Combat
Overview
At Multiverse Crisis MUSH, it is inevitable that many characters will engage in duels, or even enter full-scale battlefields during the course of the Union-Confederate War or other large-scale conflicts. This file covers our policies on combat and combat resolution. Resolution of combat situations can be handled in a few ways, but the primary two means of doing so are:
- Freeform Combat, in which two players simply work out conflict resolution in the course of roleplay without the need of a mediator.
- Coded Combat, in which the MUSH's combat system acts as a neutral arbitrator and dictates the outcome of combat.
Whether you prefer Freeform Combat or Coded Combat, the easiest way to determine the probable outcome of a fight is to compare the Power Levels of the two characters that are fighting. If there is a 2-point discrepancy (34 vs 36), then the outcome is highly favorable to the person with the higher number. A gap of 4 or more basically guarantees victory to the higher PL, at least in a fight.
Coded Combat
This section covers the rules of coded combat on the MUSH.
AID & When To Use It
Simply put, AID, which represents healing, buffs, and debuffs, is a trait that has two major repercussions when used extensively in a coded combat scene
- The fight is inevitably prolonged by a significant amount of time.
- The fight is typically heavily lopsided in favor of the side with an AID-using character.
It is therefore appropriate, before a fight begins, to ascertain whether or not everybody wants AID to be used in the scene at all. If the usage of AID is not preferred, AID-based characters should convert (UNDECIDED) points of their AID into regular combat stats and fight normally.
Boss Modes & When To Use Them
Beneficial boss modes may be used freely and without consent if you are fighting multiple opponents. They may be used in one-on-one combat or other circumstances with permission of opponent(s) or the GM. Admin may give special dispensation for boss modes to be used without player/GM consent, but will probably not do so.
Detrimental (debuff) boss modes triggered by weaknesses or what-have-you may be used at player discretion.
FacHead Boss Modes
Standard "Authority" boss modes may be used at FacHead discretion, with or without permission.
"Authority-F" is a special boss mode assigned to FacHeads and some officers for special circumstances. It exists to be used when another character is challenging the fachead's authority on the basis of martial prowess, and may be used whenever such a situation arises. These boss modes are deliberately overpowered and not intended to be beatable.
If your Authority-F mode fails you, please report in for a more overpowered boss mode.
FacHeads always receive an Authority-F mode, but officers or other special ranks may have an Authority-F mode given to them to handle unruly subordinates, if only temporarily.
First +Attack & Escalation
If you are the first person to attack in a coded fight, your opponent should be the one to escalate attack levels from there.
So, for example, if Megaman starts a fight by shooting at Dr. Wily (usually with a 1 - Weak or 2 - Moderate), Dr. Wily gets to raise the fight's attack level to 3 - Strong later on in the fight.
+Restat & +Armor
Because players are allowed to stat their own PCs on the fly, it may seem reasonable to assume that you can change your stats mid-battle. This is correct, but has some caveats.
- Each +armor swap or +restat is your action for the round. Previously, some Advantages were allowed to bypass this limit, but that policy is being rescinded.
- Mid-Combat +Armor/+Restats should not suddenly introduce AID into a fight that previously did not involve it.
- At the discretion of scene runners or with explicit consent from opponents, instant armor swaps may be allowed.
- (Possible exception for certain kinds of Aura Flare?)
Stuns
Stuns should not be followed up by a level 4+ attack or sigmove. Stuns should plausibly be able to briefly incapacitate their target. Be aware that characters are allowed to be immune to stuns, though it is incredibly rare for them to be comprehensively immune to the point that nobody can find a way to temporarily incapacitate them.
Joke stuns are not okay unless OK'd by the target beforehand. Otherwise, If Tifa Lockhart lifts her shirt as a stun attack, the target is well within their rights to ignore it and sock her in the teeth.
Ubers & Epics & Sigmoves Oh My
Under ordinary combat rules, escalating to the usage of Level 4 (Uber) or 5 (Epic) attacks, or our special signature move attacks, requires the consent of the targeted party. Reciprocity is assumed -- if you want to nail somebody with an uber, epic, or sigmove, you're automatically giving the other party consent to return fire in kind.
It is poor form to request to Uber/Epic/Sigmove first if you are already significantly ahead of your opponent. Whoever is losing should usually be the first to escalate to higher attack levels, especially at the end of a fight.
Freeform Combat
Boss Modes in Uncoded Combat
While they are harder to translate into uncoded combat than raw power level is, it does bear mentioning that boss modes are somewhat representative of a character's competence (usually in the field of fighting tons of people), and should be accounted for/respected in freeform combat as well.
Power Levels in Uncoded Combat
Just because you aren't using the combat code, doesn't mean that guy with 2+ PL on you isn't vastly stronger than you. While a character with a power level advantage can choose to be off their "A-Game", that power level should be respected even in Freeform/Uncoded Combat.
Science of Sell
It can be tricky to understand how to sell an opponent without a roughly objective gauge of exactly what you're doing to them, and exactly what they're doing to you. The solution to this is simple and easy: Get hurt, and show your opponent that you're getting hurt. This is easiest with characters like Wolverine or Alucard, who soak massive amounts of damage and bounce back from it to keep fighting. Nobody thinks they're a wuss when they make their opponent explode into a pile of bloody debris!
This does mean that certain character types need to bend the way they fight to be more accommodating. Characters that use force fields, or who dodge a lot, need to have breaches or glancing hits that bloody them up and injure them, rather than having their forcefield wear down gradually over a battle until they're finally getting hit directly. Start OFF getting hit directly, even if it's not as hard-hitting as it will be when your shields are completely down.
Make sure your opponent knows that they're taxing you! Unless there's a huge difference in power level, they probably will be pushing you pretty hard anyway.
After the Battle: Healing & Recovery
- Use common sense, don't nitpick the language of these rules, and don't game the system.
- If you fight, don't fight again on the same day or the day immediately after.
- If you get wrecked, spend more than the bare minimum of time in recovery and/or at less than your best.
- If you receive medical attention from a PC, or can self-heal, you can recover faster than other people unless something unusual prevents you from doing so.
- Want to fight while injured? If you're willing to RP being critically disadvantaged (basically guaranteed to lose to anything but the most absurdly outclassed opponents) due to your injuries, it is allowable.
- Waivers may be issued for unusual circumstances, TPs, etc. Ask on Staff-Help! about these.
