Combat for Dragon Warriors

As in most fantasy RPGs, characters that explore the Lands of Legend are likely to encounter foes that are best overcome at the point of a sword or spear. And whilst combat is often an 'easy' obstacle for a GM to throw at the characters and should not be the focus of the adventuring challenge, there are many ways in which the basic rules of combat in Dragon Warriors can be enhanced or applied to different combat encounters, such as naval combat, mounted combat, and mass combat.

In my own house rules, combat, like all secondary ability score tests, is resolved using 2d10, not 1d20, although the success criterion is the same: equal to or below the difference between Attack and Defence scores.

Combat Manoeuvres

Expand the options available to characters in combat from beyond merely exchanging blows, by enabling them to embellish their attacks with new manoeuvres that enable canny players to take advantage of tactical options in combat.

Wounds & Recovery

Losing and recovering health points should not be the tired mechanical process it is in the basic rules. Combat should inspire fear, carry great risk, and only be the last resort to any civilised adventurer.

Abstract Combat

Interminably rolling dice as the characters slowly grind their way through every lowly encounter detracts from the story. This guide will help GMs to abstract less consequential combats, saving the tactical rules for the bigger battles.

Mounted Combat

Knights and barbarians may be able to ride warhorses into battle, but the rules to do so are lacking in the basic Dragon Warriors RPG. These rules have not yet been playtested and are made available purely to inspire GMs to create their own mounted combat rules. The outcome of playtesting will almost certainly result in modifications.