Map Combat Rules

New Stats

Move: The total number of spaces the character can move in a single action. All characters and monsters start with a base Move stat of 2, which allows the character to move up to 2 spaces away from their current position each action. However, as a characters’ Speed (SPD) goes up, the PC or monster can move farther. For every 5 points of Speed (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30), the Move of the individual goes up by 1.

Jump: This stat determines the vertical, rather than the horizontal movement that a character can have in a single action. Like Move, Jump for each character and monster begins with a base of 2, and it increases with the Agility (AGI) of the individual, with the same progression used for Move. For every five points of Agility (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30), the Jump rating increases by one point. character with a jump of 3 could move from a HL 0 to a HL 3, but not from a HL 3 to a HL 7. It can also be used to hop between distances that would require having to waste extra move points. The distance cleared still counts as move points however.

A Character’s class can also affect their move and jump, as noted in the chart below:

Moving & Attacking

• Each time their initiative comes up, a character is granted one Movement action, and one normal action (be it Attack, Item, Defend, or Ability). The Movement action is the character’s ability to move about the map. On their action, they can move and perform an action. This is not firm, as a character can move, but not Act; Act but not move, Act then Move, or Move then Act.
• If the target of an ability moves during the Charge Time of said ability, the ability remains targeted on them, as long as they remain within range. Alternatively, when using a CT, the Character may instead choose to pay the CT of a move before moving/selecting a target, in an effort to have Jobs with only Slow actions not be completely outclassed by Jobs with only Fast/Magic actions.
• A character or monster may freely move through any allied space as long as they do not stop in the same space as their ally. They cannot move through a hex occupied by a foe.
• Any Imprisoned PC is automatically placed in the same space as the Imprisoning monster, and the rules for Imprison override these ones where such conflict arises.
• You may also use your normal action to assist someone to change positions, sacrificing your own action for their benefit. The two units (the assistant and the assisted) must start off adjacent. Then, they will move together adjacently, using the assister’s own movement rating. This is especially useful for lame characters, or characters crippled by the “Immobilize” spell, or some other strange circumstance.
• Note, that a character may not take a movement action, or his normal action, until his initiative comes up.

Height Levels (HL)

Although most combat is done on even ground, it’s not always the case. To handle this, the system uses what’s called ‘Height Level’ or HL to determine how much higher or lower the space is than the surrounding area. Any space with a Height Level that is higher than the medium should be listed with a number (1, 2, 3, etc.) while lower Height Levels should be listed as negatives (-1, -2, -3, etc.). In game terms, the Height Level can be used to determine areas that are significantly higher or lower like castle walls or pits. Characters can move up and down Height Levels provided they have an adequate Jump stat to cover the difference. For instance a character can jump HL 0 to HL 3 without a problem with a Jump 3, but can’t move from HL 3 to HL 7. Flying creatures and players, however, are completely unaffected by Height Level, and can move as though the entire map was of the same height.

But not all differences in height are sheer verticals. There also can be slopes or stairs between varying height levels, as well as ladders or vines between two wildly different height levels. If a character takes one of these designated paths, they only need spend one point of Jump for every 2 points of vertical they move.

Water Depth & Swimming

In addition to Height Levels, the Map Combat rules have different scales for water depth. Water Depth is essentially recorded in the same way as Height Levels and can affect battles that might occur in the deeper areas. At Depth 1, water cuts Move in half but the character can still act. Depth 2 water reduces Move to 1, and the character can take no actions other than moving. Depth 3 or more water can’t be navigated at all without the Swimming skill.

A successful Swimming skill-test will let the character move normally in Depth 1, while allowing the character to moev at half of their maximum MOV in Depth 2 and 3, but takes their action. See the skill description in Chapter 5, Skills for more details.

Monsters, too, will have a hard time within water and follow the same rules as players. However, creatures with Move: Fly or the status condition Float will be completely unaffected by the depth of water, as they will be above it. Creatures that are type: Aquan or have Move: Swim are also completely unaffected, as this is their natural habitat.

Skills & Movement

Acrobatics: This skill helps the character make longer jumps than normal. If the character decides to use this skill to aid a jump, they do so at the cost of their non-Move Action this initiative. When the attempt is made, make a straight skill check; should this pass, the character may add 1 Jump to their score for that action.

• On a Botch, the Jump is reduced to 0, and the character has, in essence, wasted their action.
• On a Critical Success, add 2 Jump instead of 1.

Climbing: This is the skill aids in moving up and down between height levels. If the character attempts to climb between to HLs greater than their Jump rating, they may make a Climb Check with a penalty or bonus as determined by the GM (see the Climbing Skill in Chapter 5 for examples). If the character wins the check, they may stop partway up the vertical for their action, and continue climbing on their next action, making another Climb check as need be. Making this check means the character cannot take a non-move action this initiative.

• On a Critical Success, the character may climb, for free, an additional space this round, or take an action as well.
• On a Botch, the character looses their grip and falls to the ground, possibly taking damage if the fall is long enough.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Below are some advantages and disadvantages that can modify a character, making them stronger or weaker in the field of Map Combat.

Advantages

Fleet-Footed (3)

Naturally fast on their feet, the character can cover ground faster than would normally seem possible.

• 3 Points: The character has a bonus of +1 to their Move

Athletic (2 – 3)

The character has good legs, and an exceptional acrobatic prowess. They are able to jump higher and farther than normal for their species.

• 2 Points: The character has a bonus of +1 to their Jump

Restrictions: The Dragoon Class must pay an additional point to take this advantage.

Animal Companion Modifications

• The Mount option cost 20 AC Points now. Mounts have a Move/Jump of 6.
• The Flying option cost 20 AC Points now.
• Attribute Rating: Speed increases the Mounts Move to 7.
• Outstanding Attribute: Speed increases the Mounts Move to 8.
• Attribute Rating: Agility increases the Mounts Jump to 7.
• Outstanding Attribute: Agility increases the Mounts Jump to 8.

Disadvantages

Limp (2 or 4)

The character has a limp or some other deficit, hindering their ability to move as fast as their fellows.

• 2 Point: The character has a penalty of -1 to their Move
• 4 Point: The character has a penalty of -2 to their Move

Clumsy (1 – 4)

The individual is more likely to fall flat on their face, rather than leap gracefully.

• 1 Point: The character has a penalty of -1 to their Jump
• 3 Point: The character has a penalty of -2 to their Jump
• Restrictions: This disadvantage is worth an additional point to Dragoons

Lamed
Due to the nature of map combat, and the inclusion of Limp and Clumsy, the Lamed disadvantage may no longer be taken.

Weapon Ranges

Some weapons are able to attack from further away than others. The Range is the number of spaces away from the character that they may attack. Note that Weapon can only attack hit a HL equal to 2 above the HL the character is currently resting on, or the Range of the weapon; whichever is greater. The same applies to HL below a character, but this number is equal to 3 or the weapons range; whichever is greater. Bows, Crossbows, Darts, Greatbows, Rifles, Scrolls, Bombs and Throwing Stars, however, can attack as far below the characters current HL as they choose, ignoring the previously stated rule. All weapons will also follow a Line of Sight, so should an obstacle or another Target be in-between the Character and their Chosen target, the attack will instead hit the first obstacle or target in the Line of Sight.

Greatswords now give a bonus to ARM equal to their tier. Axes have an additionally +5 Crit range that stacks with everything. Polearms either have Range: 2, or have Range: 1 while granting an EVA bonus equal to the weapon’s DS. This is chosen when the Polearm in question is bought.

Due to the nature of their stupid retarded power, Rifles cost 110% of their normal prices. (I may go through and reprice everything one day, maybe.)

Job Abilities

Below is a listing for all the ranges and area of effects for the various Abilities for all the Core FFRPG Jobs.

• R: Range. This is how many spaces away the ability can target. R: As Weapon will use the Range score from the characters currently equipped weapon.
• E: Effect. This is how many spaces away from the target the ability will hit. E: 1 will only hit the targeted space, where as E: 3 counts out two spaces in every direction away from the targeted space. E: Line hits all targets in a straight line, starting one space away from the user, then counting out spaces equal to the amount of Range on the ability. E: Cone(X) will start on the target, then add row one wider after that for (X) amount of rows in one direction.
• V: Vertical. This is how many HL up or down from the targeted space an ability can hit, in combination with the Effect on an ability.
• Abilities can target either an Enemy, Ally or an empty Space.
• IFF means Identify Friend/Foe; So an effect with positive statuses or healing will only effect Allies, while negative statuses and damage will only effect Enemies.
• Any “Party” type move will IFF automatically, regardless of whether it is marked as such below.
• Target: Random moves will not target empty squares. People hate Rafa and Malak for a reason. They do not, however, differentiate between friend of foe (unless otherwise stated), and will random select one of the targets within the Area of Effect.

Examples: O is the “center” of the move, “X” are additional spaces hit.

E: 2

E: 3

E: Cone 2

E: Cone 3

Archer

Dragoon

White Draw: The MP-restoring effect is R: 0, E: 3, V: 2, and IFF: Yes.

Fencer

Fighter

Knight

Monk

Samurai

Swordmaster

Bard

Chemist

• Items gain R: 4, E: 1, V: 0 when used by the chemist
• Group Items gain R: 4, E: 2, V: 1 when used by he chemist

Dancer

Engineer

Gambler

Mediator

Charge!: After the mediator selects a target to Charge!, only allies with enough Move and Weapon Range to target/attack the selected target will be able to take part in the Charge!.

Thief

Black Caller

See Magic.

Black Mage

See Magic.

Sage

See Magic.

Summoner

When Summoning, the Summon effectively replaces the Summoner on the map.

See Magic.

Time Mage

See Magic.

White Caller

See Magic.

White Mage

See Magic.

Blue Mage

See Magic.

Dark Knight

Geomancer

Magic Knight

Ninja

Paladin

Red Mage

See Magic.

Rune Knight

Magic

Note: The Caster will never be harmed by a Group damage spell they cast, unless they are Confused or Charmed while casting said spell.

Colour Magic

• Tier 1-6 White/Red/Black/Time Spells, Blue Spells with 1-93 MP Cost

• Tier 7-8 White/Red/Black/Time Spells, Blue Spells with 94+ MP Cost

Exceptions

Some spells don’t follow the rules stated above and are specifically listed here.

The Warp line of Time Mage spells also have a slightly more specific use in Map Combat, and their effect are as such:

• Escape: Moves the target (MAG/2) Spaces
• Teleport: Moves the target(s) (MAG) Spaces
• Exit: Moves the target(s) (MAG*3) Spaces. Exit can also be used to, instead, move each target in a single direction (MAG/2) spaces away; if used in this fashion, each target may be moved in their own direction. Exit can further be used to move the Party up or down one floor in the dungeon that they have previously been to before.
• Warp: No changes.

Summons

All Calls and Abilities specific to a Summoned Creature will automatically IFF.

Calls
|=. Target Type |. R |_. E |. V |
|=. Single |=. 5 |=. 1 |=. 0 |
|=. Group |=. 5 |=. 3 |=. 2 |
|=. Phoenix, Typhon, Leviathan, Lich, Madeen, Odin, Bahamut, Crusader, Magus Sisters, Yojimbo |=. 5 |=. 4 |=. 3 |

Summon Creature Abilities

Items

Status Effects

All these effects are in addition to the normal effects of the status as found in Chapter 7: Combat.

• Accelerate: Adds 2 Move and 2 Jump
• Agility Break: The characters Move and Jump are reduced by 2 points.
• Agility Down: Move and Jump are reduced by 1 point.
• Agility Up: Move and Jump are increased by 1 point.
• Berserk: The character will move as close as possible to the nearest target within their line of sight, in a straight line, before attacking.
• Confuse: Roll for confuse as normal; randomly pick a target that is within reach in accordance with the confuse roll. If this is not possible, roll a d4 for the cardinal directions, then move as far as possible in that direction.
• Float: the character treats all unblocked terrain as Normal.
• Frozen: the character, as implied by the text, cannot move or act. They can be carried by another character as per the rules above.
• Heat: the individual suffering from this status cannot move them self without triggering the status effects.
• Immobilize: Anyone affected by this status cannot move; Move and Jump are reduced to 0.
• Mini: Move and Jump are both cut in half.
• Stone: The character, as implied by the text, cannot move or act.
• Stop: The character, as implied by the text, cannot move or act.
• Toad: Move and Jump are both reduced to 1.

Knockback and Fall Damage

Knockback: Any Physical attack has a 1-5% Chance (Check for this during the “To Hit” roll) to move the target hit back 1 space. With Auto Hit moves, roll for this separately after dealing damage. Signature Weapon 3 increases this to 1-7%, and Signature Weapon 5 to 1-10%. Weapon Inability removes the ability to Knock a character back.

If a target is knocked back into a wall, another target or the like, they’ll take (Attacker’s Level / 5) × d12 damage that bypasses all statuses except Shield. If knocked into another target, both will take the damage.

Fall Damage = (Starting Height – Landing Height – Jump ) × (Starting Height – Landing Height – Jump)d8 (exploding dice) Damage that bypasses all statuses except Shield. So a character falling from HL 8 to HL 1 with a Jump of 4 would take 3d8 × 3, while rerolling any 8 and adding the number to the total, Damage. That same character falling from HL 5 to HL 3 would take no damage.

Content © 2013 the Returner Games, Inc. community under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA-NC 3.0 Unported license. This page in particular happened to be written by IcecyleeAleithilithosNinjaWeazelJulian.