Combat
Complete V20 combat rules — initiative, attack, damage, multiple actions, and combat maneuvers.
Each combat turn is approximately 3 seconds and has three stages. Initiative is declared before actions; damage resolves after.
Pages
| Page | Contents |
|---|---|
| Maneuvers | Close combat, defensive, and ranged maneuvers — full tables with pools, accuracy, difficulty, and damage |
| Weapons & Armor | Melee weapons, ranged weapons, cover, armor classes, and targeting rules |
| Special Situations | Ambush, blind fighting, flanking, dazed, knockdown, and immobilization |
Stage 1: Initiative
- Roll 1d10 + Dexterity + Wits (or use static: Dex + Wits + 6)
- Highest result acts first; ties broken by Wits, then simultaneously
- Wound penalties subtract from initiative
- Celerity dots not used for extra actions add to initiative
- Declare actions in reverse order (slowest first, fastest last)
- Declare multiple actions, Discipline activations, and Willpower spends at this stage
- A character may delay their action to interrupt a slower character
- Defensive actions (block, dodge, parry) may be taken any time while the character has an action remaining
- All Celerity extra actions happen at the end of the turn, in initiative order
Stage 2: Attack
| Attack Type | Dice Pool |
|---|---|
| Unarmed | Dexterity + Brawl |
| Melee weapon | Dexterity + Melee |
| Firearms | Dexterity + Firearms |
| Thrown weapon | Dexterity + Athletics |
Default difficulty: 6, modified by circumstances. No successes = miss. Botch = fumble (jam, broken weapon, hit an ally).
Aborting: Before acting, a character may abort their declared action to a defensive action with a Willpower roll (diff 6) or by spending 1 Willpower.
Stage 3: Damage & Soak
Each extra success on the attack roll adds +1 die to the damage pool.
Damage: Roll damage pool vs. difficulty 6. Each success = 1 health level. Damage rolls cannot botch.
Soak: Defender rolls Stamina (+ Fortitude) vs. difficulty 6. Each success absorbs 1 health level.
| Damage Type | Can Soak With |
|---|---|
| Bashing | Stamina (+ Fortitude). After soak, bashing is halved (round down) for vampires. |
| Lethal | Stamina (+ Fortitude). |
| Aggravated | Fortitude only. Vampires without Fortitude cannot soak aggravated. |
Multiple Actions
Declare total number of actions at initiative. Find the smallest dice pool among all intended actions. Divide that pool by the number of actions (round down). Each action uses the divided pool.
Example: Brawl pool 6, Firearms pool 5. Want 2 actions. Smallest = 5. Each action gets 2 dice.