Simple Savage Rules - Reference and Reminders
Trait (Skills and Attributes) roll
Roll: Best of Trait & Wild Die (d6)
Bonuses (e.g., +1) affect BOTH Trait & Wild Die
Unskilled: d4‐2 (Wild Die d6‐2)
Target Number
TN = 4 for unopposed rolls
Target Number TN = Trait roll if opposed
Ace: Highest number rolled on die,
Roll again & add to result
Success: Meet or exceed TN (even opposed)
Raises: Every 4 over TN
Benny: Use to reroll ALL dice in a given roll
Initiative
Highest to lowest: Joker, Ace, K, Q, etc.
Suit order: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs
Joker: First action
May Hold & Interrupt w/o roll
+2 trait tests, +2 damage on current round
Hold: Go later in sequence (Hold carries over to next round! Not dealt a new card, can go before others dealt a card for initiative or continue Holding. If Shaken you lose Hold status.)
Interrupt from Hold:
Opposed Agility rolls
Tie simultaneous
Actions
Multiple actions:
‐2 per action for ALL actions
Regular actions:
Trait Rolls
Attacks
Readying/Drawing a weapon
Run: +1d6 to pace
Tricks or Test of Wills
Special actions:
Full Defense
Parry = Fighting roll +2, may not move
Defend
+2 Parry, no other actions but move
Attacks
Fighting: TN = Parry
Thrown, Shooting : TN = 4
Raise on attack roll:
Bonus damage of +1d6
Free actions
Move Pace
Including before, after and between other actions, up to Pace
Speak
Fall prone
‐2 Fighting, ‐2 Parry, +2 ranged Cover
Resist opposed rolls
Drop item
Use Benny to remove Shaken condition
May be done ANYTIME (even preemptively)
Modifiers / Special Attacks / Combat Mods
Situational Modifiers
Range – S (‐) / M (‐2) / L (‐4)
Cover – Light (‐1) / Med (‐2) / Heavy (‐4)
Darkness – Dim (‐1) / Dark (‐2) / Pitch (‐4)
Called Shots : Bypass armor
Limb (‐2) / Head (‐4) / Eye (‐6)
Damage bonus = penalty
Multiple simultaneous attacks
Rapid Attack: 3 attacks at ‐4
Frenzy, Bolt, Autofire
One Wild Die for ALL rolls
Gang up (fighting only)
+1 per additional foe (up to +4)
Aim (ranged only): Full round, +2 ranged
Touch: +2 Fighting
Wild attack: +2 Fighting, +2 Damage, ‐2 Parry
Push: Opposed Strength rolls
+2 if moved 3” or more
Bash: Move 1” for each success/raise
w/ Shield: Str damage (+1 per shield size)
Knock Prone
Grapple Opposed Fighting rolls for no damage
Raise: Opponent shaken
Opponent: Immobilized (no move)
Opposed Strength/Agility to escape
Other actions at ‐4
Attacker: Opposed Str/Agi to deal Str damage
Shooting in Melee (engaged)
TN = Parry, Pistol size only
Innocent Bystander (ranged only)
Hit bystander on Trait roll of 1
Trick: Opposed Smarts or Agility
Success: Opponent –2 Parry until next round
Raise: Opponent Shaken
Test of Wills: Taunt (vs. Smarts) or Intimidate (vs. Spirit)
Success: +2 bonus for next action against opponent
Raise: Opponent Shaken
Damage
Damage vs. Toughness
If meet or exceed, become Shaken
One Wound per Raise. Period.
If Shaken ONLY and already Shaken, one Wound
Damage Rolls can Ace (explode!)
Area Effects
Cover counts as armor
Agility ‐2 roll to avoid damage
Soak: Use Benny to make Vigor roll
Success and each Raise: Remove 1 Wound
Remove Shaken if all Wounds removed
Shaken
If the damage of an attack is a simple success (0-3 points over Toughness), the target is Shaken. Shaken characters are rattled, distracted, or momentarily shocked. They aren’t stunned but are temporarily suppressed and may hesitate.
On their action, Shaken characters must attempt to recover from being Shaken by making a Spirit roll:
Failure: The character remains Shaken. She can only perform free actions.
Success: The character is no longer Shaken and may act normally.
Spending Bennies: A player may spend a Benny at any time to remove her Shaken status (even when it is not her turn).
Wounds
‐1 to all Trait rolls and Pace per Wound
Critical Failure
Anytime one rolls both dice and gets a 1 & a 1 it is a Crit Fail. Crit Fails can NOT be re-rolled – no Bennie can be spent on a re-roll.
Extra Effort
Spend a Bennie to add a d6 to a Trait Roll (Skills or Attributes) instead of re-rolling it. The d6 can Ace, the final result is added to Trait roll. If use Extra Effort cannot then use a Bennie to re-roll. Works with Elan, not with Soaking Wounds.
Simple Savage Rules - Reference
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