GRAPPLING
E
DCE OF THE EMPIRE, being a more narrative
game, does not possess specific rules for
grappling. Instead, the unarmed combat rules
have been designed to narratively cover mul-
tiple unarmed fighting techniques, including
grappling. For this reason, the basic Brawl attack
allows characters to deal damage to the target's
strain threshold, and can knock them prone and
disorient them. This allows for the narrative of a
grapple (which is often intended to incapacitate
without killing) without additional rules.
To assemble the dice pool for this check, the player
compares the skills that would be used to make an at-
tack with each weapon, and compares the characteris-
tics that would be used to make an attack with each
weapon. He then takes the skill that he has
lower ranks in, and the characteristic that
he has lower ranks in, and uses
this skill and characteristic to \—
assemble his dice pool. It's very
possible that the ranks in either the
skills or characteristics are equal, in
which case he can use either. If both
checks would use the same skill
or characteristic, he simply uses
that skill or characteristic.
He then compares the difficul-
ty of the two combat checks he
would make with each of his two
weapons to hit his target, and selects
the check with the higher basic difficulty
(more 4)). He then increases the difficulty by one if the
two skills in the combined check were the same, and
by two if they were different. He then makes the check.
Unlike other weapons, Brawl weapons augment
this basic attack. Brawl weapons can add damage to
this attack (as indicated in the Brawl profile on page
166), and may have an improved Critical Rating
and additional weapon qualities. When using a Brawl
weapon, the user can choose to use its Critical Rating
instead of the standard Brawl Critical Rating. He also
adds the additional weapon qualities to the qualities
already provided by the Brawl attack. If the weapon
provides an improved version of an existing quality,
the character uses the improved version.
If he succeeds, he hits with his primary weapon as
normal. He may also spend O O or (| to hit with
his secondary weapon as well. If both weapons hit, he
may spend additional O or to activate qualities
from either weapon. Each hit deals its base damage,
+ 1 damage per uncanceled success.
UNARMED COMBAT
Although most characters probably feel more com-
fortable going into a fight with a good blaster in their
hand, there are times they must rely on their fists,
feet, or other appendages. Of course, some species,
such as Wookiees, positively relish a good brawl.
Characters fighting unarmed generally use the
Brawl combat skill. Unlike other combat skills, the
Brawl skill is designed to be used independently of
any weapons (although there are some weapons that
can be used in conjunction with the Brawl skill).
When making an unarmed combat check using
Brawl, the character's attack has a base damage of
his Brawn rating, a range of engaged, a Critical Rating
of 5, and the Disorient 1 and Knockdown qualities.
Finally, when making a Brawl attack, the attacker can
choose to deal damage to the target's strain thresh-
old instead of its wound threshold, still reducing the
damage by the target's soak.