Active Defense
A successful attack does not automatically hit. If the target is aware of the attack and able to react, they may make an Active Defense.
Active Defense does not cost AP unless a rule states otherwise.
Against a melee attack, the defender may use either Melee or Dodge.
Using Melee represents blocking, parrying, binding the attacker’s weapon, controlling distance, or otherwise turning the attack aside. To use Melee against an armed attack, the defender must be wielding a melee weapon, shield, or another object capable of reasonably intercepting the attack.
Using Dodge represents avoiding the attack through movement and reflex. Dodge may be used against both melee and ranged attacks.
Against a ranged attack, Dodge is the normal Active Defense. Shields, abilities, and other rules may allow different forms of defense.
Roll the defense d100 and any Bonus Dice that apply specifically to the Active Defense.
If the d100 succeeds, calculate its Hits normally and add any Bonus Hits generated by those Bonus Dice.
If the d100 fails, the Active Defense generates 0 Hits and any Bonus Dice tied to that defense are ignored.
Once Active Defense is resolved, apply any Passive Defense available to the defender.
Passive Defense
Passive Defense represents protection that does not depend on successfully dodging, blocking, or parrying an attack. Toughness is the most common source of Passive Defense.
Resolve Active Defense first. If it does not stop the attack, roll any Bonus Dice granted by Passive Defense. Passive Defense Bonus Dice are Cold Bonus Dice: they generate Hits without requiring a successful d100 roll.
Add Passive Defense Hits to any Hits generated by Active Defense. If the combined Defense Hits equal or exceed the attacker’s total Hits, the attack is stopped. Otherwise, the remaining Hits become the attack’s Net Hits.
Passive Defense does not make an Active Defense successful. It cannot trigger Counterstrike or satisfy any effect that specifically requires the Active Defense itself to negate the attack.
Rolling Defense
For ease of play, roll Active Defense and Passive Defense at the same time whenever both apply. Use different colored dice to distinguish the Active Defense Bonus Dice from the Passive Defense Bonus Dice.