#Energy and Breath (活力と呼吸, Energy & Breath)

Contents

Energy is both an action resource and time. The count ticks down, and enemies and allies alternate as they choose maneuvers.

Canon — one-breath Energy economy. This document defines the final rules for one breath, the Energy economy, overload, transfer, reservation, 0 Energy maneuvers, and the short-weapon Core Zone bonus. Related summary: co-11-01-quick-reference.md. For the authority system, see co-99-meta/co-99-01-authority.md.

Related Entries: Basic Axioms §4 · Maneuver System · Zone Tactics · Combat Flow

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#The Dual Role of Energy

#Scent

The fast cut first, and the slow counter later. But even a fast character cannot pour everything into one breath. And every motion has a name: "horizontal cut," "thrust," "parry," "spear wall." Choosing one of those names is combat.

#Law

• Maximum Energy = 10 + Finesse (技)
• Action Resource: spent each time a maneuver is executed.
• Count Timeline: higher remaining Energy acts earlier.
• Reset to maximum at the start of each round.

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#Count Progression

Round starts: everyone at maximum Energy
 ↓
Count: descending from highest Energy
 → the character at that Energy executes "one breath"
 → choose and combine from the maneuver list
 → spend Energy → next count
 → enemies act between turns as well
 ↓
everyone at Energy 0 → lull

On a tie, descending Finesse (技). If still tied, allies act first.

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#One Breath (一呼吸)

#Law

When your count arrives, the default value for the consecutive execution limit is Energy 5. Skills, equipment, and special effects can expand this limit (see §One-Breath Expansion in this document). When expanded, the overload threshold uses the current limit value.

Within one breath, choose and combine from your own maneuver list:

• attack techniques (weapon Attack A/Attack B)
• reserved defense techniques (weapon defense techniques)
• Kata (active maneuvers from traits)
• movement maneuvers
• squad orders
• stance declaration/release

#Breath Combination Examples

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#Reservation (豫約)

#Scent

"In this breath, I am holding my blade in a parrying stance." That is reservation. If you prepare your posture in advance, you can answer enemy attacks naturally; if you react in haste, your body pays more.

#Law

During your own breath, you may declare a defense technique as reserved. Pay the Energy up front.

Reservation Ends: at the start of your next breath. At the end of the round.

Trigger Count: A reserved defense technique is spent after 1 trigger. To use the same defense technique again, pay the improvised reaction cost. If you intend to block multiple times, reserve each defense technique during your breath and pay each Energy cost separately.

Core Point: Reservation is a defense technique attached to a weapon: a katana's "parry," a yari's "harry," a shield's "shield defense," and so on. Without a weapon, there is no defense technique to reserve (except the martial arts "shove").

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#Overload (過負荷)

#Law

Trigger: Energy spent within one breath > current limit. Base limit = 5. It is expanded by explicit effects such as swift-decision armor, Speed, esoteric monk Asura, or wildlander Kamuy Descent.

Check: 2d10 + Physique (體) - excess >= 11

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#Energy Cost Handling (活力費用處理)

#Scent

Before one raises a blade, every motion has weight. Not even a finger in one breath is free. Even the lightest motion, even a single swing of the blade, must pay that weight.

#Law

#Rule 1: Absolute Floor (絶對下限)

The execution cost of every maneuver is minimum 1 Energy. No bonus can break this floor.

Exception 1 — Reserved Defense Technique. A reserved defense technique declared during your own breath costs 0 Energy when triggered (already paid). Details: §Reservation.

Exception 2 — 0 Energy Active Maneuver. A [Kata] maneuver whose effect text explicitly says "0 Energy" does not spend Energy. If it has no individual limit, that maneuver automatically gains a limit of 1/round, and one executor may use 0 Energy([Kata]) maneuvers up to 2 times in aggregate per round. Only an effect that explicitly states a special cap changes this aggregate cap. Details: §Rule 3.

Exception 3 — Energy Transfer (Scholar). A scholar transfers their own Energy to an ally at 1:1 (total unchanged). Transferred Energy is treated as normal Energy and does not fall under the "0 Energy maneuver" limit.

　※ The Only Exception to the 1:1 Absolute Principle: A modern person's Energy injection and crisis management are an explicit exception that allows a net increase (total increase) under a 1-per-round gate.

Exception 4 — Shikigami/Puppet Control. A shikigami/puppet body is treated as having 0 Energy of its own. The caster's control action is 0 Energy([Kata]), with an individual limit of 1/round and an executor aggregate limit of 2/round. Applies to remote actions by onmyoji and puppeteers.

Exception 5 — Short-Weapon Core Zone Bonus. The -1 Energy bonus for a short weapon (dagger/kodachi/ninjato, etc.) entering the Core Zone is stopped by the minimum 1 Energy floor; instead, the Combo Fatigue penalty is weakened from -2 → -1. Details: §Rule 4.

Exception 6 — Veteran Temporary Command. When a Veteran with no Energy pool assumes temporary command, it may issue one basic squad order at Count 1 as 0 Energy([Kata]). This is limited to once per round and is incompatible with that Veteran acting through another command during the same round. Details: Squad Operations §Veteran Temporary Command.

Explicit Exception Summary Table (0 Energy Allowed):

• Triggering a reserved defense technique (already paid during the breath)
• Releasing a stance (free action)
• Always-on [aptitude] effects
• [Kata] maneuvers whose effect text explicitly says "0 Energy." Cases that pay a non-Energy cost, such as gold, Faith, or condition cost, also belong here (for example: samurai guard stance, onmyoji shikigami command, merchant mercenary hiring/war bonds)
• Energy received through a scholar's Energy transfer (already paid by the giver) — transferred Energy is treated as normal Energy
• Shikigami/puppet control actions (body Energy 0, 0 Energy([Kata]), individual limit 1/round and executor aggregate limit 2/round)
• Veteran temporary command (one basic squad order at Count 1, 0 Energy([Kata]), 1/round)

0 Energy Source Principle: A new 0 Energy execution is recognized as canon only after it is added to the list above. Actual effects in individual class, equipment, and spell documents should use short source labels such as 0 Energy(reservation), 0 Energy([Kata]), 0 Energy(transfer), 0 Energy(control), or 0 Energy(stance release). Words such as "free," "no cost," or "immediate" are not 0 Energy maneuvers unless listed.

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#Principle: Source Independence and Same-Name Non-Stacking

This principle is the same as ../co-99-meta/co-99-02-core-principles.md Principle 1, and applies across the whole Energy economy.

Effects with different names from different sources (techniques, weapons, relics, schools) stack. If effects with the same name and same type overlap, apply only the most favorable one.

When an effect that already guarantees an "automatic" result overlaps with another "automatic" effect of the same type, only one meaningful effect remains and the other disappears. An effect that removes the check (automatic success) also removes "all penalties applied to the check" (such as Combo Fatigue). However, independent additional effects (such as +1 Wound on a critical hit) stack separately if their sources differ.

#Principle: Unit Autonomy and Acting by Proxy

This principle is the same as ../co-99-meta/co-99-02-core-principles.md Principle 2.

A unit acts with its own Energy. When a controller moves a shikigami or puppet that has no Energy of its own, the controller uses a 0 Energy([Kata]) control action. Squads follow their separate squad-order costs.

• Shikigami/Puppets: the body has 0 Energy. A caster's control action is a 0 Energy([Kata]) maneuver with an individual limit of 1/round. Each control also counts once toward Rule 3's executor aggregate cap, so one executor may use up to 2 such maneuvers in aggregate per round, including different control actions.
• Squad Orders: Separate track with its own cost (1~2 Energy). Basic squad orders are unrelated to the 0 Energy maneuver cap. However, if a specific effect explicitly says a squad order is executed as 0 Energy([Kata]), follow that effect's limit.
• Puppets: individual units. They are not squads, so they cannot be targets of squad orders, general command, or squad tactics.
• Transfer: 1:1 transfer only to allies that have their own Energy. Cannot transfer to Energy 0 units (shikigami, puppets, squads). Transferred Energy is the recipient's normal Energy, but the recipient's cap of 2 0 Energy maneuvers per round remains based on the recipient (transfer does not increase the cap).

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#Rule 2: Energy Penalty Offset First

Energy reduction effects (-1, -2, etc.) are applied to the weapon's base cost, then minimum 1 is guaranteed. Penalties (+1, +2) and bonuses (-1, -2) are all summed before calculating the final result.

Calculation Order: final Energy = base Energy + total penalties - total bonuses. If the result is lower than 1, raise it to 1 Energy.

Examples:

• Dagger thrust (1) + Core Zone bonus (-1) = 0 → minimum 1 applies, so 1 Energy. (When Rule 4 applies, compensation comes from reduced Combo Fatigue.)
• Yari thrust (2) + Core Zone penalty (+1) - Takenouchi-ryu license (-1) = 2 Energy

❌ Common Misapplication Example (reference only; do not apply in play):

- Treat katana horizontal cut (2) + retainer command squad-order discount (-1) as 1 Energy.

- Why It Is Wrong: the -1 discount from retainer command is a reduction only for squad-order maneuvers. It does not apply to personal attack techniques (horizontal cut).

- Correct Result: horizontal cut remains 2 Energy. The retainer command discount applies only to squad orders issued within the same breath.

#Rule 3: 0 Energy Active Maneuvers (Special)

Some technique/school/capstone effects allow [Kata] maneuvers to be used at 0 Energy. These effects are subject to the following automatic limits:

• Individual maneuver limit: if the effect text has no individual limit, it automatically gains 1/round
• Executor aggregate cap: one executor may use active 0 Energy([Kata]) maneuvers up to 2 times in aggregate per round (including different sources)
• Explicit special cap: if an effect directly states a special cap, that value takes priority
• Actual execution-site notation: each document's 0 Energy effect states its trigger condition, limit, and allowed source from this document.

Example Maneuvers:

• Samurai [stance] guard stance — automatically take a hit for an ally, once per round
• Onmyoji [Tactic:Kata] shikigami command — squad order cost waived
• 0 Energy([Kata]) maneuvers that separately pay gold, Faith, or condition costs (merchant mercenary hiring/war bonds, onmyoji shikigami command, etc.)
• 0 Energy counterattacks from some capstone techniques (Sword Saint, etc.)

Exception: Energy received through a scholar's Energy transfer is treated as normal Energy, so it does not fall under the "0 Energy maneuver" limit.

#Rule 4: Short-Weapon Core Zone Bonus

When a short weapon such as a dagger, martial arts, kodachi, kaiken, makiri, or ninjato enters the Core Zone, the Energy -1 bonus is stopped by the minimum 1 Energy floor. Therefore:

• Energy itself remains the same (a 1 Energy weapon is still 1 Energy)
• Instead, Combo Fatigue penalty decreases from -2 to -1 (4th hit -1, 5th hit -2, 6th hit -3...)
• Short weapons are already light weapons; in the Core Zone they are not faster, but less tiring

Scope of Application:

• dagger/tanto/kaiken/makiri/martial arts/bare hands/kodachi/ninjato
• staff/vajra are staff types, not short weapons → does not apply.
• bow/teppo are ranged → Core Zone use itself is limited

Stacking with Seal of Shura — the esoteric monk [aptitude] Seal of Shura cuts melee attack Energy in the Core Zone by an additional -1 (Core Zone §Combat Modifiers). If two sources overlap, as with an esoteric monk entering the Core Zone with a short weapon:

• Energy is stopped at minimum 1 (the Rule 2 floor remains. Short weapon -1 + Seal of Shura -1 does not become 0 Energy).
• Only the short-weapon effect's -1 Combo Fatigue reduction applies. Seal of Shura reduces only the Energy cost and does not reduce Combo Fatigue.
• The Seal of Shura effect itself does not disappear. In situations where base Energy rises due to another factor (long weapon Core Zone +1, squad-order added cost, improvised defense 1.5 times, etc.), it remains active as a -1 reduction.

Calculation Examples:

• Dagger thrust (1) + Core Zone (-1) + Seal of Shura (-1) = -1 → minimum 1 applies, so 1 Energy. Only the short-weapon effect provides the -1 Combo Fatigue reduction.
• Staff heavy strike (2, staff type) + Seal of Shura (-1) = 1 Energy. Seal of Shura acts as a reduction. Short-weapon reduction does not apply (staff is a staff type).
• Dagger thrust (1) + Core Zone (-1) + Seal of Shura (-1) + Outside Zone movement penalty (+1) = 0 → minimum 1 applies, so 1 Energy. This is a case where Seal of Shura's -1 offsets the penalty and acts as a reduction.

→ Details: Weapon Catalog §Short Weapons, Wounds and Defeat §Combo Fatigue

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#One-Breath Expansion

Stacking Rule: One-breath limit bonuses from different sources stack. Effects with the same name do not stack, and the limit after stacking is at most 10. Discard any excess.

Cap: The reference cap for official balance is 7. Values of 8~10 are reserved for exceptional peaks such as descent, Wandering Relics, Renown Titles, or scenario-specific effects, and 10 is the absolute cap.

The overload threshold follows the current limit after applying the cap. Example: the overload threshold for someone wearing swift-decision armor is one breath > 6. If Speed master (+2) and Asura (+2) overlap in the Core Zone, the overload threshold rises with the actual limit, up to 10.

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#Energy Cost Reference (Common Maneuvers)

For individual weapon techniques, see Weapon Catalog. Below are common maneuvers.

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Energy falls. What will you choose on the next breath?