Welcome to the foundational mechanics of Actions in Cybercore.
Here, combat is streamlined yet strategic, designed to keep the action fast-paced and engaging. Understanding how Rounds, Turns, and Sweeps work together is essential for navigating conflicts effectively and leading your squad through the dangers of the galaxy.
Combat unfolds in Rounds, representing a cycle of activity where every participant, from players to GMs, takes their turn. Each round is a snapshot of the battlefield, where decisions are made, strategies are executed, and actions are taken.
Within each round, individuals have their Turn—a slice of time in the spotlight to stamp there mark on the world.
The concept of a Turn forms the backbone of combat. During your Turn you are going to use one or more Actions.
Actions are what you use to attack, defend, or engage with your environment.
On your turn you get one Action for free. This can be an Attack, a Reload, the beginning of a Maneuver, or a pure Run (see below).
Each Action you spend is a choice between two movement modes:
You must complete all movement either before or after the action; you cannot split it around the action unless a feat or ability says otherwise (such as Nimble). See Movement Basics for the full table and worked examples.
If you wish to move further or take another action, burn Energy for an additional Action; each one is its own Run-or-Act decision.
Cybercore expands on traditional combat mechanics with Heroic Actions and Maneuvers, adding layers of tactical depth and allowing for cinematic moments of heroism and strategy.
Heroic Actions provide opportunities for significant impact, allowing players to change the course of battle in critical moments. Maneuvers introduce sustained actions, where strategies unfold over time.
As we explore Cybercore's combat system, remember that the goal is not just to defeat your adversaries but to do so with strategic insight, while looking amazing.
Diving into the adrenaline-fueled skirmishes of Cybercore, every player must grasp the essentials of combat actions. These fundamental components form the backbone of your strategic options on the battlefield.
Each round, you're allocated a set number of Free Actions based on your Tier:
| Tier | Ranks | Free Actions | Energy | Heroic Energy Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 0–3 | 1 | 1 | ⌈Rank ÷ 2⌉ |
| Tier 2 | 4–7 | 2 | 2 | ⌈Rank ÷ 2⌉ |
| Tier 3 | 8–10 | 3 | 3 | ⌈Rank ÷ 2⌉ |
Some examples of an Actions:
Actions are closely tied to Energy, when you have the Energy to burn, you can perform additional actions beyond your free action.
You can gain Extra energy though Skill Tricks, Corp Talents and Origin Feats as well as though the use of Energy Drinks and Pharmaceuticals and R&R Actions.
Terminology; Free Action vs Extra Action
Cybercore uses these two terms with specific, non-overlapping meanings. They are not interchangeable.
When an ability grants an action it is always an Extra Action, never a Free Action. The scope clause is mandatory: if you cannot finish the sentence "…that can only be used to ___", the ability is mis-written.
A Heroic Action is your chance to seize the moment; to change the course of battle, rescue an ally from certain death, or execute a daring strategy that turns defeat into victory.
You may use a Heroic Action at any time before the last creature in the round begins its turn. You can interrupt any other creature's Turn; that Turn is suspended while you complete your Heroic Action, then resumes afterward.
Heroic Energy is a separate pool from your regular Energy. You gain one Heroic Energy at the start of your turn, accumulating up to a maximum of half your Rank (rounded up). The pool sits there building until you crack it; at which point you dump it all at once and convert every Heroic Energy in your pool into an extra Action for the current turn. One chained interrupt, every drop spent.
Heroic Energy is all-or-nothing: when you spend, you spend the entire pool in one go and gain that many extra Actions for this turn. You cannot dip in for one and save the rest. Once cracked, the pool stops accumulating for the rest of the encounter, and any of the bonus Actions you don't use by the end of your turn are wasted. Any unspent Heroic Energy that's still in the pool when the encounter ends is also lost.
Certain abilities, skills, or circumstances grant additional things you can do as a Heroic Action; including Heroic Actions whose trigger is an external event rather than your own choosing (see Reactions).
You can use a Heroic Action to do anything you would normally be able to do on your turn, or negotiate with your GM. Some examples:
Note: in some of these the interpretation of "Heroic" is left to the reader...
You cannot use Heroic Actions to take an action to avoid or alter an event you are unaware of. For example.
Mastering the intricacies of Cybercore's combat system offers a plethora of strategic options, as each skirmish is a pretty high-stakes game.
Utilizing maneuvers and understanding the nuances of readying actions strategies, can turn the tide of any encounter.
Maneuvers are the cornerstone of advanced combat strategies in Cybercore, representing a suite of ongoing actions that can significantly alter the battlefield's dynamics. Every character starts with the ability to initiate maneuvers using their actions, including the unique Heroic Action. These maneuvers can range from suppressing fire to hacking enemy defenses or performing complex team-based actions.
What sets maneuvers apart is their ongoing nature; many require more than a single action to execute, and their effects can accumulate, intensifying with each subsequent action dedicated to them. For example, a heavy weapon might deal more damage or become more accurate the longer it fires, creating a balance between sustained offense and the tactical use of actions.
Integrating maneuvers into your combat strategy demands a deep understanding of your and your team's capabilities. Recognizing when to initiate a maneuver, sustain it, or transition to another tactic is crucial, making maneuvers a powerful tool in the hands of a strategic player.
Or you can just point the Chaingun at the bad guy and jam your fat finger on the trigger, I find the outcomes often the same. -- Jock Stargazer.
Jock Stargazer runs clear of the launch pad...
The setting sun over the tropical jungle at his back. He levels his M134 Minigun at the approaching hordes of Zod and opens fire, purchasing, he hopes, enough time for his team to strap themselves into the low orbit escape vehicle and finish the launch sequence. Jock sheds no tears; he’s had a good run; this time, the beer salutes at the end of the mission will be for him. He just has to hold the Zod back from overwhelming the ship.
He squeezes the trigger and says a prayer to the Gun god of Ammo and Belt Jams. Betsy roars into life. Ahh, Betsy, you have always been a reliable old girl; if a little temperamental when you get knocked up, Jock laughs to himself, glad Conner gave her one last oil and repair before they broke for the ship. The more ammo he spays into the swarm, the harder it becomes for them to approach; as the bullets rip from his now red hot smoking barrels, the amber overheat warning flashes on his HUD. He Ignores it. Betsy screams her anger and defiance at the approaching Zod. Their endless swarm undiminished. A Zod Elder Warrior scuttles from the throng; its armor is thick enough to withstand the toughest barrages, melts before the white-hot tungsten carbide rounds. It joins the building mound of its dead brethren.
In a normal situation, standing out in the open like this would be foolhardy; however, Jock didn’t see any spitters on this planet; perhaps these Zod were a different breed. Meh Alien Bio was never his thing anyway. He rotates right, raining ammo, the weight and balance feeling just right. His shots are landing more and more accurately as time races by. What’s taking them so long?, A Second warning joins the first on his Hud, this one more serious, Ammo Low. He doesn’t ease up. Instead, he screams a challenge to the Zod, taunting them into a new rush of death, and his pleas to whoever watches over a man’s last stand are answered.
With a deafening roar, the escape boosters ignite, and dusk turns pitch black as years of accrued jungle dirt is thrown from the launch pad obscuring everything in a one-click radius, including Jock’s smile. Ahh, to the safety of the space mother’s cradle, sound journey, my friends. There is a high pitch whine in the darkness as the warrior god of ammunition seems to turn his back on him just as his thoughts turn to the space mother. The spent ammo belt blasts clear of the clip chamber,
Three Zod warriors loom from the dust, and Jock’s smile turns to a grin as he raises the near molten Betsy in a salute at the descending horde. In his final maneuver, he grimaces as they smash into his combat armor, knocking him onto his back. He grinned past their looming heads and fanged chitinous maws at the blazing booster trail, watching it turn the purple sky turquoise in a streaking arc of fiery blue.
It’s beautiful. He jams his thumb down on Betsy’s overload button...
Readiness is not just an advantage—it's survival. Readying or holding actions allows combatants to set triggers for their moves, adding a layer of tactical depth and anticipation to confrontations.
When you ready an action, you're essentially holding your response until a specific trigger occurs, such as an enemy entering your line of sight or an ally falling into danger. This preparedness can be categorized into Aggressive or Defensive stances, each with its implications.
Preparing to Strike: Ready-ing is a strategic Maneuver that consumes two Actions. The first Action is invested in surveying the battlefield, gaining situational awareness to pinpoint the moment for your decisive move. The second Action is reserved for executing your response based on the trigger you've set, which can be an offensive strike, a defensive move, or the commencement of another maneuver.
Declaring Intent: When readying an action, clarity of intent is crucial. You must specify whether your readied action is Aggressive—like charging at an enemy or throwing a grenade—or Defensive, such as diving for cover or activating a shield unit. This decision shapes your available responses when the trigger occurs.
Aggressive Stance: Moving to confront an enemy, launching an attack, grappling, or hurling a grenade are actions that exemplify an Aggressive Stance.
Defensive Stance: Opting to retreat, seeking cover, ducking under an incoming blow, tending to an ally's wounds, or deploying a shield are Defensive Stances.
Choosing Your Moment: An example of readiness in action could be declaring, "If an enemy breaches the door, I'll shoot." However, the situation dictates your response. If instead of a foe, a civilian emerges, your aggressive readiness might pivot to incapacitating them non-lethally. You must however take an Aggressive Action. Conversely, if a heavily armed chaingun wielding bute appears, well you're committed to the aggressive, you've readied—not a defensive reaction.
The base rules for getting things into and out of your hands:
| Action | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Draw a weapon or small item into an empty hand | 1 Action | From any reachable slot (belt, holster, back, pouch) |
| Stow a weapon or small item from a hand | 1 Action | Into any reachable slot |
| Aim and fire a drawn weapon | 1 Action per attack | Drawing and attacking are separate Actions |
| Reload a weapon | See Weapon | Reload is specified per weapon, see your weapon for details |
| Swap weapons (stow + draw) | 2 Actions | One to stow the held weapon, one to draw the new one |
Empty hand required. You cannot draw an item into a hand that's already holding something; stow first, then draw. The exception is items designed for the same hand (e.g., a pistol grip with an integrated knife).
Restrictive locations (deep in a backpack, sealed case, locked container) may require additional Actions or a skill check at the GM's discretion. Certain unwieldy weapons require more Actions to ready; these are noted on the weapon.
Quick-draw gun duels and similar high-stakes scenarios may require a Reflex check at the GM's discretion. Most situations don't.
Extra Action draw exceptions: Several core abilities and feats grant an Extra Action that can only be used to draw or stow specific items; Combat Core's Fast Hands (weapons), Quick Hands (small items), Merc concealed weapons (Wrist Blade, Sting Pistol), Sci-Ops cybernetic concealed weapons. The Small Weapon Trick Quick Draw lets you draw two small weapons as a single Action. These all override the base rule.
Carrying a readied weapon takes stamina and focus. During exploration Sweeps, the GM may call for Exhaustion checks when weapons are held at the ready for extended periods; heavier weapons drain stamina faster.
Holding actions allows you to adapt and adjust your place in the combat order, re-engaging at the moment of your choosing. It demands one action to maintain a keen awareness of the evolving battlefield, enabling you to intervene with your remaining actions—heroic or otherwise—at a critical juncture when you reassert yourself into the combat Round.
If you want (or need) every action you can get, you can forgo gaining situational awareness, This is called Focused Holding. Focused Holding will no longer cost you an Action however doing so grants you Disadvantage on all Defensive Checks and Saving throws until you reenter the Combat Order and your are considered Focusing on completing your objective. You are essentially ignoring everything around you to get this thing done at a later time which will be signaled by one of your Allies. When Holding your actions in this way you can only re-enter the combat order after an Allies turn.
For instance you are crouched down behind a wall waiting for an ally to yell or signal that it's clear to run.
Being prepared can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Readying actions allows you to anticipate enemy moves and respond with precision, either by setting up an ambush or by preparing to counter an imminent threat.
The value of an ambush or holding an action extends beyond the mere act of waiting to strike. It's a calculated decision that plays into the dynamics of initiative, where scouts typically lead. If not scouting, the element of surprise or preparedness can still give you an upper edge, ensuring you're not outmaneuvered by an enemy vanguard.
One might ask, if the cost of an Ambush and Readying is one of my Actions. Why don't I just get down behind these barrels and wait, then shoot?
To answer that you need to take a look at Initiative. There you will see that Scouts go first. So there is a good chance if you are not considered a scout, that the Enemy Scout who comes though that door, will get the drop on your team if you are not Ambushing.
Beyond Actions and Heroic Actions, Cybercore introduces special actions that impact the flow of combat. These actions, often tied to specific abilities, Talents, Feats, Equipment, or situations, provide unique advantages or allow for unconventional tactics.
Special Actions are most often picked up by investing in Techglomerate Talents.
Examples of special actions include:
There are no standard opportunity attacks or reactions in Cybercore; nothing triggers off movement, line of sight, or anything else by default.
Some Features let you spend a Heroic Action in unique ways: moments where you would otherwise be unaware that you could act, or where the trigger sits outside what a Heroic Action could normally interrupt. A counter-attack the instant an enemy misses you, a shield raised against incoming fire, a counter-hack the moment your squad's gear gets pinged; without the Feature the moment passes you by; with it, you spend 1 Heroic Energy and seize it.
These are still Heroic Actions, drawn from the same pool. The first one you spend cracks the pool the same as any other; once you take a reactive shot in Round 2, you're committed to spending the rest of your Heroic Energy this encounter.
Granted by abilities, Skill Tricks, Feats, Talents or Equipment, Extra Actions are always scoped to a single, specific purpose named by the granting ability. They are not open-ended freebies; you cannot bank an Extra Action and spend it on something the source did not authorise.
An Extra Action's scope is whatever the ability says ("can only be used to move", "can only be used to reload", "can only be used to detonate an explosive", "can only be used to issue a command to one AI Assistant"). If the source attaches a cost (Energy, a resource, a state requirement), that cost is paid in addition to the action being scoped; an Extra Action that costs Energy is still an Extra Action, not a Free Action.
The handful of abilities in this book that grant a broad Extra Action (Adrenaline Surge, Emergency Response) are deliberate exceptions. They name themselves and call out the unusual flexibility in their text; assume any ability that does not do so is scoped.
There is no Move Action in cybercore. Every unrestricted Action can be used for movement, and certain Talents and Feats grant movement as a specific actions.
You only gain Wounded Actions when you go DOWN; which is when all your HITS boxes are marked. At that point you...
Four Wounded Actions can be converted into a single Heroic Action, usable immediately regardless of your pool's state or any encounter-end lockout; the pool's probably empty anyway, you are, after all, currently dying.
Here is a list of the things you can do with your Wounded Action...
Most importantly you can...
If things have gone horribly wrong for your team it may be that there is only the single Mission Iconic Death Roll available. It is likely to come down to who tells the best story, especially if multiple Squad members have met an untimely end.
Remember this Game is about telling a good epic, cinematic story and sharing it with others. If you tell a good Story at the end, and your group feels that your Actions were Iconic/Heroic enough, then GMs can invite the group to a private vote to grant a single Iconic Death Roll to a single player each Mission (Not Session).
This Vote is private and the result are only tallied by the GM, to gauge the tables feeling of the level of Heroics. The GM can advise that this should not be done if the Character simply got unlucky with a string or rolls, for instance if they slipped and fell, unless he was risking his life to save another or at the time acting selflessly in a way that is seen as 'Heroic' or 'Iconic' by the group.
The Bar for Heroics should be set and remain high, this is only a game after all. At some tables the vote may not even be necessary. The Heroics will be obvious. In the end the GM is the final arbiter if a Heroic Death Roll is allowed.
If you receive the Help you gain a Boost +2 to add to your Roll. If more than one person is able to assist the boost stacks.
If the GM thinks it's appropriate and more help can be applied, just keep adding boosts. See Boost for details.
It is at the GM desecration how many people can provide the Help Action in any given situation. Many people can Row a boat but only one person can steer.
When providing the help action your are Focusing on helping until the start of your next turn. This means you cannot take any other actions until then.
Scouting, Sweeps, and exploration rules are covered on the Exploration page.