Elven Sigil

Elrendar Sword & Shields — Combat (ESS)

Simple, fast, and built to keep the RP moving. Pick a stance, roll, narrate. That’s the loop. We keep the focus on the story, not the dice.

Health: PCs start at 15 HP. Fall to 0 HP and you’re down until someone stabilizes or heals you. Healers can swap “damage dealt” for “healing done” at will, but remain at the same risk of themselves taking damage.

Turn flow

  1. Plan what you want to do.
  2. Choose a Stance or keep the current one.
  3. Roll a d20.
  4. Check the table for the results: 1 backfire, 2–9 miss, 10–11 draw, 12–19 hit, 20 crit.
  5. Emote your actions based on the results.

Roll Philosophy

We prefer fast and easy mechanics so that we can stay focused on story. Unlike traditional table-top RPGs, you don't roll for defense and then offensive separately; we wrap it into a single turn. When you roll, you determine what happens for both you and the enemy. If you roll low, you take an injury; if you roll high, you deal damage. Simple as that.
Open the Monster Manual Encounter Creator Campaign History About Our Systems

Stances

Stances can be changed throughout an event at a player's discretion, but they take a full turn to transition between once active. There's an ideal stance for every situation, but if balancing your numbers isn't a priority, stick to just one and take things as they come.

Stance 1 2–9 10–11 12–19 Nat 20
Aggressive −6 HP −3 HP Draw +2 dmg +6 dmg
Balanced −4 HP −2 HP Draw +1 dmg +4 dmg
Defensive −3 HP −2 HP Disarm / Deflect Draw +2 dmg (if 18–19) / +3 dmg (if 20)
Focused −5 HP −3 HP (if 7–9) / −2 HP (if 2–5) 1 dmg & −1 HP +2 dmg +5 dmg

Changing stance takes your turn. Healers can treat “damage” as “healing” without any other changes.

Interventions

On any result that’s a Draw or better, you can step in and take the hit for an ally—if you're close or can reasonably get to them. Keep it cinematic; if you’re in reach, you can try it, no need to ask. If you succeed, you can either take the injury for your ally, or block/deflect it if you roll high enough.

Keep in mind that rescuing everyone from everything can take a lot of the weight off consequences and fate; be mindful that sometimes it's better to let things happen to increase the stakes. That said, interventions are a great way to foster interactivity between players.

Environment & Perception

Environment & Terrain Calls (DM picks a TN and a bite)

The DM sets a target number (TN). Fail it, take a little damage based on how nasty the scene is, or lose grip if you're grappling with some obstacle; pass it, you keep your footing and progress. Simple as that.

Additional effects which can be announced depending on circumstances:

  • Lava / Fire · fail = −2 to −4 HP
  • Ice / Slick · fail = −1 to −2 HP and Off-Balance
  • Poison Cloud · fail = Poisoned
  • Darkness · fail = Blind (1 turn)
  • High Winds · fail = ranged attacks at disadvantage
  • Deep Water · fail = −1 to −2 HP and halved movement

Perception

DM sets a TN. Highest success gets the first whisper with the most detail; we cascade to the rest in order with less valuable hints. It’s fair and fast, and rewards the high rolls without leaving everyone else in the dark.

If your class perk gives a small +1, you can toss it on Env or Perception that round—your call.

Class Perks

Always-on helpers. Nothing to track—just remember your edge in the scene.

  • Magi / Healers +1 dmg/heal on hits, and +1 Perception
  • Rogues / Rangers +1 Attack, and +1 Environment
  • Armored Fighters +1 Attack, and +1 dmg/heal on hits
  • Mounted Fighters +1 dmg/heal, and +1 Environment

Player Perks & Debuffs

Pick two; whatever fits your character. Perks marked “Always-on” are constant and require no work; limited perks or user activated ones, however, show uses. If two don’t play nice, it’s marked. Keep it fast and honest.

Perks

Perk What it does Uses Notes
Bulwark Bearer Reduce incoming damage by 1. Always-on ≠ Bladesworn Resolve.
Bladesworn Resolve Your hits deal +2 damage. Always-on ≠ Bulwark Bearer.
Skirmisher’s Step Once per round, ignore one opportunity hit or disengage freely. Always-on Stacks well with Rogues/Rangers.
Second Wind When you’d hit 0 HP, instead pop to 5 HP. 1 / event Triggers automatically.
Battlefield Medic At your discretion, you may split your "output", dealing both damage and healing instead of just one or the other. Always-on Pairs with Magi/Healer perks.
Rally Banner Allies within earshot gain +1 morale to their roll for this round. 1 / encounter Use before allies roll.
Iron Will Ignore Fear or Charm once; act normally. 1 / encounter Declare when affected.
Pathfinder Gain +1 on either Environment or Perception each round (pick when you roll). Always-on Simple, flexible +1.
Mounted Momentum If you moved first, your hit deals +1 damage this turn. Always-on Works with any mount/beast.
Shadow Veil Turn one incoming hit against you into a miss. 1 / encounter Use after the result is called.
Battle Rhythm After you score a hit, your next hit this encounter gains +1 damage. Always-on Resets when spent.

If a perk is “mutually exclusive,” pick one of the pair and stick with it for the event.

Debuffs (used across our monsters)

Debuff Effect Typical Duration
Poisoned Either −1 to rolls or −1 HP / round (DM declares which fits the attack). 1–2 turns
Bleeding Lose 1 HP at the start of your turn. 1–2 turns
Burning Lose 1 HP this round; fire blocks Regeneration. 1–2 turns
Fear Roll 11+ or lose your action this turn. 1 turn (retest as called)
Blind Attacks at disadvantage (take the lower of two rolls). 1 turn
Rooted / Webbed No movement next turn; you may still act. 1 turn
Staggered / Off-Balance Any hit you land next turn deals −1 damage. 1 attack
Weakened −1 to all actions (or −1 damage) as appropriate to the source. 1 turn
Shocked No reactions this round (lightning/arcane hits). 1 round
Chilled / Slowed Half movement; on DM call, −1 to the next action. 1 turn
Stunned You can’t act this turn. 1 turn
Prone / Knocked Down Stand up instead of moving next turn; attacks vs. you at advantage until you do. Until you stand
Grabbed / Restrained No movement; attacker may drag or swallow on a follow-up (as listed on their card). Contest or 1 turn
Diseased −1 to rolls; healing on you restores 1 fewer HP. 1–2 turns or until cleansed
Cursed / Hexed Disadvantage on your next action or −1 to all rolls this round. 1 turn
Sundered Armor Reduce your damage reduction by 1 (or take +1 damage) on the next hit. 1 hit
Disoriented Your next attack is at disadvantage. 1 attack
Morale: Shaken Immediate −1 morale; if already Shaken and it happens again this scene, you hesitate (lose your action) unless you roll 11+. Scene (until rallied)
Silenced You can’t cast or use abilities that require speech this turn. 1 turn

If a monster trait uses a flavorful name (e.g., “Void Phase” or “Amber Sting”), map it to the closest effect above and keep the fiction strong.

Using the Monster Manual

Every entry in the Monster Manual already has what we need: Name, Class, HP, and two Traits.

At the table

Name, Class, HP/Size: 1-50, Traits: [two quick effects]

HP sizing (read at a glance)

  • Critter 4–8
  • Small 9–14
  • Medium 15–22
  • Large 23–30
  • Colossal 31–50

Trait Glossary (quick conversions)

  • Poison / Venom: −1 to rolls or −1 HP for 1–2 turns
  • Bleeding: lose 1 HP at the start of the next 1–2 turns
  • Burning: lose 1 HP this round; fire shuts off Regeneration
  • Fear: roll 11+ or lose your action this turn
  • Blind: attacks at disadvantage this turn
  • Root / Web: can’t move next turn (you still act)
  • Staggered / Off-Balance: −1 to the next attack’s damage
  • Shell / Carapace / Stonehide: reduce the next hit by 1–2
  • Magic Ward: reduce the next spell hit by 1–2
  • Thorns / Reflect: melee attacker takes 1 HP back

If a trait name is flavorful (e.g., “Void Phase”), we apply the nearest effect above and keep the fiction strong.

NPC Modifications

Snap any monster into Minion / Elite / Boss without rewriting stats.

Template HP On Hit On Crit Special
Minion Entry HP −4 (min 1) 1 dmg +1 dmg —
Elite Entry HP 2 dmg +1 dmg —
Boss Entry HP +6–12 3 dmg +2 dmg At 50% HP, auto-trigger one trait once (e.g., Regeneration, Sandstorm)

Simple modifications like this can add flavor and variety, and are a great way to scale up or down a fight if time becomes a constraint.

Player Quick Card (hand this to players)

  • Turn: pick a Stance, roll d20
  • 1 backfire · 2–9 miss · 10–11 draw · 12–19 hit · 20 crit
  • Intervene: on Draw+, take an ally’s hit if you’re in reach
  • Healers: damage = healing
  • Change stance: costs a turn
  • Perks: always on; optional perks available

Open the Monster Manual for stat cards. Use Minion/Elite/Boss on the fly.