Turns & Actions
The flow of combat is very simple. You have a turn with a full range of moving and attacking options and then your opponent will have a 'response' with more limited and defensive options. Then it will be your opponent's Turn and then you will have a chance for a 'response'
Example:
Player A: Turn 1
Player B: Response to Turn 1
Player B: Turn 2
Player A: Response to Turn 2
Player A: Turn 3
Player B: Response to Turn 3
Player B: Turn 4
Player A: Response to Turn 4
<and repeat>
Your 'Turn' is where you make all of your major actions. You have one move option, a normal attack string, and abilities and special moves.
Your move option is the most important. The most basic of these is to step in to get closer to your opponent (example: step in to from zone 4 to zone 3) or to step back for the opposite effect. You can also side step and pivot, which are harder to do, and require tests of not only your speed and technique but your opponent's. If succesful you can approach and opponent from an angle or the side, which makes attacking more effective. In rare cases, some pivots can even put you behind your opponent!
When grappling your 'move' options are much more limited and it can only be used to either attempt a break or an escape from a grapple. Or to attempt to advance your 'position' if you are on the ground.
Attacks & Combos
An attack is the most basic and common move of any fight, you will select your attack from the 'Universal Move List' (see index). This is a pool of moves that all characters access with some exceptions. Depending on fighting styles there are some moves that cant or can only be used by certain characters. For example. Callie can throw a Jab but cant throw a knee. While Marcus can attempt an Arm-bar but cant attempt a karate chop.
Next is your combo string.
When throwing a combo you are stringing together a collection of normal attacks. You can combine any attacks together, but certain attacks flow better into each other than others. For example, a jab into a straight will give your chain a 'True Combo' bonus. But only if they are the only two attacks used. The True combo bonus will be void if you throw in a spinning back kick to end the combo.
The amount of attacks you can put into a combo is determined by your character's attack chain. For example Ryo-ji has a combo chain of 3. Which means he can string together 3 normal moves from the universal moveset. So an example combo for Ryo-ji would be Straight Punch + Knife hand strike + Front Kick
This would be a 'normal combo chain' considering it has no true combo and is not followed by any special moves. Combos are naturally high level fighting techniques and with every attack thrown the risks increase. This is described by mechanic that makes every consecutive attack easier to counter. This doesnt apply during 'True Combos' as the attacks flow into each other so easily.
For example when Ryo-ji throws his above combo, his first straight punch will be of normal difficulty to counter. But by the time hes thrown his 3rd attack, you will recieve a bonus on your counter roll to represent the difficulty of consecutive attacking.
Your combo chain is your max limit of attacks. Your character does not have to use all of their combo capacity. Ryo-ji could throw a straight punch into a knife and strike for a 2 hit combo. Or just a back kick on its own.
Special Moves
Special moves describe a broad range of unique attacks that are powerful and useful. The main property of special moves is that they can be used to finish off an attack chain. For example, even if your character has an attack chain of 3, you can still throw all 3 attacks and then finish with a special move. Some special moves are pre-set true combos, so if Ryo-ji follows his 3 hit combo chain with his special move: Hard Falcon which is itself a 3 hit combo so in total you will throw a 6 hit combo in one turn!
Note that the consecutive combo difficulty effect does extend to special moves. So a special move thrown at the end of a longer combo is easier to counter than one thrown by itself.
Some special moves are counters. They will be used on your reaction as apposed to your turn, and sometimes they will have automatic properties such as blocking amd countering a punch or a throw. Note that non-counter special moves can still be used on your response but at the expense of your regular counter options.
Special moves are difficult and taxing attacks that cant be used all the time. If you use Ryo-Ji's Hard Falcon on your turn (l) you wont be able to use another special move until your next response at the earliest (if you use a special move on a response you wont be able to use a Special move until your turn after the next at the earliest). Also you wont be able to use Hard Falcon again. You will have to mix it up with a different move to prevent dependence on one technique.
Grapples
Grapples are a normal action but they function different to strikes, most regular grapples do zero damage. and are used solely to initiate the 'clinch' or 'the scramble'. Grapples can be used on their own (instead of a normal attack combo) or at the end of combo (replacing on of the attacks). For example if Ryo-ji wants to attempt a grapple after a combo he can only throw 2 normal attacks with his 3rd attack being replaced with the grapple. Or he can forego his entire combo and just use the grapple on his own.
Grapples also are effected by consecutive difficulty and there also 'true combos' that end with grapples which subvert that. You can only use a special move after a grapple if it specifically says you can.
Response Phase
After your opponent's Turn you have a chance to react to it. This is called the 'response' which is defensive reactions. If your opponent is Callie and she throws a 5 hit combo at you, you have option to respond to every single one of those attacks (even if your own combo chain is lower). Your response options are to Block, Dodge+Counter, and use Special Moves. Your movement options are more limited, but you can attempt a fairly risky 'escape' (both standing and grappling) but at the expense of your other options.
Blocking
The main response is to block, it assumed that all of your opponent's attacks are accurate and if you don't make any effort to move they will hit you every time. But you can safely attempt to reduce damage of any attack by blocking. You can spend your entire response turn blocking, where you will take tests to see how much damage you can reduce. Consecutive blocking does have a penalty where sometimes your guard will be broken where you will enter a moment of 'stun' which removes your ability to your next opponents move.
Dodge & Counter
This is the high risk, high reward defensive maneuver where you attempt to dodge the attack your opponent threw and counter with your own. The roll is dependent on your speed and technique stats (and your opponents). When successfully you can deal damage successfully and sometimes even stun your opponent to prevent their next attack. When it fails though you take MORE damage based on you swaying into the attack accidentally. And you will be left dizzy by a failed counter. Counter-Special Moves can be used in place of any dodge-counters and have a very high success rate. If you want to use a 'Normal' Special Move it is only possible after a successful dodge counter.
Escape!
Sometimes you dont want to stand in front of your attacking opponent and simply get out of the range of attacks completely this is seen as a risky (and fairly cowardly) move. Which will test your charisma. When standing your character will move as far away as possible (Zone 4) which will put them out of range of most attacks thrown from 2 or 3 (but not all of them) note that escape wont work if you already in Zone 4. If you fail an escape your character will clumsily trip over themselves as they hastily try to backtrack and end up on the floor and dizzy for the rest of the phase.
When in a grappling situation you may feel like you cant compete in the grappling department with an overbearing opponent. The Escape here will be similar to a panicked scurry, which could save you and get you to Zone 4. But if it fails, not only will you fail to escape but you will give your opponent a grappling advantage position. if your opponent
already had and Adv position when you attempted the escape. Your character will enter the 'Broken' state.
Damage, Injury and Status Effects
Damage is represented by the loss of hitpoints over the course of the fight. This is the most common way to defeat an opponent, simply reducing hitpoints to zero. Strikes are the most consistent way to inflict this damage and Special Moves usually inflict more damage than the average combo string. Certain effects are active depending on your character's hit points and will change accordingly over the length of a match.
Injury represents the status of specifically damaged body parts. These are represented by the HEAD, BODY, ARMS and LEGS categories. Strikes will sometimes cause injury to these areas (such as leg kicks, body Punches or multiple strikes to a blocking opponent). However the most effective way to injure a body part is with holds. Which will specifically target 1 (or sometimes two) body parts at once. Once a body part becomes injured they are more susceptible to damage and will have more difficulty with the basics of fighting. For example, if Callie's legs are injured, she will need to take an extra roll when moving to see if she can manage it. Also speed will be effected in some ways. Also if an injured body part is targeted with a hold there is a chance your character will submit due to the pain. Which is another way to lose a round.
Arms: will take damage from constant blocking and armbars, arm cranks, certain arm and shoulder throws.
Legs: Will take damage from leg kicks, stomps, foot sweeps, tripping and leg locks
Body: Will take damage from strikes to the body, throws and torso holds.
Head: will take damage from strikes to the head, choke holds and certain throws.
Status effects are states your character can be in during the fight, most are negative though some have slight benefits.
StunMakes the opponent unable to react to the next move. If final move in the chain, robs opponent of their ability to move on their turn.
DizzyMakes the opponent completely incapacited for one turn/response, any attack landed to the head of the dizzy opponenet rolls 2d6 for a Flash Knockout 11 or 12 for most characters.
BrokenOpponent is demoralised, can only block or attack and use no special moves and cant enter advantage position in grappling.
Must take a confidence test at the end of turn/response to recover 1d10.
Can try and take on more confidence test the following turn 1d8 to recover. If both fail then opponent gives up match.
FuryToo angry to block but attacks all do +1 damage. Wont use any holds and all non offensive abilities become useless. Cant attempt escape. Can try to calm down after 1 (confidence test 1d10) turn but will relax automatically after 2.
BerserkToo mad to block, counter or do anything offensive. Cant step back. On response turn will throw one attack and forfiet all defense. Combo chain is increased by 1 and strength stat is temporarily increased by 1. Wont calm down automatically, only with a 2d6 confidence test. If not will become dizzy AND broken after 3 turns.
Grapples, Holds and Throws
Grappling is a regular action that any character can attempt on their turn but the state of grappling is fairly complex. Two characters holding each other in standing position (in Zone 1) is called the clinch. This is where clinch strikes can be thrown, short range and damaging attacks such as knees to the body, and short uppercuts. These attacks also cant be blocked by either character in the clinch. This is also where the majority of throws happen from. Throws are very damaging and injury inducing and almost always put the target on the floor (and occasionally the attacker on the floor with them). Throws can't be blocked, but can be 'resisted' which will cancel the throw if successful.
When the two characters are holding each other and on the floor (not standing) this is called 'The Scramble' (Also in Zone 1). This is where the majority of holds can be used. But there is also some striking from this distance too. From this position you can use you 'move' action to attempt to stand up, though it can be contested if you opponent wants to keep you grounded.
Lastly in both the clinch and the scramble there are 3 'positions' Neutral, Advantage, Disadvantage position. This represents the 'dominant' positions in grappling. In the clinch this could be something like a double under-hook for a wrestler or a Thai plum clinch for a kick-boxer. In this state one player is in advantage position and the other is in the disadvantage, this will effect damage done, move success, and attack and defense options. When neither character is at an advantage the grappling state is neutral. This is where to majority of grappling attempts will leave you. The neutral state represents two characters struggling for dominant position but neither achieving it.
