Combat
No matter how much the party tries to avoid it, sometimes fighting is inevitable. Whether you're being ambushed by a group of bandits while out on the road, or facing off against the lich queen in her temple of bones, combat is one of the most common forms of adversity that characters may face within Tabletop Arcade.
Starting Combat
Combat can start in a myriad ways. Ultimately, the Narrator decides when combat begins. When the Narrator declares the start of combat, playing the game is separated into rounds. During each round, every combatant takes a single turn.
At the start of combat, it is generally assumed that all combatants have already drawn their weapons - taking an action to do this on the first turn is unnecessary.
Surprise
When combat begins, one or more combatants may be caught unaware. Exactly how this is determined is up to the Narrator and may change depending on the specifics of the situation. The most common use of surprise is when one group sneaks up on another. In this situation, compare the stealth skill check of the hidden group with the passive Perception of each creature on the opposing side.
Surprised combatants gain 2 less Acts at the start of the first round. Acts are explained later in this chapter.
Passive Checks
A passive check is a type of special skill check that doesn't use a die roll. They are generally used to represent a character's aptitude for performing certain actions either when they are not particularly trying or when applying effort would not help. For example, a character's the likelihood of a character noticing a stealthy attacker would use a passive check. Likewise, the level of knowledge a character has regarding a topic could use a passive check.
A character's total for a passive check is equal to8 + all modifiers that would normally apply to the check. If the character has advantage on the check, add 5. For disadvantage, subtract 5.
The Narrator can call on a passive check whenever they deem it appropriate, though a couple particular passive checks come up more frequently. These are passive Intelligence and passive Perception. Passive Intelligence is usually used alongside a skill bonus to determine the knowledge a character has regarding a topic, while passive Perception is frequently used to determine whether a character detects hidden objects or creatures.
Turn Order
At the start of every round, all combatants decide whether they are taking a fast turn or a slow turn. First, all combatants that are taking a fast turn take their turns, with the order determined by decreasing Initiative Rank. Then, all combatants taking a slow turn act, again with the order determined by decreasing Initiative Rank. In the case of tied ranks, allies choose who goes first, or flip a coin if they are not allied.
In the case of tied initiative ranks, the Narrator chooses the turn order among NPCs while players decide the order among their tied characters. If there is a tie between an NPC and a player character, the Narrator can choose the order or optionally have both combatants roll any dice to determine the order, with the higher roll going first.
Additionally, at the start of each round every combatant gains a set number of Acts. Acts are the resource that characters expend to perform actions. Combatants taking a fast turn receive 3 Acts to use throughout the round, while combatants taking a slow turn get 4 Acts.
The Arena
"Real space" is not used during combat in Tabletop Arcade. Instead the Arena is the stage upon which combat is performed. In it's most simple form, an Arena is divided into two territories: the allied and opposing territories. The allied territory is where the player characters and any NPC allies stay, while the opposing territory houses the foes.
Additionally, each territory is divided into two rows. Characters in the front row are right in the heat of combat, while combatants in the back row are hanging back, somewhat out of danger. Together with each territory, this gives four rows in total: the allied back row, the allied front row, the opposing front row, and the opposing back row.
On a character's turn, they can use actions to move between the rows in their own territory. However, characters never move into a row in a territory that is not their own.
There must always be at least one combatant in each front row. If this is ever not the case, the treat all combatants back row of that territory as though they are in the front row until a combatant enters the front row.
When combat starts, the Narrator determines the positions of the player characters and the NPCs. This should usually based on how the events leading up to combat have been described. If one character has been recklessly forging ahead of the rest of the group, they'll almost certainly be in the front row - unless of course, the rear guard has been ambushed!
Taking Your Turn
As previously mentioned, each combatant receives a number of Acts at the start of the round. Combatants taking a fast turn get 3 Acts, while combatants taking a slow turn get 4 Acts. These Acts are expended by almost every action a character takes during combat. If a character has any Acts left over at the end of the round, they are lost. There are a couple types of action in Tabletop Arcade. The amount of Acts an action uses depends on the type of action:
Full Action: A full action is slow, typically taking your entire turn to perform Performing a full action uses 3 Acts.
Major Action: A major action is of average speed, requiring most of your concentration. Performing a major action uses 2 Acts.
Minor Action: A minor action is quick, and can be done alongside a more intense task. Performing a minor action uses 1 Act.
An action is simply something a character may do during combat. Generally actions fall into two main categories: standard actions, and abilities. Standard actions are things that pretty much every combatant can do, while abilities are unique actions specific to each character. Standard actions do not expend Mana Points, but abilities usually do.
Each action in the game is described by a couple parameters. Each parameter tells you something about how to use the action and what it does.
TAB and RSB
TAB and RSB are acronyms that are used pretty often when describing actions.
TAB stands for Total Attribute Bonus. This is the boost the action gains from it's user's attributes. If the action relies on two different attributes, the TAB is equal to both of the attribute bonuses added together. If instead the action relies on a lone attribute, the TAB is equal to double the attribute bonus.
RSB stands for Relevant Skill Bonus. This is the boost the action gains from any relevant skills the user has. If the user has multiple skills which seem relevant (and the Narrator agrees), the RSB is equal to the highest bonus among these skills. For example, if Cynthia has a +2 bonus to her "Blunt Weapons" skill, and a +3 bonus to her "Polearms" skill, she would use the +3 when performing an action using a Quarterstaff.
Action Range
The range of an action gives you which parts of the Arena it can target. Every action has a range.
Self: This action can only target its own user. Actions with a range of Self don't include an attack roll and cannot have more than one target.
Close: While you are in the back row, this action can only target other creatures in the allied back row. While you are in the front row, this action can only target creatures in either the allied or opposing front row.
Long: This action can target anyone in the combat arena.
Weapon Range: This action uses whatever range the weapon you are wielding uses. For example, if the action is being made using a dagger, it would be close range. If the same action was instead using a bow, it would be long range.
Miscellaneous Properties
Miscellaneous properties may give limitations on performing the action, or additional options.
Equipment (type): Performing this action requires you to be wielding a particular item. This property is also used to denote whether an ability requires a free hand to use. The Narrator may choose to waive this property if they determine that you are wielding something close enough to the required equipment. The MP cost modifier of this property is -2 if the equipment can be used in one hand, and -3 if the equipment requires two hands to use.
Magic: This property simply means that an action is magical in nature. It has no effect on the action by itself, but this property may be referenced elsewhere in the rules.
Partial Damage: If this ability misses a target, that creature takes half the normal damage of the ability.
Recharge (X): X can range from 3 to 5. This ability can be used once, and then has a random chance of recharging on each subsequent turn. At the start of each of your turns, roll a d6. If the roll is higher than X, you regain the use of the ability. The ability also recharges at the end of combat if it has not already. The MP cost modifier of this property is 2-X.
Target Stacking: If this ability can target multiple creatures, you can stack multiple uses onto the same target.
Unreliable (X): X can range from 1 to 3. When this ability is used, roll a d4. If the result is higher than X the ability takes effect normally. Otherwise, the ability fails and has no effect. The MP cost modifier of this property is -5 times X.
Vocal: This ability cannot be used if you are unable to speak.
Targets
This is the number of targets the ability can be used on at once. You do not have to target the maximum number whenever an action is used. When targeting multiple creatures, simply treat it as if the action had been used on each of them independently.
Attack Roll
Whenever you use an action against an unwilling target, you must make an attack roll to determine whether the action is successful. If a target is willing, no attack roll is needed and the action automatically succeeds.
An attack roll is simply skill check that is rolled against a target's defence score. They function almost identically to skill checks, with one main caveat: critical hits and critical failures.
Whenever a character rolls at or above their critical threshold on the die, the attack is a critical hit. Critical hits always hit the target. Additionally, the attacker can roll the attack's damage dice twice before adding attribute modifiers. A character's critical threshold is normally 20, but this can be modified by feats and special circumstances.
On the other hand, a critical failure occurs when the d20 roll for an attack is a 1. In this case, the attack fails regardless of any modifiers or the targeted defence score.
In the attack roll section of an action block, it gives you what skill check must be rolled, and what defence the skill check must be rolled against to succeed.
Damage or Healing
This section tells you what damage or healing the action causes to it's targets. Both damage and healing are expressed in two parts: the dice notation, and the modifiers. The dice notation simply tells you which dice to roll and how many. The modifiers are added to the final dice result. If the modifiers are negative they reduce the total, but the final result cannot be decreased below 1. Most of the time, the only modifiers to damage or healing rolls are attribute bonuses, though they can be modified by other factors such as feats, ability properties, or special equipment.
For actions that deal damage, the dice notation and modifiers will be followed by a damage type. Damage types are explained later on in this chapter.
Additional Effects
This section gives any additional effects that the action causes to it's targets. Additional effects come in two varieties: Persistent Effects and Instantaneous Effects. Persistent Effects will last for multiple turns, and include things like damage over time, blindness, and protective barriers. Instantaneous Effects do something immediately, but don't continue to have an effect past that. Examples include knocking a target prone, draining the target's MP, or dispelling other effects on the target. A full list of effects is given in Appendix B: Effects.
Unless specified in the description of the effect, Persistent Effects do not stack. That is, a character can only be affected by one of a particular type of Persistent Effect at once.
If a character would gain a Persistent Effect of a type they already have, they replace the effect the first effect if the new effect has a higher Tier. The remaining duration is set as whichever duration is higher between the remaining duration of the first effect or the duration of new effect.
Duration
Finally, this section gives you the duration of the Persistent Effect applied by the action. If the action doesn't apply a Persistent Effect, this section will be left blank.
The duration of a Persistent Effect is normally (TAB+RSB)/2 (minimum 1), though as with damage this may also be modified by other factors like feats, ability properties, or special equipment.
When you gain a Persistent Effect take note of it's duration. You can track this with just a pen and paper, but using tokens or dice is also an option. d6's work well for this - they're fairly resistant to accidental rolling, the font is usually quite large, and most effect durations are below 6.
At the start of each of your turns, unless that turn is happening in the round the effect began, reduce the remaining duration by one. Once the duration hits zero, the effect ends.
Combat Step By Step
- Determine Surprise
- Establish Positions
- Start Round - every combatant chooses whether they are taking a fast or slow turn. The Narrator chooses for NPCs. Combatants get their Acts.
- Fast Turns:
- Slow Turns:
- Next round
Standard Actions
These are the basic actions available to all combatants.
Attack
Major Action
- Range: Weapon Range
- Properties: Determined by weapon.
- Targets: 1
- Attribute Bonus: Determined by weapon.
- Defense: Guard
- Damage: Determined by weapon.
- Effect: -
You make a normal attack using whatever weapon you are wielding. The details of this action are determined by the weapon you are using. For more details about equipment, see chapter 7.
Shove
Major Action
- Range: Close
- Properties: Equipment (free hand).
- Targets: 1
- Attribute Bonus: STR+SIZ
- Defense: Guard
- Damage: 0
- Effect: Push
You forcefully move the target away.
Tackle
Major Action
- Range: Close
- Properties: Equipment (free hand).
- Targets: 1
- Attribute Bonus: STR+SIZ
- Defense: Guard
- Damage: 0
- Effect: Knock Down
You force the target to the ground.
Move
Major Action
- Range: Self
- Effect: Move
You move yourself around within the combat arena.
Defend
Full Action
- Range: Self
- Effect: Guard Up (III), Fortitude Up (III), Resolve Up (III)
- Duration: 1
By bracing yourself, focusing on incoming attacks to increase your defences temporarily.
Resist
Minor Action
- Range: Self
- Effect: Resist Banes
You attempt to rid yourself of any Persistent Effects currently affecting you that you choose.
Stabilize
Major Action
- Range: Close
- Properties: Equipment (free hand).
- Targets: 1
- Attribute Bonus: 2xINT
- Effect: Stabilize (I)
You give rudimentary aid to a dying creature.
Access Inventory
Minor Action You can draw or stow up to two items to or from your inventory.
Improvise
You improvise some course of action that isn't specified elsewhere in the rules. This action doesn't have any set properties or even an action type. The Narrator decides on the action type based on your description of the action - they may even decide that the action doesn't expend any Acts at all.
For certain improvised actions, the Narrator may require you to make a skill check. This skill check will usually be either a skill check against a DC set by the Narrator, an attack roll, or an opposed roll with the target.
Example of a Round
Our two player characters are Tulkoth, the half-dragon fighter, and his traveling companion Janus, the human minstrel. The pair have got themselves into a heated dispute with a couple of local guards over rigged dice game - a total misunderstanding, of course. Janus and Tulkoth are hoping to knock the guards out before making a run for it.
The combatants are Guard #1, Guard #2, Tulkoth and Janus. The Narrator decides that Guard #2 is in the back row, and the rest of the fighters are in the front row. Their initiative ranks in decreasing order are:
- Janus: 3
- Guard #1 & Guard #2: 2
- Tulkoth: 1
Janus and Guard #1 are taking a fast turn, while Guard #2 and Tulkoth opt to take a slow turn.
Fast Turns
First off is Janus, who starts by using his Inspiring Word ability (a minor action, using 1 of his 3 Acts) on himself and Tulkoth. He then takes the Attack action with his dagger against Guard #1 (a major action, using up his last 2 Acts).
Next in the order is Guard #1, who simply takes the Attack action against Janus using her club then ends her turn.
Slow Turns
The first slow turn is Guard #2. As they are taking a slow turn, they have 4 Acts to use. They do so by taking the Attack action twice, targeting Tulkoth with their crossbow each time.
Finally, the last turn in the round is taken by Tulkoth. He starts by using his Fire Breath ability (a major action, using 2 of his 4 Acts) on Guard #1. He follows this up with a standard Attack against Guard #1 using his greatclub.
Thus ends the first round of combat. The next round begins from the top, with each combatant choosing whether they are taking a fast or slow turn.
Retreating from Combat
At the start of a round, one side may decide to retreat. If either side decides to retreat, the combat immediately ends. Depending on the situation, this may be followed up with a chase sequence and/or a series of skill checks as one group attempts to escape the other.
Hit Points, Damage and Healing
Hit points represent a character's ability to keep on fighting. This combines a number of narrative factors, like physical health, mental endurance, and determination. A creature's current hit points can be any number between their maximum hit points and 0.
Whenever a creature takes damage, the amount of damage they take is subtracted from their current hit points. Generally, a creature doesn't show any significant physical wear and tear while they are above half their hit point maximum. Below half, a creature is usually has minor injuries like cuts or bruises. Below a quarter, a creature is significantly weakened by their injuries - this is represented by the bloodied condition.
Whenever a creature receives any kind of healing, the amount of healing they get is added to their current hit points. Any hit points regained in excess of a creature's hit point maximum are lost.
If a creature's hit point maximum changes during play (such as by use of the REDACTED feat), keep track of the damage that they had taken and apply it to their new maximum. If this change wwould reduce the creature's hit points to less than 1, the creature's hit point total becomes 1 instead.
Damage Rolls
Every weapon or ability specifies the damage that it deals. When dealing damage, you roll the specified dice and add any modifiers. Most often the only modifier to a damage roll is the TAB of the action, but this isn't ironclad. If the modifier for damage is negative, it can reduce the damage down to 0 but never past that. If an attack has multiple targets, roll damage separately for each target.
Damage Types
All damage in the game has an associated type. A damage type is simply a descriptor of how the damage is being dealt. Damage types have no additional rules of their by themselves, but other rules like damage resistance rely on damage types.
Damage types are split into three categories: physical, mundane, and supernatural. Physical damage types are the most common, and describe damage caused by movement, whether from the swing of an axe or falling down a pit. Mundane damage types describe damage that is not caused by physical means, but appears in nature. Finally, we have supernatural damage types. Supernatural damage types are only caused by extraordinary powers, most often magic.
Physical Damage Types
Bludgeoning: Blunt-force trauma, such as strikes from a club or fist, deal bludgeoning damage.
Piercing: Attacks that puncture, focusing their force on a single point, deal piercing damage. Common examples are spears, most ranged weapons, and a monster's bite
Slashing: Any attacks that cut deal slashing damage. This can range from the chop of an axe, the swing of a sword, or a monster's sharp claws.
Mundane Damage Types
Acid: Effects that corrode matter, like the corrosive spit of an exotic lizard, deal acid damage.
Cold: Cold damage is dealt by painfully low temperatures. Examples include icy magic, or exposure to a freezing environment.
Fire: Any damage dealt by high heat is fire damage, such as the fiery breath of a dragon or an attack using hot oil.
Lightning: Lightning damage is dealt by any effects using electricity, whether from a high-tech stun baton or a literal bolt of lightning.
Sonic: Damage dealt by extremely loud or high-pitched sounds is sonic damage, such as a wave of thunderous energy or the deafening shriek of a bat-like monster.
Toxic: Biological or chemical damage to the internal structure a creature is toxic damage. Examples include poisons, diseases, and radiation.
Supernatural Damage Types
Arcane: Arcane damage is dealt by pure, focused magical energy. It is only dealt by spells or other magical effects.
Radiant: Radiant damage is an overloading of the spirit with energy. It is often wielded by priestly characters or angels.
Psychic: Damage dealt by effects that targets a creature's mind is psychic damage. Sources include some spells, many psionic abilities, and strange, otherworldly creatures.
Necrotic: Effects that wither and weaken the souls of the living deal necrotic damage.
Resistance, Immunity, and Vulnerability
Sometimes, a creature or object is particularly durable or weak to certain forms of damage. This is represented by damage resistance, immunity, and vulnerability.
If a creature or object has resistance to a certain damage type, any damage of that type it receives is halved. A creature or object that has immunity to a damage type ignores damage they receive of that type completely. If a creature or object has vulnerability to a certain damage type, any damage of that type it receives is doubled.
These factors are always applied right before the damage is dealt, after any other modifiers are made to the damage.
Multiple instances of resistance or vulnerability don't stack - that is, if a creature or object is gaining resistance or vulnerability from more than one source, it's treated the same as if they only had one source of resistance or vulnerability. If a creature or object has both resistance and vulnerability to the same damage type at the same time, damage is unaffected.
Temporary Hit points
Sometimes, special abilities or equipment grant temporary hit points. These act as a buffer for damage, and may represent a physical barrier that absorbs blows or a heightened mental state that allows someone to ignore pain.
When a creature with temporary hit points takes damage, the damage is first applied to them rather than their normal hit points. Any remaining damage carries over to their normal hit points if the temporary hit points are depleted. For example, if a character with 4 temporary hit points takes 6 damage, they would be depleted and the remaining 2 damage would be applied to their HP.
Temporary hit points are treated entirely separately from normal hit points - they do not interact with healing and a creature can gain them even if they are at their max HP.
Temporary hit points don't stack - if you gain more temporary HP while you already have some, you choose whether to keep your old ones or gain the new source. For example, if you have 4 temporary hit points and a new effect grants you 6, you choose whether you have 4 or 6 temporary hit points.
Finishing the Fight
When a creature drops to 0 hit points, they are out of the fight - whether this is because they have died, been knocked unconscious, or otherwise subdued. Generally the choice is left to whoever dealt the finishing blow.
Massive Damage
If a creature ever takes damage exceeding their maximum hit points in a single attack, they die instantly.
Dying
When a creature drops to 0 hit points from a fatal blow, they drop unconscious and begin dying. They gain the K.O and Dying conditions.
When a creature with the Dying condition starts their turn, they automatically make a d20 roll to resist death. This roll is not modified by any skills or attributes. Depending on the result, they will gain either life tokens or death tokens. If a they reach 3 life tokens, they lose the Dying condition and are no longer slipping away. If they reach 3 death tokens, they die.
| d20 | Result |
|---|---|
| 20 | Gain 2 life tokens. |
| 11-19 | Gain 1 life token. |
| 2-10 | Gain 1 death token. |
| 1 | Gain 2 death tokens. |
A creature with the Dying condition also gains 1 life token whenever they receive healing, and gain 1 death token if they take any damage that would reduce them below 0 hit points.
When an NPC drops to 0 hit points, the Narrator can also decide that they simply die outright. This is a common option for dealing with less noteworthy foes.
Unconscious or Subdued
If the attacker decides, they can opt to finish off the target nonlethally. The attacker chooses between simply subduing the target and knocking them out. If they are knocked out, they gain the K.O condition. If they are subdued, they gain the Incapacitated condition - they're out of the fight, but still conscious.
New Action Effects
Guard Up (I - III)
Persistent Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +4/+8/+12
- Description: -
- Effect:
For the duration, the target's Guard is increased. The size of the bonus determined by the the tier of the effect.
- Tier I: +1 bonus to Guard.
- Tier II: +2 bonus to Guard.
- Tier III: +3 bonus to Guard.
Fortitude Up (I - III)
Persistent Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +4/+8/+12
- Description: -
- Effect:
For the duration, the target's Fortitude is increased. The size of the bonus determined by the the tier of the effect.
- Tier I: +1 bonus to Fortitude.
- Tier II: +2 bonus to Fortitude.
- Tier III: +3 bonus to Fortitude.
Resolve Up (I - III)
Persistent Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +4/+8/+12
- Description: -
- Effect:
For the duration, the target's Resolve is increased. The size of the bonus determined by the the tier of the effect.
- Tier I: +1 bonus to Resolve.
- Tier II: +2 bonus to Resolve.
- Tier III: +3 bonus to Resolve.
Resist Banes
Instantaneous Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +6
- Description: -
- Effect:
The target can choose any Persistent Effects currently affecting them, and roll a d20 for each. On an 11 or higher, the effect immediately ends.
Knock Down
Instantaneous Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +6
- Description: -
- Effect:
The target falls prone. Prone targets have disadvantage on attack rolls, and attack rolls against the target have advantage. Actions which require movement cost one extra Act for prone targets. Standing up from prone is a Major Action.
Move
Instantaneous Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +6
- Description: -
- Effect:
The target moves into the row that they aren't currently in.
Push
Instantaneous Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +2
- Description: -
- Effect:
The target moves into the back row if they aren't already there.
Pull
Instantaneous Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +4
- Description: -
- Effect:
The target moves into the front row if they aren't already there.
Stabilize (I-IV)
Instantaneous Action
- MP Cost Modifier: +2/+4/+6/+8
- Description: -
- Effect:
The user attempts to prevent the target from dying. On success, the Dying condition is removed from the target. The user must make a skill check to succeed, with the DC of the check determined by the tier of this effect.
- Tier I: DC 20
- Tier II: DC 15
- Tier III: DC 10
- Tier IV: Automatic Success
Notes
Hiding
There's one pretty significant thing I've left out of this chapter for now - hiding. Basically I'm not sure how to handle hiding in combat. Basically it's a struggle hiding is in a weird space between an effect that you impose on other people and an effect that you grant to yourself. Here's a couple options I've considered:
- Hiding after combat has started just doesn't exist - at least not without investing abilities/feats into it.
- Hiding is a standard action that gives you a Persistent Effect. It's just treated like any other buff.
- As above, but give the effect/action some extra rules so it can be ignored by creatures with a high passive Perception or creatures that make a Perception check.
- Don't explicitly give the effect any extra rules, and instead create a Dispel effect that uses opposed rolls. Searching for hidden characters would use this effect.
Option 1
Option 1 doesn't require any special rules.
Option 2
Hide
Major Action
- Range: Self
- Effect: Unseen (I)
- Duration: ∞
You hide yourself from the others in the Arena. This effect only ends when you take any action other than Move, Defend, or Resist.
Unseen (I - II)
Persistent Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: +4/+8/+12
- Description: You are visually obscured from others, whether by stealth techniques, magical invisibility, or using a high-tech light bending device.
- Effect:
Attack rolls against your Guard have disadvantage, and attack rolls you make against Guard. Creatures that do not rely on sight ignore this effect.
- Tier I - This effect ends after you take any action other than Move, Defend, or Resist.
- Tier II - This effect doesn't end after you take any actions.
My main problem with this approach is the duration. Putting a time limit
Option 3
Add something like "When you grant this effect to a target, make a skill check. Any combatants with a passive Perception greater than the result ignore this effect."
Higher tiers could get a bonus to the skill check? Or even auto-success at a high enough tier.
Option 4
I'm not entirely sure I like having this effect in the current system. For one it just doesn't mesh a whole lot with the JRPG inspiration. It also feels at odds with the rest of the game's design. Abilities by default need an attack roll against an unwilling target, which doesn't fit with what searching feels like. Then this effect also needing an opposed roll after that just feels wrong. It's an option, but definitely not favourable in it's current state.
Dispel (Type)
Instantaneous Effect
- MP Cost Modifier: ?
- Description: -
- Effect:
This effect has a predetermined type that is any Persistent Effect. When this effect targets a combatant that has created the selected Persistent Effect, make an opposed skill check against the target. The target uses the attribute and skill bonuses used to create the chosen effect. On a success, you end the Persistent Effect on any combatant that has it.
Other
I'm considering adding "power level" or something similar to effects. It'd probably replace "MP Cost Modifier" in the description, with MP cost modifiers just being double the power level. The power level could be used for various things, but the main idea is that they could be used to set DCs for Dispel effect.
I'm thinking of adding a third type of effect - "conditional effects". These are effects that would last until a condition is fulfilled. Could be useful, but I'm not sure if it's really necessary - most things you can do with them are already achievable.
Possibility of a "movement" property, which denotes when doing an action requires moving. Melee attacks (but not necessarily all close-range attacks) would have this property. Unsure if it's necessary to add this, feels like something the GM could work out pretty easily on a case-by-case basis.