Combat Rules & Meter Guide
This is the complete player reference for optional Trenchport HUD combat. It combines the rules and practical walkthrough in one place, covering consent, turns, targeting, attacks, damage, healing, consumables, buffs, defeat, surrender, combat modes, and saved records.
Optional Combat & Modes
Standard Combat
- HUD attacks, rolls, damage, healing, and defeat are active.
- Wins and losses are saved to character records.
Non Combative
- The overhead meter displays NON COMBATIVE.
- Incoming HUD damage is blocked and attacking is unavailable.
RP Combat
RP COMBAT is for players who want to roleplay a fight without meter damage, HUD rolls, health changes, or saved combat records. Everyone involved should agree on the mode before the scene begins.
Turns & Combat Posts
During an active combat scene, each player may perform one HUD combat action per roleplay post. The action may be an attack, a heal, a consumable, or a temporary buff, but not more than one of those choices.
- Attacking another player counts as the action, even if the attack misses.
- Healing yourself through an item or healing another player through the HUD counts as the action.
- Using any consumable or applying a temporary combat effect counts as the action.
- Movement, dialogue, and descriptive roleplay may be included in the same post as long as they do not grant another HUD action.
- Wait at least 10 seconds between HUD actions so the cloud system can register each result.
Starting & Targeting
Target Requirements
A target must be within the selected attack's range, wear a working Trenchport meter, have combat enabled, and otherwise be eligible for HUD combat. Players marked NON COMBATIVE must not be targeted.
Attacks & Damage
The HUD rolls a twenty-sided die when an attack is attempted. A roll of 8 or higher hits, while a roll of 7 or lower misses. A successful hit then rolls damage based on the selected attack category.
| Attack Type | Range | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Melee | 5 meters | 8–14 HP |
| Knife | 5 meters | 14–25 HP |
| Gun | 30 meters | 25–35 HP |
- An attempted attack uses your combat action even when it misses.
- A miss is a normal system result and gives both players room to react through roleplay.
- You may not immediately attack again, heal, apply a buff, or use a consumable during the same post.
- The categories determine HUD range and damage. Players should still roleplay the specific weapon, attack, injury, and reaction.
Healing, Consumables & Buffs
Healing Another Player
Use FIGHT > HEAL and select a nearby player. The HUD restores up to 25 HP and cannot raise the target above their current maximum health. The treatment should still be roleplayed.
Healing Yourself
The HUD heal action cannot target yourself. Self-healing is handled through an appropriate inventory consumable under INVENTORY > USE ITEM.
Combat Consumables
Any item that restores health, increases maximum HP, grants a temporary stat bonus, reduces a negative effect, or provides another combat benefit counts as your one combat action for that post.
- Instant healing items restore lost health.
- Max HP items temporarily raise the character's maximum health while active.
- Other consumables may apply temporary XP, healing, or roleplay effects according to their descriptions.
- Use the item in roleplay and allow the other participants an opportunity to respond.
Health, Defeat & Surrender
Health and Level Scaling
- Characters begin with 100 maximum HP.
- Maximum HP increases by 5 every five levels.
- The normal level-based maximum is 150 HP.
- Temporary max HP consumables may raise health above the normal level cap while active.
Defeat at Zero HP
When health reaches 0, the meter records the defeat and updates both players' combat records. The defeated player may not continue attacking, healing, applying buffs, or using consumables during that encounter.
Zero HP does not automatically decide death, permanent injury, arrest, kidnapping, robbery, or another long-term consequence. Those outcomes must be agreed upon and handled through roleplay and sim rules.
Throw Towel
To end a fight before either player reaches zero, choose FIGHT > THROW TOWEL, select the nearby opponent, and confirm the surrender. The surrendering player receives one loss and the opponent receives one win without changing either player's health.
Poses & Combat Records
Combat Pose
The FIGHT menu includes an optional combat pose. It is a visual aid only and does not roll an attack, deal damage, use the player's action, or replace written roleplay.
Saved Results
Wins and losses are saved to the character record and may be viewed through the HUD's STATS option. These totals only record HUD combat outcomes and do not decide permanent story consequences.