The Pendragon Combat Procedure

I’ve been running a Pendragon 6E campaign for a while, and decided it would be very helpful to write out the full combat procedure, step-by-step, for my reference. I usually miss something if I’m not really careful.

Start of Combat

• A given passion can be invoked once per day. Any passion with a score of 16+ must be invoked if relevant when combat breaks out.
• If this is a battle encounter, record each knight’s posture.

Procedure

Each round:

1. Horsemanship checks

• Horses that are not combat-trained always start unsettled and require an unopposed Horsemanship roll to control them.
• Any horse that takes 5+ damage becomes unsettled and requires an unopposed Horsemanship roll with a penalty of (all damage taken this combat).
• On a critical, the horse settles for the rest of the combat (until it takes damage).
• A combat-trained horse settles on a success (until it takes damage again).
• On a failure, you cannot take an action this round.
• On a fumble, you are thrown and must attempt an Emergency Dismount.

2. Combat declarations

• From lowest DEX to highest; important ties can be resolved via opposed DEX roll
• You get one action per round.
• If attacking, a char with Reckless 16+ always declares Reckless Attack as their action (Famous get a Reckless vs Prudent; can choose another attack if Prudent wins)
• Declare the action, targets and desired range (default Normal)
• Can automatically draw a sheathed sword or dagger as part of your action.
• Can draw another weapon, but take -5 on your action.
• Each extra target after the first one inflicts a penalty of -5 on every action roll. (Two targets = -5; three targets = -10, four targets = -15, etc)

3. Resolve combat actions

• Generally resolve unopposed actions first
• Then resolve from highest DEX to lowest
• Using a bow or crossbow against another knight is a Cowardly check and lose 1 Honor

4. Apply Winner’s outcome before Loser’s outcome

• Some actions have special outcomes
• Damage is generally per weapon with +4D6 on a critical
• In order: Knockdown, dropped weapon; apply protection(armour, shield, parry), wound

5. Movement happens

• The Mounted Charge action combines movement with the action, all other movement happens here.
• Winner closed to declared range if not already there, starts at this range next round.
• You may move up to your Movement Rate in yards/meters.

Applying Damage

1. Roll for damage

• Remember that Reckless Attack does an extra +2D6 damage on a normal hit
• Add +4D6 on a critical (Reckless Attack instead adds +6D6)
• Brawling only adds +2D6 on a critical

2. Check for Knockdown

• Damage >= 2 * horse SIZ, horse automatically knocked down, deals horse damage to rider who fails an emergency dismount (unopposed horsemanship)
• Damage >= horse SIZ, horse makes unopposed DEX check or as above
• Damage >= Knockdown threshold * 2, automatically knocked down
• Damage >= Knockdown threshold, unopposed DEX check to avoid fall
• Fall means you drop your weapon AND take 1D6 damage ignoring protection
• If knocked down, you begin the next round on the ground; after the next round starts you may stand up using either your action or your movement

3. Apply protection

• Halve the damage first if it was a rebated weapon
• Reduce damage by armour amount
• If you scored a partial success reduce by either the shield amount OR weapon’s parry amount
  • Unless either party used Reckless Attack
  • Unless you were taking the Mount Up action
  • An off-hand weapon is not used for attacks but instead add +2 to main weapon’s parry amount

4. Record the wound

• Damage < Major Wound threshold: minor wound unless brings you to <= 0 hp
• Damage >= Major Wound threshold but still above 0 hp
  • unopposed DEX roll to soften fall from mount
  • fall unconscious
  • check debilitated
  • roll on “Table 14.4 Characteristic Lost” to determine permanent damage
  • out of the fight until first aid brings you above unconscious threshold
• Damage > Max HP OR brought to <= 0 hp
  • Mortal Wound
  • unconscious and incapacitated
  • First Aid within one hour that brings you above 0 hp might save you
  • if restored above zero, stay unconscious, mark debilitated
  • roll 3 times for permanent damage

Notes on range

I find this handy especially when someone wants to use a dagger or start grappling.

Melee

• Contact (can use brawling actions)
• Close Quarters (can only use close quarter weapons like daggers or claws)
• Normal (standard melee, can also use long weapons but ignore reach bonus)
• Long (spears for example, negates foot vs mounted penalty, +5 reach bonus vs normal weapon)

Ranged

• Short (<= 30 yards) - max range most thrown weapons
• Medium (31-100 yards) -5 penalty, max range for javelin
• Long (101-200 yards) -10 penalty
• Ranged attack into melee - GM selects actual target hit at random
• Ranged attack vs mounted - 1d6: 1-4 hit horse, 5-6 hit rider