Follow One of Us Will Die Kickstarter here!

Many narrative-focused TTRPGs tend to sidestep intricate combat systems. Why? Often, they’re cumbersome, bog down the pacing, and pull everyone out of the unfolding drama. Picture this: a player declares an attack, rolls a die, crunches some numbers to see if they hit, then rolls some more to figure out damage. The enemy gets their turn next, and the cycle repeats.

Round after round, the dice clatter, actions repeat, and soon enough, either someone drops or the GM invents a reason to wrap things up. Sure, not every traditional TTRPG handles combat this way, but it’s common enough that many story-driven players simply steer clear of fights altogether.

But I say no more! As a passionate swordsman, some of my life’s most exhilarating, transformative moments have happened in the heat of battle. Combat has deepened my relationships with teammates, revealed my true character, and boosted my confidence immeasurably.

Combat should pulse with narrative energy. The game’s milestone system already leans into this, but I believe every clash should play out like a gripping tale!

My inspiration? Sword fighting itself.

Take it from Joachim Meyer, the legendary German longsword master. In his treatises, he broke down every exchange into three parts: onset, war, and withdrawal. Three acts! Sound familiar? Just like stories, movies, or magic tricks, there’s something satisfyingly natural about splitting things into threes. Our minds just get it.

In One of Us Will Die, combat mirrors this rhythm. The same way the game’s milestones, roles, and three-act structure shape the narrative, fights unfold in three distinct, story-driven phases.

The Three Acts of Combat

• Onset – The enemy looms, still out of reach. Tension crackles as the exchange begins. Players make a critical choice: flee, stand their ground, or perhaps set the stage with a memorable stance, clever banter, or an evocative flashback. These moments can even help tick off story milestones.
• War – Now, blades cross! Both combatants are within striking distance, and real danger enters the scene. This is when dice hit the table. But here, context is everything—are you charging in recklessly for vengeance, standing firm on defense, or desperately buying time for an ally’s escape? How your character approaches the fight shapes every outcome.
• Withdrawal – The dice have spoken, and now it’s time for another decision. With just a single roll per exchange in this system, players may choose to withdraw, opening new narrative possibilities and actions beyond the immediate danger. But not everyone is wise enough to retreat! Driven by rage, hatred, or sheer desperation, some might press their attack, diving into chaos. Just like stubborn competitors in a HEMA tournament wrestling for dominance until the referee intervenes, this phase reflects true character… and in a real fight, there is no referee!

Each exchange isn’t just a sequence of numbers. It’s a short story, an emotional beat, a turning point. By shaping combat as a three-act drama, One of Us Will Die transforms every clash into a memorable, narrative-driven event where the stakes are as personal as they are perilous; and every player, no matter their role, gets to take center stage.

Every exchange in combat is its own living, breathing story; a three-act play on the battlefield. Let’s bring this to life!

Luckily a chance to develop my Character comes in the form of a duel between him and a rival knight from the enemy army.

Onset! My Character immediately draws his sword in response to the knight’s challenge, which hits Adventure milestone number 2 and grants me a destiny point! In a fit of heroism, I rush the knight with my sword, and the Director tells me to roll dice!

War! I roll a five and a six! That nets me 3 action points. My Soldier Character cares not for his own safety! He just wants to kill the other guy! All action points are sunk into dealing 3 points of PA damage as he plunges the sword through a gap in the knight’s armor plates. Unfortunately, because he made no effort to cover his attack to defend himself, the knight slams the Soldier’s head with his mace and nearly caves in his helmet, and he takes damage as well. Oh no! In HEMA we call this a double or an afterblow. In One of Us Will Die, it is called a character moment!

“Still wearing your family’s old rusty armor, are you?” the knight taunts.

Withdrawal! Because the roll had at least one success, my Character is able to withdraw, but he won’t because he’s very angry. He grapples the enemy knight and hisses under his breath.

“The only day these colors come off me, is the day they rip them off my cold dead corpse!” My knight shouts.

Hopefully the other players don’t spot me hitting my fourth Mark milestone by stating that I will die in my uniform! The knight falls to the ground and dies from the fatal wound my Character dealt him. He was a minor villain so three PA of damage was just enough.  This nabs me another Adventurer milestone: Kill. All according to plan.

The action then moves to another player since I’ve already had my exchange, and it’s someone else’s turn to take the spotlight.

In a single engagement, we hit three milestones and we’ve developed my Character to be a hotheaded, emotional, yet competent swordsman who is extremely loyal to his family’s honor to the point that he has little care for his own well-being. It’s all because we saw the exchange as a story in three acts.

That’s the goal of this game. Every rule is put into place to encourage players to tell stories where the emotions are heavy, and the rules are light!

You can follow One of Us Will Die on Kickstarter here!