lost, given away, sold, or destroyed, the character can designate a new Favored Item of the same type by using it liberally for at least one full event, and then dedicating a downtime action to practicing with it. At the next event, it becomes their new Favored Item, which must be noted on its tag as normal, and the new item will have exactly the same suite of abilities as the old. A character may only have one Favored Item belonging to a particular skill at a time, though additional Favored Items from different skills are allowed.

During downtime sessions, a character with this ability may train with their favored item. If this is done often enough, they will gain more Favored Points. The maximum number of Favored Points is generally limited by the character’s Prowess, as is their speed in earning them.

*paired abilities may be used as either effect

Fencing

Prowess : Recover reduced to 1
Defenses: —

This ability permanently reduces the cost for Recovers to 1 Prowess as long as the character is wielding a sword. In addition, if a character calls a Parry on an opponent’s attack, they may then use a free Disarm (called as “Fencing Disarm”) on them if they do so within 3 seconds of the parried attack, before the fencer makes any other attack or defense. The character must still strike their attacker’s weapon; the only change is the cost. Note that only the Parry ability—not mundane parries—actually triggers the free disarm.

Footpad

Prowess : Subdue reduced to 0
Defenses: —

Characters with this ability reduce the cost of Subdue to 0. In addition, they may use the Greater Subdue ability.

Greater Subdue

Prowess : 1
Defenses: none

Characters with this ability may freely target those wearing helmets, or those who have thePerceptive trait. Exceptionally perceptive targets, however, may ignore a single Greater Subdue if they call a Greater Feat of Perception. A Greater Subdue cannot be Dodged.

Greater Stonewall

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a character to resist even magical sources of break effects which target their shield.

Greater Weapon Break

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability is identical to Weapon Break except that it can explicitly break Heavy weapons.Giant weapons are not breakable by this ability, however.

Killing Strike

Prowess : 3
Defenses: Dodge, Parry, Deflect

This ability allows the character to call “Killing Strike” for a single swing, which if not Parried, Dodged, or Deflected immediately slays the target (also destroying all resilience) as if they had just received a Killing Blow. Killing Strike is not gained as an individual ability; rather, it is gained as a part of the Slayer or Breaker abilities.

High Ground

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

A character with this ability may call a Sweep Attack as “Sweep Attack X,” where X is their weapon’s normal Power Strike damage. The Prowess cost is still 2, and the attack does X damage to wherever it hits; in all other respects it is a normal Sweep Attack. Also, when attacking prone opponents (those sitting, kneeling, or lying down), or while prone and attacking standing opponents, a character with High Ground adds 1 to the damage of any Power Strike—or power strike derived ability such as Sweep Attack itself—they call.

Leading Strike

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

This ability simply adds 2 to the damage all Power Strikes called by the character as long as they have a full Prowess pool before any are called. This means a character with a full pool may spend 1 Prowess to call a Power Strike enhanced by this ability. All sources of Power Strikes are potentially enhanceable by Leading Strike.

Legendary Weapon/Shield

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

In a fashion similar to Favored Weapon/Shield—though to a much more profound degree—this ability allows a character to wield a weapon/shield which so personifies their skill at arms that it gains incredible, near-magical properties. This ability takes in-game actions to “activate” (think warrior’s quest); the exact process and result is of which is FOIP.

Master Power Strike

Prowess : —
Defenses: Dodge, Parry, Block (reduce to 1), Deflect

A character with this ability may call Power Strike 2 (3 for Bow) with the appropriate weapon type for no prowess cost. Every time this ability is chosen again for the same skill, they may call their next highest power strike for no cost. If a character chooses this ability the maximum number of times, they may call their highest possible power strike damage for nothing. Note that these “permanent” power strikes are still enhanced if the weapon they are used with is Heavy, or if they use any other effects/abilities which explicitly state they increase the damage of all Power Strikes used with them.

Mighty Blow

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Block (reduce to 1)

This fearsome attack costs 2 Prowess and allows a character to call “Mighty Blow X,” where X is twice their maximum power strike damage (including bonuses from Heavy weapons and the like) for the appropriate weapon. Mighty Blows cannot be Parried or Deflected, only Dodged or Blocked.

Mobility

Prowess : Dodge reduced to 2
Defenses: —

This ability permanently reduces the cost of Dodge to 2 Prowess. May only be chosen once, and may be used without restrictions, as a normal Dodge.

Perfect Aegis

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

A character with this Shield ability may spend 2 Prowess to negate a magical, packet-based attack, and is called as “Aegis.” This ability may also be called in place of a Deflect or Stonewall, and is treated in exactly the same way.

Quick Hands

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

Characters with this ability may mundanely block thrown weapons with their hands alone or with any thrown weapon they might be wielding. Also, if a character with Quick Hands happens to catch a thrown weapon, they may immediately hurl that weapon back at the thrower (and the thrower only), calling a free Power Strike at their normal amount. If this power strike hits someone else accidentally, it still takes effect, though the character must be sincerely trying to hit the original opponent.
In addition, characters with this ability may gather up to 5 thrown weapons during any Hold that happens to be called during a battle (saying “Quick Hands”), though they may not call holds for such a purpose.

Shieldbane

Prowess : —
Defenses: —

Using this ability, a character can call “Shield Pierce X,” instead of a normal shield pierce, where X is their weapon’s current maximum Power Strike damage. The prowess cost for this effect is still 1, and the damage still targets the victim’s arm. In addition, the player gains the Shield Break ability.

Shieldbearer

Prowess : Stonewall reduced to 1
Defenses: —

A character with this ability gains Greater Stonewall, and they reduce the prowess cost of normal Stonewall to 1. As well, Shieldbearers may ignore any drop effect (calling “Shieldbearer”), magical or otherwise, with regards to their shield. Finally, as long as they are holding their shield, Shieldbearers may spend any physical feat (Strong, Tough, or Agile) to call a free Deflect against any attack affected by such.

Shield Break

Prowess : 2
Defenses: Dodge, Stonewall

This ability allows an axe wielder to break an opponent’s shield directly. As with a Shield Pierce, a Shield Break must actually strike the shield in question.

Slayer

Prowess : Mortal Blow reduced to 2
Defenses: —

This dangerous ability permanently reduces the cost for Mortal Blow to 2 Prowess for the weapon type under which it was gained. In addition, the character may call Killing Strikes (3 Prowess) with said weapon type.

Sunder

Prowess : 2
Defenses: —

This ability allows a Mace user to damage objects, structures, doors and containers just as if they used a Greater Feat of Strength to do so. Often, Sunder must be attempted in the presence of a Marshal.

Steady Arm

Prowess : Thrown Subdue and Thrown Disarm reduced to 0
Defenses: —

This ability reduces the costs of Thrown Disarm and Thrown Subdue to 0. In addition, it grants the Trick Throw ability.

True Strike

Prowess : 2
Defenses: none

This powerful attack, usually called with a bow or a thrown weapon, is called as “True Strike X,” where X is the user’s maximum power strike damage in that weapon. A True Strike may not be defended against or resisted by any game effect at all (including Threshold), except for effects which specifically make one immune to the weapon type it is called with. The only way to avoid this type of attack is to actually avoid it or actually block it with a shield (and/or weapon in the case of thrown True Strikes).

Weaponbane

Prowess : Withstand reduced to 1
Defenses: —

A character with Weaponbane gains access to the Greater Weapon Break maneuver. As well, this ability reduces the cost of Withstand to 1.