Holdfast Combat Introduction

[Legate of Mineta]

Like its predecessors, Holdfast has many foes to challenge, some easy, some of legendary difficulty. To combat your enemies, you'll need to have luck, the right equipment, and the right strategy. Holdfast uses a slightly different combat system than the gamebooks which precede it, blending a little from each and adding a new layer of combat strategy.

 

The first step in meeting a foe is to the determine the Initiative, which is found by subtracting the Enemy's Skill from the Player's. If the result is positive, it means that the Player has the initiative, and is in a favorable combat position. If the result is negative, it means that the Enemy has the advantage. As an example, if the Player's Skill is 9, and their foe's Skill is 7, the Initiative would be +2.

 

The Initiative is then cross referenced to a Table, and the +1/+2 column is shown below.

 

 

The first thing to note is that at this Initiative level, the Enemy loses 4 Defense, and the Player loses 2. Generally speaking, both parties will always lose at least 1 point of Defense each Combat Round as they clash and test each other for weakness.

 

Once the Initiative column has been found, you'll need to roll a ten sided dice, or pick a random number in some other fashion. In Holdfast, the position usually occupied by the 10 is considered a 0, and generally is not a good result. The first thing to notice is that whatever number you roll corresponds to one or more little Icons. From left to right, these Icons are:

 

Attack - This result usually increases the Damage you do

Claw - This result usually increases the Damage your foe does!

Defense - This result usually reduces the Damage done to you

Gambit - This result allows to use special actions

Maneuver - This result usually allows you to improve your Initiative

 

...the exact effect of each Icon is dependent on your weapons, and, sometimes, your equipment.

 

Once you've rolled, you can choose which of the Icons you will to put into effect (Claw results, of course, are beyond your control: they always happen, if you are unlucky enough to roll one!) You do not need to choose an Icon, if you do not want to, but usually they are advantageous.

 

As an example, let us say you are equipped with a Blade of Perisiath, which has these stats:

 

Attack: +3 Damage, -1 Initiative

Defense: -1 Damage to you

Gambit: Sunlight - +6 Damage to Undead

Maneuver: +1 Initiative

 

You roll a 6, which means you can either take an Attack or Defense action. If you choose Attack, the damage at the end of the round will be: Enemy 7, Player 2, and your Initiative will be reduced by 1, to +1. This doesn't change your Initiative column, so it's not necessary a bad thing.

 

Alternatively, you could choose Defense, in which case the damage at the end of the round will be: Enemy 4, Player 1, but you'll stay at Initiative +2. Next combat round, should you get a Maneuver result, you'll be able to change your Initiative to the +3/+4 column, which offers better results for combat.

 

As you can see, you'll need a little bit of luck, the right equipment, and a good strategy if you want to triumph in the dark places!

 

If you do fall, though, you gain a Wound, and can pick up the fight again. Wounds reduce your Skill and Defense, but do grant you Deeds- we'll discuss these concepts, as well as Boons, next time, though.

 

As a last teaser, here's another page for you, towards the end of the first part of your story...

 

[Leoshi]

Is there an alternative to the 10-sided die?

 

I have no idea where I'm going to find one those fancy things.

[Schwarzbart]

You also can use a 20 side dice or even a hunderdside one instead (Yes I have one of this at my home ^^).

But probably they also add a Random dice Table at the end of the book where you can blind put with your pen at a random place to get a dice number.

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart is right- we're going to have a number picker in the book for people just like you.

 

But really, you should find a way to get a d10- so convenient.

[Mikka]

I wish there was a way to send dice over the internet! I have probably fourty of them, from years of play WoD games and Exalted. I really don't need this many... ;;

 

You should be able to find them at FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store)- which often double as comic book stores, here in the USA anyway. Or a hobby shop. If you really want one.

 

There's also internet dice-rollers, which considering I'm lazy, is what I'll probably use.

[Adrian]

My local hobby store seems dull and grey now.

 

I got a few six-sided dice though, surely that counts for something.

[Leoshi]

A hundred-sided ... .

 

Tier reward - A one-hundred sided die.

[Schwarzbart]

Hmm maybe a playready version of the book with a pencil, a rubber, a vew copys of the charsheet and 10 sided dice could be a reward level.

[Legate of Mineta]

Schwarzbart;

 

Yep, already planned!

 

Leoshi;

 

I don't know if you have ever seen one, but d100s do exist. They are huge, though. Kind of scary to roll.

[Schwarzbart]

Also the D100 are kind of hard to read as the dice looks more like a colored table tennis ball. Thats why its more a gimmick and for real use I usualy take two different colored 10 sided.

[Mikka]

Two of my closest friends met and then married over a d100. She dropped it at a convention, he found it and tracked her down and gave it back to her. Then they started dating and he moved to another country to be with her and it's all very sweet and sappy.

 

So I give my d100 a position of honor on my desk, but truth be told, I usually use two d10's too if I need a d100. It is hard to read.

[Leoshi]

I think the real question here is why do all of you have a huge 100-sided dice?

[Legate of Mineta]

I don't have one! I just have rolled one.

[Leoshi]

Legate;

 

You've only rolled one. Right....

 

[Legate of Mineta]

Hahaha! Now, I really should buy one.