In the world of Concord characters or foes may use abilities that go beyond standard combat. These abilities may be a magical spell, a powerful strike or a violent monster’s attack. These abilities will be represented by a ‘combat call’. Calls are short words or phrases to communicate the effect to the recipient. Like all combat, it is up to the recipient to determine if they were struck and if they have any effects which may resist or nullify the effect. The current list of combat calls in Concord and their effects are listed below.
See also Combat and Combat Skills
If an effect is negated through the Resist, Immune or Armour calls, resources (mana, energy etc) are still expended.
List of Combat Abilities
Call |
Mechanical Effect |
Duration |
Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc | The character gestures with their arms in a ninety degree arc and makes a call preceded by ‘Arc’, any character within that arc up to a distance of 5 metres is affected by that call (and may call Immune or Resist as standard).
When delivering the Arc call, players are recommended to place one arm straight forward and one arm out to the side and rotate at the hips, to ensure a slightly more accurate 90 degree arc. |
Varies on Cast Effect | "Arc Knockback" |
| Break | The struck weapon or shield becomes useless until repaired.
If your shield is difficult to remove due to straps, treat any strikes that hit it as striking you. |
Permanent until repaired. | |
| Damage X | The character affected takes X damage. | Instant | Spellcaster |
| Fear | The character affected must flee from the caster as far and as fast as they are able. The character may not deal damage during this time. | 10 seconds | Spellcaster |
| Fire | Targets affected by Fire must spend 10 seconds roleplaying patting out embers with a free hand. During this time they may not deliver damage, cast spells or expend energy. Rank and File Undead (Ghouls and Risen) will take 4 Damage in addition to the above effect. | 10 seconds | Spellcaster |
| Fracture | The struck limb is no longer usable. Arms hang uselessly and legs must not support weight. A character with two legs affected by ‘Fracture’’ cannot move unless assisted. A character with three limbs affected by 'fracture’ is reduced to 0 hit points.
Fracture fails if it strikes medium or heavy armour. When a character is struck by the ‘Fracture’ call on medium or heavy armour they are required to make the call ‘Armour’. |
Permanent until treated | 1h sword |
| Immune | An effect received is resisted. | Instant | |
| Knockback | The character affected must move back five meters and have their torso touch the ground. If the player cannot touch the ground with their torso for whatever reason, they instead move five meters back and are then affected by STUN. Knockback delivered through non-magical means cannot be parried. The target cannot deal damage while under the effect or while acting out the knockback. | Instant or 10 seconds | Spellcaster |
| Magic Y | The effect is applied regardless of normal hit location requirements for non-magical effects. | Instant | Spellcaster |
| Mass Y | The effect is applied to all who hear it. Has to be combined with another effect, eg: ‘MASS SHACKLE” | Varies | |
| Resist | A character is temporarily immune to the prevous magical or mechanical effect.
The intent here is almost entirely to make interacting with our NPCs clearer. In some circumstances NPCs may have a limited number of Resists to certain calls. The previous use of the Immune call could be interpreted as a character being permanently immune, which was not the intent. |
Instant | |
| Shackle | The character affected may not move their feet for the duration. | 10 seconds | Polearms |
| Siege | The character affected is reduced to 0 hitpoints and enters bleedout. | Instant | |
| Silence | The character affected may not speak, cast spells or use combat abilities for the duration (safety calls are always allowed, but a character could not give battle orders, or use any ability that requires a call such as knockback, fracture, etc) | 1 minute | Spellcaster |
| Stun | The character may not move or act for the duration or until they take 1 or more damage. | 10 seconds | Spellcaster |
| Venom | The characters bleed out time is reduced to 1 minute. If you have less than 60 seconds of bleedout remaining and you are affected by Venom, you become terminal | Permanent until treated. | Spellcaster |
Many of the effects that have a numbered duration last for 10 seconds. In fact, there are more effects that are permanent or instant. Combining this understanding with the meaning of the word should assist you in remembering how all of the calls operate.
Note: Many effects are associated with a weapon, a spell or an obvious situation. For example, one-handed swords deal the Fracture effect and particular enemy factions are known for their specialties. See Weapons for more information.