Some weapons deal damage to multiple targets in an area rather than a single creature. These Area of Effect (AoE) attacks use different resolution mechanics than standard single-target attacks.
There are three types of AoE attacks in the system, each with distinct behavior:
Burst Fire is NOT an AoE attack. It targets a single creature. Stray shots may hit other creatures through the Creature Cover system, but this is incidental rather than intentional area damage.
Explosive
Explosive attacks target a tile or location rather than a creature. All creatures within the blast radius take damage. Explosive damage is split evenly across all 6 limbs for Cripple Threshold purposes.
See Explosives Attack for the complete system, including Throw Difficulty, Scatter, blast attenuation through Cover, and the Shaped Charges milestone.
Scatter
Scatter represents a weapon firing multiple projectiles (pellets, flechettes, shrapnel) that spread outward from the point of impact. The primary target takes full damage, and creatures adjacent to the primary target are hit by stray projectiles.
When Does Scatter Trigger?
Scatter triggers when all of the following are true:
- The weapon or ammunition has the Scatter property
- The attack hits the primary target (deals damage)
- The primary target is within Close range (1-15m)
Beyond Close range, projectiles are too dispersed to reliably hit adjacent creatures. Scatter does not trigger at Medium range or beyond.
Scatter Area
Scatter affects all creatures in the 8 tiles surrounding the primary target (the full 3×3 area, including diagonals). The primary target is at the center.
[ ][ ][ ]
[ ][X][ ] X = Primary target
[ ][ ][ ] All surrounding tiles are affected
Scatter Resolution
Step 1: Resolve the Primary Attack
Resolve the attack against the primary target using normal attack rules (roll to hit, determine hit location, calculate damage, apply DT/DR, apply effects). The primary target takes full damage.
If the primary attack misses, Scatter does not trigger. You must hit the primary target for projectiles to scatter from the impact point.
Step 2: Determine Scatter Damage
Take the total damage dealt to the primary target before DT and DR reduction and halve it (rounded down). This is the Scatter damage value used for all secondary targets.
Example: Your shotgun deals 14 damage before DT/DR to the primary target. Scatter damage = 14 ÷ 2 = 7 damage per secondary target.
Step 3: Roll to Hit Each Adjacent Creature
For each creature in the 3×3 area around the primary target, roll a separate to-hit roll against that creature’s Evasion:
d20 + SPECIAL Modifier + Weapon Skill (with all normal modifiers)
Each secondary to-hit roll is made individually. Some adjacent creatures may be hit while others are missed, depending on their Evasion and your rolls.
Step 4: Resolve Secondary Hits
For each adjacent creature that is hit:
- Apply the Scatter damage value (half primary damage)
- Hit location is random (d20 on Hit Location table)
- Apply that creature’s DT and DR independently
- The hit is always a Glancing blow for Cripple Threshold purposes (half Cripple Threshold damage)
- Weapon tag effects (Bleed X, Burn X, etc.) do apply on Scatter hits
- Milestone effects (Exposed from Breach and Clear, Shockwave from Shotgunner Tier II, Fear from Clear The Room) do apply on Scatter hits
Scatter and CRIT / CRITFAIL
Scatter and Creature Cover
Scatter bypasses Creature Cover. Stray projectiles radiate outward from the impact point in all directions, not along the attacker’s line of fire. A creature standing behind the primary target is just as likely to be hit by Scatter as one standing beside them.
The primary attack is still subject to Creature Cover if another creature is between the attacker and the primary target. Only the Scatter secondary hits bypass Creature Cover.
Scatter and Cover Objects
Standard Cover rules apply to Scatter secondary hits. If a creature adjacent to the primary target is behind a Cover Object relative to the primary target, the Cover attenuates the Scatter damage using normal Cover penetration rules (Hardness / Energy Resistance).
Scatter Source Point
Scatter always radiates from the creature that was actually hit, not the originally intended target. If Creature Cover causes your shot to hit a different creature than you aimed at, Scatter radiates from that creature’s position.
Example: You aim at a target behind a bodyguard. Your roll falls in the Creature Cover window and hits the bodyguard instead. Scatter radiates from the bodyguard’s position, hitting creatures adjacent to the bodyguard — not adjacent to the originally intended target.
Scatter Example
A Shotgunner fires buckshot at a raider (Evasion 12) at Close range. Two other raiders stand adjacent to the target.
Primary attack: Roll 17 + 8 modifier = 25. Exceeds Evasion 12. Hit. Weapon deals 12 damage before DT/DR.
Scatter damage: 12 ÷ 2 = 6 damage per adjacent creature.
Secondary target 1 (Evasion 10): Roll 14 + 8 = 22. Exceeds 10. Hit. 6 damage applied (minus their DT/DR). Random limb. Glancing for Cripple Threshold. Weapon effects (if any) apply.
Secondary target 2 (Evasion 14): Roll 8 + 8 = 16. Exceeds 14. Hit. 6 damage applied (minus their DT/DR).
Result: All three raiders take damage from a single shotgun blast. The Shotgunner hit 3 enemies with one 3 AP attack.
Weapons and Ammo with Scatter
Scatter is a property of ammunition, not the weapon itself. The same shotgun fires differently depending on what’s loaded:
| Ammo Type | Scatter | Spread | Effects | Best Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckshot | Yes (Close range) | 50% to second limb | Standard damage | Groups at close range |
| Slug | No | No | +50% damage, +2 Accuracy, Piercing 2 | Armored single targets |
| Incendiary Shot | Yes (Close range) | 50% to second limb | Burn 2 | Unarmored groups, area denial |
| Flechette | Yes (Close range) | 50% to second limb | Bleed 2, Piercing 1 | Lightly armored groups |
| Bean Bag | No | No | Non-lethal, Knockback 1, Staggered | Crowd control |
| Dragon’s Breath | No (uses Cone instead) | No | Burn 3, Cone Attack | Hallways, chokepoints |
Scatter and Shotgunner Milestones
The Shotgunner specialization (Small Guns) synergizes powerfully with Scatter:
| Milestone | Scatter Interaction |
|---|---|
| Breach and Clear (Tier I) | Primary target AND all Scatter targets hit gain Exposed |
| Shockwave (Tier II) | Primary target AND all Scatter targets hit must roll Composure or suffer Knockback/Knockdown/Shockwave |
| Clear The Room (Tier III) | All creatures hit (primary + Scatter) must roll Composure against Fear |
This makes the Shotgunner the premier close-range crowd control specialization. A single shotgun blast can apply debuffs to multiple enemies simultaneously — a capability no other weapon type can match.
Cone Attack
Cone Attacks project a corridor of damage from the attacker in a straight line. Every creature within the corridor is targeted individually. Cone Attacks represent sustained streams of fire, energy, or other directed area effects.
Cone Shape
A Cone Attack creates a 3-tile-wide corridor extending from the attacker in the direction they are facing.
[=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=]
[ATK] [=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=]
[=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=][=]
ATK = Attacker position
[=] = Cone area (3 tiles wide, extends to weapon's maximum range)
The length of the corridor depends on the weapon:
| Weapon | Corridor Length | Corridor Width |
|---|---|---|
| Flamethrower | 15 tiles (15m, Close range) | 3 tiles |
| Dragon’s Breath (shotgun ammo) | 5 tiles (5m) | 3 tiles |
Cone Attack Resolution
Step 1: Declare the Cone
The attacker declares the direction of their Cone Attack. The GM places the corridor template (or the player places their asset overlay) to determine which tiles are affected.
Step 2: Roll to Hit Each Creature
Roll a separate to-hit roll against each creature in the corridor:
d20 + SPECIAL Modifier + Weapon Skill vs each creature’s Evasion
Each creature is attacked independently. Some may be hit while others dodge.
Step 3: Resolve Damage
For each creature hit:
- Roll the weapon’s damage dice once. All creatures hit take the same damage value (you don’t reroll per creature).
- Apply each creature’s DT and DR independently
- Hit location is random for each creature (d20 on Hit Location table)
- The Glancing Rule applies normally based on each creature’s individual attack roll
- Weapon effects (Burn X, etc.) apply to each creature hit
Step 4: Environmental Effects
Flammable or combustible objects within the Cone catch fire, applying the weapon’s Burn X value. This includes:
- Wooden Cover objects (crates, fences, furniture)
- Vehicles with exposed fuel systems
- Vegetation
- Any item or object with a flammable tag
Burning objects continue to burn on subsequent turns, creating area denial — creatures that enter or start their turn in a burning tile take fire damage.
Cone Attack Special Rules
Creature Cover does NOT apply. Flames, superheated gas, and Dragon’s Breath wrap around bodies and fill the corridor regardless of who is standing in front of whom. Hiding behind another creature does not protect you from a Cone Attack.
Object Cover DOES apply. A solid, non-flammable barrier (concrete wall, metal barricade) blocks the Cone. Cover attenuation uses Energy Resistance since Cone Attacks deal Energy damage. Flammable Cover Objects provide attenuation momentarily before catching fire and being destroyed.
Cannot be used with Called Shots. Cone Attacks spray an area — you cannot aim precisely at a specific limb. Hit locations are always random.
Cannot be used with Burst Fire. A Cone Attack IS the sustained spray. There is no “single fire” mode for a flamethrower.
AP Cost: Same as a normal attack with the weapon (typically 4-5 AP for a two-handed weapon).
Ammunition: Cone Attack weapons consume fuel rather than traditional ammunition. Each attack consumes a set amount of fuel listed on the weapon. Fuel tanks have limited capacity.
Cone Attack Example
A character fires a Flamethrower (Burn 3) down a corridor. Three raiders are in the 3×15 tile cone.
Roll damage once: Flamethrower deals 8 Energy damage.
Raider 1 (Evasion 11, Energy DT 0): Roll 15 + 7 = 22. Hit. Takes 8 damage. Burn 3 applied. Random limb: Torso.
Raider 2 (Evasion 13, Energy DT 2): Roll 9 + 7 = 16. Hit. Takes 8 - 2 = 6 damage. Burn 3 applied. Random limb: Left Leg.
Raider 3 (Evasion 12, Energy DT 0): Roll 5 + 7 = 12. Miss (12 does not exceed 12). No damage, no Burn.
A wooden crate in the corridor catches fire (Burn 3). It will continue burning and may be destroyed, removing Cover for anyone behind it.
Spread X (Single-Target Pellet Scatter)
Spread X is a weapon tag that represents projectiles hitting multiple body parts on the same target. Unlike Scatter (which hits adjacent creatures), Spread only affects the primary target.
Spread X: When this weapon hits a target, X% of the total damage (before DT/DR reduction) is also applied to a separate random limb on the same target.
The secondary limb hit from Spread:
- Is determined by a d20 roll on the Hit Location table (reroll if it hits the same limb as the primary attack)
- Is affected by the secondary limb’s DT and DR independently
- Is always a Glancing blow for Cripple Threshold purposes
- Does not reapply weapon effects
Spread vs Scatter
| Mechanic | Target | Trigger | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spread X | Same target, different limb | Any hit | X% of primary damage |
| Scatter | Adjacent creatures | Hit at Close range | 50% of primary damage |
Both can trigger on the same attack. A buckshot blast (Scatter + Spread 50%) that hits a target at Close range applies full damage to the primary limb, 50% to a second limb on the same target (Spread), AND 50% to each adjacent creature hit (Scatter).
AoE Quick Reference
Explosive: Target a tile. Blast radius hits everyone. Damage split across all 6 limbs. Cover attenuates. See Explosives Attack.
Scatter: Hit a target at Close range. 3×3 area (8 adjacent tiles). Half damage per adjacent creature. Roll to hit each. Glancing on Cripple. Weapon effects and milestone effects apply.
Cone Attack: 3-wide corridor from attacker. Roll to hit each creature. Same damage to all. Ignores Creature Cover. Sets flammable objects on fire.
Spread X: Same target, second random limb takes X% damage. Glancing. No weapon effects reapplied.