An Attack is an ability that deals damage to a target. “Damage” is a somewhat abstracted concept in Annulus; taking damage might mean getting stabbed, burned or shot but also might mean losing your sanity or sapping your will to continue fighting.

Attacks are highly customizable and have many, many different upgrades available. Many seasoned adventurers have more than one attack set for different situations.

All attack sets must start by taking the “Damage” ability. The Damage ability costs one Experience as normal. Further upgrades are required in order to create diversification.

“Damage” is the basic seed ability that must be taken first when creating a new attack set. There are actually three separate damage attack abilities: Agility Damage, Toughness Damage, and Insight Damage. You must choose only one, and once chosen the choice cannot later be changed. The choice determines which defense the attack will target- for example, an attack with a Toughness Damage seed ability will always target the Toughness defense of any creatures it is used against.

When you use an Attack on a subject, roll four dice. You deal damage equal to the number of successes on the dice. The subject of the attack subtracts their relevant defense from the damage dealt. This can reduce the damage a given target takes to 0 but not below 0. Endurance is removed first, then Vitality if a target has no more Endurance. If you remove the last Vitality from a creature, that creature dies.

Using an Attack costs 1 action. You can target any space within 1 meter of your position (basically, anything within arm's reach). For whatever reason, attacks don't work and cannot be used in airless environments (such as underwater or in vacuum) but can still freely be used against targets in such environments so long as you're attacking from outside them. If you don't have a clear, open line of effect (no walls, other creatures, etc blocking your view) from you to the target, then you cannot use the attack on the target.

When attacking a creature in the Clueless awareness state and deal at least one point of damage to them, you deal +4 bonus damage. If the subject is in the Suspicious state, only add +2 bonus damage. This is known as an “assassination”. If you attack a Clueless or Suspicious subject but don't manage to deal any damage on your own, then you don't get to add the bonus damage.

The following upgrades can be applied to any attack and have mostly simple, straightforward effects.

You take no disadvantage with the attack when targeting a subject in partial concealment. Cover and solid obstacles still prevent you from attacking effectively, but not concealment. Targets with full concealment still cannot be effectively targeted.

You can choose to damage your own Vitality instead of spending an action to use the attack. If the attack would normally require two actions to use, you must lose two Vitality in order to use it for free. There is no limit to how many times you may use an attack each round in this manner. You are under no obligation to use an attack this way; the upgrade merely gives you the option if you want it.

Every time the attack is used, you have +1 additional automatic success on the check but take 1 damage that cannot be avoided or reduced in any way. This upgrade may be selected multiple times; each time increases both damage output and blowback by +1.

When you successfully use the attack on a creature that is smaller than yourself, you deal an additional 1 damage per difference in size that you are. For example, if you are size 5 and use a Bully attack on a Size 4 creature, you deal +1 damage. If you use it on a size 3 creature, you deal +2 instead. You must successfully deal at least 1 point of damage with the attack before applying the Bully modifier in order to benefit from this upgrade.

You don't take any disadvantages when attacking a creature from the inside (such as when you have been struck by a Devour trigger upgrade.)

After making an attack, you may optionally immediately reroll your check and take the new result. You must accept the new result even if it is worse than the old. You take a disadvantage on the reroll. You cannot reroll more than one attack check per round.

The attack is capable of damaging inanimate objects made of materials of Tier II toughness, such as wood, plastic, glass, sandstone or soft metals like gold. Without this upgrade, you can only use the attack to damage objects of Tier I toughness such as cloth, paper, or flesh.

The attack does not take a disadvantage if you use it while you are tired.

When the attack kills a subject, you can choose to completely obliterate that subject's body with no recognizable traces remaining.

The attack produces a loud noise, flash of light, psychic shockwave or otherwise has a tendency to draw a lot of attention when you use it, but with its increased profile comes increased strength as well. Everybody in the area immediately increases their awareness state to Alert and knows your general location when the attack is used, but you always have an advantage on checks to use the attack. You cannot use this upgrade and the Stealth one at the same time for obvious reasons.

You take one fewer disadvantage when attacking subjects whose size is significantly larger than your own than you normally would. The Giant upgrade does not ever give you advantages when fighting larger creatures, only evens the playing field by eliminating disadvantages. Giant does not negate disadvantages from sources other than size disparities such as attacking a subject that has concealment. You can take this upgrade multiple times; each time removes another disadvantage from attacking larger targets.

You cannot lose access to the attack via the Disarm condition.

The attack does not take a disadvantage from being used while under the effects of an Armor support effect. This upgrade never gives an advantage, only eliminates the disadvantage from armor. Other negative qualities of armor such as the movement impairment or the use of other attack sets without this upgrade are unaffected.

When you successfully assassinate a creature (attack them when they are in the Clueless state and gain a large number of additional successes by doing so) and deal enough damage to kill them with your assassination strike, you may choose to knock them unconscious instead of killing them. Creatures that are knocked unconscious do not lose any Vitality, but lose all Endurance and become completely helpless and unaware of their surroundings for several in-game hours. You cannot knock out targets when not making assassination strikes.

If you kill a target or targets with this ability, you gain +2 additional automatic successes the single next time you use the attack during the same challenge.

You gain an advantage on the attack check when targeting a creature that is completely undamaged (has all of their Endurance and Vitality intact).

You take one fewer disadvantage when attacking subjects whose size is significantly smaller than your own than you normally would. The Precise upgrade does not ever give you advantages when fighting smaller creatures, only evens the playing field by eliminating disadvantages. Precise does not negate disadvantages from sources other than size disparities such as attacking a subject that has concealment. You can take this upgrade multiple times; each time removes another disadvantage from attacking smaller targets.

The attack has a maximum range of 5 meters, but cannot be used at ranges of 2 meter or less. This upgrade can be taken multiple times; each time increases maximum range by two steps on the standard 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, etc scale but disallows targeting any space within a range one step lower than the maximum. See the below chart for a bit of extra clarity if you need it.

The attack functions normally in airless environments such as underwater or in vacuum. Without this upgrade, attacks cannot effectively be used in such environments at all.

You deal an additional +2 bonus damage when successfully assassinating subjects in the Clueless state (+1 damage vs subjects in the Suspicious state). This upgrade can be taken multiple times; each time adds additional bonus damage to all assassinations (+2 vs clueless, +1 vs suspicious).

You can make a stealth check to hide the the fact that you are using the ability. Creatures that are successfully targeted by an attack or who see its effects will immediately become Alert as normal regardless of whether you make the stealth check. You cannot have this upgrade and the Flashy one at the same time for obvious reasons.

Trigger upgrades add additional effects to attacks based on chance. If you have any Trigger upgrades on an attack, then you must roll an additional 12-sided die (called the Trigger Die) every time you roll your normal four dice for damage. The Trigger Die determines if the additional effect is added or not. If you have multiple Trigger upgrade effects, you still only need to roll a single trigger die every time you make a damage roll, and all effects are triggered (or not) based on the result of the single die.

No matter the result of your Trigger Die, a triggered effect is only applied when you manage to deal at least one point of damage with the attack. If you deal no damage with an attack, the Trigger Die and all Trigger Upgrades are irrelevant for that strike.

Some trigger upgrades inflict “conditions” on the target. A target under the effects of a condition can throw off the condition by making a recovery check. Multiple conditions of the same type do not stack; if a given target already has a specific condition, you cannot inflict the same condition on them again (until they recover from it, anyway). A recovery check is made by spending 1 action and rolling 4 dice. Recovery is successful (and the condition is removed) if the check has 3 or more successes.

Other trigger upgrades inflict “stings” on a target. Unlike conditions, stings last only a very short time before disappearing. The victim of a sting does not (and cannot) recover from it, but instead must wait a short time for it to go away on its own.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the target gains the Berserk sting. A berserk creature must spend their single next turn attacking the nearest creature to their position to the best of their ability, whether that be friend or foe. Berserk creatures always act first during their side's action phase.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12+, the target gains the Blind sting. Targets with the Blind sting treat all spaces as having full concealment. Attacking a space with full concealment imposes two disadvantages on the attack check. Attackers striking a creature that cannot see them gain an advantage on the attack check. Blindness does not affect non-visual-based modes of sensory input such as tremorsense, scent or sonar. The creature remains blinded until the end of the blinder's next turn.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the target gains the Burn condition until they successfully recover from it. Targets with the Burn condition take damage that ignores defense equal to the successes on two dice at the end of each of their turns. If a target with a Burn condition enters water or an airless environment, the condition is automatically removed.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 9+, the target gains the Choke condition until they successfully recover from it. Targets with the Choke condition take damage that ignores defense equal to the successes on one die at the end of each of their turns.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the attack deals double normal damage. Note that damage is doubled, not total successes on the attack roll. If you attack a subject that has a relevant defense of 2 and get 3 successes, you actually deal 2 damage to that subject (1 success over their defense, doubled to 2), not 4 (3 successes doubled to 6, then subtract defense) when you critically hit.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the target gains the Dazed sting. On their next turn, they may take only 1 action instead of the normal 2.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the attack ignores Endurance and strikes directly at Vitality instead.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 10+, the subject of the attack is devoured whole and transported to a stomach (or equivalent storage area) inside you. A devoured subject takes defense-ignoring damage each round on your turn equal to the successes on two dice. Devoured subjects cannot be attacked by anyone else while inside you, including yourself. A devoured subject cannot attack anyone except the one who devoured them, and takes a disadvantage on all checks to do so. If a devoured subject manages to deal 2 or more damage on an attack against their devourer from the inside, a hole opens up and they can escape and appear in any space adjacent to their devourer they please. The hole immediately closes behind them, however- other devoured subjects have to smash their own way out. Devoured subjects automatically escape if their devourer is killed.

A creature's stomach can hold a maximum of one creature two sizes smaller than themselves. For example, a size 5 creature could devour a creature of size 3, but would then be full and could not devour anything else. Four creatures of a given size are equivalent to a single creature one size larger than themselves. Creatures that die inside their devourer's stomach disappear in 24 hours, clearing space for the devourer to devour something (or someone) else. Creatures in a devourer's stomach are considered to be carried by the devourer and count against their creature carry limit (which is generally irrelevant unless very large/numerous creatures are devoured).

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the target gains the Disarm (Set) condition until they successfully recover from it. The disarmed target chooses one of their attack sets. For as long as the condition lasts, they cannot use that set. A single creature can be under the effect of multiple Disarm conditions, so long as each one affects a different attack set in their possession. Disarm conditions have no effect on a creature's ability to use improvised attacks. If a targeted creature has one or more attack sets with the Inherent upgrade that make them immune to this condition, they assign the condition to one of their sets that doesn't have it (if any) before ignoring the effect entirely.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 10+, any creatures summoned by a Summon support effect or animated by a Necromancy support effect struck by the attack are instantly destroyed. Other creatures not temporarily created by support effects are not affected.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 10+, the target gains the Fatigue condition until they successfully recover from it. Fatigued creatures cannot restore lost Endurance by any means.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 10+, the target gains the Grabbed By (Grabber's Name) condition until they successfully recover from it. For example, if Steve grabs Dave, then Dave has the “Grabbed By Steve” condition. Creatures with the Grabbed condition are forced to carry the weight of the creature grabbing them (which may give them an impairment to movement or even immobilize them completely, depending). If a grabbed creature moves, it carries the grabber along with them.

The grabber must also carry the weight of the target they are grabbing, but the grabber can choose to end the effect at any time as a free action even when it is not their turn. Multiple Grabbed conditions stack, but only so long as they come from different grabbers (so Dave could have separate “Grabbed By Steve” and “Grabbed By Cthulhu” conditions, but not “Grabbed By Steve” more than once.) If a subject is grabbed by multiple attackers, then they and each grabber must carry the weight of every other creature in the grab-pile if they wish to move anywhere. Allies who are all cooperatively grabbing a single creature can choose to coordinate their movement and not count against each other's weight limits.

If you are grabbing a creature that you can carry without being slowed by their weight, you can use one action to move them to any point within range of the attack you used to grab them with. If you can carry them but it imposes an impairment on your movement, you can move them by taking 2 actions. If carrying them immobilizes you, you cannot move them.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 10+, the target gains the Hobbled condition until they successfully recover from it. Hobbled creatures have an impairment on all movement actions. Impairment from being hobbled stacks with all other forms of movement impairment.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the target gains the Immobilized condition until they successfully recover from it. Immobilized creatures cannot take any movement actions at all.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the target gains the Prone condition until they successfully recover from it. Targets with the Prone condition have an impairment on all movement actions. Attackers within 5 meters or less of a prone target gain an advantage on attack rolls against them, attackers from 6-20 meters away gain neither advantage nor disadvantage, and attackers more than 20 meters away take a disadvantage on attack rolls. Creatures can make themselves prone at any time if they desire without being hit by this attack, and automatically succeed on recovery checks against self-knockdowns.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the target gains the Pacified sting. A pacified creature cannot use any attacks on their next turn, even improvised attacks. Pacified creatures are free to take any non-attack actions they desire.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the target gains the Petrified sting. A petrified creature is turned to ultra-hard stone or similarly tough (Tier IV) material, and cannot take any actions (even purely mental ones) at all. While petrified, the creature is immune to all attacks that don't have the required Demolitions upgrade required to destroy Tier IV materials. All attacks against a petrified subject are considered assassinations if they successfully get through the creature's defenses, however. The creature remains petrified until the end of the petrifier's next turn. If a petrifying attack kills a subject, the petrification is permanent. Whatever the material a subject is turned into, it is of little actual value and this attack cannot be used as a money-generator.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the subject is moved 1 meter directly away from you. If this would move the subject into a solid barrier such as a wall or another creature, that creature is not moved any further than it would be possible for them to move on their own. Push attacks can freely move targets into danger such as into a lava pool or off the edge of a cliff.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the target gains the Sap condition until they successfully recover from it. Targets with the Sap condition take 1 damage that ignores defense at the end of each of their turns.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 10+, the target gains the Setup sting. The single next attack against a Setuped target gains an advantage on the check and removes the Setup sting.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 9+, the target gains the Silenced sting. A silenced creature cannot speak, shout, raise an alarm, or anything else that involves using their voice. The creature remains silenced until the end of the silencer's next turn.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 11+, the target gains the Terrorized sting. On their next turn, they must spend both actions moving as far away from you as possible by the best (safe) means available to them. Terrorized subjects are not obligated to put themselves in direct danger in order to escape you (they don't need to jump off a cliff or swim in acid if that's the only way they have to escape, although they can still choose to if they really want). If the subject has no clear, easy route of escape available to them they must do whatever they can to create one- and then take it, if possible.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, you may instantly restore 1 lost Endurance to yourself.

When the Trigger Die has a result of 12, the target gains the Weakness condition until they successfully recover from it. Targets with the Weakness condition take a disadvantage on all attack rolls.

Alteration upgrades change the way that the attack is used in some fashion. Alteration upgrades are all mutually exclusive with each other. You cannot have more than one in a single attack set.

The attack requires two actions to use instead of one, but gains +2 advantages on the attack check. If the attack also has a Trigger upgrade, you may roll the trigger die twice and apply the higher result.

Pick one kind of attack (Agility, Toughness, or Insight). The type chosen does not have to be the same as the attack set's that this upgrade is in. Once chosen, the type cannot be changed. For example, if you wanted an ability that countered Agility attacks, it would be called Counter Agility. Once per round when you are damaged by an enemy that targeted the selected defense, you can use the attack for free as an immediate reaction against your attacker. If you are attacked but not damaged, you cannot counter. Your attacker must be in range and meet all normal criteria to make them a viable target in order for you to counter them. You cannot counter more than once per round, nor may you counter an enemy's counter. You may still use the attack set that you have the Counter ability in as a normal attack set when not countering with it. You cannot have more than one Counter upgrade in a set even if the extra copies correspond to a different attack type.

The attack requires two actions to use instead of one, but you roll three times with a disadvantage each time and apply all results to the target. If the attack also has a Trigger upgrade, you may roll the trigger die and apply its effects for each of the three Flurry strikes.

You cannot use the attack normally by spending actions at all, but can use it once per round for free at the beginning of your turn. To use a Gaze attack on a subject, you and the subject must be able to both fully see each other. If either of you is in an area of full or partial concealment, suffering from a Blind sting, or just have your backs turned then a Gaze attack cannot be used.

You cannot use the attack normally by spending actions at all, but can use it once per round for free at the beginning of your turn if you have half or less of your total amount of Vitality remaining (rounded down). Fully-healthy or lightly-wounded creatures cannot use Swansong attacks. For example, if you are level 7, then you can only use Swansong attacks when you have 3 or fewer Vitality remaining.

When you use the attack, its effects are not immediately applied to its target. You must spend an action giving some sort of physical indication that you are about to unleash a Telegraphed attack that all enemies can recognize and react to. Telegraphed attacks are used at the beginning of your next turn for free before you make any actions. If you can no longer use a telegraphed attack effectively once your next turn comes up (due to all viable targets moving out of range or whatever in the intervening enemy turn) then the attack is wasted. You gain +2 advantages on the attack check when making telegraphed attacks. If a Telegraphed attack also has a Trigger upgrade, you may roll the trigger die twice and apply the higher result. You may only telegraph a single attack per round.

Area upgrades allow an attack to strike multiple targets at once. Area upgrades are all mutually exclusive with each other. You cannot have more than one in a single attack set.

Area effect attacks do not harm their user, but can and will harm the user's allies if they are standing in the target area. The Range general upgrade does not function with any of the Area upgrades. Walls and other solid barriers prevent the spread of the area attack beyond them.

All attack sets with an Area upgrade must recharge like boons do. Every time a charged set is used, it becomes uncharged and cannot be used again immediately. At the beginning of each turn, roll a die for every uncharged set you possess. If the result is a 5 or a 6, the set is recharged and can be used again. All rechargeable sets become instantly recharged after combat ends.

The attack strikes all creatures within a standard 3-meter vision arc of its user out to a distance of 1 meter simultaneously. The attack arc is only 3 meters wide even when Arc attacks are used by very large creatures who have larger visual arcs. If the attack's user is large enough to take up multiple spaces, then they must designate a single one of the spaces that they occupy to be the origin of the effect.

The attack strikes all creatures within 1 meter of its user simultaneously. If the attack's user is large enough to take up multiple spaces, then they must designate a single one of the spaces that they occupy to be the origin of the effect.

The attack strikes all creatures on a straight line 2 meters long and 1 meter wide. The line can be oriented in any direction, but one end of it must be adjacent to the effect's user.