Terrible: If none of the scratch boxes are checked, check the first Poor: Check first 1 or one up to 3 Mediocre: Check first 2 or one up to 4 Fair: Check first 3 or one up to 5 Good: Check first 4 or one Great: Check first 5 or one Superb: Check first 6 or one (incapacitate) Ok, in *this* variant, we have the same health and risk as before (SSSII), but no running bonuses and no cashing. Each player has a pool of points which they use to soak/make attacks; attacks that aren't soaked translate to risk. Specifically, you choose either to take or spend points on a roll (if you win). If you take points, your pool grows by the degree of success. If you spend, your opponent's is reduced by the degree of success. For every two points they're short by, their risk is raised by one level and they take damage. You can also spend points before the roll to raise your chance to hit, one for one. Round 1: Meg Good, Claude Superb+1. Difference: 3. Claude could raise Meg's risk by 1 (or 2? seems like we should round down). This would scratch her twice. I think instead he keeps the points. Round 2: (Claude spends 2) Meg Superb+1, Claude Good. Meg takes 2 points. Round 3: (Meg spends 2) Meg Superb+2, Claude Good. Meg spends; Claude gets two scratches (and loses 1 from his pool). Round 4: Meg Fair, Claude Superb. Claude takes 3 points. Round 5: (Claude spends 3) Meg Mediocre, Claude Superb+4. Claude spends; Meg takes two injuries (ow). Round 6: Meg Terrible, Claude Mediocre. Claude takes 2 points. Round 7: (Claude spends 2) Meg Poor, Claude Great. Claude takes 4 points. Round 8: (Claude spends 4) Meg Good, Claude Superb+2. Claude takes 4 points. Round 9: (Claude spends 4) Meg Mediocre, Claude Superb+2. Claude spends 6, Meg is out. This seems weird in that I'm not sure there's a reason to keep a pool of points around. Maybe you should get half points, rounded up, if you keep. Round 1: Meg Good, Claude Terrible. Meg could gain 2 points or check the first 3. I guess she checks. Round 2: Meg Superb, Claude Great. Meg gains 1. Round 3: Meg Mediocre, Claude Fair. Claude gains 1. Round 4: Meg Superb+2, Claude Great. Meg gains 2 (total 3). Round 5: Meg Mediocre, Claude Good. Claude gains 2 (total 3). Round 6: Meg Good, Claude Good. Round 7: (Meg spends 1). Meg Great, Claude Mediocre. Meg gains 3 (total 5). Round 8: (Meg spends 5; Claude spends 2). Meg Superb+5, Claude Mediocre. Meg blows away Claude's 1, and raises risk by 4; Claude takes two Injuries. Round 9: Meg Superb+1, Claude Terrible. Meg raises risk by 3; Claude is out.