These rules further describe the options and hazards of combat.

Related Pages: Combat - Crafting: Weapons and Armor List - Weapons & Armor Special Mechanics - Specialized Combat Styles

Called Shots

A standard physical attack deals damage to an enemy according to the weapon you are using. If you extend more effort and put more at risk, you can achieve more complex effects.

To make your attack a Called Shot, bid three Physical Traits instead of the typical one. You target a specific part of your opponent's body for a more complex effect:

• Disarm: Rather than doing damage, you strip them of their weapon.
• Extra Damage: You deal one additional damage by striking them in an especially vulnerable area like the head or throat.
• Hamstring: You damage your opponent and reduce their movement by a single step.
• Dislocate: You damage your opponent and force them to bid an extra Trait on all attacks until that damage is healed.
• Subdue (Not Kill): If your attack hits, you make a simple Medicine challenge (retest Medicine) to STOP dealing damage at Incapacitated if damage would otherwise drop the target to Mortally Wounded. This may fail if the damage being dealt cannot be restrained.
• Grapple: As below.
• Or any other effect a Storyteller agrees fits your maneuver and is not too ambitious (e.g., no one-shot kills). 

Grapple

In order to establish a grapple, an attacker must bid two additional Physical Traits, as with a normal Called Shot. They may elect to not deal their usual damage, even if grappling with claws or teeth, to represent establishing the grapple. In order to escape being grappled, a character must succeed in a subsequent Physical Challenge (retest Brawl) in order to break free. This attempt may be made on Rage actions.

Once grappled, a character is subject to the following restrictions: 

• They may not move away from the character holding them without breaking the grapple. This means that characters capable of Stepping Sideways cannot do so without first escaping their attacker's grasp.
• They may not attempt to dodge attacks from the character holding them, and any attempts to dodge a Brawl or Melee attack from a character not involved in the grapple suffers a two-Trait penalty, due to restricted movement.

The grappling character may move with their target, though attempting to move and maintain the grapple provokes a contested Physical Challenge in order to maintain their hold. Failure means that the grappling character loses their hold on their target, and the formerly-grappled character is free to act on subsequent actions.

Gun Retest

When you are using a gun to attack a target that is not within arms reach, and is attempting to dodge your attack, you gain a free Ballistic retest.  This retest may not be cancelled, and may not be used to cancel ability retests.  You do not gain this retest against people that are attempting to soak or actively resist your attack. You may not use your Firearms ability to retest or cancel during a challenge if you have already use the Ballistic retest.

Situational Modifiers

The following situations impose other effects on a character's actions.

Surprise Actions/Surprise Retest

When you have been scouting an enemy and attack them before they notice you, this would be considered a Surprise! action. Surprise actions can sometimes be a round without rage that allows one side to attack without the other party being able to bid for dodge (they may bid for survival to soak damage), you would also get a surprise retest as the attacker. If you are hidden (Blur or the like) while the rest of your group are in combat and you attack someone you may use a surprise retest but do not get a surprise round.

There is only 1 surprise round per combat. Surprise retests can be done if you are constantly attacking from the shadows and they can't see where you are. The rules apply for enemies who may get the drop on your group as well.

Cover

When resisting a ranged combat challenge, if there are obstacles nearby behind which you can partially conceal yourself, you may claim bonus Traits for Cover: one Trait for a small amount of Cover like a wooden fence, two Traits for significant Cover like a stone wall.

Darkness/Blindness

If you cannot see, but you're fighting someone who can, you are at a two-Trait penalty and your opponent may call for a free "Blind" retest once per Challenge.  If you posses the Blindfighting ability you may expend a level to cancel this retest.