Moves

Moves represent specialized techniques or maneuvers that demonstrate a character’s mastery of a particular skill, often through intense training, natural talent, or supernatural abilities.

Moves are a way to expressing special powers for characters that utilize martial unarmed, melee and ranged weapon attacks. These can range from martial arts forms to advanced weapon techniques, moves enhance a character’s combat style, enabling them to perform impressive or strategic actions in battle. Whether through precise strikes, defensive stances, or mystical attacks, moves offer players unique ways to engage enemies, overcome challenges, and showcase their characters' expertise.

During Session Zero, groups are encouraged to discuss the choice of story and setting to determine if and which types of moves are appropriate before proceeding with character creation.

Defining Moves

Moves typically focus on three modes of combat.

UNARMED: Unarmed moves highlight the use of martial arts or brawling techniques, showcasing a character's skill and physicality without weapons. These moves emphasize agility, speed, and the ability to incapacitate opponents using just their body. These might include martial arts techniques involving punches and kicks, or grappling techniques to control and restrain an enemy.

MELEE: Melee moves revolve around close-quarters combat, utilizing various weapons to engage in direct confrontation. These moves highlight the character's strength, technique, and mastery of their chosen weapon.

RANGED: Ranged moves focus on engaging enemies from a distance, utilizing projectile weapons such as bows, firearms, or magical attacks. These moves emphasize accuracy and the ability to strike targets without engaging in close combat.

The following are some examples of specific kinds of moves.

POWER STRIKE – A powerful, single attack designed to deal significant damage by channeling strength, focus, or energy into one precise blow.

FOCUSED BURST – A rapid series of attacks in quick succession, overwhelming an opponent with sheer speed or volume of strikes.

DISARMING STRIKE – A precision move aimed at knocking or forcing an opponent's weapon from their grasp, leaving them vulnerable.

PRECISION SHOT – A ranged attack with an emphasis on accuracy, allowing the character to target weak points for critical damage.

DEFENSIVE STANCE – A defensive maneuver that enhances a character’s ability to block or evade incoming attacks, increasing survivability.

SWEEPING ATTACK – A wide attack that targets multiple opponents at once, typically in close combat, dealing damage to all within range.

GRAPPLE – A technique to restrain or pin down an opponent, preventing them from moving or attacking effectively.

LEAPING STRIKE – A dynamic, airborne attack where a character leaps toward an opponent, delivering a powerful blow from above.

FEINT – A deceptive move that tricks an opponent into defending against a false attack, creating an opening for a real strike.

PARRY AND RIPOSTE – A sequence where a character blocks or deflects an incoming attack and immediately follows with a precise counterattack.

KNOCKBACK BLOW – A forceful strike intended not just to deal damage, but also to push the opponent back, creating distance or knocking them prone.

Defining Moves

A character's moves are expressed through assets and features.

ASSETS: Use assets to add a move if the move can be directly leveraged to increase the chance of success when performing specific actions. Adding a Martial Artist asset can support a character's actions for any type of unarmed combat.

FEATURES: Use features to define mutations that boost a character's abilities. Features can be used to impose specific conditions, provide passive abilities, or break the rules for a standard turn. For example, a move to stun an opponent with Stunning Strike

The following are some examples of moves that could be added as assets. Use tags to identify the character aspects they leverage.

SAMPLE ASSETS
Martial Artist (#kicks, #punches, #grappling, #dexterity, *focus, *discipline)
Swordsmanship (#swords, #fighting, *techniques, *history)
Archer (#bows, #crossbows, *techniques, *history)

The following are examples of moves that could be expressed as features.

SAMPLE FEATURES
STUNNING STRIKE - You are trained in how to stun an opponent. Twice per encounter you can add a performance condition to an opponent indicating they are stunned. The opponent is incapacitated for one turn, unable to move, interact, or perform actions or teamwork.
PARRY AND RIPOSTE - You are trained in parry and riposte. When defending from a melee attack with a sword, you can use the success of your action roll to impose a performance condition on your opponent.