Editing Gemini : The Dark Fantasy Role Playing Game (section)

==== The Combat System ====

The combat system includes a paper, rock, scissors mechanic.  The players have 3 choices every combat round.  They may make an all out attack (Rock), defend (Paper), or Feint (scissors).  Depending on the outcome of the strategy chosen, players may still make choices.
* If Both players defend...
** The fighters circle each other waiting for the other to make the first move and combat moves to the next round.
* If both players attack...
** The player with the best initiative roll attacks first and the other player may abort his attack to parry or dodge at a penalty.
* If both players feint...
**  The fighters circle each other attempting to feel each other out but because no player actually tries to block any of the feinted attacks, there is no real attack and combat moves to the next round.
* If one player attacks and another defends...
** ...and the attacker has a better initiative, The defender only gets a small bonus to his defense.
** ...and the defender has a better initiative, the defender has two choices:
*** The defender may just defend at a large bonus.
*** The defender may defend at a smaller bonus and counterattack with a penalty.
**** The attacker may defend this attack at a penalty.
* If one player attacks and the other feints...
** ...and the attacker wins the initiative, the attacker simply bashes the other player first.  The feint may abort to parry at a penalty.
** ...and the feint wins the initiative, the attacker falls for the feint and aborts to parry at a penalty and the feint too attacks at a penalty.
* If one player defends and the other feints...
** ...and the feint wins the initiative, the defender falls for the fake attack and may parry the real attack at a penalty.
** ...and the defender wins the initiative, the defender sees through the feint and gets a small bonus to parry.

After a few combats this system becomes intuitive to the players and it is relitively fast.  Combat is extremely dangerous, which players are quick to find out, which means a lot of combat turns into players circling each other, all throwing paper.