Quick reference guide to running combat in Edge of the Empire. See also Maneuvers and Actions, Attacks and Damage, Conditions and Recovery.
Round Structure
- Initiative — everyone rolls once, at the start of the encounter only.
- Assign slots — PC results become PC slots, NPC results become NPC slots.
- Take turns — on a PC slot the players pick who goes; on an NPC slot the GM picks.
- Round ends — "end of round" effects expire. Repeat step 3, same order.
- Encounter ends — per-encounter abilities reset, strain recovery.
Initiative
Simple (–) check, no difficulty dice.
- Cool — aware and ready for combat.
- Vigilance — combat is unexpected. Also the default if unsure.
- Ties: more wins. PC beats NPC.
The cheat sheet's " *= +1 maneuver / * = -1 maneuver in round one" is not in Chapter VI. Treat as house rule.
The Turn
| Limit | |
|---|---|
| Incidentals | Unlimited (GM may veto) |
| Maneuvers | 1 free, 2 max |
| Actions | 1 |
2nd maneuver costs: 2 strain, or the action, or . Never a 3rd. Maneuvers granted outside your turn don't count against the cap. ^77d19b
Incidentals: speaking, dropping an item, releasing someone, shifting position, peeking around a corner.
Range Bands
| Band | Distance |
|---|---|
| Engaged | Melee reach; close enough to touch/use an object |
| Short | Several meters — normal speaking voice |
| Medium | Several dozen meters — must talk loudly |
| Long | Farther — must shout |
| Extreme | Farthest two targets can interact |
Movement
| Move | Maneuvers |
|---|---|
| Within short range | 1 |
| Engage / disengage | 1 |
| Short ↔ Medium | 1 |
| Medium ↔ Long | 2 |
| Long ↔ Extreme | 2 |
| Difficult terrain | Double |
- Short → Long is 3 maneuvers, so not possible in one round.
- Multi-maneuver moves can span turns; you're not in the new band until fully paid.
- Range is measured per target, not from a map point.
- Personal and planetary scale don't convert.
Source Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook, Chapter VI - Conflict and Combat (p. 196-209)