Combat¶
Combat
Adjacent
Many abilities and other options refer to creatures, objects, or spaces that are adjacent to a specified creature. Something is adjacent to a creature if it is within 1 square of that creature.
Combat
Ally
If an ability targets one or more allies, it can affect only willing creatures who are friendly to the creature using the ability. Typically, you and any other player whose character you target with a…
Combat
Area Abilities
Area abilities cover a number of squares on the battlefield at once, creating an effect within that area that lets you target multiple creatures or objects. When an ability creates an area of effect,…
Combat
Aura
When an ability creates an aura, that area is expressed as "X aura." The number X is the radius of the aura, which always originates from you and moves with you for the duration of the ability that cr…
Combat
Burst
When an ability creates a burst area, that area is expressed as "X burst." The number X is the radius of the burst, which always originates from you and lasts only for as long as it takes to affect it…
Combat
Combat Round
Combat takes place over a series of combat rounds. During a combat round, each creature in the battle takes a turn. Once every creature has taken a turn, a new round begins.
Combat
Concealment
Darkness, fog, invisibility magic, and any other effect that fully obscures a creature or object but doesn't protect their physical form grants that creature or object concealment. Even if you have li…
Combat
Conditions
Some abilities and other effects apply specific negative effects called conditions to a creature. The following conditions show up regularly in the game and can be tracked on your character sheet when…
Combat
Cover
When you have line of effect to a creature or object but that target has at least half their form blocked by a solid object such as a tree, wall, or overturned table, the target has cover. You take a…
Combat
Critical Hit
Whenever you make an ability roll as a main action and the roll is a natural 19 or natural 20-a total of 19 or 20 before adding your characteristic score or other modifiers—you score a critical hit. A…
Combat
Cube
When an ability affects a cubic area, that area is expressed as "X cube." The number X is the length of each of the area's sides. A creature or object must be within the area to be targeted by a cube…
Combat
Distance
An ability's "Distance" entry, represented by this symbol 📏, indicates how close you need to be to a creature or object to affect that target with the ability.
Combat
End of Next Turn (EoT)
Many effects last until the end of the target's next turn, abbreviated as "(EoT)" in the tier outcomes for an ability's power roll. A creature suffers from such an effect until the end of their next t…
Combat
Enemy
If an ability targets one or more enemies, it can affect only creatures who are hostile to the creature using the ability. Typically, you decide who counts as an enemy for the purpose of using your he…
Combat
Flanking
When you and one or more allies are adjacent to the same enemy and on opposite sides of the enemy, you are flanking that enemy. While flanking an enemy, you gain an edge on melee strikes against them.
Combat
Free Maneuvers
Boring stuff like opening an unlocked door, picking up an arrow from the ground, giving an object to an adjacent ally, or drawing a weapon doesn't require a maneuver or a main action. Rather, you can…
Combat
Line of Effect
To target a creature or object with an ability or effect, including making a strike against them, you must have line of effect to that target. If any solid object, such as a wall or pillar, completely…
Combat
Line
When an ability affects a linear area, that area is expressed as "A x B line." The number A denotes the line's length in squares, while the number B equals the line's width and height in squares. When…
Combat
Melee
Abilities with the Melee keyword can be used only over very short distances, typically within a character's reach, because they require a character to make contact with a creature or object with their…
Combat
Mounted Combat
A willing creature with the Mount role (see Creature Roles in Draw Steel: Monsters) can serve as your mount as long as their size is greater than yours. You can climb onto your mount freely (see Climb…
Combat
Objective Endings
While planning a combat encounter, the Director can set one or more objectives the heroes can achieve to end the encounter without dropping every last foe. Some broad categories of objectives are desc…
Combat
Opportunity Attacks
Whenever a creature has an enemy adjacent to them and the enemy willingly moves to a space that isn't adjacent to the creature without shifting, the creature can take advantage of that movement to qui…
Combat
Ranged
Abilities with the Ranged keyword can be used to affect creatures who are too far away to make contact with.
Combat
Sides
Every combat encounter is a conflict between two sides. The heroes and any of their allies are one side, controlled by the players. Any creatures who oppose the heroes are the other side, controlled b…
Combat
Signature Abilities
Some abilities granted by your class, kit, and other parts of the game are signature abilities. The rules specifically state when an ability is a signature ability. Signature abilities don't require y…
Combat
Strike
Abilities with the Strike keyword (often referred to simply as "strikes") deal damage to or impose a harmful effect on specific creatures or objects.
Combat
Determine Surprise
When battle starts, the Director determines which creatures, if any, are caught off guard. Any creature who isn't ready for combat at the start of an encounter is surprised until the end of the first…
Combat
Target
The "Target" entry of an ability, represented by this symbol 🎯, notes the number of creatures, objects, or both who can be targeted by that ability. You can always affect fewer targets than the number…
Combat
Triggered Actions and Free Triggered Actions
Your hero might have one or more unique triggered actions, each of which has a specified trigger that allows the action to be used. You can use one triggered action per round, either on your turn or a…
Combat
Taking a Turn
Each creature in combat—whether hero, adversary, or something in between—gets to take a main action, a maneuver, and a move action on their turn (explained later in this chapter). Each combatant can p…