5.8 Strikes
A strike is the most common type of attack. There are three kinds of strikes: melee, projectile, and thrown. Many abilities allow you to make one or more strikes. Whenever you make a strike, you can choose which kind of strike to make.
Your accuracy with a strike adds the accuracy modifier from the weapon you are attacking with. Your damage with a strike is normally equal to your weapon damage with the weapon you hit with, plus half your relevant power. If a magical ✨ ability causes you to make a strike, you use your magical power. Otherwise, you use your mundane power.
There are many special rules that can modify how you make strikes. For example, dual strikes allow you to attack with two weapons instead of one. The rules for strikes listed here simply define the normal behavior.
| Basic Strike – Melee | Standard action |
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Make a melee attack vs. Armor using a weapon against something adjacent to you. You must have line of effect to the target.
Hit: You deal the target damage equal to your weapon damage plus half your mundane power.
| Basic Strike – Projectile | Standard action |
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Make a ranged attack vs. Armor using a Projectile weapon against something that you have line of effect to. If the target is adjacent to you, you take a -4 accuracy penalty. If the target is at long range from you, your accuracy takes a -4 longshot penalty (see Weapon Range Limits).
Hit: You deal the target damage equal to your weapon damage plus half your mundane power.
| Basic Strike – Thrown | Standard action |
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Make a ranged attack vs. Armor using a non-Projectile weapon against something that you have line of effect to. If the weapon has the Thrown weapon tag, use its defined range limits. Otherwise, your range limits are 10/20, and you take a -2 accuracy penalty since you are not proficient with that usage of the weapon (see Weapon Proficiency). If the target is at long range from you, your accuracy takes a -4 longshot penalty (see Weapon Range Limits).
Hit: You deal the target damage equal to your weapon damage plus half your mundane power.
5.8.1 Dual Strikes
If you are wielding two weapons, you can attack with both at the same time whenever you make a strike. This is called a dual strike. You need a Dexterity of at least 2 to make a dual strike. In addition, you cannot use a shield to make dual strikes, even if you are proficient with using it as a weapon.
When you make a dual strike, you take a -3 accuracy penalty. In exchange, you treat both of your weapons as a single combined weapon. You sum the accuracy modifier and weapon damage from both weapons. You still only add the damage bonus from your power once to the combined weapon, not once for each weapon. If your power modifier to damage is different between the two weapons, use the higher power modifier.
All weapon tags, magical properties, special material bonuses from both weapons apply to the combined weapon if possible. Numeric modifiers from both weapons stack, even if you have the same magical property or weapon tag on both weapons. For example, using two magical Flaming weapons would provide 2d4 extra damage, and using two Keen weapons would give you a +4 accuracy bonus for the purpose of getting a critical hit. However, enhancement bonuses still do not stack.
Some weapon tags have special rules for how they work in a dual strike.
- Ammunition: Only the Ammunition weapon breaks after making the dual strike.
- Compact: Only functions if both weapons are Compact.
- Heavy: You take a -1 accuracy penalty for each Heavy weapon.
- Impact: If you use two Impact weapons, you get a glancing blow when you would miss by 8 or less.
- Light: You gain a +3 accuracy bonus if both weapons are Light, or a +2 accuracy bonus if only one weapon is Light.
- Long: Only functions if both weapons are Long.
- Parrying: The bonus stacks, even though it does not stack with the benefits of using a shield.
- Projectile: You can only make dual strikes with Projectile weapons if both weapons have the Projectile tag. Use the lower range limits of the two weapons.
- Subdual: Only functions if both weapons are Subdual.
- Thrown: Only functions if both weapons are Thrown. Use the lower range limits of the two weapons.
Putting this all together, here are some examples:
- Broadsword and smallsword: +1 accuracy, 1d6+1d4 damage, Versatile Grip (irrelevant unless you have three hands)
- Two kukris: +2 accuracy, 2d4 damage, Sweeping (2)
- Two kama: +0 accuracy, 2d4 damage, Keen+ (+4 accuracy with critical hits)
- Two totokias: -5 accuracy, 2d10 damage, Impact+ (glance if miss by 8 or less)
- Throwing axe and handaxe: -1 accuracy, 1d6+1d4 damage, Thrown (30/60)
- Warhammer and light hammer: -2 accuracy, 1d8+1d4 damage, Impact+ (glance if miss by 8 or less), Versatile Grip (irrelevant unless you have three hands)
- Two claws: +2 accuracy, 2d4 damage
Split Strikes
Whenever you make a dual strike, you can designate it as a split strike. A split strike deals half damage with the strike, but you can choose an additional target of the strike. This does not reduce damage that is not directly part of the strike, such as the triggered damage from the quivering palm maneuver. Unlike the Sweeping weapon tag, this works with both melee and ranged attacks. Narratively, this represents you hitting one creature with one weapon and a different creature with your other weapon.