Combat Quick Reference
A condensed reference for all combat rules in The Electric State RPG. Sources: sections zones-range, rounds-initiative, actions-moves, close-combat, ranged-combat, table-weapons, ambushes, damage (pp. 82–88).
Round Structure
- A round represents ~5–10 seconds of action.
- Initiative: The side that starts the fight acts first. If unclear, each side rolls D6 + the highest Wits score on that side — the higher total are the attackers. Re-roll ties. This roll cannot be pushed.
- Turn: Each participant gets one move + one action, or two moves. The move must come before the action.
Range Bands
| Range | Distance |
|---|---|
| Engaged | In your face |
| Short | Same zone |
| Medium | Adjacent zone |
| Long | Up to four zones away |
| Extreme | Further away |
A zone is roughly one room indoors, or a patch of land up to 100 ft across outdoors. Attacks below a weapon's minimum range get −2 dice per range band below that minimum. Attacks beyond maximum range are impossible.
Action Types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Action | Attack, reload, take cover, rally an Incapacitated fighter, interact with item |
| Move | Move between two adjacent zones, or between Short and Engaged in the same zone |
| Reaction | Immediate response to an enemy action; you forfeit your next turn (or your next round's turn if you've already acted this round) |
| Free Action | Draw a weapon, open a door, speak a few words — done in addition to your action, only on your own turn |
Close Combat
Range: Engaged. Roll: Strength + weapon bonus dice.
Before dice are rolled, the target chooses:
- Take the Hit — If the attack succeeds: base Damage + 1 per extra 6 rolled.
- Fight Back (reaction) — Opposed roll; only the attacker can push.
- Attacker rolls more 6s → target takes base Damage + 1 per extra 6 beyond what was needed to win.
- Equal 6s → no one is hurt.
- Defender rolls more 6s → attacker takes defender's base Damage + 1 per extra 6 beyond what was needed to win.
- Target forfeits next turn but may fight back against any number of close attacks until then.
Firearms in close combat: Roll Strength (not Agility). Most firearms have a min range of Short, so typically −2 dice or more when used at Engaged range.
Ranged Combat
Range: Short or more. Roll: Agility + weapon bonus dice.
Before dice are rolled, the target chooses:
- Stand Tall — If the attack succeeds: base Damage + 1 per extra 6 rolled.
- Dodge (reaction) — Opposed roll; only the attacker can push.
- Attacker rolls more 6s → target takes base Damage + 1 per extra 6 beyond what was needed to win.
- Equal 6s, or defender rolls more → attack misses.
- Target forfeits next turn but may dodge any number of ranged attacks until then.
Cover: Taking cover is an action. Roll dice equal to cover's Armor Level; each 6 blocks 1 point of damage.
| Cover | Armor Level |
|---|---|
| Shrubbery | 2 |
| Furniture | 3 |
| Car Door | 4 |
| Brick Wall | 6 |
| Sandbag | 8 |
Explosive weapons: Roll to hit normally. On a hit, the explosion affects the targeted zone (not a single target); extra 6s increase damage to all. On a miss, a random adjacent zone is hit.
Full Auto: On a hit, you may immediately fire again (same or different target). A third roll is possible if the second also hits. The entire burst empties the magazine. Reloading is an action.
Ammunition: Don't track ammo unless the scenario or GM specifies otherwise.
Ambushes
- An unaware target must take the hit / stand tall — they cannot fight back or dodge.
- To ambush into close combat: Agility roll at −3 dice.
- You cannot ambush someone already in active combat.
Weapons Table
| Weapon | Bonus | Damage | Min. Range | Max. Range | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unarmed | — | 1 | Engaged | Engaged | — |
| Improvised club | +1 | 1 | Engaged | Engaged | — |
| Knife | +1 | 2 | Engaged | Engaged | $25 |
| Baseball bat | +2 | 1 | Engaged | Engaged | $50 |
| Axe | +2 | 2 | Engaged | Engaged | $100 |
| Chainsaw | +1 | 3 | Engaged | Engaged | $250 |
| Rock | — | 1 | Engaged | Medium | — |
| Taser | +3 | ★ | Engaged | Short | $500 |
| Derringer | +2 | 2 | Engaged | Short | $250 |
| Handgun | +2 | 2 | Short | Medium | $300 |
| Magnum revolver | +2 | 3 | Short | Medium | $400 |
| Crossbow | +2 | 1 | Medium | Long | $150 |
| Hunting rifle | +2 | 2 | Medium | Long | $500 |
| Shotgun | +3 | 2 | Short | Medium | $350 |
| Sniper rifle | +2 | 2 | Medium | Extreme | ‡ |
| Submachinegun ◆ | +2 | 2 | Short | Medium | ‡ |
| Assault rifle ◆ | +3 | 2 | Short | Long | ‡ |
| Heavy machinegun ◆ | +3 | 3 | Short | Long | ‡ |
| Neodymium cannon ● | — | 4 | Medium | Long | ‡ |
| Molotov cocktail | — | Blast Pwr 6 | Engaged | Medium | — |
| Hand grenade | — | Blast Pwr 8 | Engaged | Medium | ‡ |
| Mortar | +2 | Blast Pwr 12 | Medium | Extreme | ‡ |
★ No damage — target rolls Strength at −2 dice or loses their next turn.
◆ Capable of fully automatic fire.
● Fired via neurocaster only; uses the neurocaster's Network attribute as gear bonus.
‡ Cannot be purchased commercially.
Damage & Health
- Damage reduces your Health score.
- At 0 Health: you are Incapacitated — you can crawl (one move per turn) and mumble, but cannot roll for attributes or use talents.
- Instant Kill: A single hit equal to or greater than twice your maximum Health kills you outright — no death rolls.
Death Rolls
Each turn while Incapacitated, roll 4 dice (cannot be pushed). Mark every 6 you roll.
- Accumulate 3 total 6s → Stabilized (stop making death rolls).
- 3 failed death rolls (rolls with no 6) before stabilizing → Dead.
Rallying & Stabilizing
| Action | Who | Roll | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rally | Another character, same zone | Empathy | Recover Health = 6s rolled; still making death rolls |
| Self-rally | Yourself | — | After a Stretch (if alive), recover 1 Health automatically |
| Stabilize | Character with Medic talent | Wits (bonus from first aid kit) | No more death rolls; still Incapacitated |
Additional damage while Incapacitated (even 1 point) restarts death rolls.
Recovery
- 1 Health per Shift automatically, if no strenuous activity.
- Nurse talent: 2 Health per Shift.
- Certain conditions (disease, hunger) block recovery.
Body Armor
| Armor | Armor Level | Agility Modifier | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft vest | 2 | −1 | $150 |
| Plate vest | 4 | −2 | $300 |
| Riot gear | 6 | −3 | $500 |
When hit, roll dice equal to Armor Level; each 6 eliminates 1 point of damage.
Serious Injuries (D66)
Roll when you have been Incapacitated and survived.
| D66 | Injury | Effect | Healing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11–36 | None | — | — |
| 41 | Broken finger | −1 die on rolls requiring two arms (shooting rifle, driving, climbing) | D6 days |
| 42 | Ear torn off | −1 die on Wits rolls for hearing | 2D6 days |
| 43 | Broken toe | May move OR act, not both | D6 days |
| 44 | Broken ribs | −2 dice on Strength and Agility rolls | D6 days |
| 45 | Teeth knocked out | −1 die on Empathy rolls | 2D6 days |
| 46 | Concussion | −2 dice on Wits rolls | D6 days |
| 51 | Broken nose | −1 die on Empathy rolls | D6 days |
| 52 | Busted knee | May move OR act, not both | 2D6 days |
| 53 | Traumatized | Roll on the Mental Trauma table | — |
| 54 | Gouged eye | −2 dice on Wits rolls for spotting things | D6 days |
| 55 | Damaged throat | −2 dice on Empathy rolls | D6 days |
| 56 | Infected wound | Disease of Virulence 6 | — |
| 61 | Broken arm | −3 dice on rolls requiring two arms | 3D6 days |
| 62 | Broken leg | May move OR act, not both | 3D6 days |
| 63 | Disfigured face | −2 dice on Empathy rolls (requires surgery) | 2D6 days |
| 64 | Punctured lung | −2 dice on Strength and Agility rolls (requires surgery) | 2D6 days |
| 65 | Cracked skull | −2 dice on Wits rolls (requires surgery) | 2D6 days |
| 66 | Internal bleeding | −2 dice on Strength and Agility; each such roll also inflicts D6 damage (requires surgery) | 2D6 days |
Surgery: Takes a Shift of time; requires the Surgeon talent. Can use improvised instruments (surgical gear gives bonus dice). A failed surgery leaves the patient Incapacitated.