Combat Modifiers

These three lists summarize the success rolls and modifiers used to attack and defend.

Melee Attack Modifiers

When attacking in melee combat, figure your effective skill by:

1. Taking your base skill with the weapon or unarmed attack you are using. (In some situations, another skill - e.g., Free Fall, Riding, or Environment Suit - will limit this skill.)
2. Applying the relevant conditional modifiers below. Modifiers are cumulative, but combined visibility penalties cannot exceed -10 (-6, if used to blindness). If any modifier marked with an asterisk (*) applies, adjusted skill after all modifiers cannot exceed 9.

A roll of this number, or less, is a hit.

Attacker's Maneuver
All-Out Attack (Determined): +4
Move and Attack: -4*

Attacker's Posture
Crawling or lying down: -4 (if crawling, can only make reach 'C' attacks)
Crouching, kneeling, or sitting: -2

Attacker's Situation
Affliction (coughing, retching, etc.): see Afflictions (p428)
Bad footing: -2 or more (GM's option)
Grappled: -4
Holding a large shield: -2
Major distraction (e.g., all clothes on fire): -3 or more (GM's option)
Minor distraction (e.g., part of clothes on fire): -2
Mounted, and mount attacked on its last turn: -2
Mounted, and mount's velocity relative to target is 7+: -1
Shock: -HP of injury received last turn (maximum -4)
ST below that required for weapon: -1 per point of deficit
Wearing a shield in close combat: -DB of shield

Other Actions by Attacker
Deceptive Attack: -2 per -1 penalty to foe's defense
Dual-Weapon Attack: -4/-8 with primary/off hand (-4/-4 w. Ambidexterity)
Evaluate: +1 per turn (maximum +3)
Off-hand attack: -4 (no penalty w. Ambidexterity)
Rapid Strike: -6 on both attacks (-3 w. Trained By A Master or Weapon Master)
Striking into close combat: -2
Wild Swing: -5*

Target (choose one)
Hit location: 0 for torso, -2 for arm or leg, -3 for groin, -4 for hand or foot, -5 for face, -7 for skull; impaling and piercing attacks can target vitals at -3 or eyes at -9
Hit location, through chink in armor: -8 for torso, -10 anywhere else (e.g., eyeslits)
Weapon, to damage: -5 to hit a reach 'C' weapon (e.g., knife) or pistol; -4 to hit a reach 1 weapon (e.g., broadsword); -3 to hit a reach 2+ weapon (e.g., spear) or rifle
Weapon, to disarm: as above, plus an extra -2 if not using a fencing weapon

Visibility
Cannot see anything: -10 (-6, if used to blindness)*
Cannot see foe: -6, or -4 if you know his location to within 1 yard*
Partial darkness, fog, smoke, etc.: -1 to -9 (GM's option)

Ranged Attack Modifiers

When making a ranged attack, figure your effective skill by:

1. Taking your base skill with your ranged weapon.
2. Applying the target's Size Modifier (SM).
3. Modifying for the target's range and speed; see Size and Speed/Range Table.
4. Applying the relevant conditional modifiers below. Modifiers are cumulative, but combined visibility penalties cannot exceed -10. If any modifier marked with an asterisk (*) applies, adjusted skill after all modifiers cannot exceed 9.

A roll of this number, or less, is a hit. If using rapid fire, you score one extra hit for every full multiple of Recoil by which you make your attack roll.

Attacker's Maneuver
All-Out Attack (Determined): +1
Move and Attack: -2 or -Bulk of weapon, whichever is worse

Attacker's Situation
Affliction (coughing, retching, etc.): see Afflictions (p428)
Bad footing: -2 or more (GM's option)
Close combat: a penalty equal to the weapon's Bulk statistic (see Weapons for Close Combat)
Damaged weapon: -HP of injury received last turn (maximum -4)
Major distraction (e.g., all clothes on fire): -3 or more (GM's option)
Minor distraction (e.g., part of clothes on fire): -2
Shock: -HP of injury received last turn (maximum -4)
ST below that required for weapon: -1 per point of deficit

Attacking from Moving Vehicle or Mount

If weapon is not in a stabilized mount, the combined bonus for Accuracy, Aim, bracing, and targeting systems cannot exceed the vehicle's SR.

Air vehicle: -1 if handheld weapon, 0 otherwise
Exposed rider hanging on side of vehicle/mount and shooting over/under it: -6
Ground vehicle, good road: -1 if handheld weapon, 0 otherwise
Ground vehicle, bad road: 0 if stabilized turret or stabilized open mount; -1 if fixed mount, hardpoint, or carriage; -2 if external open mount; -3 if handheld weapon
Ground vehicle, off-road: -1 if stabilized turret or stabilized open mount; -2 if fixed mount, hardpoint, or carriage; -3 if external open mount; -4 if handheld weapon
Space vehicle: 0
Turning in exposed saddle/seat of vehicle/mount to fire at foe behind: -4
Vehicle/mount dodged last turn and you're not operator/rider: -2, or -4 if flying
Vehicle/mount failed control roll: penalty equal to margin of failure
Water vehicle, calm water: 0 if stabilized turret or stabilized open mount; -1 if fixed mount, hardpoint, or carriage; -2 if external open mount; -3 if handheld weapon
Water vehicle, rough water: -1 if stabilized turret or stabilized open mount; -2 if fixed mount, hardpoint, or carriage; -3 if external open mount; -4 if handheld weapon

Opportunity Fire
Checking target before firing: -2
Hexes watched: 0 if 1 hex; -1 if 2 hexes; -2 if 3-4 hexes or a line; -3 if 5-6 hexes; -4 if 7-10 hexes; -5 if 11+ hexes watched

Other Actions by Attacker
Aim for one turn: +Accuracy of weapon
Braced weapon: +1 if stationary and took a turn to Aim
Dual-Weapon Attack: -4/-8 with primary/off-hand (-4/-4 w.Ambidexterity)
Extra Aim: +1 for 2 seconds, +2 for 3+ seconds
Off-hand attack: -4 (no penalty w. Ambidexterity)
Pop-up attack: -2, and no Aim possible
Rapid fire: 0 if 2-4 shots; +1 if 5-8 shots; +2 if 9-12 shots; +3 if 13-16 shots; +4 if 17-24 shots; +5 if 25-49 shots; +6 if 50-99 shots; +7 if 100-199 shots; etc.

Target
To attack hit locations or weapons, use the penalties under Melee Attack Modifiers. If the target has cover, you can either choose to take no penalty and roll hit location randomly (shots that hit a covered location always strike full cover, and hit partial cover on 4-6 on 1d) or target an exposed hit location (add an extra -2 if only partly exposed).

Shooting through light cover: -2
Target behind someone else: -4 per intervening figure
Target crouching, kneeling, sitting, or lying down: an extra -2 to hit torso, groin, or legs
Target only partly exposed: -2

Targeting Systems
Laser sight: +1
Scope: +1 per second of Aim, to a maximum of the scope's bonus
Vehicular targeting system: +1 to +3 if shooter took a turn to Aim
Unfamiliar weapon or targeting system: -2

Visibility
Blind, target completely invisible, or in total darkness: -10*
Cannot see foe: -6, or -4 if you know his location to within 1 yard*
Partial darkness, fog, smoke, etc.: -1 to -9
Target has light concealment (e.g., bushes): -2

Active Defense Modifiers

When performing a dodge, block, or parry, figure your active defense roll by:

1. Taking your calculated Dodge, Block, or Parry score. (The Combat Reflexes and Enhanced Defenses advantages increase these values above their base.)
2. Applying the relevant conditional modifiers below. All modifiers are cumulative.

A roll of this number, or less, means you avoid the attack.

Defender's Equipment
Parrying with dagger or knife: -1 to Parry
Parrying with kusari or whip: -2 to Parry
Parrying with quarterstaff: +2 to Parry
Shield or cloak: +DB of