Combat Tactics/Strategies

Sometimes all the combat prowess or evasive training amounts to nothing if applied improperly. Combat Tactics/Strategies is about applying and distributing your resources accordingly, and increasing their effectiveness as a result. To use Combat Tactics/Strategies, the player must develop (or in the case of attributing a Leadership bonus, communicate) a strategy before their roll.

It should be noted that Combat Tactics/Strategy can only be applied out of combat. Leadership allows the application of the skill amidst combat to others.

''Example: Hana, Saibane and Seth are planning to involve themselves in a fracas involving multiple enemies. Saibane reasons that the enemies appear quick, and difficult to dodge, though they leave themselves open with each strike. He knows that Seth is well trained in dodging and acrobatics, but lacking in combat proficiency. Hana, by contrast, can fire her arrows with lethal accuracy, but is less proficient with avoiding attacks. He counts himself as similar to Hana in martial proficiency and defensive capability. With two ranks in Combat Tactics/Strategy, he rolls 2d6 and adds his Mind score (5) to the result. He rolls a 1 and a 4, which, with his Mind of 5, totals to 10, just below Challenging (DC 11) but above Hard (DC 9). As the roll is one above Easy (DC 7), he can allocate +1 to each character. As such, he instructs Seth to wait for that opening to strike, alerting him to the weakness that gives him a +1 to his Attacks. He tells Hana that he will try to move erratically in order to stymie their assault, and that she should do the same, providing insight that leads to a +1 Defensive bonus to each.''

''Example: Hana, Saibane and Seth are set to fight against a behemoth of a monster. They determine that the creature hits hard, but moves slowly. Saibane has Leadership, and can reconcile that information with the knowledge of what each person is capable of, allowing him to employ Combat Tactics/Strategies mid-combat. He tells the group that they can exploit the monster's weaknesses with their strengths. He tells Seth to get its attention and keep on his toes--to keep moving, the faster the better. He tells Hana she should have open shots then. He plans to aid Seth and Hana both by throwing his own hits where he can while remaining alert. With two ranks in Combat Tactics/Strategies, he rolls a dice for each rank and adds his Mind of 5 to the result. He rolls a 2 and a 5 for a total of 12. The result is above 7 by two levels (9 and 11), which allows him to add +2 to Seth's Defense, +2 to Hana's Attacks, and +1 to his own Attack and Defense.''