Rulings/Combat

Banned Combat Content

Banned Items

Banned Cyberware/Bioware

• One Shot Dart Gun (Page 91, Chrome Flesh)

Banned Ammo & Grenades

• Zapper Rounds (KC 48) (including by GMs)
• Fuzzy rounds (KC 50) (including by GMs)
• E0-E0 rounds (KC 51) (including by GMs)
• COS Grenades (KC 54) (including by GMs)
• Douser grenades (KC 55) (including by GMs)
• DumDum grenades (KC 56) (including by GMs)
• MCT/Winchester-Howe Hornet Direct-Fire Mini-Grenades (SL 132) (including by GMs)
• Painade (CA 135)
• The Krime Crackle Fin-Stabilized HEAT Slugs (KK 25)
• The Krime Splash Self-Defense Ammunition (KK 26)
• The Krime Party (KK 27)

Banned Qualities

Positive Qualities

• Revels in Murder (CF 56)

Altered Combat Content and Rulings

Combat Actions

• Any type of firing action used is converted into a complex action. Riggers and autonomous drones are both capable of using the multiple attacks free action - in this case, split your dice pool as normal.
• The free action in conjunction with the attack action for a called shot does not reset the take aim bonus.
• Barring the use of the multiple attack free action, you cannot take a second offensive action towards another character during your pass. This includes throwing grenades, shooting guns, casting "offensive" spells (recklessly or otherwise), spitting in their cheerios, spiking their tea with arsenic or anything else that can in any way, shape, or form be construed as a physical or mental attack. You may as an exception use a free action to cast disparaging remarks at their mother if you so choose. Final say in this is left up to the GM.
• You cannot shoot the same person with two different guns on the same pass, even if you split your dice pools.
• Pouncing Dragon is its own special complex action. Utilizing it as part of a subdual action is not possible as a result.
• In order to exit a subduing combat as the subduer, one must take a free action. If one has a free action available, they may do this at any time, the same as most other free actions - it need not be on their turn. However, the previously subdued party is free, since they are still in contact at that point, to take an interrupt action to attempt to subue their opponent. This is a -5 initiative interrupt action. They may also attempt a reversal, assuming they possess the appropriate training. There is no interrupt action needed to release a subduing combat, so your original question possesses an invalid supposition.
• All normal combat modifiers apply to the clinch action as if it were a normal attack.
• You may only make one clinch attempt per pass.
• Grenade, rocket and missile launchers are fired one of two ways:
  • At a point in space, using a simple action rolling Heavy Weapons + Agility [Accuracy] (3) (or a complex action using the appropriate Gunnery test if mounted)
  • At an enemy target, using a simple action rolling Heavy Weapons + Agility [Accuracy] (or a complex action rolling the appropriate Gunnery test if mounted) opposed by the enemy's defense test.

In either of these modes, the attacker fires a single munition downrange. If the attack fails to hit the threshold or misses the target, immediately roll a scatter test. The Mitsubishi Yakusoku MRL has specific rules which override this. In burst-fire mode, a character uses a simple action to fire the weapon, chooses two targets (ea point in space, an enemy target or one of each) and splits their dice pool amongst these two targets. Ignore the text about "self-guided systems".

• If a direct attacks with a launcher is taken roll the attack versus the defense test normally. Run for your life is not allowed for the target, but is allowed for those nearby. Net hits do not add to the damage.

Misses, scatter and glitches will follow the rules on motion sensor triggers.

• It is not possible to attack in a single action phase or initiative pass with two or more weapons that do not use the same skill.
• Mixed/Small Unit tactics cannot be performed by a single person.
• You may declare that you are taking one or multiple ranged and melee attacks in the same pass, provided you are in range of all the attacks. Doing so takes your lowest pool and splits it by the number of attacks made.
• No attack actions can ever be considered a free action. The rapid draw power allows you to ready a weapon once per pass without spending an action. Additionally, you may now quick draw any weapon that is properly holstered and the threshold for doing so is reduced by 1.
• Reach counts on the astral.

Combat Defense

• The run for your life interrupt action works against missiles, rockets and grenade launchers, in addition to indirect combat spells, explosive throwing weapon attacks and any other area of effect attack that they are aware of. It is worth noting that one is generally not going to be aware of direct combat spells, or non-combat spells, to the degree necessary to flee them.
• Perceptive Defender will apply any bonuses that are non-specific Perception bonuses. (Example: Synch applies, vision enhancement doesn't.)
• Weapon specs generally, but may at GM discretion not, apply to defensive interrupts. Specs in the interrupt (block, parry, dodge) will always apply.
• Dodge does not work on the astral.
• Parry and Block work on the astral, but only with weapon foci. They add your Astral Combat skill to the defense roll.
• Full defense works on the astral.
• The DV for the comparison to determine if a character has been pinned does include the net hits on the defense test. The armor value for the above test includes only the armor of base armor pieces, not accessories, cyberware, magic, bioware or any other forms of armor. The defender's armor value is modified by AP of the weapon as long as that AP is not from electrical weapons. Note that attempting to pin your opponent with explosive weapons is unlikely to be a very fruitful endeavor as explosive bolts or arrows explode on impact, leaving nothing behind to pin with. As the comparison between DV and armor is not a process that has ""hits"", the ""net hits"" part refers to the net hits of the original attack test.
• Chemical seal remains effective unless the armor is rendered useless. Generally, this means that if the armor is still worn and providing armor benefits, chemical seal still applies. This abstraction is in place to avoid attempting to determine how bullet riddled or cut you are. An exception to this is that any melee attacks with edged weapons which cause physical damage bypass a chemical seal and apply the toxin for that attack only. Further attacks must cause physical damage to apply it again.
• Suppressive fire and physical area attacks resolve as they would normally: without defense tests. Suppressive fire only applies the dice pool penalty to characters in cover, and passengers are always considered to be in good cover. Shotgun blasts allow for defense tests, applying the defense test modifiers. Passengers do not get to dodge a ramming vehicle. All attacks affecting passengers, if they allow for armor, add the vehicle’s armor to passenger’s soak tests. This rule applies only to attacks that originate from outside the vehicle.
• Dodge and full defense is a permitted combination, including taking both with an interrupt action simultaneously for a total of -15.
• Dodge is ranks only. No Agility is applied, however, the physical limit is applied. It is a valid spec for Gymnastics and applies when taking the dodge interrupt action and the preemptive dodge action.
• If you are berserking, you may not use the full defense action.
• A wall or other structure or barrier that is hit by a cold attack would have to make an armor test. However, a hole is only made if the structure is damaged, not the armor.

Armor

• Ace of Diamonds gives a Concealability of -2, instead of the listed +2.

Armor Accessories

• Armor mods may be applied to any base armor piece or accessory, subject to normal capacity rules. When possessing multiple instances of a rated armor mod, only the highest rated instance will apply to any situation. Additionally, one can only benefit from armor mods installed into pieces of armor one is benefiting from, or installed into cloaks. Thus, armor mods installed into (for example) a second skin underneath an armor jacket will not benefit you.
• Cloaks are considered an armor accessory with zero armor bonus. You may benefit from exactly one and will receive the benefit of any armor modifications installed into it.
• The restrictive gear quality will always be applied if wearing the armor. Even when not benefiting from the armor.
• YNT softweave and gel packs may only be added to base armor pieces (armor that has a base armor value). Gel packs increase the base armor value.
• A rating 6 medkit can be added to armor, though it only functions for the wearer.
• Transfer of non-availability-altering armor modifications from base armor to base armor will be permitted.
• Charges of a pulse weave suit act in the same manner as a flash-pak.
• Consult this list when determining if armor can take chemical seal.
• CCOBs can accept armor mods, but armor mods which add to soak only apply to things protected by the CCOB's armor.
• Armor accessory encumbrance is determined by average, full body Strength.
• Critter body armor has a capacity equal to the armor rating that it has.
• The Urban Explorer Daedalus's parachute may be bought seperately in backpack form for the time being. Rules for its use should be tied to Body + Freefall if dice are involved, but are up to GM fiat at this time.
• A hazmat suit is damaged by receiving physical damage from a penetrative or slashing source.
• Snakemesh socks only apply to soak through Called Shot: Legs.
• The PPP vitals cannot be used with "heavy armor" defined as base armors having armor rating 13 or more. They stack with any base armor of rating 12 or lower.
• The AP of an attack influences the dice pool of the armor tests to avoid elemental side-effects.
• Concealability stacking: concealability from multiple pieces of armor does not stack with other pieces of armor. It will, however, stack with a concealed pocket or a concealed holster. Note the singular articles there.

Called Shots

• You cannot make a called shot with spellcasting of any variety (spells, rituals, alchemical preparations).
• Bullseye burst does not provide any defense penalty regardless of how many bullets are fired.
• Shredded Flesh does not require physical damage to trigger. Stun damage is sufficient.
• Knock Down uses the strength of the attacker, even in cases where damage on the attack would normally be set by some other value, such as fixed-DV weapons or spellblades.
• At this time, one cannot call a shot using a touch attack.
• Damage from Called Shot: Vitals cannot be regenerated through the Regeneration critter power.
• Sharpshooter only applies to ranged attacks and does not apply to melee called shots.
• As the spider silk gland does not have a related Exotic Melee Weapon skill, Called Shot: Entanglement isn't valid.
• When applying a called shot with a DV limit, first calculate the DV normally, then apply soak. If the resulting damage is greater than the DV limit reduce that DV to the limit. Any mention of "Original DV" applies to the DV before soak.
• Up the ante will be considered to be a collection of called shots which all require a free action to take. This doubles the DV limit for any location called shot made with an assault cannon. For example: Up the Ante: Sternum.

Ware and Power Interaction Clarifications

• Striking calluses apply to attacks with the Killing Hands adept power which use physical stats to determine DV, but not to attacks with natural or cyberweapons.

Martial Arts

• Knucklebreaker overrides the normal option of the Killing Hands adept power to select damage.
• The Elemental Strike adept power still applies normally to damage dealt by attacks modified by the Knucklebreaker technique.
• Iaijutsu permits drawing as a simple action upon successful completion of a quick draw test, then attacking as another simple at your discretion. It does not grant an attack as part of the quick draw test.
• Martial Arts specializations in the Unarmed Combat skill or other combat skills will apply to only attacks utilizing techniques.
• Kick Attack applies in any case where all of the following are true:
  • It is sensible for reach to be applied.
  • Where the Unarmed Combat skill is used.
  • Where one is able to use their feet in order to kick their opponent.
  • When the possessor both has the technique and desires to apply it.

It does not apply to attacks made with weapons not involving kicks. Thus, the knucks or shock gloves on your hands do not get the reach bonus to attacks in any circumstances. Notably, it will now apply to the Nerve Strike adept power.

• A weapon focus bonus may apply to attacks made using the Two-Weapon Style Attack martial technique. Only a single focus may add to a dice pool for any given test.
• Grasping Vines shall now be accessible by the Cowboy Way and Whip Fighting in addition to the techniques already listed within these styles.
• The Gun Kata martial art can use machine pistols.
• Neither Mana Strike nor Mana Choke may be utilized by mundanes using Lucky Move.
• When using unarmed weapons aside from bare hands or natural weapons, you may use either Counterstrike or Riposte at your preference.
• La Verdadera Destreza's Multiple Opponent Defense gives the Friends in Melee bonus.

Weapons

• Monofilament whips may not be used with the Sweep technique unless explicitly permitted by the GM at their sole prerogative.
• Monofilament whips may not be used for Called Shot: Entanglement.
• The Ares Screech sonic rifle affects targets who are deaf or who have cyberears off normally.
• The Ares Screech sonic rifle cannot be used for called shots.
• The Aztechnology Striker is destroyed upon firing. It is not reusable in any sense of the word.
• The Ares Lancer is SMG sized for the purposes of cyberimplanting. Note that you need an external clip port in order to load it, as it is not an (m) type weapons.
• The Ultimax Rain Forest carbine uses the Missions Errata, rather than the original GH3 stats.
• Underbarrel weapons possess two side slots, a barrel slot, an internal slot and an underbarrel slot unless their original weapon type would not possess one of those. They never have a top or stock slot.
• The Shiawase Puzzler is not immune or resistant to MAD scanners, however, even recognizing its separate components as a weapon requires the same test whether one is using a MAD scanner or not.
• The PPSK-4 Collapsible machine pistol and the PSK-3 Collapsible heavy pistol have a concealability modifier of -6 when collapsed.
• Each throwing attack with wireless-on throwing knives or shuriken gains +1 die, pre-split, for each wireless-on throwing knife or shuriken you have thrown at that target in this combat turn.
• The underbarrel bola launcher has accuracy 4, 1(m) and the SS firing mode.
• The underbarrel chainsaw mounts a specific (non-custom) chainsaw and uses its attributes.
• The underbarrel flamethrower uses a specific existing (non-custom) flamethrower and uses its attributes.
• The underbarrel grapple gun functions as a normal, non-tactical grapple gun.
• The underbarrel grenade launcher will have an accuracy of 3, 6(c) ammo capacity and the SS firing mode.
• The Urban Tribe tomahawk may not be used in melee. GMs may let it be used as an improvised weapon.
• The Krime Trollbow may be used to overdraw up to rating 12. Additionally, one is free to buy arrows up to Rating 12 for use with it.
• In the specific case of the Krime Stun Lance, one may substitute one's Clubs pool at a -4 penalty to make attacks. One may not benefit from any specialization in Clubs when doing so.
• Armtech MGL-12 cannot not fire a three round burst with a complex action.
• Missiles do not have a "sensor rating" as described in CRB 435. They may be aquired as availability as +4 and cost +500Y with respect to the base rocket.
• Cyberimplanted firearms roll with the skill associated with the base weapon and do not require an Exotic Ranged Weapon skill.
• Melee weapons may have the ceramic/plasteel components modification.
• For Strength requirements of heavy weapons, use the full-body average, excluding the head.
• The Ranger Sliver pistol has a concealability of +0. The light, medium and heavy crossbows have +5, +6 and +7 concealability, respectively.
• Underbarrel weapons are considered to possess all the modifications of the main weapon with the exception of its barrel slot mods.
• Extra belts may be represented by the spare clip gun accessory or the gear item of the same name.
• The Shock Ram will deal (STR+2+net hits)P DV -3 AP to the target, then an additional 12S(e) soaked separately. It can be turned on or off as a free action if the ram is wireless on. It has a single charge and takes 10 seconds to recharge when plugged into a power source.
• The Urban Tribe tomahawk used in melee has the same stats except for reach 0. It uses the Blades skill.
• Flamethrowers do not get choke settings. On flechette suppressive fire, they receive no bonus width, although it counts as enhanced suppression.
• The Halloweener Barbeque Lighter is a one-handed weapon connected to a backpack tank. The Shiawase Arms Incinerator and the Shiawase Blazer are two-handed.
• Only one gyromount applies to a particular gun.
• The Flametosser may use Exotic Weapon Skill (Flamethrowers).
• For revolvers only, consider the ammo skip system to be slotless.
• Neither flashbangs nor any other explosives without a drop-off cause the chunky salsa rules resolution.

Shock Frills

• Shock frills used to attack require a dedicated unarmed attack, but it does not need to be a clinch or grapple.
• Shock frills trigger defensively when clinched or grappled, as well as against unarmed attacks.
• Shock frills deal 8S(e) AP -5, and have an accuracy of [Physical].

Drone Mounts

• Hunting Rifles will include all sporting rifles.
• Sporting rifles will include all weapons using the sporting rifle specialization.
• The Ruger 905 counts as a sporting rifle.
• Sniper rifles include all other non-shotguns utilizing the Longarms skill.
• Shock pads may be treated as a modification to the housing of the weapon mount and thus apply to drones.

Skinlink

• If you establish a clinch or grapple or can directly touch a device or a piece of cyberware, you may attempt a direct connection hack with the Skinlink echo. Touching specific pieces of cyberware such as limbs or eyes requires making an unarmed (touch) attack with the location-specific called shot mechanics. The Matrix action you take is only rolled on a success in the same manner as a touch spell. The cyberware must be touched directly for this to work; internal cyberware may not be targeted this way. Single devices such as drones or vehicles require you first to establish a clinch with one action, after which you may take a Matrix action assuming the clinch is still in place.

Ammunition

• You cannot buy hits to handload your own ammunition. However, remember that you can buy it.
• Handload ammunition retains the availability of the ammo it is duplicating.
• Explosive and ex-explosive rounds are non-penetrative rounds, thus do not penetrate barriers.
• Seeker shafts use the rating of the arrow and their bonus stacs with the smartlink bonus.
• DMSO can be added to the Narcoject gas gun.

Gyrojet

• Ammo types: the Gyrojet pistol has two types of ammo. The full statline will be provided below. One of these is fabricated but identical to what is listed in Hero Lab.
  • Gyrojet ammo - +0 DV, +0 AP. 12F availability. 80¥/10 rounds.
  • Gyrojet SnS - -2S(e), -5 AP. 14R availability. 160¥/10 rounds.

Parashield Dart Weapons

• Parashield dart pistols are treated as heavy pistols for the purposes of mounting them on drones and vehicles.
• Parashield dart rifles are treated as sniper rifles for the purposes of mounting them on drones and vehicles.

Atomizer

• The Atomizer has an Accuracy of 3, and Concealability of +0, uses the skill Exotic Weapon (Atomizer) with a range array of 0.1/0.25/0.5/1 meters. The Atomizer takes a Complex Action to reload, and requires a Simple Action to fire.
• The preparation used with an Atomizer will trigger on a valid target after firing (i.e., a living aura, similar to a contact prep).
• The Atomizer itself will function as the lynchpin for breaking sustained spells (i.e., if the Atomizer is broken, the spell will drop).
• An Atomizer cannot take accessories or modifications.

Ares Briefcase Shield

• The Ares Briefcase shield is non-ferrous and not affected by MAD scanners. It does not provide shielding to items within it.

Flechettes

• Weapons with flechette as part of their damage code default can only fire flechette rounds. This does not include SnS flechettes.
• SnS flechettes can only be loaded into shotguns.

Rockets

• All missile/rocket launchers can fire rockets or missiles. Missiles gain the additional benefit:
  • A user may make an active targeting test as a simple action:
    • Vehicle-mounted launchers roll Gunnery + Agility/Logic [Mental OR Sensor Rating].
    • Metahuman/critter carried launchers roll Heavy Weapons + Logic [Mental].
  • The user gets a modifier on this test based on the Signature Table.
    • Metahuman/critter targets roll Sneaking + Agility [Physical].
    • Rigged vehicle/drone targets roll Sneaking + Reaction/Intuition [Handling].
    • Autonomous vehicle/drone targets roll Pilot + [Model] Evasion [Handling].
  • If the Active Targeting succeeds, net hits on this test act as a defense penalty when making the next direct fire at that target. Note that the target may not run for their life unless the missile misses. This active targeting bonus only lasts for one attack.
  • If, for some reason, an Active Targeting succeeds and is not used in the same pass, the target may spend a simple action to evade detection: reroll the active targeting test. If the target succeeds, net hits on their test reduce the defense penalty from active targeting (to a minimum of 0).
  • Missiles have no other benefit aside from damage. They do not have their own sensor rating.

Specializations

• You make take a spec in "Improvised weapons" for the Clubs skill.
• Making multiple attacks with two different weapons can benefit only from one specialization. There is no functional difference between having a specialization in one or both of these weapon types.

Accessories

• Improved range finder does not stack with magnification of any kind, whether or not it is on the weapon.
• The smartgun must be wireless on in order to receive the wireless bonus. Directly connecting to a wireless off smartgun provides all the benefits of a smartlink except the wireless only dice bonus.
• The ceramic/plasteel weapon mod can only be applied to firearms.
• All purchased clips, standard and extended alike, for the weapon, can be assumed to be of the proper size.
• When purchasing an explosive magazine, you may purchase a grenade for free and add a note to it that it deals half damage.