Conflict is inevitable in the world of ShadowRealms. Whether clashing with raiders on a lonely road, battling monstrous creatures in forgotten ruins, or confronting dark forces that threaten entire kingdoms, adventurers will eventually face violence.
Combat in ShadowRealms is fast, tactical, and dangerous. A single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent, and positioning on the battlefield is often as important as raw strength. Warriors maneuver for advantage, shield bearers hold defensive lines, archers search for clear shots, and spellcasters shape the flow of battle through powerful abilities.
Unlike many roleplaying games, ShadowRealms combat does not proceed in rigid rounds where each character acts once and then waits. Instead, the system uses a revolving initiative, allowing faster characters to act more frequently while slower combatants struggle to keep pace.
Combat also rewards tactical thinking. Terrain, weapon reach, defensive positioning, and teamwork can often determine the outcome of a battle before the first strike is even made.
This chapter explains how combat works, including surprise, initiative, movement, attacks, injuries, and the many actions characters can perform during a fight.
1. Combat Overview
When a situation escalates into violence, the game shifts into combat time, where actions are resolved moment by moment. The following sequence outlines the general flow of combat.
Combat Sequence
- Determine Surprise
- Roll Initiative
- Act in Initiative Order
- Spend Action Points
- Resolve attacks and effects
- Continue until combat ends
Combat continues until one side is defeated, flees, or the situation otherwise resolves.
Because ShadowRealms uses a revolving initiative system, characters may act multiple times during a single round if their initiative score is high enough.
Designer Note: Combat Is Dangerous
ShadowRealms combat is intentionally lethal. Characters can suffer serious injuries in only a few exchanges of blows. While heroic victories are possible, survival often depends on smart tactics, teamwork, and positioning rather than brute force alone.
2. Surprise
Before the first blow is struck, combatants may or may not realize a fight is about to begin. When one side attempts an ambush or when danger is not immediately obvious, the Game Master may call for a Surprise Test.
Surprise is determined using the Alertness skill.
The character rolls a number of dice equal to either their Awareness or Intuition Attribute, chosen by the player. The difficulty of the test is determined by the Game Master based on the situation.
Example Surprise Difficulty
| Situation | Difficulty |
| Loud or obvious enemies | Easy |
| Suspicious activity nearby | Moderate |
| Hidden ambush in darkness | Hard |
| Invisible or supernatural threat | Extreme |
If the character succeeds on the test, they detect the danger in time to react normally.
If the character fails the test, they are Surprised.
A Surprised character:
- cannot act during the first round of combat
- suffers the Off-Guard condition during the following round
This represents the confusion and hesitation caused by a sudden attack.
Example: Surprise Test
Seren the scout is traveling along a forest path when several bandits attempt to ambush her from behind a fallen tree.
The Game Master calls for a Surprise Test.
Seren decides to roll using her Awareness, which is 3. She rolls three dice against the target number determined by the Game Master for the ambush.
Seren succeeds on the test and notices movement among the branches just before the bandits spring their attack. Because she detected the danger in time, she is not surprised and may act normally once initiative is rolled.
Had she failed the test, the bandits would have caught her off guard, preventing her from acting during the first round of combat
3. Initiative
Once combat begins, each participant determines when they act using the Initiative system.
Initiative represents a character’s speed, awareness, and ability to react to unfolding events.
Initiative Rating
Each character has an Initiative Rating determined by the following formula:
Initiative = (2 × Quickness) + Awareness + Intuition
To determine initiative at the start of combat, the player rolls 1d20 and adds their Initiative Rating.
Characters act in order from highest initiative to lowest, beginning with the highest result and counting downward.
Initiative counts from 20 down to 1.
Revolving Initiative
ShadowRealms uses a revolving initiative system rather than fixed rounds.
After a character completes their turn, 20 is subtracted from their initiative score.
If the result remains positive, the character will act again later in the same round when the initiative count reaches that number.
If the result becomes negative, the character will not act again during the current round. Instead, convert the negative value to a positive number, roll a new d20, and add that roll to the converted value. The total becomes the character’s initiative score for the next round.
This system allows faster characters to act more often while slower combatants act less frequently.
Example: Revolving Initiative
Seren has the following Attributes:
Quickness 3
Awareness 2
Intuition 2
Her Initiative Rating is therefore 10.
At the start of combat, Seren rolls a 14 on her d20.
Her total initiative is 24, allowing her to act immediately.
After finishing her turn, 20 is subtracted from her initiative score.
24 − 20 = 4
Because the result is still positive, Seren will act again later in the same round when the initiative count reaches 4.
Example: Starting a New Round
A bandit rolls a total initiative of 15.
After completing his turn, 20 is subtracted from his initiative score.
15 − 20 = −5
Because the result is negative, the bandit will not act again during the current round.
The negative value becomes 5, and the bandit rolls a new d20. The result is added to this value to determine the bandit’s initiative for the next round.
4. Action Points
During combat, characters act by spending Action Points (AP). Action Points represent the time, effort, and attention required to perform actions in the chaos of battle.
Each time a character acts during the initiative order, they receive 4 Action Points.
These points may be spent on movement, attacks, defensive maneuvers, or special abilities. A character may divide their Action Points between different actions in any order during their turn.
For example, a character might move toward an enemy, strike with a weapon, and then assume a defensive stance, all within the same turn, provided they have enough Action Points remaining.
Once all Action Points are spent, the character’s turn ends. Any unused Action Points are lost and do not carry over to future turns.
Designer Note: Tactical Flexibility
The Action Point system allows characters to balance offense, defense, and movement each turn. A cautious fighter might spend Action Points defending themselves while advancing slowly, while an aggressive warrior might spend all of their points attacking in a relentless assault.
5. Combat Actions
Characters may perform many different actions during combat. Each action has an associated Action Point cost.
Some actions represent offensive maneuvers, while others allow characters to reposition themselves, prepare attacks, or defend against incoming threats.
Common Combat Actions
| Action | AP Cost |
| Attack | 1 |
| Move | 1 |
| Run | 1 |
| Aim | 1 |
| Charge | 2 |
| Brace | 1 |
| Fight Defensively | 1 |
| All-Out Attack | 1 |
| Grapple | 1 |
| Disarm | 1 |
| Stand Up | 1 |
| Ready Action | 1 |
| Hold Action | 1 |
| Use Healing Surge | 1 |
| Use Power | Varies |
Free Actions
Some actions require no Action Points and may be performed freely during a character’s turn.
| Free Action | Description |
| Speak | Brief communication |
| Drop Object | Release a held item |
| Fall Prone | Throw yourself to the ground |
Free actions should remain brief and reasonable. The Game Master may limit excessive free actions during a turn.
6. Movement
Movement during combat is measured in Areas.
An Area represents roughly a five-foot square of space. Areas are used to measure character movement, weapon reach, and tactical positioning on the battlefield.
Base Movement
A character may move a number of Areas equal to their Quickness + 1.
Each Area of movement costs 1 Action Point.
Example
Seren has a Quickness of 3.
Her base movement is therefore 4 Areas.
By spending Action Points to move, she can travel up to four Areas across the battlefield.
Running
Characters may push themselves to move faster during combat.
Each additional Action Point spent running allows the character to move additional Areas equal to their base movement.
Running represents a full sprint and prevents the character from performing certain complex actions while moving.
Standing Up
Standing up from a prone position costs 1 Action Point.
Climbing
Climbing is slower than normal movement.
A character may climb half their normal movement while scaling a wall, cliff, or similar surface.
Climbing difficult or unstable surfaces may require an Athletics test at a difficulty determined by the Game Master.
Swimming
Characters may swim a number of Areas equal to their base movement.
Rough water, strong currents, or difficult conditions may require an Athletics test to avoid being slowed or pulled off course.
7. Zone Control and Threatened Areas
Combatants exert control over the space around them. Any Area a character can immediately strike with a melee weapon is considered a Threatened Area.
Enemies moving through threatened Areas risk triggering Opportunity Attacks.
Standard Threat
Most melee weapons threaten the Areas directly adjacent to the wielder.
A character normally threatens the Areas immediately surrounding them.
Enemies who move out of a threatened Area may provoke an Opportunity Attack.
Reach Weapons
Weapons with the Reach characteristic threaten a larger portion of the battlefield.
A reach weapon threatens:
- the three Areas directly in front of the wielder
- the three Areas one step farther forward
This extended threat allows the wielder to strike enemies before they close into normal melee range.
However, reach weapons only threaten Areas within the wielder’s forward arc and do not threaten the sides or rear.
Opportunity Attacks
An Opportunity Attack occurs when an enemy performs a careless action within a threatened Area.
Common triggers include:
- leaving a threatened Area
- charging past an enemy
- attacking a reach weapon with a shorter weapon
Opportunity Attacks are resolved as normal melee attacks.
Close Quarters Weapons
Some weapons are designed for fighting inside the reach of longer weapons.
Weapons with the Close Quarters feature reduce the advantage normally granted by reach weapons.
When a character closes distance against a reach weapon using a Close Quarters weapon, the reach user may only gain the reach-based Opportunity Attack against the first attack made against them that turn.
Designer Note: Battlefield Control
Zone control is one of the most important tactical elements of combat. Skilled fighters use their positioning to protect allies, hold defensive lines, and prevent enemies from moving freely across the battlefield.
8. Facing
In the chaos of battle, combatants cannot defend themselves equally in every direction. Characters are assumed to be aware of threats within their general field of vision, but positioning still plays an important role.
Each character has a facing direction, representing where they are primarily focused during combat.
A character’s facing is divided into three zones:
- Front Arc
- Side Arcs
- Rear Arc
The front arc represents the area directly in front of the character where they can most easily defend themselves and bring their weapon to bear.
The side arcs represent the areas slightly behind the character’s shoulders where they are still aware of threats but cannot defend themselves as effectively.
The rear arc represents the area behind the character where attacks are most difficult to anticipate or defend against.
The Game Master may use miniatures, tokens, or simple diagrams to track character facing when battlefield positioning becomes important.
Rear Attacks
Attacking a target from their rear arc grants two levels of Advantage.
These attacks represent striking a distracted or unaware opponent from behind.
Changing Facing
A character may freely change their facing direction during their turn as part of their movement or actions. Facing represents the direction a character is actively engaging at any given moment.
Designer Note: Tactical Positioning
Positioning is an important part of ShadowRealms combat. Skilled fighters maneuver for advantageous positions while attempting to prevent enemies from reaching their vulnerable flanks or rear.
9. Situational Advantage and Disadvantage
Various battlefield conditions can make attacks easier or more difficult. Rather than using large numbers of numerical modifiers, ShadowRealms primarily uses the Advantage and Disadvantage system to represent these effects.
Advantage and Disadvantage modify the results of a dice roll.
Advantage allows a player to reroll failed dice, while Disadvantage forces a player to reroll successful dice.
Multiple levels of Advantage or Disadvantage may apply depending on the situation.
Common Combat Situations
| Situation | Effect |
| Higher ground | Advantage |
| Attacking from rear | Advantage (2 levels) |
| Target prone (melee attack) | Advantage (2 levels) |
| Attacking while prone | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Attacking a target you cannot see | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Ranged attack against a moving target | Disadvantage |
| Fighting in tight spaces | Disadvantage |
| Using a reach weapon in tight spaces | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Ranged attack against a prone target | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
The Game Master may apply additional Advantage or Disadvantage when unusual circumstances affect the difficulty of an attack.
Aiming
A character may spend Action Points to carefully line up an attack.
Each Action Point spent Aiming grants one level of Advantage on the next attack.
A character may gain a maximum of three levels of Advantage through aiming.
If the target cannot be seen, aiming provides no benefit and the attack suffers Total Disadvantage.
10. Making an Attack
Attacking an enemy represents an attempt to land a meaningful strike against a defending opponent.
Combat in ShadowRealms is resolved in two stages: an Attack Roll and a Damage Roll. The attack roll determines how many damage dice are generated, while the damage roll determines how much harm the strike actually inflicts.
Follow these steps when making an attack.
Step 1 — Determine the Target Number
The defender’s Defense Rating (DR) represents how difficult they are to strike in combat. It reflects a character’s ability to evade, deflect, or otherwise avoid incoming attacks.
Determine the Target Number for the attack as follows:
Target Number = Defender’s Defense Rating − Attacker’s Relevant Combat Skill
The higher the attacker’s skill, the easier it becomes to land a successful strike.
Step 2 — Determine the Dice Pool
The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the relevant Attribute used for the attack.
In most cases:
- Might is used for melee attacks
- Agility may be used for weapons with the Agile property
- Accuracy is typically used for ranged attacks
Step 3 — Roll the Attack
The player rolls their attack dice pool.
Each die that meets or exceeds the Target Number counts as a successful hit.
These successes do not deal damage directly. Instead, each success generates one Damage Die, which will be rolled during the damage step.
The attack roll therefore acts as a funnel, determining how much of the attacker’s potential force reaches the target.
Step 4 — Apply Advantage or Disadvantage
If the attack benefits from Advantage, failed dice may be rerolled according to the number of Advantage levels.
If the attack suffers Disadvantage, successful dice must be rerolled according to the number of Disadvantage levels.
Each die may only be rerolled once, and no more dice may be rerolled than were originally rolled.
Step 5 — Determine the Damage Target
Damage is resolved against the defender’s Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Protection is typically provided by armor.
Armor may be reduced by the attacker’s Armor Penetration:
Modified Protection = Protection − Armor Penetration (minimum 0)
The final Damage Target is then determined by applying the attacker’s Attack Strength:
Damage Target = Toughness + Modified Protection − Attack Strength
Attack Strength is determined by the weapon’s Damage Code.
Step 6 — Roll Damage
The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the successful hits generated by the attack roll.
Each die that meets or exceeds the Damage Target becomes a damage success.
Step 7 — Apply Damage, Glancing Blows, and the Damage Ladder
If the attack generates one or more damage successes, apply the Damage Ladder normally.
| Damage Successes | Damage Inflicted |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 16 |
This scaling represents increasingly devastating strikes as more damage successes are achieved.
If the attack inflicts no damage, the attack normally ends here.
However, if the attack would have inflicted damage but armor prevented the blow from penetrating, the result becomes a Glancing Blow instead.
A Glancing Blow occurs when:
- the attack generated successful hits
- the blow would have penetrated without the target’s armor
- but armor prevented the attack from inflicting normal damage
Instead of causing normal damage, a Glancing Blow inflicts Fatigue damage equal to the number of attack successes generated by the Attack Roll.
This represents force transferring through armor without breaking through it.
Step 8 — Determine Hit Location
If the attack inflicted damage, determine where the strike lands by rolling 1d20 on the Hit Location Table.
Players may roll this die at the same time as the damage dice to speed up play. Using a different colored die makes it easy to distinguish from the damage dice.
| Roll | Location |
| 19–20 | Head |
| 16–18 | Left Arm |
| 13–15 | Right Arm |
| 9–12 | Chest |
| 5–8 | Abdomen |
| 3–4 | Left Leg |
| 1–2 | Right Leg |
Step 9 — Resolve Critical Injury
After determining the hit location, roll a number of d6 equal to the number of damage successes scored.
Add the results together and compare the total against the appropriate Critical Table for the attack’s damage type and hit location.
Critical results may cause effects such as bleeding, broken bones, impaired limbs, unconsciousness, or instant death.
Higher results represent more severe injuries.
Attacking Defenseless Targets
If a target is unable to defend themselves, unaware of the attack, or is an inanimate object, the attack automatically connects.
In these cases, the attacker skips the attack roll and rolls their full attack dice pool directly as damage dice.
Normally, the attack roll represents the defender’s attempt to evade or deflect a blow. When a target cannot do so, the strike lands cleanly.
The Attack Funnel
In ShadowRealms, combat resolution is intentionally divided into two stages: hitting the target and causing harm.
The Attack Roll determines how much of the attacker’s potential force actually reaches the target. Skilled defenders avoid or deflect blows before they ever become dangerous.
Each success on the attack roll becomes a Damage Die, which is then rolled to determine whether the strike penetrates the defender’s durability.
Because of this, the attack roll acts as a funnel for damage:
Attack Dice → Successful Hits → Damage Dice → Damage Inflicted
A skilled attacker produces more damage dice, while strong weapons and powerful strikes make those dice more likely to penetrate armor and toughness.
This structure allows three different factors to influence the outcome of combat:
- Skill determines how often blows land.
- Defense determines how well those blows are avoided.
- Power and armor determine how dangerous those blows are once they connect.
11. Multiple Attacks
A character may attempt multiple attacks during a single turn by spending additional Action Points.
However, attacking repeatedly in quick succession becomes increasingly difficult.
When making consecutive attacks during the same turn, the attacker suffers a reduction to their dice pool.
| Attack Number | Dice Pool Penalty |
| First attack | No penalty |
| Second attack | –1 die |
| Third attack | –2 dice |
| Fourth attack | –3 dice |
These penalties represent fatigue and the difficulty of maintaining accuracy while attacking repeatedly.
Paired Weapons
Characters wielding paired weapons may ignore the penalty for their second attack.
However, the off-hand attack suffers Disadvantage unless the character possesses the Ambidextrous trait or a similar ability.
Certain combat powers may also grant additional multi-attack options.
Designer Note: Combat Tempo
Multiple attacks allow highly skilled fighters to overwhelm opponents through relentless pressure, but doing so comes at the cost of accuracy. Choosing when to attack repeatedly and when to conserve effort is an important tactical decision.
12. Armor and Penetration
Armor protects characters from physical injury by absorbing or deflecting incoming attacks. In ShadowRealms, armor provides Protection values against different types of physical damage.
Armor normally protects against the following damage types:
- Slashing
- Puncture
- Impact
Each armor type lists a Protection value for each of these damage categories.
When a character is struck by an attack, their armor reduces the effectiveness of the incoming blow.
Durability
A character’s ability to resist injury is represented by their Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Toughness represents the character’s physical resilience, while Protection represents the defensive strength of the armor they are wearing.
Durability is used to determine whether incoming damage successfully penetrates the target’s defenses.
Weapon Penetration
Many weapons possess a Penetration rating that represents their ability to punch through armor.
When resolving an attack, the weapon’s Penetration reduces the armor’s Protection value for the relevant damage type.
Penetration cannot reduce armor Protection below zero.
Example
A warrior wearing chain armor has Protection 4 against slashing attacks.
An enemy strikes them with a weapon that has Penetration 2.
The armor’s effective Protection becomes 2 for that attack
13. Armor Fatigue
Wearing armor in prolonged combat is physically exhausting. The weight of armor, restricted movement, and constant strain gradually wear down even experienced warriors.
Beginning with the first turn after the first round of combat, any character wearing armor must make a Wear Armor test each time their turn begins on a new round.
The difficulty of this test is determined by the armor being worn.
Wear Armor Test
Difficulty = 12 + Armor Wear Difficulty
If the test succeeds, the character continues fighting without penalty.
If the test fails, the character loses 1 point of Fatigue.
This fatigue represents the physical strain of fighting while encumbered by armor.
When the Test Occurs
A Wear Armor test is required:
- at the start of the character’s turn in a new round
- beginning with the second round of combat
- only if the character is wearing armor
Example
Seren is wearing chain armor that has a Wear Difficulty of 3.
At the beginning of the second round of combat, she must make a Wear Armor test.
12 + 3 = 15
Seren rolls her Wear Armor skill test against a difficulty of 15.
If she fails the test, she loses 1 Fatigue due to the physical strain of fighting in heavy armor.
Designer Note: Armor Is Protection, Not Endurance
Armor provides strong protection against injury, but it comes at a cost. Heavy armor slows a fighter down and drains their stamina over time. Combatants wearing lighter armor may have less protection but are able to fight longer before exhaustion becomes a factor.
14. Damage Penalties
As characters suffer injuries, their ability to fight effectively begins to deteriorate.
Severe wounds reduce a character’s strength, coordination, and ability to concentrate during combat.
Damage penalties are determined by the number of boxes filled on the Damage Track.
| Damage Taken | Dice Penalty |
| 1–4 | No penalty |
| 5–8 | –1 die |
| 9–12 | –2 dice |
| 13–16 | –3 dice |
These penalties apply to most physical actions, including attacks, athletic movement, and combat maneuvers.
Fatigue Effects
Fatigue represents exhaustion, pain, and physical strain.
If a character’s Fatigue Track becomes completely filled, the character suffers an additional –1 die penalty to all actions until fatigue is reduced.
Designer Note: Escalating Danger
As injuries accumulate, combat becomes progressively more dangerous. Even a skilled warrior may find themselves struggling to defend against attacks once they have suffered multiple wounds.
15. Bleeding
Serious injuries may cause a character to begin bleeding, representing blood loss from deep wounds.
A character’s ability to resist blood loss is determined by their Bleeding Rating, which is equal to their Toughness.
Certain critical injuries may reduce a character’s Bleeding Rating. Each such injury represents an open wound that continues to drain the character’s strength.
At the end of each round in which a bleeding character performs any strenuous action, such as attacking, moving, or using powers, they must make a Bleeding Test.
To resolve a Bleeding Test, the player rolls 1d20 and must exceed the character’s current Bleeding Rating.
If the roll fails, the character loses 1 point of Stamina.
Once a character’s Stamina is exhausted, further failed Bleeding Tests instead cause the loss of one box on the Damage Track.
Stopping Bleeding
Bleeding may be stopped through medical treatment.
A character may attempt a Medicine test to stop bleeding.
The difficulty is:
12 + the total bleeding penalty currently affecting the target
If the Medicine test succeeds, the bleeding condition ends.
Certain powers or abilities may also slow or stop bleeding.
16. Healing Surges
Adventurers possess reserves of inner strength that allow them to push through pain and recover during battle. These reserves are represented by Healing Surges.
A character has a number of Healing Surges equal to their Vitality.
Using a Healing Surge
A Healing Surge cannot be used freely at any time. Instead, it requires a trigger.
When a Healing Surge is used, the character immediately restores:
- 4 boxes of Damage
- 8 points of Stamina
Using a Healing Surge costs 1 Action Point, unless otherwise specified by the triggering ability.
Self-Use: Second Wind
A character may use a Healing Surge on themselves by taking a Second Wind.
- Cost: 1 Action Point
- Limit: Once per encounter
Second Wind represents a character steadying themselves, catching their breath, and pushing through injury by force of will.
External Triggers
Healing Surges are most often activated through the aid of others. Certain abilities allow a character to use a Healing Surge outside of Second Wind.
These include, but are not limited to:
- Faith-based healing abilities
- Valor powers that restore or bolster allies
- Tactics abilities such as Rally or battlefield commands
When granted by an external effect, a character may use a Healing Surge even if they have already used Second Wind during the encounter.
Unless otherwise stated, using a Healing Surge through an external trigger still costs 1 Action Point.
Limits of Endurance
Healing Surges represent a finite reserve of endurance.
Once a character has expended all of their Healing Surges, they can no longer recover Damage or Stamina through this system and must rely on:
- Rest and recovery
- Medical treatment
- Magical or supernatural healing
Designer Note: Last Stands
Healing Surges are not simply a measure of health, but of determination. They represent the moment a warrior refuses to fall, the breath drawn before a final charge, or the will to rise when defeat seems certain.
Many of the most dramatic moments in ShadowRealms occur when a character spends their final Healing Surge to remain standing against overwhelming odds.
17. Limit Breaks
As a character suffers damage and fatigue, they may reach a moment of desperate determination known as a Limit Break.
Limit Breaks represent a surge of adrenaline and focus that allows a character to perform extraordinary feats in the heat of battle.
A Limit Break is triggered when a character’s Condition Monitor reaches certain thresholds.
A Limit Break occurs when:
- the character’s total Damage and Fatigue increases by 6 boxes
- and again for every additional 6 boxes thereafter
When a Limit Break triggers, the character must use it on their next turn.
Limit Breaks cannot be stored or delayed.
Limit Break Effects
When performing a Limit Break attack, the character gains Total Advantage on the attack roll.
Total Advantage forces all failed dice to be rerolled.
Certain combat powers may also require a Limit Break to activate, allowing characters to unleash devastating abilities during moments of extreme danger.
18. Grappling
Sometimes combatants abandon weapons entirely and attempt to overpower their opponent through physical force.
Grappling represents attempts to grab, restrain, or control another creature in close combat.
Grappling uses the Grapple skill.
Initiating a Grapple
To initiate a grapple, the attacker makes a Grapple test against the target’s Grapple Defense Rating.
If the attack succeeds, the target becomes Grappled.
Effects of Being Grappled
A Grappled character:
- cannot move freely
- may only attack the grappler or attempt to break free
- suffers Disadvantage on most attacks against other targets
Breaking a Grapple
A Grappled character may attempt to escape by making a Grapple test against the opponent’s Grapple Defense.
If successful, the grapple ends and the character may move normally.
Fighting While Grappled
Characters engaged in a grapple may still attack one another using unarmed strikes, short weapons, or other close-quarters techniques.
Large weapons are difficult or impossible to use effectively while grappled unless a power or special ability allows it.
Forced Movement
A successful grappler may attempt to drag or reposition their opponent.
This usually requires an additional Grapple test and may move the target one or more Areas depending on the situation.
Designer Note: Close-Quarters Combat
Grappling represents chaotic, brutal close-quarters fighting. Combatants struggling for control often abandon careful technique in favor of raw strength and leverage.
19. Other Effects
Disarm
A character may attempt to knock a weapon or item from an opponent’s hand.
To perform a Disarm, the attacker makes a combat test using their normal attack skill. The target resists using their Defense Rating.
If the attacker has the necessary ability and produces at least two penetrating successes, the attacker may choose to knock the defender’s weapon free so that it lands in an adjacent Area.
If the attacker achieves additional successes, the Game Master may allow the weapon to be thrown farther away depending on the situation.
Knockback
Some powerful strikes may force an enemy backward.
When a maneuver or special ability causes knockback, the target is pushed a number of Areas determined by the ability or the number of successes rolled.
Knockback may force an enemy into hazards, obstacles, or other combatants.
If a character is forced into a solid obstacle, additional damage may occur at the Game Master’s discretion.
Knockdown
Certain attacks may knock an opponent off their feet.
A knocked-down character becomes Prone.
Standing up from a prone position requires 1 Action Point.
While prone, a character suffers penalties to movement and attacks as described in the Situational Advantage and Disadvantage section.
Shove
A character may attempt to push an enemy away without dealing damage.
Resolve this as a Grapple test.
If successful, the defender is pushed one Area in the chosen direction.
20. Attacking Inanimate Objects
When attacking an inanimate object or a target that is unable to defend itself, the attacker does not make an attack roll.
Instead, the attacker rolls their full attack dice pool directly as damage dice.
Attack rolls normally represent an opponent’s ability to dodge, parry, or otherwise avoid a strike. Objects and defenseless targets cannot do this, so the attack automatically connects.
The attacker proceeds directly to the Damage Roll, resolving the strike against the object’s Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Objects do not benefit from Defense Rating and cannot actively defend themselves.
If the attack generates damage successes, apply damage using the Damage Ladder as normal.
When the total damage inflicted equals or exceeds the object’s Break Threshold, the object is destroyed, shattered, or rendered unusable.
Common Object Durability
| Object | Durability | Break Threshold |
| Glass Bottle | 4 | 1 |
| Ceramic Dish | 5 | 1 |
| Wooden Chair | 7 | 2 |
| Wooden Table | 8 | 3 |
| Barrel | 8 | 3 |
| Wooden Door (Interior) | 9 | 4 |
| Wooden Door (Reinforced) | 11 | 6 |
| Wagon Wheel | 10 | 5 |
| Wagon | 12 | 8 |
| Wooden Chest | 10 | 5 |
| Iron-Bound Chest | 13 | 8 |
| Stone Statue | 14 | 10 |
| Iron Manacles | 15 | 10 |
| Prison Cell Bars | 16 | 12 |
| Castle Door (Oak, Iron-Bound) | 17 | 14 |
| Stone Wall (1 meter thick) | 18 | 16 |
Object Material Guidelines
| Material | Typical Durability |
| Glass | 4–5 |
| Ceramic | 5–6 |
| Wood | 7–10 |
| Reinforced Wood | 10–12 |
| Stone | 12–15 |
| Iron or Steel | 14–17 |
| Thick Structural Stone | 17–20 |
Structural Damage
Large objects such as wagons, gates, or walls may not need to be completely destroyed to become ineffective.
The Game Master may rule that damaging key structural points, such as hinges, wheels, beams, or joints, can disable the object at half the listed Break Threshold.
Siege Damage
Some attacks are powerful enough to tear through structures with devastating force. Massive creatures, heavy weapons, siege engines, and certain supernatural abilities can inflict Siege Damage.
When resolving Siege Damage against an object, apply one or more of the following effects depending on the source of the attack.
Each damage success counts as two successes when applied to an object’s Break Threshold.
Siege Damage reduces an object’s Protection by half, rounded down, before Armor Penetration is applied.
If an attack with Siege Damage generates 4 or more damage successes, the Game Master may rule that part of the structure collapses entirely rather than merely taking damage.
21. Minions and Elite Minions
Not every opponent in ShadowRealms is meant to endure prolonged combat. Many enemies exist to represent lesser threats, battlefield fodder, or groups of weaker combatants. These enemies are represented using Minion rules, which simplify their durability while still allowing them to participate meaningfully in combat.
Minions come in three tiers representing increasing resilience.
Lesser Minions
A Lesser Minion is defeated if an attack generates 1 or more damage successes.
Standard Minions
A Standard Minion is defeated if an attack generates 2 or more damage successes.
If an attack generates only 1 damage success, the Minion survives but may be staggered, forced back, or otherwise momentarily disrupted at the Game Master’s discretion.
Elite Minions
An Elite Minion is defeated if an attack generates 3 or more damage successes.
If an attack generates 1 or 2 damage successes, the Elite Minion survives but suffers visible injury or temporary impairment at the Game Master’s discretion.
Minions and Cleave
Minions interact normally with Cleave attacks.
When an attack with Cleave generates enough damage successes to defeat its initial target, any remaining successes may be applied to additional Minions according to the Cleave rules.
Purpose of Minions
Minions allow the Game Master to represent large numbers of enemies without tracking full durability for each one.
They are designed to speed up combat resolution, support large battlefield encounters, and create cinematic moments where powerful characters cut through lesser foes.
22. Death and Dying
Combat in ShadowRealms can be deadly. When a character’s Damage Track becomes completely filled, they risk falling unconscious or dying.
When a character reaches maximum damage, they must immediately make a Toughness Resistance Test.
If the test fails, the character falls unconscious.
If the test succeeds, the character may remain conscious, but they are in a critical state.
Acting While Mortally Wounded
A character who remains conscious after reaching maximum damage may continue to act, but doing so is extremely dangerous.
Each time the character performs a strenuous action, such as attacking or moving, they suffer one additional box of damage and must make another Toughness Resistance Test.
Death
If a character’s Damage Track becomes completely filled a second time, the character dies.
Stabilizing a Dying Character
A dying character may be stabilized through medical treatment.
A character may attempt a Medicine test to stabilize a dying ally.
The difficulty is:
12 + the number of negative damage boxes the character has suffered
If the test succeeds, the dying character stabilizes and no longer risks immediate death.
23. Critical Injuries
Some attacks cause particularly devastating wounds. These injuries are represented by Critical Hits.
Critical injuries reflect the brutal reality of combat. Even a single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent or end a battle instantly.
When a damaging attack is resolved, determine where the blow lands by rolling 1d20 on the Hit Location Table. Players may roll this die at the same time as the damage dice, using a different color die if desired.
Hit Location Table
| Roll | Location |
| 19–20 | Head |
| 16–18 | Left Arm |
| 13–15 | Right Arm |
| 9–12 | Chest |
| 5–8 | Abdomen |
| 3–4 | Left Leg |
| 1–2 | Right Leg |
Determining Critical Severity
The severity of a critical injury depends on the amount of damage that penetrates the target’s defenses.
After determining damage, the attacker rolls a number of d6 equal to the number of damage successes scored.
Add the results together and compare the total against the appropriate Critical Table for the attack’s damage type and hit location.
Each damage type has its own critical table, and each table contains results for the different body locations.
These results may include:
- bleeding
- broken bones
- impaired limbs
- unconsciousness
- instant death
Higher results represent more severe injuries.
Escalating Critical Results
Unlike many systems where criticals are divided into fixed categories, ShadowRealms uses escalating results on a single table.
The more damage successes inflicted, the higher the possible critical roll and the more severe the injury.
This allows devastating attacks to produce extremely dangerous outcomes without requiring multiple separate critical tables.
Designer Note: Deadly Precision
Critical injuries represent the brutal reality of combat. Even a single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent or end a battle instantly.
24. Combat Example
The following example demonstrates how combat flows using the rules presented in this chapter.
This example illustrates surprise, initiative, Action Point usage, attacks and damage, glancing blows, critical hits, and the revolving initiative system.
Seren the scout encounters a bandit while traveling along a forest road. The bandit attempts to ambush her from behind a fallen log.
The Game Master calls for a Surprise Test. Seren rolls using Awareness and succeeds, noticing the bandit before he strikes. The bandit fails his own Alertness check and begins the combat Surprised.
Seren’s Initiative Rating is 10. She rolls a 14, for a total initiative of 24. Because initiative counts downward from 20, she acts immediately. The bandit cannot act during the first round because he is Surprised.
On her turn, Seren receives 4 Action Points. She spends 1 AP to move one Area toward the bandit, 1 AP to attack, 1 AP for a second attack, and 1 AP to adjust her position.
On her first attack, Seren rolls her attack dice and scores 2 successful hits. These become 2 damage dice. She rolls damage and scores 1 damage success. According to the Damage Ladder, the bandit suffers 1 damage. Seren then rolls hit location and gets Chest. Because she inflicted 1 damage success, she rolls 1d6 for critical severity and produces a minor chest wound result.
For her second attack, Seren suffers the normal multiple-attack dice penalty. Even so, she rolls well and scores 2 successful hits again. This time both damage dice succeed, inflicting 2 damage. She rolls hit location and critical severity again, worsening the bandit’s injuries.
After Seren completes her turn, 20 is subtracted from her initiative score.
24 − 20 = 4
Because the result remains positive, Seren will act again later in the same round when initiative reaches 4.
In the following round, the bandit joins the initiative order. He rolls a total of 15 and acts before Seren’s next count.
The bandit moves toward Seren and attacks. His attack roll succeeds, generating 2 damage dice. However, when he rolls damage, none of the damage dice penetrate Seren’s armor. Because the attack would have inflicted harm without armor, the result becomes a Glancing Blow. Seren takes Fatigue damage instead of normal injury.
Combat continues in this fashion until one side falls, flees, or yields.
25. Quick Combat Reference
Combat Sequence
- Determine Surprise
- Roll Initiative
- Act in Initiative Order
- Spend Action Points
- Resolve attacks and damage
Initiative
Initiative = (2 × Quickness) + Awareness + Intuition
Roll 1d20 + Initiative Rating.
After acting:
Initiative − 20
If positive, act again that round.
If negative, convert to positive, roll a new d20, and determine initiative for the next round.
Action Points
Each turn a character receives:
4 Action Points
Damage Ladder
| Penetrating Successes | Damage |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 16 |
Damage Penalties
| Damage Taken | Penalty |
| 1–4 | None |
| 5–8 | –1 die |
| 9–12 | –2 dice |
| 13–16 | –3 dice |
Glancing Blow
If an attack would hit but armor prevents it from penetrating, the target suffers Stamina damage equal to the attack successes at the rate of 1 per die, as opposed to normal damage.
Healing Surge
Costs 1 Action Point
Restores:
- 4 damage boxes
- 8 stamina
Limit Break
Triggered at different points during the stamina and damage tracks.
Grants Total Advantage on the next attack.
Must be used next turn.
Death
When the Damage Track fills:
- make a Toughness save or fall unconscious
- Even if conscious the character is limited to crawl movement.
- You are still at -4 dice to any action to perform.
If the Damage Track fills again, the character dies.Section 4 – Combat
Combat
Conflict is inevitable in the world of ShadowRealms. Whether clashing with raiders on a lonely road, battling monstrous creatures in forgotten ruins, or confronting dark forces that threaten entire kingdoms, adventurers will eventually face violence.
Combat in ShadowRealms is fast, tactical, and dangerous. A single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent, and positioning on the battlefield is often as important as raw strength. Warriors maneuver for advantage, shield bearers hold defensive lines, archers search for clear shots, and spellcasters shape the flow of battle through powerful abilities.
Unlike many roleplaying games, ShadowRealms combat does not proceed in rigid rounds where each character acts once and then waits. Instead, the system uses a revolving initiative, allowing faster characters to act more frequently while slower combatants struggle to keep pace.
Combat also rewards tactical thinking. Terrain, weapon reach, defensive positioning, and teamwork can often determine the outcome of a battle before the first strike is even made.
This chapter explains how combat works, including surprise, initiative, movement, attacks, injuries, and the many actions characters can perform during a fight.
1. Combat Overview
When a situation escalates into violence, the game shifts into combat time, where actions are resolved moment by moment. The following sequence outlines the general flow of combat.
Combat Sequence
- Determine Surprise
- Roll Initiative
- Act in Initiative Order
- Spend Action Points
- Resolve attacks and effects
- Continue until combat ends
Combat continues until one side is defeated, flees, or the situation otherwise resolves.
Because ShadowRealms uses a revolving initiative system, characters may act multiple times during a single round if their initiative score is high enough.
Designer Note: Combat Is Dangerous
ShadowRealms combat is intentionally lethal. Characters can suffer serious injuries in only a few exchanges of blows. While heroic victories are possible, survival often depends on smart tactics, teamwork, and positioning rather than brute force alone.
2. Surprise
Before the first blow is struck, combatants may or may not realize a fight is about to begin. When one side attempts an ambush or when danger is not immediately obvious, the Game Master may call for a Surprise Test.
Surprise is determined using the Alertness skill.
The character rolls a number of dice equal to either their Awareness or Intuition Attribute, chosen by the player. The difficulty of the test is determined by the Game Master based on the situation.
Example Surprise Difficulty
| Situation | Difficulty |
| Loud or obvious enemies | Easy |
| Suspicious activity nearby | Moderate |
| Hidden ambush in darkness | Hard |
| Invisible or supernatural threat | Extreme |
If the character succeeds on the test, they detect the danger in time to react normally.
If the character fails the test, they are Surprised.
A Surprised character:
- cannot act during the first round of combat
- suffers the Off-Guard condition during the following round
This represents the confusion and hesitation caused by a sudden attack.
Example: Surprise Test
Seren the scout is traveling along a forest path when several bandits attempt to ambush her from behind a fallen tree.
The Game Master calls for a Surprise Test.
Seren decides to roll using her Awareness, which is 3. She rolls three dice against the target number determined by the Game Master for the ambush.
Seren succeeds on the test and notices movement among the branches just before the bandits spring their attack. Because she detected the danger in time, she is not surprised and may act normally once initiative is rolled.
Had she failed the test, the bandits would have caught her off guard, preventing her from acting during the first round of combat
3. Initiative
Once combat begins, each participant determines when they act using the Initiative system.
Initiative represents a character’s speed, awareness, and ability to react to unfolding events.
Initiative Rating
Each character has an Initiative Rating determined by the following formula:
Initiative = (2 × Quickness) + Awareness + Intuition
To determine initiative at the start of combat, the player rolls 1d20 and adds their Initiative Rating.
Characters act in order from highest initiative to lowest, beginning with the highest result and counting downward.
Initiative counts from 20 down to 1.
Revolving Initiative
ShadowRealms uses a revolving initiative system rather than fixed rounds.
After a character completes their turn, 20 is subtracted from their initiative score.
If the result remains positive, the character will act again later in the same round when the initiative count reaches that number.
If the result becomes negative, the character will not act again during the current round. Instead, convert the negative value to a positive number, roll a new d20, and add that roll to the converted value. The total becomes the character’s initiative score for the next round.
This system allows faster characters to act more often while slower combatants act less frequently.
Example: Revolving Initiative
Seren has the following Attributes:
Quickness 3
Awareness 2
Intuition 2
Her Initiative Rating is therefore 10.
At the start of combat, Seren rolls a 14 on her d20.
Her total initiative is 24, allowing her to act immediately.
After finishing her turn, 20 is subtracted from her initiative score.
24 − 20 = 4
Because the result is still positive, Seren will act again later in the same round when the initiative count reaches 4.
Example: Starting a New Round
A bandit rolls a total initiative of 15.
After completing his turn, 20 is subtracted from his initiative score.
15 − 20 = −5
Because the result is negative, the bandit will not act again during the current round.
The negative value becomes 5, and the bandit rolls a new d20. The result is added to this value to determine the bandit’s initiative for the next round.
4. Action Points
During combat, characters act by spending Action Points (AP). Action Points represent the time, effort, and attention required to perform actions in the chaos of battle.
Each time a character acts during the initiative order, they receive 4 Action Points.
These points may be spent on movement, attacks, defensive maneuvers, or special abilities. A character may divide their Action Points between different actions in any order during their turn.
For example, a character might move toward an enemy, strike with a weapon, and then assume a defensive stance, all within the same turn, provided they have enough Action Points remaining.
Once all Action Points are spent, the character’s turn ends. Any unused Action Points are lost and do not carry over to future turns.
Designer Note: Tactical Flexibility
The Action Point system allows characters to balance offense, defense, and movement each turn. A cautious fighter might spend Action Points defending themselves while advancing slowly, while an aggressive warrior might spend all of their points attacking in a relentless assault.
5. Combat Actions
Characters may perform many different actions during combat. Each action has an associated Action Point cost.
Some actions represent offensive maneuvers, while others allow characters to reposition themselves, prepare attacks, or defend against incoming threats.
Common Combat Actions
| Action | AP Cost |
| Attack | 1 |
| Move | 1 |
| Run | 1 |
| Aim | 1 |
| Charge | 2 |
| Brace | 1 |
| Fight Defensively | 1 |
| All-Out Attack | 1 |
| Grapple | 1 |
| Disarm | 1 |
| Stand Up | 1 |
| Ready Action | 1 |
| Hold Action | 1 |
| Use Healing Surge | 1 |
| Use Power | Varies |
Free Actions
Some actions require no Action Points and may be performed freely during a character’s turn.
| Free Action | Description |
| Speak | Brief communication |
| Drop Object | Release a held item |
| Fall Prone | Throw yourself to the ground |
Free actions should remain brief and reasonable. The Game Master may limit excessive free actions during a turn.
6. Movement
Movement during combat is measured in Areas.
An Area represents roughly a five-foot square of space. Areas are used to measure character movement, weapon reach, and tactical positioning on the battlefield.
Base Movement
A character may move a number of Areas equal to their Quickness + 1.
Each Area of movement costs 1 Action Point.
Example
Seren has a Quickness of 3.
Her base movement is therefore 4 Areas.
By spending Action Points to move, she can travel up to four Areas across the battlefield.
Running
Characters may push themselves to move faster during combat.
Each additional Action Point spent running allows the character to move additional Areas equal to their base movement.
Running represents a full sprint and prevents the character from performing certain complex actions while moving.
Standing Up
Standing up from a prone position costs 1 Action Point.
Climbing
Climbing is slower than normal movement.
A character may climb half their normal movement while scaling a wall, cliff, or similar surface.
Climbing difficult or unstable surfaces may require an Athletics test at a difficulty determined by the Game Master.
Swimming
Characters may swim a number of Areas equal to their base movement.
Rough water, strong currents, or difficult conditions may require an Athletics test to avoid being slowed or pulled off course.
7. Zone Control and Threatened Areas
Combatants exert control over the space around them. Any Area a character can immediately strike with a melee weapon is considered a Threatened Area.
Enemies moving through threatened Areas risk triggering Opportunity Attacks.
Standard Threat
Most melee weapons threaten the Areas directly adjacent to the wielder.
A character normally threatens the Areas immediately surrounding them.
Enemies who move out of a threatened Area may provoke an Opportunity Attack.
Reach Weapons
Weapons with the Reach characteristic threaten a larger portion of the battlefield.
A reach weapon threatens:
- the three Areas directly in front of the wielder
- the three Areas one step farther forward
This extended threat allows the wielder to strike enemies before they close into normal melee range.
However, reach weapons only threaten Areas within the wielder’s forward arc and do not threaten the sides or rear.
Opportunity Attacks
An Opportunity Attack occurs when an enemy performs a careless action within a threatened Area.
Common triggers include:
- leaving a threatened Area
- charging past an enemy
- attacking a reach weapon with a shorter weapon
Opportunity Attacks are resolved as normal melee attacks.
Close Quarters Weapons
Some weapons are designed for fighting inside the reach of longer weapons.
Weapons with the Close Quarters feature reduce the advantage normally granted by reach weapons.
When a character closes distance against a reach weapon using a Close Quarters weapon, the reach user may only gain the reach-based Opportunity Attack against the first attack made against them that turn.
Designer Note: Battlefield Control
Zone control is one of the most important tactical elements of combat. Skilled fighters use their positioning to protect allies, hold defensive lines, and prevent enemies from moving freely across the battlefield.
8. Facing
In the chaos of battle, combatants cannot defend themselves equally in every direction. Characters are assumed to be aware of threats within their general field of vision, but positioning still plays an important role.
Each character has a facing direction, representing where they are primarily focused during combat.
A character’s facing is divided into three zones:
- Front Arc
- Side Arcs
- Rear Arc
The front arc represents the area directly in front of the character where they can most easily defend themselves and bring their weapon to bear.
The side arcs represent the areas slightly behind the character’s shoulders where they are still aware of threats but cannot defend themselves as effectively.
The rear arc represents the area behind the character where attacks are most difficult to anticipate or defend against.
The Game Master may use miniatures, tokens, or simple diagrams to track character facing when battlefield positioning becomes important.
Rear Attacks
Attacking a target from their rear arc grants two levels of Advantage.
These attacks represent striking a distracted or unaware opponent from behind.
Changing Facing
A character may freely change their facing direction during their turn as part of their movement or actions. Facing represents the direction a character is actively engaging at any given moment.
Designer Note: Tactical Positioning
Positioning is an important part of ShadowRealms combat. Skilled fighters maneuver for advantageous positions while attempting to prevent enemies from reaching their vulnerable flanks or rear.
9. Situational Advantage and Disadvantage
Various battlefield conditions can make attacks easier or more difficult. Rather than using large numbers of numerical modifiers, ShadowRealms primarily uses the Advantage and Disadvantage system to represent these effects.
Advantage and Disadvantage modify the results of a dice roll.
Advantage allows a player to reroll failed dice, while Disadvantage forces a player to reroll successful dice.
Multiple levels of Advantage or Disadvantage may apply depending on the situation.
Common Combat Situations
| Situation | Effect |
| Higher ground | Advantage |
| Attacking from rear | Advantage (2 levels) |
| Target prone (melee attack) | Advantage (2 levels) |
| Attacking while prone | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Attacking a target you cannot see | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Ranged attack against a moving target | Disadvantage |
| Fighting in tight spaces | Disadvantage |
| Using a reach weapon in tight spaces | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Ranged attack against a prone target | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
The Game Master may apply additional Advantage or Disadvantage when unusual circumstances affect the difficulty of an attack.
Aiming
A character may spend Action Points to carefully line up an attack.
Each Action Point spent Aiming grants one level of Advantage on the next attack.
A character may gain a maximum of three levels of Advantage through aiming.
If the target cannot be seen, aiming provides no benefit and the attack suffers Total Disadvantage.
10. Making an Attack
Attacking an enemy represents an attempt to land a meaningful strike against a defending opponent.
Combat in ShadowRealms is resolved in two stages: an Attack Roll and a Damage Roll. The attack roll determines how many damage dice are generated, while the damage roll determines how much harm the strike actually inflicts.
Follow these steps when making an attack.
Step 1 — Determine the Target Number
The defender’s Defense Rating (DR) represents how difficult they are to strike in combat. It reflects a character’s ability to evade, deflect, or otherwise avoid incoming attacks.
Determine the Target Number for the attack as follows:
Target Number = Defender’s Defense Rating − Attacker’s Relevant Combat Skill
The higher the attacker’s skill, the easier it becomes to land a successful strike.
Step 2 — Determine the Dice Pool
The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the relevant Attribute used for the attack.
In most cases:
- Might is used for melee attacks
- Agility may be used for weapons with the Agile property
- Accuracy is typically used for ranged attacks
Step 3 — Roll the Attack
The player rolls their attack dice pool.
Each die that meets or exceeds the Target Number counts as a successful hit.
These successes do not deal damage directly. Instead, each success generates one Damage Die, which will be rolled during the damage step.
The attack roll therefore acts as a funnel, determining how much of the attacker’s potential force reaches the target.
Step 4 — Apply Advantage or Disadvantage
If the attack benefits from Advantage, failed dice may be rerolled according to the number of Advantage levels.
If the attack suffers Disadvantage, successful dice must be rerolled according to the number of Disadvantage levels.
Each die may only be rerolled once, and no more dice may be rerolled than were originally rolled.
Step 5 — Determine the Damage Target
Damage is resolved against the defender’s Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Protection is typically provided by armor.
Armor may be reduced by the attacker’s Armor Penetration:
Modified Protection = Protection − Armor Penetration (minimum 0)
The final Damage Target is then determined by applying the attacker’s Attack Strength:
Damage Target = Toughness + Modified Protection − Attack Strength
Attack Strength is determined by the weapon’s Damage Code.
Step 6 — Roll Damage
The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the successful hits generated by the attack roll.
Each die that meets or exceeds the Damage Target becomes a damage success.
Step 7 — Apply Damage, Glancing Blows, and the Damage Ladder
If the attack generates one or more damage successes, apply the Damage Ladder normally.
| Damage Successes | Damage Inflicted |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 16 |
This scaling represents increasingly devastating strikes as more damage successes are achieved.
If the attack inflicts no damage, the attack normally ends here.
However, if the attack would have inflicted damage but armor prevented the blow from penetrating, the result becomes a Glancing Blow instead.
A Glancing Blow occurs when:
- the attack generated successful hits
- the blow would have penetrated without the target’s armor
- but armor prevented the attack from inflicting normal damage
Instead of causing normal damage, a Glancing Blow inflicts Fatigue damage equal to the number of attack successes generated by the Attack Roll.
This represents force transferring through armor without breaking through it.
Step 8 — Determine Hit Location
If the attack inflicted damage, determine where the strike lands by rolling 1d20 on the Hit Location Table.
Players may roll this die at the same time as the damage dice to speed up play. Using a different colored die makes it easy to distinguish from the damage dice.
| Roll | Location |
| 19–20 | Head |
| 16–18 | Left Arm |
| 13–15 | Right Arm |
| 9–12 | Chest |
| 5–8 | Abdomen |
| 3–4 | Left Leg |
| 1–2 | Right Leg |
Step 9 — Resolve Critical Injury
After determining the hit location, roll a number of d6 equal to the number of damage successes scored.
Add the results together and compare the total against the appropriate Critical Table for the attack’s damage type and hit location.
Critical results may cause effects such as bleeding, broken bones, impaired limbs, unconsciousness, or instant death.
Higher results represent more severe injuries.
Attacking Defenseless Targets
If a target is unable to defend themselves, unaware of the attack, or is an inanimate object, the attack automatically connects.
In these cases, the attacker skips the attack roll and rolls their full attack dice pool directly as damage dice.
Normally, the attack roll represents the defender’s attempt to evade or deflect a blow. When a target cannot do so, the strike lands cleanly.
The Attack Funnel
In ShadowRealms, combat resolution is intentionally divided into two stages: hitting the target and causing harm.
The Attack Roll determines how much of the attacker’s potential force actually reaches the target. Skilled defenders avoid or deflect blows before they ever become dangerous.
Each success on the attack roll becomes a Damage Die, which is then rolled to determine whether the strike penetrates the defender’s durability.
Because of this, the attack roll acts as a funnel for damage:
Attack Dice → Successful Hits → Damage Dice → Damage Inflicted
A skilled attacker produces more damage dice, while strong weapons and powerful strikes make those dice more likely to penetrate armor and toughness.
This structure allows three different factors to influence the outcome of combat:
- Skill determines how often blows land.
- Defense determines how well those blows are avoided.
- Power and armor determine how dangerous those blows are once they connect.
11. Multiple Attacks
A character may attempt multiple attacks during a single turn by spending additional Action Points.
However, attacking repeatedly in quick succession becomes increasingly difficult.
When making consecutive attacks during the same turn, the attacker suffers a reduction to their dice pool.
| Attack Number | Dice Pool Penalty |
| First attack | No penalty |
| Second attack | –1 die |
| Third attack | –2 dice |
| Fourth attack | –3 dice |
These penalties represent fatigue and the difficulty of maintaining accuracy while attacking repeatedly.
Paired Weapons
Characters wielding paired weapons may ignore the penalty for their second attack.
However, the off-hand attack suffers Disadvantage unless the character possesses the Ambidextrous trait or a similar ability.
Certain combat powers may also grant additional multi-attack options.
Designer Note: Combat Tempo
Multiple attacks allow highly skilled fighters to overwhelm opponents through relentless pressure, but doing so comes at the cost of accuracy. Choosing when to attack repeatedly and when to conserve effort is an important tactical decision.
12. Armor and Penetration
Armor protects characters from physical injury by absorbing or deflecting incoming attacks. In ShadowRealms, armor provides Protection values against different types of physical damage.
Armor normally protects against the following damage types:
- Slashing
- Puncture
- Impact
Each armor type lists a Protection value for each of these damage categories.
When a character is struck by an attack, their armor reduces the effectiveness of the incoming blow.
Durability
A character’s ability to resist injury is represented by their Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Toughness represents the character’s physical resilience, while Protection represents the defensive strength of the armor they are wearing.
Durability is used to determine whether incoming damage successfully penetrates the target’s defenses.
Weapon Penetration
Many weapons possess a Penetration rating that represents their ability to punch through armor.
When resolving an attack, the weapon’s Penetration reduces the armor’s Protection value for the relevant damage type.
Penetration cannot reduce armor Protection below zero.
Example
A warrior wearing chain armor has Protection 4 against slashing attacks.
An enemy strikes them with a weapon that has Penetration 2.
The armor’s effective Protection becomes 2 for that attack
13. Armor Fatigue
Wearing armor in prolonged combat is physically exhausting. The weight of armor, restricted movement, and constant strain gradually wear down even experienced warriors.
Beginning with the first turn after the first round of combat, any character wearing armor must make a Wear Armor test each time their turn begins on a new round.
The difficulty of this test is determined by the armor being worn.
Wear Armor Test
Difficulty = 12 + Armor Wear Difficulty
If the test succeeds, the character continues fighting without penalty.
If the test fails, the character loses 1 point of Fatigue.
This fatigue represents the physical strain of fighting while encumbered by armor.
When the Test Occurs
A Wear Armor test is required:
- at the start of the character’s turn in a new round
- beginning with the second round of combat
- only if the character is wearing armor
Example
Seren is wearing chain armor that has a Wear Difficulty of 3.
At the beginning of the second round of combat, she must make a Wear Armor test.
12 + 3 = 15
Seren rolls her Wear Armor skill test against a difficulty of 15.
If she fails the test, she loses 1 Fatigue due to the physical strain of fighting in heavy armor.
Designer Note: Armor Is Protection, Not Endurance
Armor provides strong protection against injury, but it comes at a cost. Heavy armor slows a fighter down and drains their stamina over time. Combatants wearing lighter armor may have less protection but are able to fight longer before exhaustion becomes a factor.
14. Damage Penalties
As characters suffer injuries, their ability to fight effectively begins to deteriorate.
Severe wounds reduce a character’s strength, coordination, and ability to concentrate during combat.
Damage penalties are determined by the number of boxes filled on the Damage Track.
| Damage Taken | Dice Penalty |
| 1–4 | No penalty |
| 5–8 | –1 die |
| 9–12 | –2 dice |
| 13–16 | –3 dice |
These penalties apply to most physical actions, including attacks, athletic movement, and combat maneuvers.
Fatigue Effects
Fatigue represents exhaustion, pain, and physical strain.
If a character’s Fatigue Track becomes completely filled, the character suffers an additional –1 die penalty to all actions until fatigue is reduced.
Designer Note: Escalating Danger
As injuries accumulate, combat becomes progressively more dangerous. Even a skilled warrior may find themselves struggling to defend against attacks once they have suffered multiple wounds.
15. Bleeding
Serious injuries may cause a character to begin bleeding, representing blood loss from deep wounds.
A character’s ability to resist blood loss is determined by their Bleeding Rating, which is equal to their Toughness.
Certain critical injuries may reduce a character’s Bleeding Rating. Each such injury represents an open wound that continues to drain the character’s strength.
At the end of each round in which a bleeding character performs any strenuous action, such as attacking, moving, or using powers, they must make a Bleeding Test.
To resolve a Bleeding Test, the player rolls 1d20 and must exceed the character’s current Bleeding Rating.
If the roll fails, the character loses 1 point of Stamina.
Once a character’s Stamina is exhausted, further failed Bleeding Tests instead cause the loss of one box on the Damage Track.
Stopping Bleeding
Bleeding may be stopped through medical treatment.
A character may attempt a Medicine test to stop bleeding.
The difficulty is:
12 + the total bleeding penalty currently affecting the target
If the Medicine test succeeds, the bleeding condition ends.
Certain powers or abilities may also slow or stop bleeding.
16. Healing Surges
Adventurers possess reserves of inner strength that allow them to push through pain and recover during battle. These reserves are represented by Healing Surges.
A character has a number of Healing Surges equal to their Vitality.
Using a Healing Surge
A Healing Surge cannot be used freely at any time. Instead, it requires a trigger.
When a Healing Surge is used, the character immediately restores:
- 4 boxes of Damage
- 8 points of Stamina
Using a Healing Surge costs 1 Action Point, unless otherwise specified by the triggering ability.
Self-Use: Second Wind
A character may use a Healing Surge on themselves by taking a Second Wind.
- Cost: 1 Action Point
- Limit: Once per encounter
Second Wind represents a character steadying themselves, catching their breath, and pushing through injury by force of will.
External Triggers
Healing Surges are most often activated through the aid of others. Certain abilities allow a character to use a Healing Surge outside of Second Wind.
These include, but are not limited to:
- Faith-based healing abilities
- Valor powers that restore or bolster allies
- Tactics abilities such as Rally or battlefield commands
When granted by an external effect, a character may use a Healing Surge even if they have already used Second Wind during the encounter.
Unless otherwise stated, using a Healing Surge through an external trigger still costs 1 Action Point.
Limits of Endurance
Healing Surges represent a finite reserve of endurance.
Once a character has expended all of their Healing Surges, they can no longer recover Damage or Stamina through this system and must rely on:
- Rest and recovery
- Medical treatment
- Magical or supernatural healing
Designer Note: Last Stands
Healing Surges are not simply a measure of health, but of determination. They represent the moment a warrior refuses to fall, the breath drawn before a final charge, or the will to rise when defeat seems certain.
Many of the most dramatic moments in ShadowRealms occur when a character spends their final Healing Surge to remain standing against overwhelming odds.
17. Limit Breaks
As a character suffers damage and fatigue, they may reach a moment of desperate determination known as a Limit Break.
Limit Breaks represent a surge of adrenaline and focus that allows a character to perform extraordinary feats in the heat of battle.
A Limit Break is triggered when a character’s Condition Monitor reaches certain thresholds.
A Limit Break occurs when:
- the character’s total Damage and Fatigue increases by 6 boxes
- and again for every additional 6 boxes thereafter
When a Limit Break triggers, the character must use it on their next turn.
Limit Breaks cannot be stored or delayed.
Limit Break Effects
When performing a Limit Break attack, the character gains Total Advantage on the attack roll.
Total Advantage forces all failed dice to be rerolled.
Certain combat powers may also require a Limit Break to activate, allowing characters to unleash devastating abilities during moments of extreme danger.
18. Grappling
Sometimes combatants abandon weapons entirely and attempt to overpower their opponent through physical force.
Grappling represents attempts to grab, restrain, or control another creature in close combat.
Grappling uses the Grapple skill.
Initiating a Grapple
To initiate a grapple, the attacker makes a Grapple test against the target’s Grapple Defense Rating.
If the attack succeeds, the target becomes Grappled.
Effects of Being Grappled
A Grappled character:
- cannot move freely
- may only attack the grappler or attempt to break free
- suffers Disadvantage on most attacks against other targets
Breaking a Grapple
A Grappled character may attempt to escape by making a Grapple test against the opponent’s Grapple Defense.
If successful, the grapple ends and the character may move normally.
Fighting While Grappled
Characters engaged in a grapple may still attack one another using unarmed strikes, short weapons, or other close-quarters techniques.
Large weapons are difficult or impossible to use effectively while grappled unless a power or special ability allows it.
Forced Movement
A successful grappler may attempt to drag or reposition their opponent.
This usually requires an additional Grapple test and may move the target one or more Areas depending on the situation.
Designer Note: Close-Quarters Combat
Grappling represents chaotic, brutal close-quarters fighting. Combatants struggling for control often abandon careful technique in favor of raw strength and leverage.
19. Other Effects
Disarm
A character may attempt to knock a weapon or item from an opponent’s hand.
To perform a Disarm, the attacker makes a combat test using their normal attack skill. The target resists using their Defense Rating.
If the attacker has the necessary ability and produces at least two penetrating successes, the attacker may choose to knock the defender’s weapon free so that it lands in an adjacent Area.
If the attacker achieves additional successes, the Game Master may allow the weapon to be thrown farther away depending on the situation.
Knockback
Some powerful strikes may force an enemy backward.
When a maneuver or special ability causes knockback, the target is pushed a number of Areas determined by the ability or the number of successes rolled.
Knockback may force an enemy into hazards, obstacles, or other combatants.
If a character is forced into a solid obstacle, additional damage may occur at the Game Master’s discretion.
Knockdown
Certain attacks may knock an opponent off their feet.
A knocked-down character becomes Prone.
Standing up from a prone position requires 1 Action Point.
While prone, a character suffers penalties to movement and attacks as described in the Situational Advantage and Disadvantage section.
Shove
A character may attempt to push an enemy away without dealing damage.
Resolve this as a Grapple test.
If successful, the defender is pushed one Area in the chosen direction.
20. Attacking Inanimate Objects
When attacking an inanimate object or a target that is unable to defend itself, the attacker does not make an attack roll.
Instead, the attacker rolls their full attack dice pool directly as damage dice.
Attack rolls normally represent an opponent’s ability to dodge, parry, or otherwise avoid a strike. Objects and defenseless targets cannot do this, so the attack automatically connects.
The attacker proceeds directly to the Damage Roll, resolving the strike against the object’s Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Objects do not benefit from Defense Rating and cannot actively defend themselves.
If the attack generates damage successes, apply damage using the Damage Ladder as normal.
When the total damage inflicted equals or exceeds the object’s Break Threshold, the object is destroyed, shattered, or rendered unusable.
Common Object Durability
| Object | Durability | Break Threshold |
| Glass Bottle | 4 | 1 |
| Ceramic Dish | 5 | 1 |
| Wooden Chair | 7 | 2 |
| Wooden Table | 8 | 3 |
| Barrel | 8 | 3 |
| Wooden Door (Interior) | 9 | 4 |
| Wooden Door (Reinforced) | 11 | 6 |
| Wagon Wheel | 10 | 5 |
| Wagon | 12 | 8 |
| Wooden Chest | 10 | 5 |
| Iron-Bound Chest | 13 | 8 |
| Stone Statue | 14 | 10 |
| Iron Manacles | 15 | 10 |
| Prison Cell Bars | 16 | 12 |
| Castle Door (Oak, Iron-Bound) | 17 | 14 |
| Stone Wall (1 meter thick) | 18 | 16 |
Object Material Guidelines
| Material | Typical Durability |
| Glass | 4–5 |
| Ceramic | 5–6 |
| Wood | 7–10 |
| Reinforced Wood | 10–12 |
| Stone | 12–15 |
| Iron or Steel | 14–17 |
| Thick Structural Stone | 17–20 |
Structural Damage
Large objects such as wagons, gates, or walls may not need to be completely destroyed to become ineffective.
The Game Master may rule that damaging key structural points, such as hinges, wheels, beams, or joints, can disable the object at half the listed Break Threshold.
Siege Damage
Some attacks are powerful enough to tear through structures with devastating force. Massive creatures, heavy weapons, siege engines, and certain supernatural abilities can inflict Siege Damage.
When resolving Siege Damage against an object, apply one or more of the following effects depending on the source of the attack.
Each damage success counts as two successes when applied to an object’s Break Threshold.
Siege Damage reduces an object’s Protection by half, rounded down, before Armor Penetration is applied.
If an attack with Siege Damage generates 4 or more damage successes, the Game Master may rule that part of the structure collapses entirely rather than merely taking damage.
21. Minions and Elite Minions
Not every opponent in ShadowRealms is meant to endure prolonged combat. Many enemies exist to represent lesser threats, battlefield fodder, or groups of weaker combatants. These enemies are represented using Minion rules, which simplify their durability while still allowing them to participate meaningfully in combat.
Minions come in three tiers representing increasing resilience.
Lesser Minions
A Lesser Minion is defeated if an attack generates 1 or more damage successes.
Standard Minions
A Standard Minion is defeated if an attack generates 2 or more damage successes.
If an attack generates only 1 damage success, the Minion survives but may be staggered, forced back, or otherwise momentarily disrupted at the Game Master’s discretion.
Elite Minions
An Elite Minion is defeated if an attack generates 3 or more damage successes.
If an attack generates 1 or 2 damage successes, the Elite Minion survives but suffers visible injury or temporary impairment at the Game Master’s discretion.
Minions and Cleave
Minions interact normally with Cleave attacks.
When an attack with Cleave generates enough damage successes to defeat its initial target, any remaining successes may be applied to additional Minions according to the Cleave rules.
Purpose of Minions
Minions allow the Game Master to represent large numbers of enemies without tracking full durability for each one.
They are designed to speed up combat resolution, support large battlefield encounters, and create cinematic moments where powerful characters cut through lesser foes.
22. Death and Dying
Combat in ShadowRealms can be deadly. When a character’s Damage Track becomes completely filled, they risk falling unconscious or dying.
When a character reaches maximum damage, they must immediately make a Toughness Resistance Test.
If the test fails, the character falls unconscious.
If the test succeeds, the character may remain conscious, but they are in a critical state.
Acting While Mortally Wounded
A character who remains conscious after reaching maximum damage may continue to act, but doing so is extremely dangerous.
Each time the character performs a strenuous action, such as attacking or moving, they suffer one additional box of damage and must make another Toughness Resistance Test.
Death
If a character’s Damage Track becomes completely filled a second time, the character dies.
Stabilizing a Dying Character
A dying character may be stabilized through medical treatment.
A character may attempt a Medicine test to stabilize a dying ally.
The difficulty is:
12 + the number of negative damage boxes the character has suffered
If the test succeeds, the dying character stabilizes and no longer risks immediate death.
23. Critical Injuries
Some attacks cause particularly devastating wounds. These injuries are represented by Critical Hits.
Critical injuries reflect the brutal reality of combat. Even a single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent or end a battle instantly.
When a damaging attack is resolved, determine where the blow lands by rolling 1d20 on the Hit Location Table. Players may roll this die at the same time as the damage dice, using a different color die if desired.
Hit Location Table
| Roll | Location |
| 19–20 | Head |
| 16–18 | Left Arm |
| 13–15 | Right Arm |
| 9–12 | Chest |
| 5–8 | Abdomen |
| 3–4 | Left Leg |
| 1–2 | Right Leg |
Determining Critical Severity
The severity of a critical injury depends on the amount of damage that penetrates the target’s defenses.
After determining damage, the attacker rolls a number of d6 equal to the number of damage successes scored.
Add the results together and compare the total against the appropriate Critical Table for the attack’s damage type and hit location.
Each damage type has its own critical table, and each table contains results for the different body locations.
These results may include:
- bleeding
- broken bones
- impaired limbs
- unconsciousness
- instant death
Higher results represent more severe injuries.
Escalating Critical Results
Unlike many systems where criticals are divided into fixed categories, ShadowRealms uses escalating results on a single table.
The more damage successes inflicted, the higher the possible critical roll and the more severe the injury.
This allows devastating attacks to produce extremely dangerous outcomes without requiring multiple separate critical tables.
Designer Note: Deadly Precision
Critical injuries represent the brutal reality of combat. Even a single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent or end a battle instantly.
24. Combat Example
The following example demonstrates how combat flows using the rules presented in this chapter.
This example illustrates surprise, initiative, Action Point usage, attacks and damage, glancing blows, critical hits, and the revolving initiative system.
Seren the scout encounters a bandit while traveling along a forest road. The bandit attempts to ambush her from behind a fallen log.
The Game Master calls for a Surprise Test. Seren rolls using Awareness and succeeds, noticing the bandit before he strikes. The bandit fails his own Alertness check and begins the combat Surprised.
Seren’s Initiative Rating is 10. She rolls a 14, for a total initiative of 24. Because initiative counts downward from 20, she acts immediately. The bandit cannot act during the first round because he is Surprised.
On her turn, Seren receives 4 Action Points. She spends 1 AP to move one Area toward the bandit, 1 AP to attack, 1 AP for a second attack, and 1 AP to adjust her position.
On her first attack, Seren rolls her attack dice and scores 2 successful hits. These become 2 damage dice. She rolls damage and scores 1 damage success. According to the Damage Ladder, the bandit suffers 1 damage. Seren then rolls hit location and gets Chest. Because she inflicted 1 damage success, she rolls 1d6 for critical severity and produces a minor chest wound result.
For her second attack, Seren suffers the normal multiple-attack dice penalty. Even so, she rolls well and scores 2 successful hits again. This time both damage dice succeed, inflicting 2 damage. She rolls hit location and critical severity again, worsening the bandit’s injuries.
After Seren completes her turn, 20 is subtracted from her initiative score.
24 − 20 = 4
Because the result remains positive, Seren will act again later in the same round when initiative reaches 4.
In the following round, the bandit joins the initiative order. He rolls a total of 15 and acts before Seren’s next count.
The bandit moves toward Seren and attacks. His attack roll succeeds, generating 2 damage dice. However, when he rolls damage, none of the damage dice penetrate Seren’s armor. Because the attack would have inflicted harm without armor, the result becomes a Glancing Blow. Seren takes Fatigue damage instead of normal injury.
Combat continues in this fashion until one side falls, flees, or yields.
25. Quick Combat Reference
Combat Sequence
- Determine Surprise
- Roll Initiative
- Act in Initiative Order
- Spend Action Points
- Resolve attacks and damage
Initiative
Initiative = (2 × Quickness) + Awareness + Intuition
Roll 1d20 + Initiative Rating.
After acting:
Initiative − 20
If positive, act again that round.
If negative, convert to positive, roll a new d20, and determine initiative for the next round.
Action Points
Each turn a character receives:
4 Action Points
Damage Ladder
| Penetrating Successes | Damage |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 16 |
Damage Penalties
| Damage Taken | Penalty |
| 1–4 | None |
| 5–8 | –1 die |
| 9–12 | –2 dice |
| 13–16 | –3 dice |
Glancing Blow
If an attack would hit but armor prevents it from penetrating, the target suffers Stamina damage equal to the attack successes at the rate of 1 per die, as opposed to normal damage.
Healing Surge
Costs 1 Action Point
Restores:
- 4 damage boxes
- 8 stamina
Limit Break
Triggered at different points during the stamina and damage tracks.
Grants Total Advantage on the next attack.
Must be used next turn.
Death
When the Damage Track fills:
- make a Toughness save or fall unconscious
- Even if conscious the character is limited to crawl movement.
- You are still at -4 dice to any action to perform.
If the Damage Track fills again, the character dies.Section 4 – Combat
Combat
Conflict is inevitable in the world of ShadowRealms. Whether clashing with raiders on a lonely road, battling monstrous creatures in forgotten ruins, or confronting dark forces that threaten entire kingdoms, adventurers will eventually face violence.
Combat in ShadowRealms is fast, tactical, and dangerous. A single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent, and positioning on the battlefield is often as important as raw strength. Warriors maneuver for advantage, shield bearers hold defensive lines, archers search for clear shots, and spellcasters shape the flow of battle through powerful abilities.
Unlike many roleplaying games, ShadowRealms combat does not proceed in rigid rounds where each character acts once and then waits. Instead, the system uses a revolving initiative, allowing faster characters to act more frequently while slower combatants struggle to keep pace.
Combat also rewards tactical thinking. Terrain, weapon reach, defensive positioning, and teamwork can often determine the outcome of a battle before the first strike is even made.
This chapter explains how combat works, including surprise, initiative, movement, attacks, injuries, and the many actions characters can perform during a fight.
1. Combat Overview
When a situation escalates into violence, the game shifts into combat time, where actions are resolved moment by moment. The following sequence outlines the general flow of combat.
Combat Sequence
- Determine Surprise
- Roll Initiative
- Act in Initiative Order
- Spend Action Points
- Resolve attacks and effects
- Continue until combat ends
Combat continues until one side is defeated, flees, or the situation otherwise resolves.
Because ShadowRealms uses a revolving initiative system, characters may act multiple times during a single round if their initiative score is high enough.
Designer Note: Combat Is Dangerous
ShadowRealms combat is intentionally lethal. Characters can suffer serious injuries in only a few exchanges of blows. While heroic victories are possible, survival often depends on smart tactics, teamwork, and positioning rather than brute force alone.
2. Surprise
Before the first blow is struck, combatants may or may not realize a fight is about to begin. When one side attempts an ambush or when danger is not immediately obvious, the Game Master may call for a Surprise Test.
Surprise is determined using the Alertness skill.
The character rolls a number of dice equal to either their Awareness or Intuition Attribute, chosen by the player. The difficulty of the test is determined by the Game Master based on the situation.
Example Surprise Difficulty
| Situation | Difficulty |
| Loud or obvious enemies | Easy |
| Suspicious activity nearby | Moderate |
| Hidden ambush in darkness | Hard |
| Invisible or supernatural threat | Extreme |
If the character succeeds on the test, they detect the danger in time to react normally.
If the character fails the test, they are Surprised.
A Surprised character:
- cannot act during the first round of combat
- suffers the Off-Guard condition during the following round
This represents the confusion and hesitation caused by a sudden attack.
Example: Surprise Test
Seren the scout is traveling along a forest path when several bandits attempt to ambush her from behind a fallen tree.
The Game Master calls for a Surprise Test.
Seren decides to roll using her Awareness, which is 3. She rolls three dice against the target number determined by the Game Master for the ambush.
Seren succeeds on the test and notices movement among the branches just before the bandits spring their attack. Because she detected the danger in time, she is not surprised and may act normally once initiative is rolled.
Had she failed the test, the bandits would have caught her off guard, preventing her from acting during the first round of combat
3. Initiative
Once combat begins, each participant determines when they act using the Initiative system.
Initiative represents a character’s speed, awareness, and ability to react to unfolding events.
Initiative Rating
Each character has an Initiative Rating determined by the following formula:
Initiative = (2 × Quickness) + Awareness + Intuition
To determine initiative at the start of combat, the player rolls 1d20 and adds their Initiative Rating.
Characters act in order from highest initiative to lowest, beginning with the highest result and counting downward.
Initiative counts from 20 down to 1.
Revolving Initiative
ShadowRealms uses a revolving initiative system rather than fixed rounds.
After a character completes their turn, 20 is subtracted from their initiative score.
If the result remains positive, the character will act again later in the same round when the initiative count reaches that number.
If the result becomes negative, the character will not act again during the current round. Instead, convert the negative value to a positive number, roll a new d20, and add that roll to the converted value. The total becomes the character’s initiative score for the next round.
This system allows faster characters to act more often while slower combatants act less frequently.
Example: Revolving Initiative
Seren has the following Attributes:
Quickness 3
Awareness 2
Intuition 2
Her Initiative Rating is therefore 10.
At the start of combat, Seren rolls a 14 on her d20.
Her total initiative is 24, allowing her to act immediately.
After finishing her turn, 20 is subtracted from her initiative score.
24 − 20 = 4
Because the result is still positive, Seren will act again later in the same round when the initiative count reaches 4.
Example: Starting a New Round
A bandit rolls a total initiative of 15.
After completing his turn, 20 is subtracted from his initiative score.
15 − 20 = −5
Because the result is negative, the bandit will not act again during the current round.
The negative value becomes 5, and the bandit rolls a new d20. The result is added to this value to determine the bandit’s initiative for the next round.
4. Action Points
During combat, characters act by spending Action Points (AP). Action Points represent the time, effort, and attention required to perform actions in the chaos of battle.
Each time a character acts during the initiative order, they receive 4 Action Points.
These points may be spent on movement, attacks, defensive maneuvers, or special abilities. A character may divide their Action Points between different actions in any order during their turn.
For example, a character might move toward an enemy, strike with a weapon, and then assume a defensive stance, all within the same turn, provided they have enough Action Points remaining.
Once all Action Points are spent, the character’s turn ends. Any unused Action Points are lost and do not carry over to future turns.
Designer Note: Tactical Flexibility
The Action Point system allows characters to balance offense, defense, and movement each turn. A cautious fighter might spend Action Points defending themselves while advancing slowly, while an aggressive warrior might spend all of their points attacking in a relentless assault.
5. Combat Actions
Characters may perform many different actions during combat. Each action has an associated Action Point cost.
Some actions represent offensive maneuvers, while others allow characters to reposition themselves, prepare attacks, or defend against incoming threats.
Common Combat Actions
| Action | AP Cost |
| Attack | 1 |
| Move | 1 |
| Run | 1 |
| Aim | 1 |
| Charge | 2 |
| Brace | 1 |
| Fight Defensively | 1 |
| All-Out Attack | 1 |
| Grapple | 1 |
| Disarm | 1 |
| Stand Up | 1 |
| Ready Action | 1 |
| Hold Action | 1 |
| Use Healing Surge | 1 |
| Use Power | Varies |
Free Actions
Some actions require no Action Points and may be performed freely during a character’s turn.
| Free Action | Description |
| Speak | Brief communication |
| Drop Object | Release a held item |
| Fall Prone | Throw yourself to the ground |
Free actions should remain brief and reasonable. The Game Master may limit excessive free actions during a turn.
6. Movement
Movement during combat is measured in Areas.
An Area represents roughly a five-foot square of space. Areas are used to measure character movement, weapon reach, and tactical positioning on the battlefield.
Base Movement
A character may move a number of Areas equal to their Quickness + 1.
Each Area of movement costs 1 Action Point.
Example
Seren has a Quickness of 3.
Her base movement is therefore 4 Areas.
By spending Action Points to move, she can travel up to four Areas across the battlefield.
Running
Characters may push themselves to move faster during combat.
Each additional Action Point spent running allows the character to move additional Areas equal to their base movement.
Running represents a full sprint and prevents the character from performing certain complex actions while moving.
Standing Up
Standing up from a prone position costs 1 Action Point.
Climbing
Climbing is slower than normal movement.
A character may climb half their normal movement while scaling a wall, cliff, or similar surface.
Climbing difficult or unstable surfaces may require an Athletics test at a difficulty determined by the Game Master.
Swimming
Characters may swim a number of Areas equal to their base movement.
Rough water, strong currents, or difficult conditions may require an Athletics test to avoid being slowed or pulled off course.
7. Zone Control and Threatened Areas
Combatants exert control over the space around them. Any Area a character can immediately strike with a melee weapon is considered a Threatened Area.
Enemies moving through threatened Areas risk triggering Opportunity Attacks.
Standard Threat
Most melee weapons threaten the Areas directly adjacent to the wielder.
A character normally threatens the Areas immediately surrounding them.
Enemies who move out of a threatened Area may provoke an Opportunity Attack.
Reach Weapons
Weapons with the Reach characteristic threaten a larger portion of the battlefield.
A reach weapon threatens:
- the three Areas directly in front of the wielder
- the three Areas one step farther forward
This extended threat allows the wielder to strike enemies before they close into normal melee range.
However, reach weapons only threaten Areas within the wielder’s forward arc and do not threaten the sides or rear.
Opportunity Attacks
An Opportunity Attack occurs when an enemy performs a careless action within a threatened Area.
Common triggers include:
- leaving a threatened Area
- charging past an enemy
- attacking a reach weapon with a shorter weapon
Opportunity Attacks are resolved as normal melee attacks.
Close Quarters Weapons
Some weapons are designed for fighting inside the reach of longer weapons.
Weapons with the Close Quarters feature reduce the advantage normally granted by reach weapons.
When a character closes distance against a reach weapon using a Close Quarters weapon, the reach user may only gain the reach-based Opportunity Attack against the first attack made against them that turn.
Designer Note: Battlefield Control
Zone control is one of the most important tactical elements of combat. Skilled fighters use their positioning to protect allies, hold defensive lines, and prevent enemies from moving freely across the battlefield.
8. Facing
In the chaos of battle, combatants cannot defend themselves equally in every direction. Characters are assumed to be aware of threats within their general field of vision, but positioning still plays an important role.
Each character has a facing direction, representing where they are primarily focused during combat.
A character’s facing is divided into three zones:
- Front Arc
- Side Arcs
- Rear Arc
The front arc represents the area directly in front of the character where they can most easily defend themselves and bring their weapon to bear.
The side arcs represent the areas slightly behind the character’s shoulders where they are still aware of threats but cannot defend themselves as effectively.
The rear arc represents the area behind the character where attacks are most difficult to anticipate or defend against.
The Game Master may use miniatures, tokens, or simple diagrams to track character facing when battlefield positioning becomes important.
Rear Attacks
Attacking a target from their rear arc grants two levels of Advantage.
These attacks represent striking a distracted or unaware opponent from behind.
Changing Facing
A character may freely change their facing direction during their turn as part of their movement or actions. Facing represents the direction a character is actively engaging at any given moment.
Designer Note: Tactical Positioning
Positioning is an important part of ShadowRealms combat. Skilled fighters maneuver for advantageous positions while attempting to prevent enemies from reaching their vulnerable flanks or rear.
9. Situational Advantage and Disadvantage
Various battlefield conditions can make attacks easier or more difficult. Rather than using large numbers of numerical modifiers, ShadowRealms primarily uses the Advantage and Disadvantage system to represent these effects.
Advantage and Disadvantage modify the results of a dice roll.
Advantage allows a player to reroll failed dice, while Disadvantage forces a player to reroll successful dice.
Multiple levels of Advantage or Disadvantage may apply depending on the situation.
Common Combat Situations
| Situation | Effect |
| Higher ground | Advantage |
| Attacking from rear | Advantage (2 levels) |
| Target prone (melee attack) | Advantage (2 levels) |
| Attacking while prone | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Attacking a target you cannot see | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Ranged attack against a moving target | Disadvantage |
| Fighting in tight spaces | Disadvantage |
| Using a reach weapon in tight spaces | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
| Ranged attack against a prone target | Disadvantage (2 levels) |
The Game Master may apply additional Advantage or Disadvantage when unusual circumstances affect the difficulty of an attack.
Aiming
A character may spend Action Points to carefully line up an attack.
Each Action Point spent Aiming grants one level of Advantage on the next attack.
A character may gain a maximum of three levels of Advantage through aiming.
If the target cannot be seen, aiming provides no benefit and the attack suffers Total Disadvantage.
10. Making an Attack
Attacking an enemy represents an attempt to land a meaningful strike against a defending opponent.
Combat in ShadowRealms is resolved in two stages: an Attack Roll and a Damage Roll. The attack roll determines how many damage dice are generated, while the damage roll determines how much harm the strike actually inflicts.
Follow these steps when making an attack.
Step 1 — Determine the Target Number
The defender’s Defense Rating (DR) represents how difficult they are to strike in combat. It reflects a character’s ability to evade, deflect, or otherwise avoid incoming attacks.
Determine the Target Number for the attack as follows:
Target Number = Defender’s Defense Rating − Attacker’s Relevant Combat Skill
The higher the attacker’s skill, the easier it becomes to land a successful strike.
Step 2 — Determine the Dice Pool
The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the relevant Attribute used for the attack.
In most cases:
- Might is used for melee attacks
- Agility may be used for weapons with the Agile property
- Accuracy is typically used for ranged attacks
Step 3 — Roll the Attack
The player rolls their attack dice pool.
Each die that meets or exceeds the Target Number counts as a successful hit.
These successes do not deal damage directly. Instead, each success generates one Damage Die, which will be rolled during the damage step.
The attack roll therefore acts as a funnel, determining how much of the attacker’s potential force reaches the target.
Step 4 — Apply Advantage or Disadvantage
If the attack benefits from Advantage, failed dice may be rerolled according to the number of Advantage levels.
If the attack suffers Disadvantage, successful dice must be rerolled according to the number of Disadvantage levels.
Each die may only be rerolled once, and no more dice may be rerolled than were originally rolled.
Step 5 — Determine the Damage Target
Damage is resolved against the defender’s Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Protection is typically provided by armor.
Armor may be reduced by the attacker’s Armor Penetration:
Modified Protection = Protection − Armor Penetration (minimum 0)
The final Damage Target is then determined by applying the attacker’s Attack Strength:
Damage Target = Toughness + Modified Protection − Attack Strength
Attack Strength is determined by the weapon’s Damage Code.
Step 6 — Roll Damage
The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to the successful hits generated by the attack roll.
Each die that meets or exceeds the Damage Target becomes a damage success.
Step 7 — Apply Damage, Glancing Blows, and the Damage Ladder
If the attack generates one or more damage successes, apply the Damage Ladder normally.
| Damage Successes | Damage Inflicted |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 16 |
This scaling represents increasingly devastating strikes as more damage successes are achieved.
If the attack inflicts no damage, the attack normally ends here.
However, if the attack would have inflicted damage but armor prevented the blow from penetrating, the result becomes a Glancing Blow instead.
A Glancing Blow occurs when:
- the attack generated successful hits
- the blow would have penetrated without the target’s armor
- but armor prevented the attack from inflicting normal damage
Instead of causing normal damage, a Glancing Blow inflicts Fatigue damage equal to the number of attack successes generated by the Attack Roll.
This represents force transferring through armor without breaking through it.
Step 8 — Determine Hit Location
If the attack inflicted damage, determine where the strike lands by rolling 1d20 on the Hit Location Table.
Players may roll this die at the same time as the damage dice to speed up play. Using a different colored die makes it easy to distinguish from the damage dice.
| Roll | Location |
| 19–20 | Head |
| 16–18 | Left Arm |
| 13–15 | Right Arm |
| 9–12 | Chest |
| 5–8 | Abdomen |
| 3–4 | Left Leg |
| 1–2 | Right Leg |
Step 9 — Resolve Critical Injury
After determining the hit location, roll a number of d6 equal to the number of damage successes scored.
Add the results together and compare the total against the appropriate Critical Table for the attack’s damage type and hit location.
Critical results may cause effects such as bleeding, broken bones, impaired limbs, unconsciousness, or instant death.
Higher results represent more severe injuries.
Attacking Defenseless Targets
If a target is unable to defend themselves, unaware of the attack, or is an inanimate object, the attack automatically connects.
In these cases, the attacker skips the attack roll and rolls their full attack dice pool directly as damage dice.
Normally, the attack roll represents the defender’s attempt to evade or deflect a blow. When a target cannot do so, the strike lands cleanly.
The Attack Funnel
In ShadowRealms, combat resolution is intentionally divided into two stages: hitting the target and causing harm.
The Attack Roll determines how much of the attacker’s potential force actually reaches the target. Skilled defenders avoid or deflect blows before they ever become dangerous.
Each success on the attack roll becomes a Damage Die, which is then rolled to determine whether the strike penetrates the defender’s durability.
Because of this, the attack roll acts as a funnel for damage:
Attack Dice → Successful Hits → Damage Dice → Damage Inflicted
A skilled attacker produces more damage dice, while strong weapons and powerful strikes make those dice more likely to penetrate armor and toughness.
This structure allows three different factors to influence the outcome of combat:
- Skill determines how often blows land.
- Defense determines how well those blows are avoided.
- Power and armor determine how dangerous those blows are once they connect.
11. Multiple Attacks
A character may attempt multiple attacks during a single turn by spending additional Action Points.
However, attacking repeatedly in quick succession becomes increasingly difficult.
When making consecutive attacks during the same turn, the attacker suffers a reduction to their dice pool.
| Attack Number | Dice Pool Penalty |
| First attack | No penalty |
| Second attack | –1 die |
| Third attack | –2 dice |
| Fourth attack | –3 dice |
These penalties represent fatigue and the difficulty of maintaining accuracy while attacking repeatedly.
Paired Weapons
Characters wielding paired weapons may ignore the penalty for their second attack.
However, the off-hand attack suffers Disadvantage unless the character possesses the Ambidextrous trait or a similar ability.
Certain combat powers may also grant additional multi-attack options.
Designer Note: Combat Tempo
Multiple attacks allow highly skilled fighters to overwhelm opponents through relentless pressure, but doing so comes at the cost of accuracy. Choosing when to attack repeatedly and when to conserve effort is an important tactical decision.
12. Armor and Penetration
Armor protects characters from physical injury by absorbing or deflecting incoming attacks. In ShadowRealms, armor provides Protection values against different types of physical damage.
Armor normally protects against the following damage types:
- Slashing
- Puncture
- Impact
Each armor type lists a Protection value for each of these damage categories.
When a character is struck by an attack, their armor reduces the effectiveness of the incoming blow.
Durability
A character’s ability to resist injury is represented by their Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Toughness represents the character’s physical resilience, while Protection represents the defensive strength of the armor they are wearing.
Durability is used to determine whether incoming damage successfully penetrates the target’s defenses.
Weapon Penetration
Many weapons possess a Penetration rating that represents their ability to punch through armor.
When resolving an attack, the weapon’s Penetration reduces the armor’s Protection value for the relevant damage type.
Penetration cannot reduce armor Protection below zero.
Example
A warrior wearing chain armor has Protection 4 against slashing attacks.
An enemy strikes them with a weapon that has Penetration 2.
The armor’s effective Protection becomes 2 for that attack
13. Armor Fatigue
Wearing armor in prolonged combat is physically exhausting. The weight of armor, restricted movement, and constant strain gradually wear down even experienced warriors.
Beginning with the first turn after the first round of combat, any character wearing armor must make a Wear Armor test each time their turn begins on a new round.
The difficulty of this test is determined by the armor being worn.
Wear Armor Test
Difficulty = 12 + Armor Wear Difficulty
If the test succeeds, the character continues fighting without penalty.
If the test fails, the character loses 1 point of Fatigue.
This fatigue represents the physical strain of fighting while encumbered by armor.
When the Test Occurs
A Wear Armor test is required:
- at the start of the character’s turn in a new round
- beginning with the second round of combat
- only if the character is wearing armor
Example
Seren is wearing chain armor that has a Wear Difficulty of 3.
At the beginning of the second round of combat, she must make a Wear Armor test.
12 + 3 = 15
Seren rolls her Wear Armor skill test against a difficulty of 15.
If she fails the test, she loses 1 Fatigue due to the physical strain of fighting in heavy armor.
Designer Note: Armor Is Protection, Not Endurance
Armor provides strong protection against injury, but it comes at a cost. Heavy armor slows a fighter down and drains their stamina over time. Combatants wearing lighter armor may have less protection but are able to fight longer before exhaustion becomes a factor.
14. Damage Penalties
As characters suffer injuries, their ability to fight effectively begins to deteriorate.
Severe wounds reduce a character’s strength, coordination, and ability to concentrate during combat.
Damage penalties are determined by the number of boxes filled on the Damage Track.
| Damage Taken | Dice Penalty |
| 1–4 | No penalty |
| 5–8 | –1 die |
| 9–12 | –2 dice |
| 13–16 | –3 dice |
These penalties apply to most physical actions, including attacks, athletic movement, and combat maneuvers.
Fatigue Effects
Fatigue represents exhaustion, pain, and physical strain.
If a character’s Fatigue Track becomes completely filled, the character suffers an additional –1 die penalty to all actions until fatigue is reduced.
Designer Note: Escalating Danger
As injuries accumulate, combat becomes progressively more dangerous. Even a skilled warrior may find themselves struggling to defend against attacks once they have suffered multiple wounds.
15. Bleeding
Serious injuries may cause a character to begin bleeding, representing blood loss from deep wounds.
A character’s ability to resist blood loss is determined by their Bleeding Rating, which is equal to their Toughness.
Certain critical injuries may reduce a character’s Bleeding Rating. Each such injury represents an open wound that continues to drain the character’s strength.
At the end of each round in which a bleeding character performs any strenuous action, such as attacking, moving, or using powers, they must make a Bleeding Test.
To resolve a Bleeding Test, the player rolls 1d20 and must exceed the character’s current Bleeding Rating.
If the roll fails, the character loses 1 point of Stamina.
Once a character’s Stamina is exhausted, further failed Bleeding Tests instead cause the loss of one box on the Damage Track.
Stopping Bleeding
Bleeding may be stopped through medical treatment.
A character may attempt a Medicine test to stop bleeding.
The difficulty is:
12 + the total bleeding penalty currently affecting the target
If the Medicine test succeeds, the bleeding condition ends.
Certain powers or abilities may also slow or stop bleeding.
16. Healing Surges
Adventurers possess reserves of inner strength that allow them to push through pain and recover during battle. These reserves are represented by Healing Surges.
A character has a number of Healing Surges equal to their Vitality.
Using a Healing Surge
A Healing Surge cannot be used freely at any time. Instead, it requires a trigger.
When a Healing Surge is used, the character immediately restores:
- 4 boxes of Damage
- 8 points of Stamina
Using a Healing Surge costs 1 Action Point, unless otherwise specified by the triggering ability.
Self-Use: Second Wind
A character may use a Healing Surge on themselves by taking a Second Wind.
- Cost: 1 Action Point
- Limit: Once per encounter
Second Wind represents a character steadying themselves, catching their breath, and pushing through injury by force of will.
External Triggers
Healing Surges are most often activated through the aid of others. Certain abilities allow a character to use a Healing Surge outside of Second Wind.
These include, but are not limited to:
- Faith-based healing abilities
- Valor powers that restore or bolster allies
- Tactics abilities such as Rally or battlefield commands
When granted by an external effect, a character may use a Healing Surge even if they have already used Second Wind during the encounter.
Unless otherwise stated, using a Healing Surge through an external trigger still costs 1 Action Point.
Limits of Endurance
Healing Surges represent a finite reserve of endurance.
Once a character has expended all of their Healing Surges, they can no longer recover Damage or Stamina through this system and must rely on:
- Rest and recovery
- Medical treatment
- Magical or supernatural healing
Designer Note: Last Stands
Healing Surges are not simply a measure of health, but of determination. They represent the moment a warrior refuses to fall, the breath drawn before a final charge, or the will to rise when defeat seems certain.
Many of the most dramatic moments in ShadowRealms occur when a character spends their final Healing Surge to remain standing against overwhelming odds.
17. Limit Breaks
As a character suffers damage and fatigue, they may reach a moment of desperate determination known as a Limit Break.
Limit Breaks represent a surge of adrenaline and focus that allows a character to perform extraordinary feats in the heat of battle.
A Limit Break is triggered when a character’s Condition Monitor reaches certain thresholds.
A Limit Break occurs when:
- the character’s total Damage and Fatigue increases by 6 boxes
- and again for every additional 6 boxes thereafter
When a Limit Break triggers, the character must use it on their next turn.
Limit Breaks cannot be stored or delayed.
Limit Break Effects
When performing a Limit Break attack, the character gains Total Advantage on the attack roll.
Total Advantage forces all failed dice to be rerolled.
Certain combat powers may also require a Limit Break to activate, allowing characters to unleash devastating abilities during moments of extreme danger.
18. Grappling
Sometimes combatants abandon weapons entirely and attempt to overpower their opponent through physical force.
Grappling represents attempts to grab, restrain, or control another creature in close combat.
Grappling uses the Grapple skill.
Initiating a Grapple
To initiate a grapple, the attacker makes a Grapple test against the target’s Grapple Defense Rating.
If the attack succeeds, the target becomes Grappled.
Effects of Being Grappled
A Grappled character:
- cannot move freely
- may only attack the grappler or attempt to break free
- suffers Disadvantage on most attacks against other targets
Breaking a Grapple
A Grappled character may attempt to escape by making a Grapple test against the opponent’s Grapple Defense.
If successful, the grapple ends and the character may move normally.
Fighting While Grappled
Characters engaged in a grapple may still attack one another using unarmed strikes, short weapons, or other close-quarters techniques.
Large weapons are difficult or impossible to use effectively while grappled unless a power or special ability allows it.
Forced Movement
A successful grappler may attempt to drag or reposition their opponent.
This usually requires an additional Grapple test and may move the target one or more Areas depending on the situation.
Designer Note: Close-Quarters Combat
Grappling represents chaotic, brutal close-quarters fighting. Combatants struggling for control often abandon careful technique in favor of raw strength and leverage.
19. Other Effects
Disarm
A character may attempt to knock a weapon or item from an opponent’s hand.
To perform a Disarm, the attacker makes a combat test using their normal attack skill. The target resists using their Defense Rating.
If the attacker has the necessary ability and produces at least two penetrating successes, the attacker may choose to knock the defender’s weapon free so that it lands in an adjacent Area.
If the attacker achieves additional successes, the Game Master may allow the weapon to be thrown farther away depending on the situation.
Knockback
Some powerful strikes may force an enemy backward.
When a maneuver or special ability causes knockback, the target is pushed a number of Areas determined by the ability or the number of successes rolled.
Knockback may force an enemy into hazards, obstacles, or other combatants.
If a character is forced into a solid obstacle, additional damage may occur at the Game Master’s discretion.
Knockdown
Certain attacks may knock an opponent off their feet.
A knocked-down character becomes Prone.
Standing up from a prone position requires 1 Action Point.
While prone, a character suffers penalties to movement and attacks as described in the Situational Advantage and Disadvantage section.
Shove
A character may attempt to push an enemy away without dealing damage.
Resolve this as a Grapple test.
If successful, the defender is pushed one Area in the chosen direction.
20. Attacking Inanimate Objects
When attacking an inanimate object or a target that is unable to defend itself, the attacker does not make an attack roll.
Instead, the attacker rolls their full attack dice pool directly as damage dice.
Attack rolls normally represent an opponent’s ability to dodge, parry, or otherwise avoid a strike. Objects and defenseless targets cannot do this, so the attack automatically connects.
The attacker proceeds directly to the Damage Roll, resolving the strike against the object’s Durability.
Durability is calculated as:
Durability = Toughness + Protection
Objects do not benefit from Defense Rating and cannot actively defend themselves.
If the attack generates damage successes, apply damage using the Damage Ladder as normal.
When the total damage inflicted equals or exceeds the object’s Break Threshold, the object is destroyed, shattered, or rendered unusable.
Common Object Durability
| Object | Durability | Break Threshold |
| Glass Bottle | 4 | 1 |
| Ceramic Dish | 5 | 1 |
| Wooden Chair | 7 | 2 |
| Wooden Table | 8 | 3 |
| Barrel | 8 | 3 |
| Wooden Door (Interior) | 9 | 4 |
| Wooden Door (Reinforced) | 11 | 6 |
| Wagon Wheel | 10 | 5 |
| Wagon | 12 | 8 |
| Wooden Chest | 10 | 5 |
| Iron-Bound Chest | 13 | 8 |
| Stone Statue | 14 | 10 |
| Iron Manacles | 15 | 10 |
| Prison Cell Bars | 16 | 12 |
| Castle Door (Oak, Iron-Bound) | 17 | 14 |
| Stone Wall (1 meter thick) | 18 | 16 |
Object Material Guidelines
| Material | Typical Durability |
| Glass | 4–5 |
| Ceramic | 5–6 |
| Wood | 7–10 |
| Reinforced Wood | 10–12 |
| Stone | 12–15 |
| Iron or Steel | 14–17 |
| Thick Structural Stone | 17–20 |
Structural Damage
Large objects such as wagons, gates, or walls may not need to be completely destroyed to become ineffective.
The Game Master may rule that damaging key structural points, such as hinges, wheels, beams, or joints, can disable the object at half the listed Break Threshold.
Siege Damage
Some attacks are powerful enough to tear through structures with devastating force. Massive creatures, heavy weapons, siege engines, and certain supernatural abilities can inflict Siege Damage.
When resolving Siege Damage against an object, apply one or more of the following effects depending on the source of the attack.
Each damage success counts as two successes when applied to an object’s Break Threshold.
Siege Damage reduces an object’s Protection by half, rounded down, before Armor Penetration is applied.
If an attack with Siege Damage generates 4 or more damage successes, the Game Master may rule that part of the structure collapses entirely rather than merely taking damage.
21. Minions and Elite Minions
Not every opponent in ShadowRealms is meant to endure prolonged combat. Many enemies exist to represent lesser threats, battlefield fodder, or groups of weaker combatants. These enemies are represented using Minion rules, which simplify their durability while still allowing them to participate meaningfully in combat.
Minions come in three tiers representing increasing resilience.
Lesser Minions
A Lesser Minion is defeated if an attack generates 1 or more damage successes.
Standard Minions
A Standard Minion is defeated if an attack generates 2 or more damage successes.
If an attack generates only 1 damage success, the Minion survives but may be staggered, forced back, or otherwise momentarily disrupted at the Game Master’s discretion.
Elite Minions
An Elite Minion is defeated if an attack generates 3 or more damage successes.
If an attack generates 1 or 2 damage successes, the Elite Minion survives but suffers visible injury or temporary impairment at the Game Master’s discretion.
Minions and Cleave
Minions interact normally with Cleave attacks.
When an attack with Cleave generates enough damage successes to defeat its initial target, any remaining successes may be applied to additional Minions according to the Cleave rules.
Purpose of Minions
Minions allow the Game Master to represent large numbers of enemies without tracking full durability for each one.
They are designed to speed up combat resolution, support large battlefield encounters, and create cinematic moments where powerful characters cut through lesser foes.
22. Death and Dying
Combat in ShadowRealms can be deadly. When a character’s Damage Track becomes completely filled, they risk falling unconscious or dying.
When a character reaches maximum damage, they must immediately make a Toughness Resistance Test.
If the test fails, the character falls unconscious.
If the test succeeds, the character may remain conscious, but they are in a critical state.
Acting While Mortally Wounded
A character who remains conscious after reaching maximum damage may continue to act, but doing so is extremely dangerous.
Each time the character performs a strenuous action, such as attacking or moving, they suffer one additional box of damage and must make another Toughness Resistance Test.
Death
If a character’s Damage Track becomes completely filled a second time, the character dies.
Stabilizing a Dying Character
A dying character may be stabilized through medical treatment.
A character may attempt a Medicine test to stabilize a dying ally.
The difficulty is:
12 + the number of negative damage boxes the character has suffered
If the test succeeds, the dying character stabilizes and no longer risks immediate death.
23. Critical Injuries
Some attacks cause particularly devastating wounds. These injuries are represented by Critical Hits.
Critical injuries reflect the brutal reality of combat. Even a single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent or end a battle instantly.
When a damaging attack is resolved, determine where the blow lands by rolling 1d20 on the Hit Location Table. Players may roll this die at the same time as the damage dice, using a different color die if desired.
Hit Location Table
| Roll | Location |
| 19–20 | Head |
| 16–18 | Left Arm |
| 13–15 | Right Arm |
| 9–12 | Chest |
| 5–8 | Abdomen |
| 3–4 | Left Leg |
| 1–2 | Right Leg |
Determining Critical Severity
The severity of a critical injury depends on the amount of damage that penetrates the target’s defenses.
After determining damage, the attacker rolls a number of d6 equal to the number of damage successes scored.
Add the results together and compare the total against the appropriate Critical Table for the attack’s damage type and hit location.
Each damage type has its own critical table, and each table contains results for the different body locations.
These results may include:
- bleeding
- broken bones
- impaired limbs
- unconsciousness
- instant death
Higher results represent more severe injuries.
Escalating Critical Results
Unlike many systems where criticals are divided into fixed categories, ShadowRealms uses escalating results on a single table.
The more damage successes inflicted, the higher the possible critical roll and the more severe the injury.
This allows devastating attacks to produce extremely dangerous outcomes without requiring multiple separate critical tables.
Designer Note: Deadly Precision
Critical injuries represent the brutal reality of combat. Even a single well-placed blow can cripple an opponent or end a battle instantly.
24. Combat Example
The following example demonstrates how combat flows using the rules presented in this chapter.
This example illustrates surprise, initiative, Action Point usage, attacks and damage, glancing blows, critical hits, and the revolving initiative system.
Seren the scout encounters a bandit while traveling along a forest road. The bandit attempts to ambush her from behind a fallen log.
The Game Master calls for a Surprise Test. Seren rolls using Awareness and succeeds, noticing the bandit before he strikes. The bandit fails his own Alertness check and begins the combat Surprised.
Seren’s Initiative Rating is 10. She rolls a 14, for a total initiative of 24. Because initiative counts downward from 20, she acts immediately. The bandit cannot act during the first round because he is Surprised.
On her turn, Seren receives 4 Action Points. She spends 1 AP to move one Area toward the bandit, 1 AP to attack, 1 AP for a second attack, and 1 AP to adjust her position.
On her first attack, Seren rolls her attack dice and scores 2 successful hits. These become 2 damage dice. She rolls damage and scores 1 damage success. According to the Damage Ladder, the bandit suffers 1 damage. Seren then rolls hit location and gets Chest. Because she inflicted 1 damage success, she rolls 1d6 for critical severity and produces a minor chest wound result.
For her second attack, Seren suffers the normal multiple-attack dice penalty. Even so, she rolls well and scores 2 successful hits again. This time both damage dice succeed, inflicting 2 damage. She rolls hit location and critical severity again, worsening the bandit’s injuries.
After Seren completes her turn, 20 is subtracted from her initiative score.
24 − 20 = 4
Because the result remains positive, Seren will act again later in the same round when initiative reaches 4.
In the following round, the bandit joins the initiative order. He rolls a total of 15 and acts before Seren’s next count.
The bandit moves toward Seren and attacks. His attack roll succeeds, generating 2 damage dice. However, when he rolls damage, none of the damage dice penetrate Seren’s armor. Because the attack would have inflicted harm without armor, the result becomes a Glancing Blow. Seren takes Fatigue damage instead of normal injury.
Combat continues in this fashion until one side falls, flees, or yields.
25. Quick Combat Reference
Combat Sequence
- Determine Surprise
- Roll Initiative
- Act in Initiative Order
- Spend Action Points
- Resolve attacks and damage
Initiative
Initiative = (2 × Quickness) + Awareness + Intuition
Roll 1d20 + Initiative Rating.
After acting:
Initiative − 20
If positive, act again that round.
If negative, convert to positive, roll a new d20, and determine initiative for the next round.
Action Points
Each turn a character receives:
4 Action Points
Damage Ladder
| Penetrating Successes | Damage |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 16 |
Damage Penalties
| Damage Taken | Penalty |
| 1–4 | None |
| 5–8 | –1 die |
| 9–12 | –2 dice |
| 13–16 | –3 dice |
Glancing Blow
If an attack would hit but armor prevents it from penetrating, the target suffers Stamina damage equal to the attack successes at the rate of 1 per die, as opposed to normal damage.
Healing Surge
Costs 1 Action Point
Restores:
- 4 damage boxes
- 8 stamina
Limit Break
Triggered at different points during the stamina and damage tracks.
Grants Total Advantage on the next attack.
Must be used next turn.
Death
When the Damage Track fills:
- make a Toughness save or fall unconscious
- Even if conscious the character is limited to crawl movement.
- You are still at -4 dice to any action to perform.
If the Damage Track fills again, the character dies.