Use deception and misdirection to draw enemy focus away from allies and disrupt their tactical decisions.
Roll 1d100 + Decoy Tactics Skill vs. DR 80+ target’s General Perception
Target loses half of the Success Rate in General Perception for the rest of the round.
–10 to –30 DR if user is already visible, loud or prominent in the battle
+10 to +50 DR if trying to divert attention from a non-stealthy or prominent ally
+20 DR if enemy has high situational awareness or advanced battlefield control (trained in tactics, leadership, awareness or similar)
+10 DR per additional enemy affected
Pretending to fall during a retreat to make enemies focus on you:
DR = 80 + 15 (General Perception) = DR 95 → Roll = 129 → SR = 34 → Target loses 17 General Perception
Decoy Tactics is the practiced art of battlefield misdirection. Whether it's a sudden shout, a staged injury, or a thrown object meant to mimic movement, the aim is to shift enemy focus at a critical moment. By misrepresenting intent or presence, a skilled user can temporarily cloud enemy judgment, reduce their situational awareness, and create openings for teammates to move, hide, or strike. It is especially effective when used just before or during coordinated actions such as flanking maneuvers, stealth infiltrations, or last-second retreats. A successful decoy does not confuse the mind directly, but rather tricks the senses and tactical instincts of the enemy.
In mechanical terms, this skill directly reduces the target’s General Perception by half the Success Rate, but only for the rest of the round. This short duration mirrors the fleeting nature of battlefield attention and forces players to time their actions precisely. It rewards boldness, clever sequencing, and dramatic play. While Decoy Tactics can be performed alone, it shines brightest when paired with skills like Move Silently, Soft Tread, Broken Wing Gambit, or Tactical Deception, allowing the group to slip past enemies or exploit their momentary confusion. However, against disciplined or perceptive opponents, poor execution may yield no benefit at all, making timing and context essential to its success.
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