Skill Calls and Important Words Everyone Must Know

      During combat at Realms of Adventure, you will hear many different skills and spell incants called which are meant to explain quickly and concisely what they represent. In most cases with spells and effects, the incant or call will be very obvious as to how it should affect you. Sometimes however, a full description of a particular skill or spell would take too long to say, be too difficult to explain on the fly or detract too greatly from the flow of the game in other ways. In order to solve this problem RoA has developed a series of “Combat Calls” that every player is responsible for knowing. These are typically a single word or short phrase that explains how a particular spell or skill affects you.

      Many of these skills are available to players, although some may be hidden, and if a monster or other NPC uses these against you they function exactly as the skill or spell known by a player would and should be treated as such. If you are struck with a weapon which duplicates a spell effect (i.e. Freeze limb or Sleep), the weapon may be blocked by your weapon or shield, but is not stopped by a parry or armor. Any skill delivered via weapon also causes 1 point of damage. Any time a spell effect is duplicated by using a weapon or packet it may be guarded against by the appropriate type of magical defense (i.e. Spell Shield). Most combat calls include a duration within the call, but in cases where a call is not made the default is 10 minutes and you should assume as much.

      There are quite a few calls listed, but do your best to know them as it will help combat flow that much easier. Most of them are fairly common sense, especially once you learn the word. Some of these are duplicated from the skills page to ensure they were able to be found all in the same place. If combat is occurring and you do not know how to react to a skill, ask for a clarify.

      If you have not yet read the “Rules of Engagement” section, please do so before reading this section. It gives the rules of combat and starts off by initiating you with the first five calls you should know HOLD, CAUTION, CLARIFY, CHECK YOUR SWINGS, and PLAY ON.

•  “Assassinate” This is a surprise attack that must be delivered to the torso (area covered by a sleeveless T-shirt). If you are struck in the torso and your attacker says “ASSASSINATE” you are considered to have been killed by a killing blow. If the blow strikes you but hits in an area outside the torso area it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. Inform your attacker of where you were struck (i.e. arm) This skill cannot be blocked by a parry. You should still do a 5-minute death count to allow for the possibility of being raised, granted Deities Favor or even looted but you cannot be healed in any way during this time. Like Backstab, Assassinate does not necessarily have to be delivered from behind, but MUST be by surprise (Example: if two adventuring buddies are talking to each other and one turns his head for a second the other could launch an Assassinate attack on his buddy. Since they are friends and the attack was not expected this is a legal use of the skill).

•  “Autopsy” Only usable on corpses. The individual who has been killed shall then respond with the manner in which they were ended. This should include everything but mental effects that have occurred prior to death. For example: “Multiple stab wounds.” “Killed by fire.” “Heart exploded.” “Poisoned.” “Disease.” “Lacerations caused by air magic.” “Signs of frostbite around wounds.” The descriptions are relatively open-ended, but as a rule should be very matter-of-fact and clue the user in to exactly how the target died.

•  “Blind” This causes you to be blinded for the specified period of time. You may not attack at all (wild, random weapon swinging is not allowed), nor may you move at any speed faster than a walk (it wouldn’t make sense for someone to immediately run away while blinded and in danger, as you might run into a tree, trip over a rock, or crash into another person, thus making it even more difficult to escape whatever you were running from). Any other action that requires sight (walking, identifying objects, etc.) is also difficult, if not impossible, for you. For safety purposes, your eyes must remain open while under the effect of blindness, but for role-playing purposes you should act as though they were closed. This effect will break if the target is struck by a damage causing effect or strike (IE – normal hit, spell etc.). The victim may use defensive skills such as parry while blinded.

•  “Break Limb (Pain 5 seconds)” This skill represents the attacker’s ability through brute force or skillful delivery to break your arm or leg. The attacker must call “BREAK LIMB” and strike either an arm or leg in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you but hits in the torso it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry. This attack can only be delivered with a melee (i.e. NOT Missile) weapon. A broken limb cannot be used for the rest of the event unless it is healed or the character returns from Death. You should role-play the pain associated with a broken limb as per the “PAIN” effect for 5 seconds, after which the limb will hang limply. Note that you must take the Pain effect even if the attacker forgets to call “Pain 5 seconds” in addition to the successful break limb. If a leg is broken you may only move by limping at a very slow pace. It requires a mend limb spell or 3 points (or more) of healing delivered by a single spell, potion or empathic healing attempt. In other words you could not cast three 1 point healing spells to fix the limb. Any healing points put towards fixing the broken limb will also heal the target that amount. You may never exceed your maximum health through healing.

•  “Charm” This attack can be delivered via packet OR if the attacker meets your gaze. Usually a spell effect, this skill will enthrall you so much that you think the caster is your best friend in the world and you will do almost anything they tell you to do. Charm will not cause you to violate your character’s in game morals. In other words, you will not kill your friends, kill yourself or rob someone if it is against your beliefs. For the duration of the spell (usually 10 minutes) the caster can do no wrong in your eyes, and you will not be upset with him regardless of what he does or tells you to do. At the end of the spell you will remember what happened while you were charmed, but might very well be at a loss to explain why you behaved in such a way. This effect will NEVER force you to violate your out of game, real world morals. Unlike most other spells, the victim will not hear the charm incant even if resisted, but if resisted will be aware that the caster tried something.

•  “Daze” Daze represents your ability to knock a victim “out on their feet” by blunt force to the head or chest. The attacker must call “DAZE” and strike the torso (area covered by a sleeveless T-shirt) with a blunt weapon in order for the attack to take effect. A successful Daze attack will cause 1 point of damage and the target will be effectively stunned for the next 10 seconds. The target will be unable to attack, use skills (other than innately defensive ones), cast spells, or run away during this time. The victim of a daze attack may still defend himself normally or use defensive skills such as parry, sixth sense, hard headed etc. Despite its in-game effects, attackers should not try to hit their target in the head and such an attack will have no effect. If the blow strikes the target but hits in an area outside the torso area it still causes 1 point of damage but the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry. The daze effect does not break if the victim is damaged.

•  “(Strike) Deaf” This causes you to be completely deaf for the specified period of time. This must be role-played and you will be unable to hear cries for help, warnings to look out or someone rifling through the cabin you are supposed to be guarding. You are still affected by skill and spell calls, because although you are “deaf,” calls are merely a mechanic for letting game participants know how to react to a skill or spell. Even if you don’t hear the slay or assassinate, it still will hurt you.

•  “Deathstrike” This skill represents a fearsome blow capable of killing you in a single strike. The attacker must call “DEATHSTRIKE” and strike the torso in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you but hits in an area outside the torso area it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill cannot be blocked by a parry. This attack will destroy ALL your armor AND Health and you are considered to have been killed by a killing blow. You should still do a 5-minute death count to allow for the possibility of being raised, granted Deities Favor, or even looted but you cannot be healed in any way during this time.

•  “Death Poison” This represents the use of a poison so vile, that you will die immediately. If struck by a weapon, claw or packet with this type of attack and you do not have any armor points left, you will immediately fall to the ground dead. Treat this as a loss of all health points followed by a killing blow.

•  “Disable” Disable represents a strong or particularly skillful blow to a limb that renders it useless for 10 minutes. The attacker must call “DISABLE” and strike either an arm or leg in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you but hits in the torso it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry. A disabled limb cannot be used for 10 minutes, unless it is healed or you returns from Death. If a leg is disabled, you may only move by limping at a very slow pace.

•  “Disarm” This skill represents a skillful or sudden powerful strike knocking your weapon from your hand. The attacker must call “DISARM” and strike your weapon in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you but misses your weapon it causes 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry. If you are hit with this attack, you must discard your affected weapon by safely tossing it 10 feet from the combat area; it may not simply be dropped. After this time the weapon can be recovered normally if you are able to do so. Two-handed weapons cannot be disarmed.

•  “Disease” If you are affected by disease, either via packet, claw, fist, or searching a corpse, you may not receive ANY healing until the disease is cured. If you are diseased and then reduced to 0 or less health, you cannot be restored to life until the disease is cured.

•  “Dominate” This attack can be delivered via packet OR if the attacker meets your gaze. Usually a spell effect, this skill will enthrall you so much that you will act like a puppet to the whims of the caster and will do anything they tell you to do which does not violate your real world morals. Unlike charm, dominate will cause you to violate your character’s in game morals. In other words, you will kill your friends, kill yourself or rob someone if it is against your beliefs. For the duration of the spell you will behave exactly as the caster orders you too. If the caster is knocked unconscious, killed or leaves the area you will follow his last orders to the best of your ability. The domination of your mind will last the full 10 minutes even if you are knocked unconscious and then healed or any other event occurs short of you being killed and sent to death. At the end of the spell you will not remember anything that happened while you were under the effect of dominate. This effect will NEVER force you to violate your out of game, real world morals. Unlike most other spells, the victim will not hear the dominate incant even if resisted, but if resisted will be aware that the caster tried something.

•  “Drain Health” Sometimes an attack will directly target your health. If you are targeted by a spell where the incant specifically mentions “HEALTH” damage (i.e. “I rot your body, HEALTH damage 5”) your armor is not damaged and it damages Magical Health first before going through to Regular Health.

•  “Drain Mana” Sometimes an attack will target your mana. If you are targeted by a spell where the incant specifically mentions “MANA” damage (i.e. “I drain 3 mana from you”) neither your armor nor your health is damaged, but your mana is reduced by the appropriate amount. Creatures with this ability can usually sense people who are able to use mana. If you do not have any mana left or never had mana to start with, and you are targeted by this attack type, simply state “No effect.”

•  “Fear” Some creatures are so horrifying to behold that even the bravest warriors cower and tremble before them. This attack can be delivered by packet or gaze attack. When struck with fear, you may resist it if you have the “Courage” skill or with an appropriate magical defense (i.e. Spell Shield). If affected by this attack it will cause you to experience an overwhelming fear of the caster for its duration, forcing you to cower in place until such time as the effect expires. During this time you may defend yourself and/or use defensive combat skills (such as parry), but you may not attack or cast spells. Additionally, while you must roleplay extreme fear of the caster, you may not flee, duck under a table, or do anything which would endanger yourself or any player around you. While this is not considered a root effect, you are so overcome by fear of the caster that you’re unable to move from the spot you’re standing in while under this effect.

•  “Feeblemind” When this effect strikes you, you are effectively reduced to a complete idiot. You will be unable to cast any spells or perform complicated tasks. This should be role-played accordingly.

•  “Free Action” This spell effect will allow the person to be cured of and resist all of the following for the duration of the spell: root, bind, entangle, pin, repulsion, slow, spin, pull, knockdown, freeze limb, and sweep. Disable, Break Limb, and Paralyze will continue to work against a target benefiting from Free Action normally.

•  “Hobble Leg” This is a particularly spiteful skill, which represents a rogue’s ability to sever the hamstring or Achilles tendon of a victim. This attack must be by surprise and delivered from behind the intended victim. In order for this skill to affect you it must strike you in the leg. You must fall to the ground immediately, and will be in agonizing pain for 10 seconds. While in pain you may not attack or cast but may defend yourself by trying to block attacks. After the ten seconds are up you may regain your footing. You may only move by limping at a very slow pace. You should role-play the pain associated with a severed hamstring. If the blow strikes you, but hits in an area other than the leg it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill cannot be blocked by a parry. A hobbled leg cannot be used for the rest of the event unless it is healed or the character returns from Death.

•  “Intercept” This call is actually a good one if it affects you! This is the ability of a person to get in the way of a physical attack meant for another character (In this case, you!). When you are hit with a physical attack another character may decide to intercept the attack, but must do so immediately following the attack. In order to do this, they will touch you on the shoulder and say, “INTERCEPT.” By doing so the full force of the attack affects them instead of you. Any type of NON-SURPRISE physical attack may be intercepted.

•  “Pacify” A Pacify effect (“I remove your urge to fight”) prevents you from attacking with a weapon, or using any offensive magic or ability. Any skills that cause negative effects (i.e. Sleep) are considered offensive. You may otherwise act normally, and cast healing, magical enhancements, or use other positive abilities. Pacify is broken when any offensive action is attempted on you by someone who is not your ally, even if it is resisted (i.e., a Waylay you resist with Hard Headed). Being healed and other positive effects will not remove Pacify from you.

•  “Pain” When struck with this ability, you must fall to the ground immediately, and will be in agonizing pain for 10 seconds. While in pain you may not attack or cast but may defend yourself by trying to block attacks. After the ten seconds are up you may regain your footing.

•  “Paralyze” When struck by this skill your body will become rigid and immobile for 10 minutes or the specified time. You may not fight, talk, or defend yourself (You can’t move!). If you are killed by any means while you are paralyzed, you will immediately crumple to the floor and fall unconscious, but will still remain paralyzed for the whole duration of the spell or effect.

•  “Pierce” This skill represents the ability of a foe to find “a chink in your armor.” A successful strike with this skill will bypass all armor and cause damage directly to your health points. The attacker must call “PIERCE” and strike you anywhere on your body in a legal area in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you it causes 1 point of damage directly to your health points. If the swing misses or is blocked by your shield or weapon, no damage is caused and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry only if delivered by a melee weapon. Pierce is sometimes used with poison or venom (i.e. a call like “PIERCE POISON”).

•  “Poison” When struck by a weapon, claw, or fist with this type of attack and you do not have any armor points left (a single point of armor will protect you from the poison, though your armor will take damage normally), you will feel woozy and incoherent for 5 seconds before falling on the ground unconscious. At this point you will begin a 5 minute count till death and can only be brought back if the poison is neutralized. This will not remove any health points except the normal damage caused by the weapon or claw that delivered it. While under the initial 5 second effects of the poison you may cry out for help or drink a poison antidote, but not cast any spells including neutralize poison! These same effects apply if you are the victim of oral poison (represented by a Mike & Ike® in your food or drink) or contact poison (represented by petroleum jelly coming into contact with your bare skin). For more information, please see the “Alchemy & Poison Craft” section of the rules.

•  “Root” If this spell strikes you your feet become effectively attached to the ground for 10 minutes. You may not move your feet from the spot they are in or even lift them.

•  “Shatter” If this skill strikes your weapon or shield, the item struck is effectively destroyed until repaired. If the blow strikes your body but not your weapon or shield, it causes 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry. If the skill is specifically called as “SHATTER SHIELD” it will only work if it connects with your shield, if it is specifically called as “SHATTER WEAPON” it will only work if it connects with your weapon.

•  “Slay” This skill causes 20 points of damage on a single blow. The attacker must call “SLAY” and strike your torso in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you but hits in an area outside the torso area it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry only if delivered by a melee weapon. This attack can be delivered with a melee weapon, but it is rumored that you might also see its use for other types of weapons such as bows and throwing stars as well.

•  “Sleep” This spell causes you to fall into a deep sleep regardless of what you were doing prior to the spell being cast (i.e. in combat, walking). Loud noises or other things will not wake you up as it is magical sleep. At the end of the spell duration you will awaken unharmed. While sleeping you can be attacked normally, but even 1 point of damage will awaken you. This effect can also be canceled through the “Awaken” spell. While you are sleeping you are effectively helpless and a killing blow can be administered.

•  “Smite” This skill causes 50 points of damage on a single blow. The attacker must call “SMITE” and strike your torso in order for the attack to take effect. If the blow strikes you but hits in an area outside the torso area it causes only 1 point of damage and the skill is not used. This skill cannot be blocked by a parry. This attack can be delivered with a melee weapon, but it is rumored that you might also see its use for other types of weapons such as bows and throwing stars as well.

•  “Sweep” When struck with this spell, the victim must immediately and safely fall to the ground and lie flat on their front or back before being able to get back up. This may also be delivered as per the skill, if a weapon is used to strike you in the leg.

•  “Venom” When struck by a weapon, claw, or fist with this type of attack and you do not have any armor points left (a single point of armor will protect you from the venom, though your armor will take damage normally), you will feel woozy and incoherent for 5 seconds before falling on the ground unconscious. At this point you will begin a 5 minute count till death and can only be brought back if the venom is neutralized. This will not remove any health points except the normal damage caused by the weapon or claw that delivered it. While under the initial 5 second effects of the venom you may cry out for help, but not cast any spells. While this mimics poison, spells like Purify, Neutralize Poison, etc will NOT cure, remove, or prevent this effect. Only an Aid potion/spell or effect that specifically resists or cures venom will neutralize this effect.

•  “Waylay” This skill represents a precision strike to the base of the skull of an unsuspecting character that would render them unconscious. The skill is performed by tapping the target gently between the shoulder blades with the pommel (bottom of the handle) of a sword and saying, “WAYLAY” loud enough for the victim to hear it. You must fall to the ground immediately and you are considered unconscious for 10 minutes. While unconscious the victim may be attacked or injured normally, although upon receiving any damage the waylay effect will end and the target will immediately wake up, or even killed using the Killing Blow skill. Waylay does no actual physical damage. This skill cannot be parried but will be blocked by a helmet, Hard Headed, or Sixth Sense.

•  “Weakness” This spell makes you so physically weak you may not wield a weapon or cast offensive spells in combat for the duration of the spell. You may run, use a shield, or use defensive skills normally.

•  “Wither” When struck with this effect, your limb will be reduced to a withered, useless appendage. A withered limb cannot be used EVER unless a cure disease is cast or the character returns from Death.

•  “Wound” This skill represents the ability of a player to deliver an attack which causes a certain amount of direct health damage on the initial strike, as well as the same amount of direct health damage every ten seconds after that for one minute. A wound will affect magical health prior to a victim’s normal health. The skill is performed by striking the target in the torso (area covered by a sleeveless T-shirt) and saying, “WOUND (insert damage amount here).” If the blow strikes the target but hits in an area outside the torso area it causes only 1 point of normal damage (IE – not direct health damage) and the skill is not used. This skill can be blocked by a parry. This attack can only be delivered with a melee (i.e. NOT Missile) weapon.

If you are already under the effects of a Wound skill and you are struck again by a more powerful Wound, the weaker Wound is replaced by the more powerful one, causing initial direct health damage based on the amount called and starting its duration from the beginning regardless of how much time was remaining on the weaker effect. If you are already under the effects of a Wound skill and you are struck again by a weaker Wound, the weaker wound will not take effect and you should call “Already Wounded.” You will still take the normal 1 point of normal (not direct health) damage from the strike but nothing extra and the attacker will not waste his skill in this instance. It is considered to be that the new wound delivered is not severe enough in the face of the already gushing injury you have! This also helps to give the victim less “timers” to keep track of and allows the attacker to not waste his/her skill as would normally be the case when a “resist” is called.

Any damage caused by a wound can be healed in the normal methods, but the continuous damage effect of this skill will only be removed in one of the following ways A) allowing its one-minute duration to expire B) receiving an amount of healing from a single source such as a spell, scroll or empathic healing that is equal to or greater than the damage call that you were struck with. (In other words you could not cast three 1 point healing spells to mend a 3 point wound. Likewise, since empathic healing only allows the person to transfer 3 health at a single time, it can only mend wounds of 3 points or below) or C) Any skill that explicitly states it will remove a wound of the given points value. A use of the “Diagnose” skill will allow the user to determine the victim has a wound as well as how severe (what number in this case) the wound is.

In the event that you are brought to 0 health while the Wound is still in effect, your health may not drop any further below 0. However, while receiving one point of healing would then revive you, if the Wound has not yet expired it will continue to take effect until it has either reached its full duration or the proper amount of healing is received. Regardless of the power level of Wound, it may under no circumstances be cured by the “First Aid” skill. You may still cast spells, fight and otherwise act normally under the effects of a Wound, but you are slowly bleeding to death.