combat detail (Combat)

Combat is turn-based and meant to support roleplay, not replace it. Emote what
you do, speak during the fight, and use the commands when you need clarity on
turns or numbers.


How a fight usually goes:

Someone presses the scene with attack. If no fight was running, everyone rolls
initiative and the fastest combatant acts first — even if they were the one
being attacked. An attack opens a window; the target answers with block, evade,
attack attacker, counter, or spell (witches). Turns rotate until someone is
downed or the scene ends.

Counter, attack first, and a witch's spell defense can return damage. You may
use only one of those offensive reactions each round; block and evade remain
available afterward. Attacking first spends your next normal turn. Teammates
who press the same target create a bounded opening for later grouped attackers.


Core commands:

  look               Compact HUD while fighting (round, turn, HP, attack window).
  fight / combat / status
                     Full panel: turn order, HP, teams, intent, attack windows.
  attack name        Start a fight or spend your turn attacking.
  menace name        Meisters: Soul Menace shock (Soul Force). Strong vs kishin;
                     your fallback without a weapon partner.
  wield / unwield    Mundane weapons from shops or the Back Alleys dealer.
  spar name          Practice — no heat, no soul-loss pressure, nonlethal intent.
  intent lethal / intent nonlethal — soul-loss pressure vs subdual.
  block / evade / attack attacker / counter / spell / wait / flee / resist
  assist ally        Help a grouped ally. Setup is bounded, so repeated assists
                     cannot stack without limit; resonance support has its own cap.
  reap / spare / restrain — after someone is downed; reaping needs death
                     consent and restraint needs captivity consent.
  group              Form a team for combat or resonance coordination.

Quick cast, hex, ward, and spell defense each cost one mana after the action is
valid. An idle turn warns after four minutes and skips after five; an unanswered
attack resolves after two minutes.


Partners and weapons:

  A held demon weapon partner is your best physical option.
  Mundane steel helps against ordinary foes but struggles vs witches and kishin.
  Weaponless meisters: menace instead of bare fists.

  resonance name / resonance release name — charged finisher with your partner.
  resonance group name — three charged pairs can unleash a team finisher.
  resonance soothe — ease strain; high strain weakens or blocks releases.


Witches:

  cast spell target — slotted grimoire magic.
  hex target — quick curse or buff; ward / ward trap — quick defenses.
  Heal, Aid, and Regenerate cannot return a downed character to the fight.
  Aid and Regenerate keep only the strongest source active.
  Using spell as a defensive reaction costs 1 mana after the reaction is valid.
  Invalid or repeated reaction commands do not spend mana.
  See archive help magic for how these differ from spellbook spells.


Intent and consequences:

  Spar locks nonlethal intent. Lethal downings can lead toward soul reaping;
  reap needs lethal intent and the target's death consent.

  Harmful player-targeted poison rituals require harm consent. Ritual binding
  requires magic_bind consent. Downed or sleeping restraint and forced transport
  require captivity consent; an explicit surrender also permits restraint.

  Use restrain name on an eligible character, then move normally. A restrained
  character is hauled with you until someone uses free name or they break free.
  Against an awake character, restrain name opens a two-minute response instead:
  they use restrain accept name, or restrain break name. Breaking away rolls
  Strength and Dexterity separately. Winning either check escapes and starts a
  fight; losing both leaves the target restrained.

  Combat does not require a separate consent flag, but the world reacts to
  violence — heat, bounties, and institutional pushback are real.


Using it well:

  Pose before and during fights. Use fight if you lose track of turns.
  Fights can move between rooms. Downed characters can still speak — the scene
  is not over until everyone decides it is.


Resonance (partners):

  partner temp request / accept / break — short pact at Resonance 4+ (about three hours).

  Unlocks by tier: Witchslayer (1), Demonslayer (4), Kishinslayer (7), Godslayer (10).
  Group resonance can push the finisher one tier higher when three pairs charge together.

---