Page 166 - World of Darkness

being spotted, or he simply just lies on the ground. Re- (see “Surprise,” p. 151). If the roll fails, the victim doesn’t
gardless of the reason, it all boils down to going prone. respond and his Defense is not applied to the attack. If
Ranged attacks suffer a -2 penalty when the target is your character intends to use a ranged attack against at
prone. the target, the reflexive Wits + Composure roll is still al-
A standing attacker who uses a Brawl or Weaponry lowed at the Storyteller’s discretion. Perhaps the target
attack gets a +2 dice bonus to hit a prone target in close could see the sniper out of the corner of his eye or in a
combat. If an attacker approaches a prone target such that reflection. If the intended target’s Wits + Composure roll
he is about a yard away (within range to be considered in succeeds, Initiative is rolled between combatants and De-
close combat), and conducts a ranged attack at the tar- fense applies against close-combat attacks.
get, the attack receives the +2 bonus. The ranged If your character attacks from the side or rear
attack is also subject to the target’s Defense, though, of an opponent in an established fight (Initia-
even if it’s a Firearms attack. See “Firearms and tive has been rolled all around), the attacker’s
Close Combat,” p. 162, for more details. angle or vantage point offers no bonus. The
Your character can willingly drop to prone combatants are aware of each other and/
as a reaction to ranged attacks or other or on their guard from all angles.
events in his surroundings. Doing so
constitutes his action for the turn. Specified
He may even go prone before his
rotation in Initiative, if he has Targets
not yet acted in the turn.
Thus, if an opponent Sometimes your
draws a gun and starts character wants to di-
firing on Initiative rect an attack at
12, your character a particular
with Initiative 8 can part of an
go prone at the same opponent,
time that the shots or at an ob-
are fired (on 12). Your ject carried by
character loses all an opponent in
other actions for the order to achieve a
turn, however. If he specific effect. Your
goes prone before his character might want to
normal stage of Initia- shoot a gun-wielding robber
tive, your character in the hand, for example, or
cannot move up to his swing a tire iron to specifically hit
Speed. He must “hit an opponent in the head. The Story-
the dirt” where he teller imposes penalties to your attack roll
stands. If he goes prone based on the size of the intended target. A
at his normal stage of Ini- torso might be at -1, a leg or arm -2, a head
tiative, he may move up to -3, a hand -4 and an eye (or the “off” button
his Speed and go prone in of a machine) -5. If no successes are gained,
the same turn. the attack misses altogether.
If your character has al- The results of a successful attack are deter-
ready acted in a turn, he can- mined by the Storyteller. A successful Strength +
not go prone thereafter. Say he acts on Initiative 11. On Athletics roll might be required for a victim to hold onto
Initiative 7 in the same turn, someone with a gun and a held object, with a penalty to the effort equal to the
starts firing. Your character cannot go prone, because he damage done in the attack. A successful attack staged on
has already acted in the turn. a body part might ignore armor (see p. 166), because none
Rising from prone is an action and must be performed is worn there. A blow to the head with a blunt object that
in its own turn. Your character could therefore rise from normally inflicts bashing damage might inflict lethal dam-
prone and remain stationary or rise from prone and move age, or cause the victim to be stunned (see p. 167).
up to his Speed in the same turn. Stake through the Heart: Ordinary people can rarely
identify the supernatural creatures they encounter, let
Flank and Rear Attacks alone know their weaknesses. And yet, there are the clas-
sic Hollywood solutions to monsters: fire, garlic, religious
If your character attacks from the side or rear of an symbols — and a stake through the heart. Whether the
unsuspecting target, a reflexive Wits + Composure roll is last actually works or has any bearing on the heart is un-
allowed for the target to recognize the imminent attack known without extensive research or occult knowledge.

165
GENERAL COMBAT FACTORS-MOVEMENT-REAR ATTACKS