Elrendar Sword & Shields — Combat (ESS)
Simple, fast, and built to keep the RP moving, the ESS system is as simple as they come. Pick a stance, roll, emote what happens. That’s the loop. We keep the focus on the story, not the dice.
The Basics:
Player characters (PCs) start at 15 HP.
Fall to 0 HP and you’re down until someone stabilizes or heals you; if you want to die, you can, but otherwise you're unconscious.
Healers swap “damage dealt” for “healing done” at will, but remain at the same risk of themselves taking damage.
We have set brackets for roll outcomes for each combat stance. Follow the structure and keep it streamlined.
Even if you fail, you can and should still make it epic. Take your damage or fail while doing something heroic; use it as an excuse to take damage for an ally and set them up for success. We want to make failures just as much fun as wins.
We're highly permissive; if you want to try something, just go for it; no need to get permission ahead of time.
Turn flow
- Choose a Stance at the beginning of the event (you can swap later).
- Each turn "/roll 20."
- Plan what you want to do with your results.
- Check the table for the results:
1 crit fail, 2–9 fail/injury, 10–11 draw/miss, 12–19 succeed/hit, 20 crit success. - 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.
Roll Brackets & 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.
Changing stance takes your turn. Healers can treat “damage” as “healing” without any other changes.
| Stance | 1 | 2–9 | 10–11 | 12–16 | 17–19 | Nat 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggressive | −6 HP | −4 HP | −2 HP | +3 dmg | +4 dmg | +6 dmg |
| Balanced | −4 HP | −2 HP | Draw | +1 dmg | +2 dmg | +4 dmg |
| Defensive | −3 HP | −1 HP | Draw | Disarm/Deflect | +1 dmg | +2 dmg |
| Focused | −5 HP | −3 HP & +1 next roll* |
−1 HP & +1 dmg |
+2 dmg & +1 next roll* |
+3 dmg & expose** |
+5 dmg |
**Exposes target to +1 damage by all attackers next turn only.
Aggressive
Everyone's favorite high risk, high reward type of playstyle. Deal more damage, take more damage, and have very little down town. Great for straight offense types.
Balanced
A safe, steady, and reliable middle ground stance for players who are less focused on min-maxing their gameplay. Great for utility classes and healers.
Defensive
Designed for characters focused on protecting their allies. Great for tanks and bodyguards.
Focused
The well honed and practiced fighter stance, this is ideal for characters who are highly skilled and build forwards.
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 disadvantage or 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 or 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 Bonuses
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
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 at the start of your turn; 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 you'll need to create cool encounters, including:
Name, Class, HP/Level: 1-50, Traits: [two to five quick effects]
Monster Levels
- Minion 4-12 HP
- Elite 13–40 HP
- Boss 41+ HP
Linking & Lore
All monsters have their own card in the Monster Manual, and when you're creating new ones using the Encounter Creator, or whenever an event is being run, you're assured to have this manual as a resource to check out the details, and what to expect.
Traits & Abilities
All traits are monster-used abilities/traits are based on a set of guiding base abilities, like "Stun". Even though a paladin-type monster would have Hammer of Justice, or a rogue might have Sap, it all ties back to that same "Stun" ability, making it easy to keep things consistent regardless of flavor text.
| 1 | 2–9 | 10–11 | 12–16 | 17–19 | Nat 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Build & Run Encounters
The Monster Manual, Encounter Builder, and DM Event Assistant work together as a closed-loop system.
- Explore & ideate: Browse factions, monsters, NPCs, and history on the Monster Manual and History pages to spark event ideas.
- Build enemies fast: In the Encounter Builder, set challenge level (Minion, Elite, or Boss), apply existing traits or create new ones, and choose preset or custom HP values to assemble a full roster.
- Export & run: Export your encounter as a data file, then upload it into the DM Event Assistant to track damage by turn, update states/debuffs, and keep big events organized.
- Mindset: Everything you need is here on the site—and in your head. Get creative, explore, and make cool shit happen.
Tip: Keep your exported encounter files so you can remix them for future events.