Combat

Whether you want to or not, sometimes  things cannot be resolved with words and  other peaceful means. When it becomes  clear you have to fight it out, you enter  combat and gameplay becomes separated  into rounds.

The Round
Much of the time when you are playing  OVA, the passage of time is not important. Waiting till the bus arrives at 3 o’clock can  take as long as saying so many words. However, in situations of excitement and  danger, time starts to matter. You need to  know how much you can accomplish – and how fast.

In cases like these, time is split up into  dramatic units called a “Round.” This is  not a specifi c segment of time. A Round  may represent mere seconds between a  furious exchange of blows. Or instead,  it can encompass minutes of heroic dialogue,  exposition of evil plans, and other  posturing. All a Round really represents is  enough time for everyone to perform one  action. The order in which characters can  do so is determined by Initiative.

Initiative
At the beginning of the first Round, everyone  involved in this conflict rolls their  Initiative. Initiative is two dice, plus any  modifiers from Abilities, like Quick, and  Weaknesses, like Slow. Everyone acts  from highest to lowest Initiative. Should  two Initiatives tie, the person rolling the  most dice goes first. In case of further ties,  refer to the next highest die.

Actions and free Actions
When your turn has arrived, you may make one action. An action is something  that requires time and concentration,  like attacking, running away, or helping a  fallen comrade. While these things are worthy of an action,  many things are not. Attacking with  a weapon is an action, but drawing that  weapon would not be. Performing a detailed  search of a dresser’s contents would  require an action, or even several Rounds  of actions, but scanning a room quickly  would not. If any action can be performed  instantaneously, and has no room for failure,  then it is a free action and will not  take up your action for the turn.

Attack!
Like any other action, attacking an opponent  is handled by rolling the dice. Pick  a target, choose one of the attacks available  on your character sheet, and roll for  it. The number of dice you need to use is  helpfully listed under Roll for that attack. The result of this roll will be compared to  another made by your opponent. If you  exceed this roll, you hit. If you roll less  than or tie the target’s, you do not.

Range
Exact distances are not important in OVA. It is assumed that any character can close  the gap and properly face any opponent  within a Round. However, there will be  cases where this simply does not work. Characters in fl ying vehicles, on top of  buildings, or in other far away places are  simply not in range. Unless the character  has a convenient way of getting to them,  such distant opponents can only be hit  with Attacks that have the Ranged Perk.

Defend!
As you saw above, attacks are compared to  another roll made in defense. When you  are attacked, roll the number of dice listed  under Defense on your character sheet. You are always entitled to roll for your  defense, even if you have already acted  earlier in the round or have fallen prey to  some complication.

Damage
Once you’ve successfully hit someone,  Damage is calculated. For every point  your Attack roll exceeds your opponent’s  Defense roll, you deal your Damage Multiplier. This is listed under DX for your  attack. The total is then subtracted from  your opponent’s Health.

Combat Complications
If characters ever take half or more of  their maximum Health in a single attack,  they receive a Combat Complication  of the Attacker’s choice. This represents  the overwhelming nature of the blow and  puts characters in a position of disadvantage. A complication can mean many  things, but it usually falls under one of  these three types.  Stunned characters are knocked off  guard by the force of the attack. They  may be knocked down, fl ung into a nearby  wall, or simply dazed. Regardless of exact  circumstances, the character loses their  next action. If a character is already losing  his or her next action through another  Stunned Complication, Ability, or condition,  there is no additional effect.


 * Impaired characters are debilitated by  the attack. The off ense may inflict a crippling  injury, rattle the character’s ability  to think clearly, or otherwise reduce the  ability to fight. Characters who are impaired  receive a -1 Penalty to all actions  for the duration of the combat. Further  attacks may add additional impairments,  and the eff ects may last after the battle at  the Game Master’s discretion.


 * Weakness/Flaw Complications cause  characters to succumb to one of their  Weaknesses or Ability Flaws. A character  with Focus or Requirement may be disarmed  or have a key item broken. Short- Tempered characters may become enraged  and have poor judgment. And so on.

Health & Endurance
Health will gradually wear down over the  course of a fight as you take a few hard  knocks. Your Endurance, on the other  hand, is reduced by actions you take. Feats  of stamina and many attacks carry with  them an Endurance cost to use. If you run out of Health, the battle is  not over yet! Through sheer force of will,  you can keep on fighting. Further Damage  will take away from your Endurance  instead, but you now receive a -1 penalty  to all actions. Likewise, if you use up all  your Endurance, further expenditures will  deduct from Health, and you’ll incur this  same -1 penalty. Once both Health and  Endurance are gone, your ability to contribute  to the fight is over. You may fall  unconscious, or tire to the point that you  give in. In any case, it’s up to your friends  to continue the fi ght from here!

Recovering
Once in any combat, you may choose to let  your character recover instead of taking an action  that Round. This maneuver immediately  replenishes 10 Endurance, not to exceed the  character’s maximum. The actual action the  character performs is up to you, whether it’s  focusing ones energy, quoting axioms from  an old mentor, or simply having a second  wind. Once a character has taken advantage  of recovering, they may not do so again until  this combat has ended.