Declaration of Intent
 At the beginning of any combat actions the Narrator will call a freeze, asking for all willing participants to identify themselves. Then all combat participants and non-combatants are to offer their “Declarations of Intent” to the Narrator or Storyteller present. Non-combatants may also relay their actions afterward and proceed away from the combat zone (diameter varies) on Every-Man actions.

Initiative
Happens in this order;
Alacrity, All level one Celerity actions go first (“Faster than thought”)
Mental actions are faster than Physical, which in turn are faster than Social (including talking).
Thus on Every-Man actions the order is; Mental, Celerity, then regular Physical and finally Social actions. If ever two types of similar actions are to oppose each other (i.e. Social vs. Social), the person with the highest traits is assumed to have acted first

Combat Sequence
There is a proper sequence to be followed in combat, which makes for combat that is as realistic and fair as possible. This sequence should be followed for all combat.
 

• Spend Blood
• Alacrity
• Normal Physical Action & Social/Mental Challenges
• Chimerical, Necromatic, and Thaumaturgical Effects
• Swiftness
• Legerity
• Fleetness (and other forms of Celerity)
• Form Powers (Protean, Sepentis, etc.)
• Ambidexterity

Note: Wound modifiers are in effect instantly upon receiving.
          The Bomb or Winning on Ties need not be declared prior to its use in any challenge.

Using Traits and Negative Traits
Lost challenges result in degrading Trait pools, however, traits may be refreshed by the expendature of a Willpower trait once per evening per trait category (Mental, Physical & Social). The Physical trait of Potent granted by the Potence power of Intensity may only be used in strength-related challenges. It is the first trait called upon in said challenges. The Potent trait may also exceed generational limits. Negative traits are used in the means described in LotN. In no way may a Negative trait be used or called in a method that is advantageous to the possesser of the Negative trait(s). i.e. a Nosferatu may not use Repugnant to aid in Intimidation challenges, Gangrel may not call on Bestial  to assist with  Beast Trait or Animalism challenges, etc.

Challenges
Simple: Must win or tie in contest vs. the Narrator or ST (May include retests at Narrator discretion).
Static: Must win in contest vs. a set amount of traits (type will vary) determined by the Narrator or ST.
May include ability tests and retests.
Opposed: Must win in a contest vs. a Player Character’s or NPC’s traits. May include retests. Final arbitrator is the HST.

Mob Combat Rules
Mob combat rules are the same as per Laws of the Night revised, with additional mechanics as follows:

Fleeing from Mob Combat: Allows for one last ranged assault from those in the Mob who are in possession of a readied ranged weapon and who did not aid the group’s assaults in that turn (either by donating traits, championing, or directly acting.) Fair Escape is possible if the defender is 10 feet or more away from the Mob (this may involve a Charge, see below), and one or more of the following criteria are met; the vampire has declaired cover behind 100% cover material, is moving faster than the Mob by two or more paces, or declares Fair Escape based on Clan Advantages, Form Powers or Thaumaturgy (Narrator discretion).

Mob Frenzy (aka The Shark Tank): If mass combat ever leads to 2/3 or more of the participants entering Frenzy, the Narrator has the veto to declare the combat over and arbitrarily assign wounds and trait losses to all principle players as well as action takers on the periphery and any or all witnessess. This new rule is End of Eternity’s way of not having combat take all night and to have the chaos of Mass Frenzy controlled for roleplaying integrity. After the “Shark Tank” ruling has been called, ALL players in that scene are Out of Play for 10 minutes, the minimum duration for Frenzy. After the assignment of wounds, Ability and trait losses, players may return to game to first roleplay the fallout then return to regular actions. If you were in the “Shark Tank” and were not in Frenzy, you may test once vs. 10 traits to get away. The ability retest is Dodge, however, Celerity mechanics still apply to the challenge.

Mob Surprise: Works much like the standard Surprise rules (see below) with the following exceptions; for every 2 members in the mob/group above the first participant, the target gains a +1 on her Awareness and/or Investigation tests and makes their challenge test against the vampire with the lowest Stealth level.

NPC Posses: The use of Card or NPC  Retainers in Mob Combat is forbidden.

Social Challenges Vs. the Mob: The vampire must have enough Social traits to enter the challenge or they must spend a Willpower Trait and spend as many Social Traits as there are targets they wish to effect in a 5 foot radius. Examples of Social challenges vs. the Mob include; Animal Ken, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Intimidation, Leadership, Performance and Subterfuge.

Ranged Attacks into the Mob (aka Cherry Picking): These add nothing to the mechanic of the mob combat. These attacks are resolved against the defender at the end of the round. The defender may only call Miscellaneous and Stamina-related Physical Traits and/or use Fortitude to soak the hits. Regardless of any multi-attack powers of the “cherry-picker”, only one assault of this nature is available per round.

Run Ins: Any Vampire(s) entering a combat to assist the aggressor or the defender may only take one action after the Form Powers sequence (see Combat sequence, above). Celerity levels make no difference to the number of actions.
 

Adjudication
Aiming: Takes one whole round regardless of aptitudes or other Abilities. Aiming grants a + 1 trait bonus for thrown weapons, bows, crossbows and firearms for the duration of the next round. The appropriate Firearms Specialisations add a +1 trait modifier (Narrator’s descretion). The Firearms Specialisation of Sniper grants a + 2 bonus (only available with HST approval). Perception Merits may also apply (Narrator’s descretion).

Aerial vs. Ground Combat: In the amazingly rare situation where one aerial combatant is engaged against opponents on the ground, the attacker gains a +2 trait bonus for the purpose of offensive actions against grounded foes. Defenders may only engage the aerial target with ranged Discipline powers and weapons. Reach melee weapons may be used to attack aerial opponents only if they are hovering at heights lower than ten feet.

Balance: Vampires’ nocturnal actions occasionally take them to all manner of precarious situations. Whether it be wire, tightrope or steel beam walking, skulking about building parameters, pitched roof surfaces or treading upon icy surfaces, the character may be called on by a Narrator to make a simple challenge to maintain balance or resist a fall in these situations, with the retest Ability being Athletics. Characters in the above scenarios taking offensive actions are are  -2 traits in the resolution of challenges. Defenders are considered -1.

Bite Attack: A vampire’s bite attack inflicts one aggravated wound level per successful strike. Such wounds also allow for increased imbibing of vitae on subsequent rounds. Wounds made in this manner allow for three blood traits to be ingested per round instead of the usual one. (Biting to feed causes the bliss effect and the bruising wound level it inflicts can be healed by the vampire’s saliva.)

Called Shots: This is not a mechanics rule; it is used for the purposes of clarifying roleplay. Called shots are used when you wish to target a particular area of a defendant. If you declare that you are Brutal enough to cut off his head, you may be successful in the challenge, but will not instantly remove the target’s head. The effects of the challenge can never be greater than the mechanics involved. This is part of the checks and balance system of LARP. In the above example, the target may have received two lethal wounds in the neck region, but was not decapitated. If the two lethal wounds would have put the target below torpor, then the effect would be decapitation. Disputes over the results of 'Called Shots' are in the favor of the target, for obvious reasons. Narrators may be sought for clarification. Called Shots are for added RP enjoyment and may interest some in a few Ability Specializations. They should be treated as any other RP effect that goes on in this game.

Charging: Requires at least 10 feet of space and the subject must be moving in a noticably aggressive pace.
You may use either a Dexterity or Strength related Physical Trait in the challenge. The intent of a charge is to knock out a combatant from taking any Physical actions for a round. On a successful charge an opponent is knocked prone and may not act except to complete their Form Powers and defend themselves. Tackles work the same way except that both participants go to the ground and the use of any mediun or large weapon  by either combatant is almost impossible (Narrator discretion). Failed charges end up at least 5 feet away from the target. Celerity powered charges used against those targets not in Celerity are at a +1 bonus for the first attempt only.

Darkness:
Black Out/Total Blindness: - 4 on preception challenges, must retest any successful challenge
Obenebration: Gain the Negative Trait: Clumsy, Must Retest any Successful challenge
Shadows: - 2 on perception challenges>
Twilight: - 1 on perception challenges>

The Protean power of Gleam of Red Eyes counters any negative effects of natural darkness. The Auspex power of Heightened Senses reduce natural darkness penalties to one-half.

Fair Escape: Fair Escape is your character’s chance to avoid a confrontation if you see it coming and have an easy way to leave. You may call Fair Escape if you have at least a 10-foot space between you and your adversary and have a clear method of egress. Under no circumstances does a properly called Fair Escape require a test. Characters under Fair Escape move in such a manner that it is physically impossible for other characters to follow them.
For characters with Celerity, a character may call Fair Escape if they are outside of normal conversational distance (roughly 10 feet), and they possess a degree of Celerity higher than anyone who attempts to prevent them from leaving does.
For characters with Obfuscate, a character may employ Fair Escape any time before a challenge has been initiated or some form of Heightened Senses is used on him.

Firearms: A character may only use two actions in any one round to fire a gun provided they are using both hands. A character only using one hand may use one action to fire a gun. Semi-automatic weapons provide one extra firing action. No character may fire more than three times in one round regardless of Abilities, Merits or weaponry.

Frenzy: There are two ways a character can be interacted with during a Frenzy during combat; Disciplines (Quell the Beast, Eye of the Beast) and Incapacitation. Because the process of calming someone's Beast must be done through roleplay in a scene and cannot be adequately performed during combat, talking someone out of a Frenzy during combat is not possible for those involved in the combat (bystanders may still attempt this). Also, the initial stimulus for the Frenzy must be vacant when attempting to calm someone from a Frenzy. Retesting a challenge involving the calming of the Beast uses the Empathy ability.

Movement: Combatants using missle weapons or firearms while taking two or more steps in combat are penalized with a - 1 in trait resolution to their challenges. This increases to -2 if four or more steps are taken (i.e.: Running).

Opposed Actions: In the interests of speeding combat up, when participants are moving at roughly the same speed they may choose to either attack or defend as their action. They may no longer do both. That means that you will have to decide whether you want to punch your opponent or dodge his blow. If both are on the offensive the winner of the challenge lands their blow; the loser misses.

Overbidding: as written in LoTN, plus you may retest for every factor that you possess against the challenger’s traits; i.e. if you have 12 traits and your opponent has 3 you may overbid and gain a retest up to 3 times. It still costs a trait to use any and each of these overbids.

Staking: Vampires that have been staked are physically immobile. They may not use any Disciplines (unless rules state otherwise). Under normal circumstances, they are aware of the activity around them.

Stop, Drop and Roll: A vampire who is on fire must take an action to try and put herself out. This is resolved after all other opposed actions in the round (if any) take place. It requires a Static Physical challenge vs. a number of traits equal to three times the number of Health Levels of fire damage that she was exposed to (not necessarily the damage inflicted) during the rounds action. If she wins, she extinguishes the flames. She may still re-ignite if she remains in contact with open flames.

Surprise: Surprise is the mechanics of declaring your intent for a Physical Challenge and counting to three to see if the defender responds in time. The practical example of this is walking up to a character, counting to three out loud and then declaring a Physical challenge.
Surprise can happen under a number of circumstances. If you enter a situation where you had no forewarning and the challenger announces it as such, then the character is Surprised. People who are Surprised may only defend themselves or soak (based on the situation) and cannot attack for that turn. Dropping out of Obfuscate to attack gives automatic Surprise unless the person has Heightened Senses on or some other method of noticing activity. Surprise lasts the entire first round. Gaining Surprise allows the attacker to call for a Surprise retest on any failed challenge. This may be counteracted by the defender expending an Awareness ability.
If for some reason you think you would have Surprise in a situation, but know that the person will reply within the three seconds, talk to an ST or Narrator before hand. It is considered very inappropriate to wander around whispering your 1-2-3 count when you try and Surprise someone.

Torpor: A character placed into Torpor by violence will be out of action for 6 minus [Humanity Rating]  game sessions. Characters on the Path of Harmony or Heaven are considered to be at one-half their path rating on this scale. Characters on any other Path of Enlightenment are considered to have zero Humanity for calculation purposes. Thus someone with 3 Humanity will miss 3 games. Someone on the the Path of Harmony 3 will be miss 4 games. Someone with 1 Humanity will miss 5 games and someone on a Path, no matter their advancement, will miss 6 games total.

Two Gun Mojo: The use of two guns (or paired melee weapons) in a combat allows for a + 1 trait bonus in the resolution of challenges. However, the use of the Dodge ability is prohibited while the vampire is in this mode of full-out attack

Water: To be considered “In Water” the mechanic is thus; you must be in any body of water moving or standing that is 5 feet deep or more. If the vampire cannot swim, they can only move two steps per action. Swimmers (Athetics Specialization) move at 4 steps an action, and Celerity may add to these mechanics. To remain afloat one must win a Static challenge vs. 6 traits with the retest Ability being Athletics. When submerged, all hearing checks under water are +1 and all visual checks are -2. Discipline powers may lessen or negate penalties for being under water. If the water is dark enough, ambushing submariners may declare Surprise on their opponents at surface level or close to the edge (ie: sewer ledge, a low-lying dock or reservoir tank, etc.). For the first round of combat in water, the opponent who comes from the depths to strike at a target gets a +2 trait bonus (think Jaws).
 

Combat Ranges
Hand to Hand: 5 feet.
Mental Disciplines: Line of sight or vocal range
Social Disciplines: 30 feet, vocal range or Special (like Summon, etc.)
Thaumaturgical Effects: Line of Sight  (Specific Targets)
Bows: 600 feet
Firearms (Pistols): 120 feet
Firearms (Shotguns): 100 feet or 30 feet for “sawn-offs”
Firearms (Sub-Machineguns): 450 feet
Firearms (Rifles): 2400 feet
Thrown Weapons (Small): 30 feet
Thrown Weapons (Large): 60 feet
 

Ranged Combat and the Bomb
You may use the win-on-ties power of Fleetness.
When using a thrown weapon or a longbow, you must specialize in that weapon and then you may use the Bomb on either Strength or Speed challenges. You may not use the Might retest when using Strength on a missile.
 

Cover
Applies only to ranged and firearm combat participants only.
25% - +1 Defensive Trait (i.e.: Crate)
50% - +2 Defensive Traits (i.e.: Small Motorcycle)
75% - +3 Defensive Traits (i.e.: A Large Tree)
90% - +5 Defensive Traits (i.e.: Mid-Sized Sedan)
100% cover applies only when the target cannot be seen or if the target places an object of significant size and mass between themselves and their attacker.
 

Firearms
All Firearms rules and mechanics are as printed in Laws of the Night; revised, except where listed below:

Heavy Pistol/Revolver
Bonus Traits: +2
Negative traits: Loud
Conceal: Jacket
Damage: Two Health Levels
Special: High Calibre: Wins or ties on a Simple test now indicate that the victim takes an extra level of damage
Availability: Highly Restricted in Canada, even if registered: Police 4, Street 5, Underworld 4 otherwise.

Semi-Auto/Automatic Rifle: Banned from Player usage
Heavy Machinegun: Banned from Player usage
Flamethrower: Banned from Player usage
 

Melee Weapons
All Melee Weapons rules and mechanics are as printed in Laws of the Night; revised, except where listed

Staff/Spear
Bonus Traits: Staff +2, Spear +3
Negative traits: Clumsy
Conceal: None
Damage: One Health Level - Staff or Two Health Levels - Spear
Availability: Any
Special: Staking

Long Sword
Bonus Traits: +3
Negative traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Conceal: No way!
Damage: Two Health Levels
Availability: Any
Special: None

Katana
Bonus Traits: +2
Negative traits: Fragile
Conceal: Trenchcoat
Damage: Two Health Levels
Availability: Special (talk to Storyteller) and Very Rare
Special: Speed

Great/Two-Handed Sword
Bonus Traits: +4
Negative traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Conceal: You must be kidding.
Damage: Two Health Levels
Availability: Any
Special: Armour Piercing: Ignores all non-Plate Armour types Destroy Shield: Renders shields useless in two blows

Armour
All available Armour types and rules and mechanics are as printed in Laws of the Night; Revised.
 

Abilities in Combat

• You now only get one retest from any one source. Abilities, Merits, Disciplines and Willpower are the areas from which you can call for a retest.
• Abilities are burned when you block a retest bid or bid with Ability traits to get a retest.
• If you win a challenge and the defender uses an appropriate Ability, Merit or Discipline, they may force a retest. If you in turn can counter with the corresponding use of an Ability, Merit or Discipline yourself, then you would in effect force the defender to accept the original result of the challenge. You may not cancel Willpower retests.
• Abilities used in a scene are used for the evening - there is no Ability refreshing.

Disciplines in Combat
The following is an abbreviated writ on Disciplines typical to Camarilla vampires and the powers within them that are availible in melee or ranged combat.

Animalism - Quell the Beast, Embrace the Beast, Drawwing Out the Beast
Auspex -  Heightened Senses
Celerity - All
Dominate - Command, Mesmerism
Dementation - Passion, Confusion, Voice of Madness
Fortitude -  All,
Nightmare - All
Obfuscate - Vanish from the Mind’s Eye>
Potence - All
Presence - Dread Gaze, Majesty
Protean - All
Thaumaturgy - Blood Rage, Blood of Potency, Theft of VVitae, Cauldron of Blood, other Paths by Narrator discretion
 

Blood Expenditures

• Blood traits may be used at the beginning of a turn to:
• Gain an extra Physical Trait for the duration of a single challenge used for the purpose of: going above Generational limits, Overbids and ties. This spending is reflexive and not an action.
• Healing wounds; one Lethal or two Bashing per Blood trait - requires full concentration and a full turn.
• Increase Physical Traits to generational maximum for the duration of a scene
• To power Disciplines