[OLOG] Combat and Pressure

Special thanks to If Our Lives Be Short for inspiring me to get this written up properly.

Initiative

PCs roll for initiative (d20+level, possibly modified by Virtues). NPCs have static initiative values and don't roll. Initiative counts last for the whole fight unless someone does something to change them.

Actions and Pressure

Under normal circumstances, you get two actions per turn. You cannot usually take the same action twice.

If you are within reach of a creature that wishes you ill, you are under pressure. While under pressure, when you take an action, your turn ends afterwards unless you announce as you take the action (and before making relevant rolls) that you're pressing on.

When you press on, you suffer automatic damage. The die you roll for pressure damage is equal to half of the largest damage die among creatures threatening you - if one of them has multiple attacks, only take the largest. This roll has a minimum result equal to the number of creatures threatening you, which can exceed the normal maximum roll. Flat bonuses to damage rolls don't apply to pressure unless otherwise stated.

Some examples:

• Threatened by two orcs with 1d8 swords: You take 1d4 damage, minimum 2.
• Threatened by a badlands superpredator with a 1d10 bite and two 1d6 claws: You take 1d5 damage.
• Threatened by eight humans with 1d6 knives: You take 8 damage. You probably should not let this happen.

If it matters, pressure damage happens simultaneously with the the action that triggered it.

Some actions have one of the following tags, which affect how they interact with this system.

• Extended actions consume both your actions for the turn. If you're under pressure, you must press on to use an extended action.
• Free actions don't consume an action and do not trigger pressure.
  

List of Combat Actions

Not exhaustive.

• Move. Combat distances in OLOG are mostly abstracted - one move action is enough to move you about 30ft, or one distance band towards or away from a group of enemies.
  
• Attack. Most characters get only one attack per action, but some combat-focused classes can make more, usually with a condition attached. If you get multiple attacks per action, you can break them up with your other action if you like - so you can, for example, make one attack and then move before making your second.
• Defend yourself. +2 to AC until your next turn, or +4 if you're holding a shield.
  
• Cast a spell. Extended action.
  
• Retrieve an item from your pack, or switch one you're holding with one in your pack. This is a free action for the topmost item in your inventory, and an extended action for one in the bottom half of your inventory.
• Strategise. Adjust your initiative count by 1d6 in the direction of your choice. Takes effect next round.