DND/Combat/Parrying & Posture.md

Posture represents balance, readiness, and combat momentum.

• All creatures start with 10 Posture unless otherwise stated.
• While you have at least 1 Posture, you may Parry or Dodge attacks.
• If your Posture is reduced to 0, you are Staggered until the start of your next turn.
• If you are Staggered due to an attack reducing your posture, additionally take the full damage of that attack.

When an attack would hit you and you have Posture remaining, you may spend 1 Reaction to choose Parry or Dodge.

All humanoid enemies, including bosses, follow these same rules unless explicitly stated otherwise.

**Parry

You meet force with force, attempting to redirect or overpower the attack. Trigger: You are targeted by a parryable attack.
Cost: 1 Reaction Parry Check

• Roll your Parry Throw against the attacker’s Attack Throw.
• If the attack hits multiple times, make multiple Parry Throws against the attacker's Attack Throw for each hit.

Success

• You take no damage.
• You lose 1 Posture.
• You may immediately make one Melee Attack Action against the attacker.
• This counterattack cannot be parried, but may still be dodged or mitigated by armor and effects.

Failure (Soft Fail)

• You do not take damage from this attack.
• Instead, you are forced into a Block against the next attack before your next turn.

---

**Block

Blocking represents bracing yourself after a failed parry.

• Blocking is automatic and cannot be chosen voluntarily.
• You take no HP damage, but suffer Posture damage. Posture Damage While Blocking
• Posture loss = Weapon Weight × Number of Damage Dice of the attack.
• If this reduces your Posture to 0, you are immediately Staggered.

Blocking cannot trigger counterattacks or effects tied to successful parries.

---

Dodge

You evade instead of contesting force. Trigger: You are targeted by an attack.
Cost: 1 Reaction Dodge Check

• Roll your Dodge Throw against the attacker’s Attack Throw.

Success

• You take no damage.
• Move 3 meters in any direction.
• Immediately remove Burning or Chill conditions.
• This movement does not provoke reactions.

Failure

• You take the attack normally.
• Dodge does not reduce posture on failure.

Posture Damage

• If a humanoid is hit by a normal weapon attack:
  • They take the weapons (Weight / 2) as Posture Damage
• If a monster (larger or taller) is hit by a normal weapon attack:
  • They take the full weapon weight as Posture Damage.