COMBAT RULES
HITS
We Are Legends works on a global hit point system. If you reach 0HP, you are knocked unconscious and should fall safely to the ground. If active combat is taking part around you, you can move slightly out of the way to somewhere safer if needed.
If while on 0HP you are struck again, you are put to -1HP and the place that got hit begins Bleeding Out. You cannot ever be lower than -1HP. Once your Bleed Out timer reaches zero, your character is dead.
KILLING AND SANITY
Unless you have a skill that states otherwise, killing an uninfected human costs you a point of sanity per kill. Should you reach zero sanity, you enter your “Breakdown State” and must act as dictated by your Breakdown Card in your character pack.
Killing infected costs a point of sanity per encounter, regardless of how many you kill. Generally, encounters will have a gap of at least 15 minutes between them, and you can take your sanity loss at any point between your first kill, to up to 15 minutes after combat ends. If uncertain, consult a ref.
NON-COMBAT CHARACTERS
If you do not wish to be struck for out of character reasons, you may opt to play a non-combat (or "non-com") character for the duration of the game. Once you declare your status as non-com, you must remain as non-com for the remainder of the event, unless confirmed otherwise by the Head Ref.
Should you be in danger of being struck, you may raise both hands in the air and declare "Non-com!". At this point, you should either drop to the floor or move out of the way of combat. Your character is now on -1HP and bleeding out.
ONE PER SECOND RULE
In combat, you can only take one hit of damage per second from any one source at a time. This rule is to encourage more dramatic and cinematic fighting rather than speed fighting or drum rolling. To give some examples of this rule in action:
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If Monster A hits you three times in a second, you still only take one hit point of damage (even if they do it with dual-wielded weapons).
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If Monster A and Monster B both hit you at once, you take two hit points of damage.
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If Player 1 hits Monster A with the weapon in their left hand, and Monster B with the weapon in their right hand, both monsters take one hit point of damage.
CONSENSUAL FIGHTING
If any players wish to involve themselves in simulated fighting outside of PvM combat scenarios, they may only do so with the express permission of the parties involved. This should be done at half-speed, and with an agreement beforehand of how the combat will take place and how it will end. Should refs or NPC's feel that any simulated combat is too unsafe, they will call a TIME FREEZE and end the simulated fight to ensure safety.
During consensual simulated fights, both fighters must remain on their feet for the duration. We do not permit tackling, throwing, body-slamming or anything else that involves taking a player off their feet.
Please be aware that all crew will be instructed to deny any requests for simulated fighting. This is purely a roleplay device for players who wish to use it with another trusted player, and it is done so entirely at the risk of the consenting parties.
You must NEVER engage in physical combat with ANY person attending We Are Legends (either player, monster or NPC) without their express permission.
WEAPONS AND SHIELDS
There are five types of combat item in We Are Legends. Please note that stab-safe/collapsible tip weapons are not used in this system. For weapon construction regulations, please refer to the Weapon Check Guidelines section of the wiki.
Small Weapon: A dagger or other small bludgeoning or bladed item between 7" to 18" in length, striking for 1HP of damage per landed blow. Parrying does not ignore combat calls, but does ignore hit point damage. All characters can use a Small Weapon. They cannot be upgraded unless you have Way of the Blade as a skill.
One-Handed Weapon: A sword, club, mace or similar bludgeoning or bladed item between 18" and 42" in length, striking for 1HP of damage per landed blow. Parrying does not ignore combat calls, but does ignore hit point damage. Only characters with the appropriate skill can use these items in combat. They can be upgraded.
Two-Handed Weapon: A longsword, spear, staff or other long bludgeoning or bladed item between 42" and 84" in length, striking for 1HP of damage per landed blow. Parrying does not ignore combat calls, but does ignore hit point damage. Only characters with the appropriate skill can use these items in combat. They can be upgraded.
Bow and Arrow: Up to 30lbs in draw length, using flat foam headed arrows. Only characters with the appropriate skill can use these in combat. They can be upgraded.
Shield: Up to 60 inches by 30 inches for tower shields, and 36 inches diameter for round shields. These can ignore hit point damage that strikes the shield’s surface. It cannot ignore calls. Only characters with the appropriate skill can use these in combat. They can be upgraded.
All combat in We Are Legends should be epic and cinematic in nature, rather than based on speed. All blows must be pulled to minimise the force of the blow, and strikes to the face, neck and groin should be avoided. Hits to the breasts and unarmoured head should also be avoided where another viable target is available.
Arrows and crossbow bolts should never be caught or parried while in flight.
Weapons must not be grabbed or trapped in any way. Should this happen accidentally, stop fighting for a moment to release the weapons before continuing to fight.
Shields must never be used to push or barge a person, nor trap them against a solid surface.
CALLED SHOTS
At times, we may determine that it is unsafe to use archery, particularly when it is dark, rainy or windy (although other circumstances may also result in us implementing this mechanic). At this point, you may use our Night Rules, also known as the "Called Shot Mechanic".
Twelve times per encounter, you may bring an arrow to your bow string and nock it, but do not draw. After three seconds of aiming at a single target, you may announce "Called Shot, <Target Name/Description>". This shot will automatically hit the target for one point of damage.
To succeed, a part of the target must be clearly visible, and they must be within approx 30ft. While we will not strictly measure this distance, any shots aimed at a target obviously outside of this distance will fail.
These rules can be difficult to enforce due to the low light, weather conditions, perceptions of distance and what constitutes "full cover", etc. We ask our archers to be mindful of the fact that they are being given 12 attempts at perfect hits, which generally would never happen when firing actual arrows, so please have some sympathy for times where monsters may not realise they were being targeted, or feel they were out of sight or range. If you feel any target (monster or player) is deliberately ignoring Called Shots repeatedly, please inform a referee with a description of the target in question. Any target that, for whatever reason, is unaffected by archery and called shots should loudly announce "Resist!" so they are acknowledging your shot and informing you of it's ineffectiveness, which you would be able to notice IC.
Please be aware that referees WILL be counting the number of shots made by archers, and will inform monsters to ignore shots from a particular archer if they have exceeded their twelve per encounter!
ARMOUR
There are two types of armour in We Are Legends
Light Armour: Leathers and furs, man-made stab-proof fabrics, enough that a slice from a blade would not easily pass through. These armours give the wearer +2AV (Armour Value) so long as it covers the torso and one other location (head, arms, legs, or 50% of each limb).
Heavy Armour: Metal or very thick, rigid materials, enough that the components cannot be easily bent. These armours give the wearer +4AV (Armour Value) so long as it covers the torso and one other location (head, arms, legs, or 50% of each limb).
Armour Value: When you are struck, you can be hit a number of times equal to your Armour Value before the hits start to be removed from your HP. When you reach 0HP or -1HP, you fall unconscious.
REPAIRING ITEM DAMAGE
Weapons, shields and armour can be destroyed as per the CRUSH and SHATTER calls. At this point, it usually requires new parts to repair it. This can be scrap metal, wood, plating, or other materials depending on the construction of the item. Repairs can only be performed by an Inventor, and takes five minutes of work. Some inventors can repair an item without needing new materials.
Armour Value lost by normal hits (i.e. not the CRUSH call) can be regained by the person wearing the armour after a minimum of 10 seconds of work. The armour does not need to be removed, and being assisted by others does not decrease this time.
To return full AV to your armour, either yourself or an ally must spend 10 seconds quickly rearranging, patching up and checking your armour. If either you or the person doing the repair is interrupted by being struck, by blocking a strike, or by being affected by a mass call or a Sound Related Effect, the repair attempt ends and must be restarted. If you do not repair your armour after AV is lowered to zero, your armour provides no protection until you do so!