Maneuvers

p. 200

Maneuvers are activities that are not complex enough to warrant a Skill check, but do involve time and effort on the part of a character.

Maneuver Limitations

A character may perform one free Maneuver on their Turn.

They may also perform a second Maneuver by voluntarily suffering two points of Strain.

Characters may also perform a second Maneuver through a particularly successful Skill check, or by other means listed elsewhere (such as Exchanging Actions). However, regardless of the source, a single character may not perform more than two Maneuvers during their Turn.

Multiple Maneuvers

Some activities may also require multiple Maneuvers to perform. Generally, these Maneuvers must be performed sequentially, without being interrupted by the character performing other Maneuvers or Actions, for the task to be successful.

Maneuvers Outside a Character's Turn

In some cases, a character may even be able to perform a Maneuver when it is not their Turn.

Any bonus Maneuvers gained outside of a character's Turn do not count towards the aforementioned limit of two Maneuvers a character may perform during their Turn — specifically because it happens outside of the character's Turn.

Maneuver List

While these Maneuvers are deliberately general to cover as many options as possible, if a player comes up with something they want their character to do that is not covered by this list, they should not dismiss the idea out of hand. Instead, they should explain what they'd like to accomplish to the GM, who can decide if it can realistically be performed in a single Maneuver.

Assist

Performing the Assist Maneuver allows an Engaged ally to add to their next check.

Several characters can use the Assist Maneuver to add more bonus to the Engaged ally's next check. All awarded bonus dice must be used on the Assisted character's next Turn, otherwise they are discarded.

Move

• Change Range Increment

See also: Range Bands

Performing this Maneuver allows a character to move between Short and Medium range, relative to another person or object.

This also allows characters to move between Medium and Long range by performing two Maneuvers, or between Long and Extreme range by performing two Maneuvers.

(When covering long distances, multiple Maneuvers do not have to be performed on the same Turn, but the character is not considered to be in the new range increment until all required Maneuvers have been performed.)

• Engage or Disengage From an Opponent

If a target is already within short range of a character, the character can perform a Maneuver to engage that target.

If the character is Engaged with an opponent or adversary, they must perform a Maneuver to Disengage with that opponent before moving to any other location. This only changes their range relative to their opponent from Engaged to Short and represents the effort of backing away and avoiding their opponent's attacks.

(Characters do not need to perform this Maneuver to leave an engagement consisting only of friendly characters or allies.)

• Drop Prone or Stand From Prone

Dropping Prone and standing from a Prone position each require a Maneuver.

Dropping Prone allows the character to add to all ranged attacks made against them, although they also must add to all melee attacks made against them.

Interact with the Environment

• Move a Large Item

Flipping over a table, shoving a barrel into a pursuer's path, hefting a crate; all of these would take a Maneuver to perform.

• Open or Close a Door

Whether an electronic blast door or a primitive door with latches and hinges, opening or closing it takes a Maneuver.

Manage Equipment

• Pull Something from Storage, or Put It Away

A character can perform a Maneuver to retrieve an item from a pouch, backpack, satchel, bandolier, or some other accessible container. This can also be used to stow items in a similar fashion.

• Draw, Holster, Ready, or Load a Weapon

This Maneuver covers the basic manipulations of most weapons, such as drawing a vibroknife from its sheath, recharging a blaster rifle's energy cells (provided the character has additional ammo at hand), or drawing and prepping a thermal detonator for use.

Mount or Dismount

Mounting and Dismounting a domesticated animal such as a trained dewback or a tauntaun requires a Maneuver.

Successfully Mounting an untrained animal, however, requires a Medium () Survival check, which may be harder depending on how ornery the GM feels the animal is.

Similarly, Mounting a vehicle, sliding into a cockpit, or otherwise engaging a vehicle for piloting or a gunnery station for use requires a Maneuver as well.

Aim

During combat, a character can use the Aim Maneuver to steady a weapon or line up a hit before attacking, granting a bonus to their next combat check.

A character only gains the benefit of Aiming if they remain in their current position and do not perform any additional Maneuvers or Actions before their next combat check. Any damage that exceeds the character's Soak also negates the benefit of Aiming.

Aiming provides the character with one of the two following bonuses:

• Focused Aim

Gain on the next combat check.

If the character spends two consecutive Maneuvers aiming, they gain on the next combat check.

• Targeted Aim

Target a specific item carried by the target, or a specific part of the target. This could allow the character to attempt to strike or shoot a weapon from their opponent's hand, for example, or target an opponent's limb to cripple them.

If the character spends one Maneuver aiming to do this, their next combat check suffers .

If they spend two consecutive Maneuvers aiming, the combat check suffers instead.

Guarded Stance

A character who performs this Maneuver gains Melee Defense 1 until the end of their next Turn. However, they also suffer to any combat checks they make until the end of their next Turn.

Take Cover

Ducking behind a door jam, crouching behind a crate, or peeking around a tree trunk; all of these allow the character to gain Ranged Defense 1 (and some cover can grant a Ranged Defense higher than 1 if particularly sturdy).

It takes a Maneuver to Take Cover, but once in Cover, the character keeps the bonus unless the circumstances around them change so that they would no longer benefit from Cover, or they move out of Cover.

Preparation

Some Actions require additional Preparation to perform safely. The Preparation Maneuver is generally performed in conjunction with another Ability to confer a bonus, offset a penalty, or fulfill a requirement.

The individual Talents or Abilities that utilize the Preparation Maneuver define its specific effect. Preparation Maneuvers are sometimes abbreviated under the requirements as "Prepare."