RedMenace RP Combat

Best For	DM/QM event combat where players want tactical moves without using normal mechanical combat.
Players Needed	One or more event participants.
Dice Used	d20 for attacks and checks; d6 for Massive Damage.
Typical Stakes	Scene defeat, loss of moves, being out of scene, or event-declared consequences.
Needs DM/QM	Yes.
Consent Required	Required for PvP or any lasting consequence beyond scene defeat.

End Previous Turn With	Start Next Turn With
0 AP	2 AP
1 AP	3 AP
2 AP	3 AP
3 AP	4 AP

Move	AP	Effect
Attack	1	Attack with ranged or melee to deal 1 damage. Attack type is decided by archetype.
Guard	1	Add +5 to your Defense Score until the end of your next turn.
Assist	1	When an ally in melee range makes a roll, add +2 to the result.
Move	1	Move a notable distance, such as into or out of melee range, out of an AOE, near a specific object, or anywhere movement is narratively significant.
Interact	1	Interact with a DM-defined item.
Pin	1	Attempt to pin an opponent with a ranged or melee attack roll, preventing them from using Move. Attack bonus is decided by archetype.
Recover	1	Recover 1 HP.
Shove	1	Make a melee attack roll. On success, move your target.

Roll	Result
6	Restore health to full.
5	Restore health to half.
4	Restore health to half and lose 1 move.
3	Restore health to 1 and lose 1 move.
2	Restore health to 1 and lose all moves.
1	Out of scene.

Archetype	HP	Melee	Range	Defense	Archetype Moves
Duelist	4	3	2	14	Challenge (2 AP): nominate an opponent. Your attacks against it gain +1 while active. The opponent attacks targets other than you at -5. Allies attacking the challenged opponent also roll at -5. You may end the challenge on your turn. Fatal Clash (1 AP): nominate an opponent. You and the opponent make contested attack rolls; the loser takes 2 damage. The winner may move once or move the opponent once involuntarily. Reroll the contest by spending 1 AP. On a tie, both characters take 1 damage.
Defender	5	2	1	15	Hold the Line (1 AP): until the end of your next turn, all opponents in the scene attack targets other than you at -2. Unbroken (1 AP): when taking damage, reduce the damage to 1.
Marksman	3	2	3	12	Spotter (variable AP): spend AP to add +2 per AP spent to the next attack roll against a specific opponent. Counts as a ranged attack. Love Tap (2 AP): make a ranged attack roll. On hit, deal 1 damage and the target cannot move for two rounds.
Sorcerer	2	1	3	10	This Is the Water / And This Is the Well (4 AP): roll a die equal to the number of opponents in the scene. The number rolled is how many opponents are placed unconscious for one round. Unending Torment (2 AP): ranged attack. On success, the opponent takes 1 damage, cannot move, and has -1 attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Spend 1 AP each turn to prolong the effect.
Scoundrel	3	2	2	13	Scramble for Cover (2 AP): create cover, giving yourself and allies in range +3 Defense against ranged attacks. Chips Down (4 AP): in a desperate situation, automatically hit an opponent with an attack dealing 3 damage.
Saboteur	2	1	1	10	Disarmament (2 AP): make an attack roll. On hit, the opponent cannot use the last move they used until the end of their next turn. Trapcrafting (1 AP): mark a location in melee range with a trap. The next opponent that enters melee range of the trap rolls d20; on 13 or lower, they take 2 damage.
Commander	2	1	2	12	Command (2 AP): declare a direct objective. For one round, the first action a player takes on their turn that directly advances that objective gains +3. Control (2 AP): give 1 AP to an ally; they may spend it immediately.
Healer	2	1	1	12	Urgent Care (1 AP): when an ally in melee range rolls Massive Damage, react to make them roll twice and take the better roll. Preventative (2 AP): give an ally 1 temporary HP, lost first when they take damage.
Engineer	3	2	2	13	Deploy Security Turret (2 AP): deploy a turret with Valorant. It only activates in melee range and has +5 to the attack roll. Auto Gun: automatically uses Attack on the closest enemy at the end of your turn with -2 to the roll. Deals 1 damage on hit.

Move	AP	Effect
Parry	Variable	When targeted by an attack, spend equal AP to make a melee attack roll contesting the result. On success, negate the damage. If successful, you may spend 1 AP to use Attack with +2. If targeted by an attack that misses, you may spend 1 AP to make an attack move.
Aim	1	Target an opponent. Your next attack against them gains +5.
Defend	1	Target an ally in melee range. Until the end of your next turn, if they are attacked by an opponent, roll d20. On 11+, swap places and redirect the attack to you. If the ally leaves melee range, they stop being valid for this move.
Guardian	1	Target an ally in melee range. They gain +2 Defense Score until the end of your next turn.
Power Attack	3	Make a melee attack. On hit, deal 2 damage.
Double Strike	2	Make two attacks with -2 to each roll.
Double Time	1	Use a move you have already used this turn. AP cost still applies.
Flying Swallow	1	Move one range, then make a melee attack against an opponent at -2.
Disarm	2	Make an attack. On hit, choose melee or ranged. The opponent cannot make attack rolls of that type.
Deploy Blaster Turret	2	Place one turret ally with the basic Attack move. It can only roll ranged attacks, has 1 HP, and only one blaster turret may be deployed at a time.
Deploy Cryo Turret	2	Place one turret ally with the Pin move. It has 1 HP. Only one cryo turret may be deployed at a time.
Deploy Guardian Turret	2	Place one turret ally with the Guardian move. It has 1 HP. Only one guardian turret may be deployed at a time.
Turret Commander	1	A turret ally uses the Move move.
Medical Attention	2	Target ally in melee range recovers 2 HP.
Energy Shield	2	Choose ranged or melee. You gain 1 temporary HP against that attack type. Does not stack with other temporary HP.
Berserk	1	For 3 turns, gain +1 melee attacks, -1 ranged attacks, and -2 Defense Score.
Danger Zone	1	Mark a location. For 3 turns, anyone who enters or ends their turn there takes 1 damage.
Perfect Parry	4	Negate an attack, then use Attack.
Obliteration Technique	3	Instantly defeat an opponent at 1 HP.
Bolster	1	Target ally gets +1 attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Diminish	1	Target opponent gets -1 attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Ram	1	Move one range, then attempt a melee Pin on one opponent in melee range at -2.
Inflict	1	Make an attack. On hit, the target has -3 attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Sunder	1	Make an attack. On hit, reduce the target's Defense Score by 2 until the end of your next turn.
Goon	2	Call in one ally with all basic moves and direct them. At the start of your turn, spend 1 AP to direct your goon; otherwise the DM decides their actions. You can only have one goon at a time.
Self Destructive Strike	2	Make a melee attack with +5. On hit, deal 2 damage. Until the end of your next turn, you have -5 Defense Score.
Smoke Screen	1	Mark a location. For 2 turns, attacks against someone inside the location require d20; on 1-10 the attack automatically misses.
Rally	2	In a desperate situation, every ally regains 2 HP and gains +2 attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Domain Expansion	4	For 3 turns, mark a location as your domain. Inside it, your attack rolls gain +3 and attacks against you take -3.
Tow Cable	1	Make a ranged attack. On hit, force an enemy to make the Move move in a direction of your choosing.
Valorant	2	Until the end of your next turn, make a free Attack against any opponent who moves within your range.
Special Beam Cannon	1	Begin charging a ranged attack. At the end of your turn, remaining AP becomes Charged instead of Banked. Spend 1 AP to make a ranged attack dealing damage equal to Charged AP + 1. If 3 AP was charged, the attack gains +5. Once fired, Charged AP is spent. Rolling Massive Damage while charging loses all Charged AP.

¶ RedMenace RP Combat

¶ At a Glance

¶ Core Terms

¶ Character Creation

¶ Action Points

¶ Moves

¶ Basic Moves

¶ Initiative

¶ Massive Damage

¶ Desperate Situation and All Out

¶ Archetypes

¶ General Moves

¶ Failure and Aftermath

¶ Clarifications Needed

¶ Setup Template