Toughness

Rule: Toughness is no longer deducted when calculating damage. The toughness statistic continues to be used unmodified for all other purposes, for example a test to see if someone succumbs to the effects of poison.

This also applies to creatures although they gain natural Armour Points equal to their published toughness minus four (count negative results as zero). If the rulebook text already states them to have natural APs the values should be added together. Natural armour does not preclude the more intelligent creatures also wearing armour to add to their APs. PC races do not gain natural armour APs as their Toughness rating increases with experience, although other species may if their Toughness increases with age.

Reasoning: While WFRP players are generally all too aware of their mortality, it is possible for their Toughness score to become high enough that even unarmoured they are virtually impervious to attacks, the so called “Naked Dwarf Syndrome”. What is worse, this happens in a completely passive way; there are no checks to be made and it applies to as many attacks as are present.

There are sufficient alternatives to help an experienced character survive dangerous combats; namely parries, dodging and simply dispatching their foes quickly. All of these contain some element of chance and are less use if badly outnumbered, but then this is exactly as it should be if combat is never be taken lightly. The Wounds (W) statistic already provides a passive way in which experienced characters can survive longer, albeit one that can be worn down quite quickly, and there are always fate points if the situation is truly desperate.

Criticals

Rule: Any blow resulting in damage totalling more than half of the victims full Wounds, rounding up fractions, causes a critical hit. The number of points above half of the victims full Wounds determines the column in the Critical Hit Chart used. For example, Clem Shirelock has five Wound points. He is struck by an attacker and after all modifiers are applied he takes four points of damage. Half his Wound total is two and a half, which rounds to three. The attack caused one point of damage more than three so the result is a +1 critical.

In place of automatic critical hits for damaging blows once wounds reach zero the victim must make a toughness check. If the victim fails this toughness check they are considered incapacitated (this can be unconscious, collapsed or too weak to move as the GM deems appropriate) and will die in a number of rounds equal to their toughness unless they receive medical attention. Incapacitated victims are considered prone for the purpose of further attacks.

If the victim survives the combat with zero wounds they must make a toughness check each turn until they receive medical attention to staunch the flow of blood. On failing they become incapacitated as above.

Reasoning: The published rule creates a dynamic where critical wounds can not be caused until the W “buffer” has been worn down. Once this happens all hits cause critical wounds, regardless of their severity.

It is the force of a blow relative to the size of the opponent that should determine if a critical is inflicted, not previous wounds suffered. The toughness checks for each blow once reaching zero W reflect the fact that a character worn down by a number of minor injuries will be suffering from blood loss and thus struggling to retain consciousness.

Parries

Rule: A character may still parry if they have no attacks left by sacrificing an attack from the next round. They may do this as many times in one round as their A score. This can not be used to gain extra attacks in the current round.

A parry reduces damage by 1d6 plus Strength. This applies to weapon and shield parries.

Reasoning: Allowing a player to bring forward actions from the next round for defensive use avoids the problems caused by the artificial nature of a round. A character with high I will tend to use their A up early in the round, leaving them unable to use defensive manoeuvres in response to attacks. Effectively this merely blurs the line between the start and end of the round.

Parries appeared to be underpowered relative to attacks and did not improve in effectiveness as characters and creatures became stronger.

Dodge Blow

Rule: Dodge blow becomes a combat option like parry rather than a skill. Like a parry a dodge costs an A and anyone may attempt it. A dodge must be declared before the hit roll while parries may be declared before the damage roll. It is not possible to both dodge and parry the same attack. Only attacks the character is aware of may be dodged.

The Dodge Blow skill now gives the character the choice of one free parry each round in addition to those gained by giving up attacks or one free dodge (as detailed here).

A character may still dodge if they have no attacks left by sacrificing an attack from the next round. They may do this as many times in one round as their A score. This can not be used to gain extra attacks in the current round.

It is possible to dodge missiles but only those thrown leave much chance for success. Thrown missiles are treated in the same way as hand to hand attacks. Attempts to dodge firearm attacks are made at -60 and all other device missiles (Bows or Blowpipes for example) at -30.

Optional Rule: As with a parry (see AN), dodge attempts can be fumbled on any double rolled that result in a failure. If this happens the character loses balance and falls in a tangle of arms and legs, unable to act for 1 round.

Optional Rule: If the rules from AN are used for hitting a target other than that intended when firing into a group, then a similar chance exists when the target dodges out of the way. If the hit roll is less or equal to 5% per individual in the group then someone else, randomly selected has been hit. For example, if there were four others in the group being fired upon (both friend and foe) a hit roll of 20 or less would result in one of them being hit if the intended target dodges.

Reasoning: It makes sense that those skilled in arms would use parry to defend while those less so or very fast would tend to dodge attacks. Making both combat options available to all means that players can choose whichever they believe gives them the best chance of success.

Having dodges declared before hit rolls are made balances the fact that a dodge avoids all damage and parries only avoid some.

To replace the Dodge skill without having to make changes to the career structure I've brought in a Parrying skill allowing one free parry. This could have remained a Dodge skill but giving a free dodge, however as explained above warriors are likely to prefer to parry and the skill is primarily in warrior careers.

It should be possible to dodge missiles but the higher the velocity the more difficult this will be. However experienced characters, and in particular elves, can be super-humanly quick and stand a chance of dodging even shot.

Shields

Rule: Shield parries use one attack and are handled in the same way as a weapon parry. Shields no longer require the loss of all unused attacks when parrying or provide an armour point over all locations, but retain the +20 parry bonus. As with any parry, only attacks in the frontal arc may be affected.

If a parry is not attempted or was failed the shield provides passive protection from both melee and missile attacks to the shield arm only, providing as many additional APs to that location as a layer of plate.

A character not engaged in melee may also elect to shelter behind their shield from missiles, protecting the body and both arm locations with as many additional APs as a layer of plate. This protection applies to a 90 degree arc in a direction chosen by the character. The character may move normally while shield sheltering but if engaged in melee the benefits end.

Optional rule: Normally only the shield arm benefits from passive protection but it may be extended to the body and both arms if the GM judges the character able to form a shield wall. Situations where this might apply are protecting a narrow tunnel or doorway, or standing shoulder to shoulder with others. The benefits end if the character moves out of the defensive position, although if this is provided by others then movement is possible so long as no one breaks ranks.

Optional rule: The GM may allow larger shields that protect more of the body although due to their lower mobility these are generally only used to form a shield wall by ranks of disciplined troops or for sheltering behind during sieges. Large shields when used to form a shield wall or to shelter from missiles protect the characters choice of the head or legs as well as the body and arms but do not offer the +20 bonus if used to parry. Full body shields when used to form a shield wall or to shelter from missiles protect the whole body but are at -20 if used to actively parry. Sometimes these come with spikes, allowing them to be planted in the ground and used as static cover for bowmen.

Reasoning: The existing shield rules meant they were generally used only as passive armour, no different from a helm. Shields should be dynamic and very effective defensive devices, mainly used to parry blows and protect from missiles. These changes move the emphasis in that direction.

Encumbrance

Rule: Apply a ten point reduction to initiative in addition to the one point reduction to movement per 50 encumbrance points, or parts thereof, that a character is over their allowance. The optional published rules for an initiative penalty using layered armour should not be applied in addition to this rule.

Apply a -10 penalty to movement related risk tests such as climbing per 50 encumbrance points, or parts thereof, that a character is over their allowance.

Reasoning: WFRP has a proud tradition of not relying on artificial restrictions such as “all thieves must wear leather armour”, instead applying the consequences that would logically follow from whatever the player decides. Increasing the penalty for over burdening their characters should make players consider carefully how they choose to equip themselves and what they pick up along the way. Making these tradeoffs can itself be interesting roleplaying. Furthermore, enforcing encumbrance rules makes it possible to add valuable but bulky treasure to scenarios, allowing the GM to represent opulent environments without putting too much of it in the players pockets.

Unarmed Combat

Rule: Unarmed attacks are no longer at -20 to hit but damage penalties are increased to -6. The double AP rule for unarmed combat also no longer applies.

Reasoning: If the -20 to hit is used combat becomes a comedy of errors with everyone missing constantly. I don't see why it would be any harder to hit someone with a fist than with a dagger. If I choose to make something of the reach difference, say if someone unarmed ever takes on someone with a sword, I'll do it with the optional reach rules I already have.

A dagger is -2 so I think -6 is being generous. As I don't include T in the damage equation a person with S3 still only has to roll a 4 or better to do some damage if the opponent is unarmoured.

I can see why it would be hard to hurt someone wearing heavy armour with your fists but that they had to double APs suggests to me the APs were too low in the first place. I'm already using greatly increased AP values so doubling them again would be too much.

Strike to Stun

Rule: There is no longer a separate type of attack referred to as a Strike to Stun although the like named skill remains.

All head injuries have a chance of causing a stun, both from armed and unarmed attacks. These may be accidental, such as when the head is rolled on the hit location chart, or deliberate, when it has been declared that the attack targets the head. As with any attack targeted against a specific body location, the latter suffers a -20 penalty to hit.

The chance of a character being stunned by a head blow is Tx10 +30 -5 per wound inflicted (after the effects of armour and other modifiers). If the roll is failed by 30 or more the result is a knockout, otherwise a fail results in a stun. A character who has been stunned has all stats apart from T and W halved for d10-T rounds (minimum of 1 round). A character who has been knocked out will be considered prone for d10-T turns (minimum of 1 turn) and will then be stunned as above.

The Strike to Stun skill allows a character to target the head location without suffering the usual -20 penalty to hit. It does not affect the penalty when other body locations are targeted.

Reasoning: It makes little sense that weapon blows to the head had no chance of causing stunning (although some head criticals did) while there was a special way to hit called a "strike to stun" that could while generally causing no damage. Even relatively light blows to the head can cause stunning and the heavier and more damaging the blow the more likely this is. The above mechanic represents this while still taking into account the benefits of head armour and the toughness of the target.

Reach

Rule: Ignore the published reach bonuses for spears and halberds. Divide weapons into short, medium and long reach classes according to the following table:

2-Handed Flail - long
2-Handed Weapon - long
Bastard Sword - medium
Buckler - short
Dagger - short
Flail - medium
Halberd - long
Hand Weapon - medium
Improvised Weapon - varies
Knife/Dagger - short
Lance - short*
Left-hand Dagger - short
Net - n/a**
Quarter Staff - long
Rapier *** - medium
Spear - long
Sword-breaker - short
Whip - long

*When used in melee as clubs range is short, when charging special rules apply
**Nets are either used as a shield or thrown so reach rules are not applicable
***Note that under my house rules rapiers are treated as hand weapons

A -20 to hit penalty should be applied for each range class difference. The individual with the longer weapon does not need to be "winning" the combat to gain this advantage.

For example, if Clem Shirelock is attacking an Orc armed with a spear (which is in the Long Reach class) using a sword (Medium Reach class) then he will suffer a -20 penalty to his attack rolls. If he defeats the first opponent and takes their spear to attack another, armed with a dagger (Short Reach class), the second Orc suffers a -40 penalty to hit Clem.

Note the GM can rule this to not apply if the individual with the longer weapon is backed into a corner or is in some other situation in which they will not be able to manuever to maintain the distance that gives them the advantage.

Reasoning: Under the published rules, spears and halberds provide a +10 Initiative bonus (+20 versus mounted opponents) during the first round and also in subsequent rounds as long as they are winning. This is intended to represent the advantage their length provides so long as the opponent can not slip past the point.

There are some problems with this approach. Firstly, the opponent can be successfully attacking but not winning, so how is it that they have not slipped past the point if they are succeeding in landing blows? There should be an on going defensive advantage to having a longer weapon regardless of the tide of battle. Secondly, surely there is a similar advantage gained by using a sword against an opponent wielding a knife?

The -20 to hit penalty per length class difference reflects the difficulty of attacking an opponent whose weapon out reaches your own. This works with any combination of weapons, for example, a knife against a spear would be even more disadvantaged than before. It also encourages use of a wider range of weapons by giving a benefit to two handed weapons over the usual hand weapon and shield combination.

Specialist Weapons

Rule: Any weapon a PC has not used before in game and is not amongst the trappings of one of their careers is used at half WS/BS. This applies to individual weapon types, not to classes of weapons. So for the purposes of this rule a sword is different from a mace even though both are Hand Weapons. The character may practice with a weapon between games to avoid this penalty but must of course have access to the weapon to do so. The amount of practice required is left to the GM's judgement but should be considerably more without expert training.

In addition the longbow can not be learnt without many years of conditioning the body to it's use. Only characters with a bow (not a crossbow) in their starting career will be able to draw a longbow, and even then only if they meet the minimum S requirements for the weapon (see the table below).

Only the following Specialist Weapon skills still apply and the penalty for use of the weapons without the skill varies as below:

Specialist Weapon Flail Weapons - Rolls on the One and Two-Handed Critical Fumble table are at +20.
Specialist Weapon Bomb - When using bombs prepared by the character rolls on the Bombs Misfire table are at +20.
Specialist Weapon Artillery - When using artillery loaded by the character rolls on the Gunpowder Misfire table are at +20.
Specialist Weapon Firearms - When using firearms loaded by the character rolls on the Gunpowder Misfire table are at +20.

Specialist Weapon Longbow is replaced in all careers by Under Draw Bow and Over Draw Bow while Specialist Weapon Parrying Weapons is replaced by Two Weapon Fighting. Details for these skills are as follows:

Under Draw Bow - The character may sacrifice power for rate of attack when using a bow. One additional arrow may be loosed each round but damage is at -2.
Over Draw Bow - The character may sacrifice rate of attack for power when using a bow. Damage is at +2 but the rate of attack is halved.
Two Weapon Fighting - The character is skilled in a style of fighting where a weapon is used in each hand, making it hard for their adversary to know where the next blow will come from. They can still only co-ordinate as many attacks as they have A but parries against them are made at -10 so long as they can use a weapon in each hand.

Weapons

The following is a modified weapon stat table. Where A is listed as the Attack Rate use the characters A or the number following, whichever is lower. Where Minimum S scores are not met BS is halved and for thrown weapons range is also halved.

Weapon Effective S Attack Rate Hands Minimum S
Short Bow 2 A2 2 2
Normal Bow 2 A2 2 3
Long Bow 3 A2 2 4*
Elf Bow 3 A2 2 3
Light Crossbow 3 1/round 2 3
Heavy Crossbow 5 5 rounds to load
1 round to loose		 2 3
Crossbow Pistol 1 2 rounds to load
1 round to loose		 2 to load
1 to loose		 1
Repeating Crossbow 1 8 rounds to load
2/round (10 bolts)		 2 3
Sling 3 (bullet)
2 (stone)		 1/round 2 to load
1 to loose		 2
Staff Sling 4 (bullet)
3 (stone)		 1 round to load
1 round to loose		 2 3
Javelin S-1 1/round 1 3
Spear S 1/round 1 3
Dart S-2 A3 1 2
Throwing Knife S-2 A3 1 2
Throwing Axe S 1/round 1 3
Blowpipe Poison only 1/round 2 1
Lasso None 2 rounds to retrieve
1 round to throw		 2 to retrieve
1 to throw		 1
Bolas 1 1/round 1 2
Pistol 4 3 rounds to load
1 round to fire		 1 2
Blunderbuss 5 3 rounds to load
1 round to fire		 2 3
Bomb 6 (in 8ft radius) 1/round 1 2
Incendiary Fire 1/round 1 2
Improvised S 1/round 1 2