There are many ways in our game to render an opponent completely helpless. These include using effects like Prison and Web or simply attacking them until they fall unconscious from damage. Once a person has been incapacitated it is quite easy to kill them; this is represented by a Killing Blow.

To properly apply a Killing Blow, you must stand next to the target, place your Weapon on their torso, and recite “Killing blow one; killing blow two; killing blow three.” This should be done in a normal speaking style and should take at least three seconds. If anyone makes contact with your Weapon during the count or takes an action which causes you to expend a Skill, then the Killing Blow is interrupted and fails to kill the intended target. Some effects will also prevent the Killing Blow from succeeding, such as forcing you to remove your Weapon from the target during the Killing Blow with a Repel spell, as it requires you to move backwards away from your target.

A Killing Blow is considered a combat action and all applicable safety rules must be followed.

In some cases, a Killing Blow will cause certain effects to take place automatically. If more than one person attempts to give a Killing Blow, the person who starts first who will count as applying the Killing Blow. The second person cannot come along, say the Killing Blow faster, and then (OOG) claim to be the one who applied it. If you are given a Killing Blow and are already dead, no response should be given (not even “No Effect”); merely remain silent. The other person must figure out on their own what is happening.

A Killing Blow must be struck on the torso of the target - an arm or leg is not sufficient. The blow cannot be struck on a moving target; they must be incapacitated, unable to fight back and their body must be at rest. A Killing Blow can be delivered by anyone, whether they have a Weapon Skill or not. If not using a Weapon physrep, touches must be appropriate as per normal combat safety and consent rules, such as a hand on the shoulder.

Some creatures are Immune to various types of damage. To be effective, a Killing Blow must be applied with a Weapon that can harm the creature. For example, if a creature is affected by Silver or Magic Weapons but not Normal Weapons, the Killing Blow must be applied with a Silvered or Magic Weapon to be effective. When applying a special type of Killing Blow on such a creature, you must state the damage type at the end; for instance: “Killing blow one, killing blow two, killing blow three, Silver.”

Monsters using Claws to apply a Killing Blow must always use the Carrier from their claw attacks when doing so.

A Killing Blow cannot be Dodged, Parried, or otherwise avoided through Game Abilities or spells. It will bypass all Dumb defenses (see the Defenses section for more information) such as Weapon Shield.