Breaking Objects and Barriers
Characters may attack objects, destroy parts of the environment, or strike targets through intervening barriers.
Material Resistance
Use the following values as benchmarks for common materials and objects.
| Material / Object | Armor | Structure | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fragile Material | 0 | 1 | Glassware, paper screens, thin cloth, brittle containers |
| Light Material | 1 | 1 | Thin wood, cheap plastic, netting, rope, canvas |
| Weak Barrier | 2 | 2 | Plaster, hollow doors, light furniture, interior panels |
| Sturdy Material | 3 | 3 | Solid wood, thick plastic, reinforced crates, wooden tables |
| Light Metal | 4 | 4 | Sheet metal, metal signs, cheap weapons, simple lockers |
| Tough Object | 5 | 5 | Lock mechanisms, quality weapons, heavy doors, shields |
| Reinforced Object | 7 | 6 | Firearms, reinforced doors, industrial cabinets, metal shutters |
| Masonry | 9 | 8 | Brick walls, stonework, concrete blocks, stone pillars |
| Heavy Barrier | 12 | 10 | Thick steel panels, safes, security doors, reinforced concrete |
| Armored Barrier | 16 | 12 | Vault doors, hardened shelters, vehicle armor, blast shutters |
| Military Structure | 20 | 14 | Bunker plating, reinforced blast doors, armored checkpoints |
| Fortified Infrastructure | 24 | 16+ | Tank-grade armor, hardened bunkers, military fortifications |
The GM may adjust these values for thickness, reinforcement, damage, unusual construction, or the specific part being attacked.
Attacking an Object
A character may directly attack a held item, door, wall, lock, vehicle component, piece of furniture, or other object.
Make the attack normally, applying any relevant range and situational modifiers. The object’s Armor reduces damage normally.
If the remaining damage equals or exceeds the object’s Structure, the object is broken, breached, disabled, or destroyed as appropriate.
Damage below the object’s Structure does not normally cause significant harm, though repeated attacks may weaken a large or important object when appropriate.
Use the Material Resistance table to determine an object’s Armor and Structure, adjusting for thickness, reinforcement, poor condition, unusual construction, or the specific part being attacked.
Attacking Through a Barrier
A character may attempt to strike a target through an intervening barrier if the attack could reasonably penetrate the material.
Make the attack normally. The target does not receive the barrier’s Cover Bonus Dice. Instead, add the barrier’s Armor to the target’s Armor when resolving damage.
If the target is behind Full Cover, the attack suffers −20 to the Success Target. The attacker must also have a reasonable idea of the target’s position. A target whose location is completely unknown cannot normally be attacked accurately through a barrier.
If the attack gets through, resolve damage using the combined Armor value.
Sneak Attacks
A Sneak Attack is a deliberate attempt to incapacitate a vulnerable target before they can react. It may represent a blow to the back of the head, a chokehold, a stun weapon applied at close range, or another controlled attack intended to end the fight immediately.
A Sneak Attack can only be attempted against a Defenseless Target. The GM determines whether the weapon, angle, and circumstances make the attempt plausible. Explosives, Area Effects, heavy ordnance, and other attacks that cannot be precisely controlled cannot normally be used for a Sneak Attack.
Resolve the attack using the normal Defenseless Target rules.
If the attack inflicts at least 1 Wound, the target must immediately make a Vigor check.
On a failure, the target becomes Unconscious. On a success, they remain conscious and suffer the Wound normally.
Unconsciousness normally lasts about 30 minutes, though injury, treatment, further harm, noise, or other circumstances may cause the target to awaken sooner or remain unconscious longer.
Surprise
When combat begins unexpectedly, the GM may require any character at risk of being caught off guard to make a Perception Attribute Check.
On a success, the character reacts in time and begins combat normally.
On a failure, the character is Surprised. They still roll Initiative, but begin the first round with 1 fewer AP and gain Distracted (1) until the end of their first turn.
After the first round, the character’s AP returns to normal.