HOW TO PLAY/COMBAT

COMBAT

TUNNELCORE uses Cortex Prime dice pools — not d20. Every fight is an opposed roll between two pools of differently-sized dice. Stress builds on three tracks. Three traumas end a character.

At a Glance

Pool: Attribute + Approach [+ Asset] [+ Chrome]
Resolve: Keep highest 2, sum them. Higher sum wins.
Effect: 3rd-highest die = effect die for winner
Critical: Two equal highest dice = step up effect die
Hitch: Any 1 rolled = +d6 to Doom Pool
Death: 3 traumas = permanent retirement

01DICE POOL BASICS

Every action in combat is an opposed roll. You build a pool of dice from your character's stats, roll them all, keep the two highest values, and sum them. The opposition builds their own pool and does the same. Higher sum wins. Ties go to the defender.

Building Your Pool

ATTRIBUTE

d6–d12

Physical / Mental
Social / Ghost

+

APPROACH

d4–d12

Forceful / Quick
Clever / Quiet / Daring

+

ASSET

d6–d12

Weapon / Deck
Armor (optional)

+

CHROME

d4–d12

Archetype ceiling
(if not d4)

Resolution Steps

  1. 1.
    Roll all dice in your pool. Any result of 1 is a hitch — add a d6 to the Doom Pool.
  2. 2.
    Keep the two highest individual values. Sum them. That's your total.
  3. 3.
    Compare totals. Higher total wins. Ties go to the defender.
  4. 4.
    Winner's effect die = the largest die from the remaining (unkept) dice in the winner's pool. If only two dice were rolled, effect die defaults to d4.
  5. 5.
    Critical: If the two kept dice show the same value, it's a critical — step the effect die up one size.

Example Roll

You attack with Physical d8 + Forceful d6 + Combat Blade d8 + Chrome d6. You roll: 7, 4, 6, 3.

Keep highest two: 7 + 6 = 13 total. Unkept dice: the d6 (rolled 4) and d6 Chrome (rolled 3). Largest unkept die = d6 → effect level Standard.

Opposition rolled 11. You win by 2. Effect die d6 applies Standard stress to one of their tracks.

02STRESS TRACKS

Your character has three stress tracks: Physical, Mental, and Signal. Each starts empty (None) and steps up through die sizes as you take damage. When a track would step beyond d12, it marks you as Stressed Out on that track.

Physical Stress

melee / ranged / physical harm

None

Uninjured

d6

Strained

d8

Hurt

d10

Critical

d12

Desperate

OUT

Stressed Out

→ steps up on hit

Recovery: rest / medkit / treatment steps down one box per scene.

Mental Stress

taunt / psychological / morale

None

Uninjured

d6

Strained

d8

Hurt

d10

Critical

d12

Desperate

OUT

Stressed Out

→ steps up on hit

Recovery: rest / medkit / treatment steps down one box per scene.

Signal Stress

hack / quickhack / ghost interference

None

Uninjured

d6

Strained

d8

Hurt

d10

Critical

d12

Desperate

OUT

Stressed Out

→ steps up on hit

Recovery: rest / medkit / treatment steps down one box per scene.

Stressed Out

When any track is Stressed Out, you are incapacitated on that axis. You cannot take actions that require that attribute class until you recover or receive treatment. If another hit reaches an already-Stressed-Out track, you take a Trauma.

03TRAUMA

Trauma is permanent damage to your character's identity. It happens when you take stress on an already-Stressed-Out track. When trauma occurs, one of your three Distinctions is permanently replaced by the trauma name. That slot is gone. You cannot rewrite it.

1

First Trauma

A distinction slot is overwritten. Your character is changed — but still standing.

2

Second Trauma

Another distinction gone. You are profoundly marked. Consider what you are becoming.

3

Retirement

Three traumas means your character cannot continue. The Wire DM narrates their exit. Your character becomes an NPC — or simply disappears into the city.

Avoiding Trauma

  • —Recover stress before a track is fully Stressed Out. Use medkits, stimulants, or seek a Neural Recovery Suite.
  • —Flee combat before you are overwhelmed. Retreat is not failure — it is survival.
  • —Spend Plot Points (if available) to absorb a hitch before it reaches the Doom Pool.
  • —Engage on your terms. Use ambush or terrain advantage to start at Controlled position.

04POSITIONS

Every combat action has a Position: Controlled, Risky, or Desperate. Position is not the same as winning or losing — it describes what's at stake if you fail. The Wire DM and the Doom Pool can worsen all positions simultaneously.

Controlled

CONTROLLED

You have the upper hand. Limited consequences on failure. Effect is boosted.

Occurs when:

  • ›You ambush a target
  • ›Terrain advantage
  • ›Outnumbered the enemy 2:1

Failure cost:

Setback — a complication, not immediate harm

Risky

RISKY

Standard position. Most combat starts here. Win or take a hit.

Occurs when:

  • ›Default position in most fights
  • ›Even numbers on both sides
  • ›No particular advantage

Failure cost:

Harm — stress is applied to the loser

Desperate

DESPERATE

You are exposed. Failure means serious harm. But success is possible.

Occurs when:

  • ›Outnumbered
  • ›Doom pool spends SceneEscalation
  • ›Repeated failures worsen position

Failure cost:

Serious harm + potential complication

Note: Position worsens one step when the Doom Pool spends d12 (SceneEscalation). It also worsens when you take repeated failed actions in the same scene. Recovery requires a Controlled success or a scene break.

05EFFECT DICE

When you win an opposed roll, your effect die determines how much impact you have. The effect die is the largest die from the dice you did not keep when summing your total. If you only rolled two dice, effect die defaults to d4.

Effect DieLevelClock TicksMeaning
d4Limited1Glancing blow. Minor setback or minor stress.
d6Standard1A solid hit. Normal stress application.
d8Great2Heavy damage. Steps up the stress die.
d10Exceptional3–4Devastating. Two stress steps or a complication.
d12Exceptional+3–4Catastrophic. Scene-altering consequence.

Critical Effect

When your two kept dice show the same value, it's a critical. Your effect die steps up one size automatically. A d4 effect becomes d6, a d12 remains d12 (already maximum).

Zero Effect

If you lose the opposed roll, your effect level is Zero — you cause no stress. The opposition may apply their own effect die against you if their result warrants it.

06THE DOOM POOL

The Doom Pool is the Wire DM's resource — a growing threat that represents the world pushing back. It starts at 2d6 when the server boots and grows throughout the day as players roll hitches (1s on any die).

Current Pool (Example)

d6
d6
d8
d10

Pool grows: every hitch (1 rolled by any player) adds +d6 to the pool. Doom dice are never removed by players — only spent by the Wire DM.

When the Wire DM (or auto-spend logic during combat) spends from the pool, it selects the highest applicable die. Spends happen automatically after player actions in active combat scenes:

d6

NPC Interrupt

A non-incapacitated NPC in the scene acts immediately out of turn.

d8

Add Complication

A d6 scene-wide complication appears: Smoke, Alarms, Debris, Bystanders, etc.

d10

Reinforcements

A new zone-appropriate NPC joins the scene against the players.

d12

Scene Escalation

All positions worsen by one step. Requires 3+ active participants in scene.

Warning:The broadcast tower's Doom indicator starts at 40%. As the pool grows, the tower progress climbs. At 100%, the Wire DM triggers a world-scale event.

07COMBAT COMMANDS

All combat commands resolve through opposed rolls. Your pool is built automatically from your CharacterSheet based on the action type. You can override by specifying approach or attribute explicitly with attack <target> using clever.

attack <target>

Pool

Physical + Forceful + Melee Asset

Notes

Default melee. Chrome adds to pool if not d4.

attack <target> ranged

Pool

Physical + Quick + Ranged Asset

Notes

No chrome bonus. Range removes adjacency requirement.

ambush <target>

Pool

Physical + Quiet + Melee Asset

Notes

Sets your position to Controlled if successful.

attack <target> reckless

Pool

Physical + Daring + Melee Asset

Notes

Chrome adds. Your position worsens by one step regardless of outcome.

hack <target>

Pool

Mental + Clever + Hack Deck

Notes

Targets Signal stress track. Requires a hack deck asset.

quickhack <target>

Pool

Mental + Quick + Hack Deck

Notes

Fast but weaker. No chrome bonus. Good for interrupts.

taunt <target>

Pool

Social + Forceful

Notes

Targets Mental stress track. Can force a Risky position on the target.

flee

Pool

Physical + Quick

Notes

Opposed by a pursuer's pool. Success removes you from the scene.

grapple <target>

Pool

Physical + Forceful

Notes

Adds a Restrained complication to the target on success.

intercept <target>

Pool

Physical + Quick

Notes

Interrupt another entity's action. Works in or out of combat.

use <item> on <target>

Pool

Depends on item tag

Notes

Medkits, stims, EMPs — each resolves with the relevant attribute/approach.

Tip: Use scan <target>before committing to a fight. It reveals the target's attribute dice, stress state, and behavior type — without triggering combat.

08NPC BEHAVIORS

Every NPC has a combat behavior hint that determines their auto-action when engaged. LLM-driven agents (Tier-1 named NPCs) can override these defaults based on context, but the behavior hint acts as the fallback and baseline. You can read a target's behavior with scan.

Aggressive

Any

Always attacks

No hesitation, no flee. Will fight until incapacitated.

FleeWhenHurt

First stress hit

Attacks, then flees on any stress

Common among civilians and minor criminals. Pride has limits.

Defensive

When attacked

Defends, counter-attacks when safe

Minimizes risk. Uses Physical + Clever + Armor pool.

Coward

Immediate

Always flees immediately

No combat participation. Runs first. Calls for help if possible.

Boss

Never stops

Always attacks, immune to FleeWhenHurt

Special rules: starts with a d10+ doom die when a player first engages.

Enforcer

Any rule breach

Attacks, applies Restrained complication

Directorate 9. On incapacitation of player, triggers detention. Not killed.

Shopkeeper

When attacked

Defends, calls for help

Will not initiate. If they call for help, Enforcers may respond.

Warden

Intrusion attempt

Defends, blocks exits

Position is always Controlled within their designated facility.

Psychiatrist

Immediate

Always flees, cannot be baited

Non-combatant by design. Harming one triggers automatic Severe detention.

Boss NPCs

Boss-type NPCs (faction leaders, named antagonists) enter the scene with special rules. They begin with an additional d10 in the Doom Pool at combat start, their initial position is Controlled regardless of circumstances, and they cannot be scared into fleeing by any social or taunt actions. Only stress can stop a Boss.

ACTION MAPPING REFERENCE

When you enter a combat command, the engine automatically selects the Attribute + Approach combination. This table shows every mapping. Use it to understand which of your dice are relevant.

ActionAttribute + ApproachAsset Used
attack / attack meleePhysical + ForcefulMelee Weapon + Chrome
attack rangedPhysical + QuickRanged Weapon
ambushPhysical + QuietMelee Weapon
attack recklessPhysical + DaringMelee Weapon + Chrome
fleePhysical + Quick—
grapple / interceptPhysical + Forceful—
defendPhysical + CleverArmor
hide / sneakPhysical + Quiet—
hackMental + CleverHack Deck
quickhackMental + QuickHack Deck
scanMental + Clever—
tauntSocial + ForcefulChrome
intimidateSocial + ForcefulChrome
persuadeSocial + Clever—
deceiveSocial + Quiet—
resist signalGhost + Forceful—
perceive substrateGhost + Clever—

Command Reference

Every command by category, including all combat variants.

How to Play

Return to the full guide index.

Survival

Stress recovery, medkits, and staying alive between fights.