Combat Introduction
In a role-playing game, most character or NPC actions do not require any particular rules. A player simply says his or her character walks across a room, picks up an object, drives a vehicle, or talks to someone, etc., and if the GM agrees that it is possible, this simply happens. Personal interaction between characters or NPCs normally consists of the players and GM talking "in character" and describing what their characters are doing. In the GM's case, he or she describes what the characters are seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting.

In the course of a game, circumstances may arise where specific rules can help determine what happens. This is usually the case when the outcome of an action or event is uncertain and the result is important to the story. If a character needs to fix a broken reactor pump to prevent a nuclear meltdown, can he or she do it in time? If a character's car drives off a cliff, can he or she jump clear in time, and if not, how badly will the crash injure the character? If two people fight, who wins?

A character's Ability Scores, Attributes, Skills, and Calculated Values help resolve these dramatic questions. In many cases, dice rolls can add additional hazard and drama to the action. The dice rolls represent elements beyond the direct control of the character or the uncertainty that results when opposing characters interact.

In some situations, the GM may elect to determine the results by simple fiat, without rolling dice. The GM may do so if he or she thinks a particular outcome is certain or is dramatically necessary to the game.

One situation the rules cover in greater detail is combat. The rules for combat are extensive, giving players a greater sense that they are in control of their characters' every step. If they lose, they will know the GM has not arbitrarily killed or injured their characters. The GM can also follow a similar procedure with any other actions that affect a character's fate: treat routine activities in passing and delve into more detail whenever an action influences the player character physically or emotionally.

Anime d20 Versus Normal d20
In the creation of an anime game, certain rules changes have been made from the traditional d20 System to suit the style. Players familiar with d20 may notice some of those changes (some are specifically called out). It is recommended, when running a game of Anime d20, that GM's use the modified, anime-specific mechanic over the traditional d20 mechanic. The mechanics have been designed with achieving a cinematic, anime feel in mind. In the end, however, you are the final arbiter of what mechanics you do and do not use and should always select the mechanics with which you feel most comfortable.

Since there is a wealth of material published by numerous companies for the d20 System, players and GMs may prefer either the traditional, core d20 system published by Wizards of the Coast or third party d20 material. Feel free to use the mechanics that best suit your style and preference of play. So long as you and your fellow players are having fun, there is no wrong way to use the d20 System.

IMPORTANT! Do not hesitate to go beyond the rules if you are the Game Master. If you dislike a rule presented in the Anime d20 RPG, you are encouraged to modify it to suit your needs and those of the players. Do not let your own vision of an anime role-playing game be superseded by anything you read in this book. This book is filled with guidelines and suggestions, but certainly do not reflect the "One True Way" to role-playing success. Use what you like, discard what you do not, and fill in the blanks with your own ideas.