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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 11:32:03 GMT -6
Base Initiative
A creature's base initiative is the time it begins to move or makes an attack if it attacks without weapons. Monsters that normally fight with natural weaponry are simply assigned a base initiative determined by their size and speed.
Monster Size Base Initiative
Tiny or Small Very Fast
Man-Sized Fast
Large Average
Huge Slow
Gargantuan Very Slow
Improve base initiative one grade for a movement rate of 18 or better, and reduce base initiative one grade for a movement rate of 6 or less. Also, moderately encumbered characters and monsters suffer a one-phase initiative penalty, heavily encumbered creatures are slowed by two phases, and severely encumbered creatures suffer a three-phase initiative penalty.
Note that most player characters have a base initiative of fast. Remember, this doesn't take into account weapon speeds or combat actions. Record the character's base initiative on the character sheet—it's used in each and every round of combat.
Weapon Speeds
Characters armed with weapons modify their base initiative with their weapon speed. All weapons are assigned a speed rating of fast, average, slow, or very slow. When the character makes an attack, his action phase is his base initiative or weapon speed, whichever is later. A fast human armed with a two-handed sword, a slow weapon, attacks in the slow phase of the round.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 11:32:59 GMT -6
The following choices are available as combat actions in the Player's Option combat system:
Attack
Fire Missiles
Run
Cast a Spell
Guard
Sprint
Charge
Move
Use a Magical Item
Cover
Parry
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 11:34:56 GMT -6
Combat Actions and Movement
A character's choice of combat action governs how far he can move in a given combat round. For example, a wizard certainly can't move a considerable distance, picking his way through swinging weapons and uneven footing, while attempting to cast a spell, which requires great concentration and precision. Likewise, a warrior cannot safely withdraw from a fight merely by turning and walking away at normal speed. Certain kinds of actions naturally preclude movement, while other choices are actually more effective when larger distances are crossed. Some choices allow for a range of movment options.
The various combat actions fit into three basic movement categories. These categories include no-move actions, half-move actions, and full-move actions. Some of the combat actions listed above may fit into only one category, while others may function with two or even all three types of movement.
No-Move Actions
No-move actions are just that—the character performs some sort of action during her proper action phase, whether it is fighting an opponent or using a wand, without moving significantly during the round. Even if a character chooses any one of the no-move actions, however, she can still adjust her position during her action phase. She can move one square in any direction and choose any facing as a free adjustment to her position. If the character is threatened, she can adjust her position without provoking an attack of opportunity by making sure that her adjustment does not take her out of the enemy's front squares or turn her back to him. No-move actions include:
• Attack
• Cast a Spell
• Cover
• Fire/Throw Missiles (normal ROF)
• Guard
• Parry
• Unarmed Combat
• Use a Magical Item
Half-Move Actions
Half-move actions allow a character to move up to half his normal movement rate and still perform some other action, such as attacking with a weapon or firing missiles. There are, however, limits to what can be done or how far a character can move and still accomplish these actions. Half-move actions include:
• Attack
• Charge
• Fire/Throw Missiles (half the normal ROF)
• Guard
• Unarmed Combat
• Withdraw
Full-move Actions
Full-move actions involve a character moving his full normal movement rate (or even more, in some cases) before attempting other actions. Full-Move actions include:
• Charge
• Move
• Run
• Sprint
Movement and Initiative
Compare these two actions: one character with a readied bow decides to fire at an orc chieftain 40 feet away, and a second character with a readied sword decides to run over to the orc and take a swing at him. Which action is resolved first? Obviously, the archer's attack will arrive before the swordsman gets his swing. Moving takes time, especially in a 10–15 second combat round.
Characters don't instantaneously blink across a battlefield just because it's their turn to move. They begin their move at one point in time and then finish moving sometime later. A character who begins his move when fast actions are resolved may finish his move while average or slow actions are resolved.
Movement always begins in a character's base initiative phase and is performed in half-move increments, one phase at a time. For a half-move action, the total amount of movement takes place in a single phase. For a full-move action, the character moves no more than half of his total movement in each of two consecutive phases, so a sprinting character is actually travelling 1.5 times his full normal movement in each of his two movement phases. After any movement is completed for the character, the rest of the combat action is resolved. Note that an action may be delayed by movement, but it will never occur sooner than normal because of movement. In other words, if a fast character with a two-handed sword (a slow weapon) chooses to make a half-move and attack, the half-move occurs in the fast phase, but the attack does not happen until the slow phase (unless the character was charging; see below).
Note that when several allies (characters or creatures that all won or lost initiative together) are acting in the same phase, characters performing actions do so before their companions begin to move.
For example, Boldo the swordsman intends to take a half-move and attack an orc, while his companion, Fletcher the bowman, prepares to fire an arrow at it. If Boldo's half-move and Fletcher's shot both occur in the same phase, the arrow actually streaks toward the orc before the swordsman lunges forward to close with it.
Also note that the 1-square adjustment of a no-move action is considered simultaneous with the action itself. Thus, the adjustment and the no-move action all occur before any normal movement is performed by allies who are eligible to do so during the same phase.
Combat Movement on the Battle Map
When a character actually moves across the battlefield, don't pick up the figure and then drop it back down again several spaces away. Trace the exact path the character is following from square to square on the battle map. A character never knows when there is a trap he may trigger or an invisible enemy threatening part of his planned move.
Characters can make any facing changes they want with no cost in movement points during their move. Remember, too, that characters can make a single facing change during an enemy's move if the enemy moves adjacent to them.
Moving Through Other Figures
in Combat
A character can move through a square occupied by a friendly figure as long as that figure isn't threatened or attacking in the current round. Enemies can only occupy the same square if they are grappled or if one is prone. Otherwise, larger creatures can attempt to make an overrun.
Overruns
When a larger creature attempts to move into a smaller, standing enemy's square, it is called an overrun. Mounted figures use their mount's size for this purpose, so a human on a size L horse can overrun a human on foot. Overruns create an attack of opportunity for the figure being stepped on. After the defender's attack, the defender must roll a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or be knocked down. Even if he does successfully save, he is forced one square away from his current location. This save is modified by a –4 penalty for a creature two sizes larger than the defender, a –8 penalty for a creature three sizes larger, etc.
For example, a halfling (size S) gets in an ogre's way. After the halfing's attack of opportunity, he must roll a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or be knocked down. The ogre is two sizes larger, so the saving throw is rolled with a –4 penalty. Even if the halfling successfully saves, he is forced out of the square.
When a defender is knocked down by an overrunning creature, he may suffer a trampling attack. The trampler gets an attack of opportunity that inflicts 1d4 points of damage per difference in size. Even though the defender is prone, no modifiers apply; trampling is an afterthought on the attacker's part. The DM can adjust the damage as he sees fit; very dense creatures such as clay or stone golems may not be seriously hurt by even a giant's trample.
Continuing our example, the halfling fails his saving throw and is knocked flat by the ogre's rush. The ogre gets a free attack of opportunity and rolls a hit. Since there is a two-category difference in size between them, the halfling suffers 2d4 points of damage. Being trampled by someone ten times your weight can be lethal.
A prone creature with an enemy in its square may get up by using a full-move action. Since two standing enemy figures cannot occupy the same square, size always wins; the larger of the two creatures displaces the smaller one. In addition, the standing figure always chooses which square the displaced figure enters. If the creatures are of the same size, an opposed Strength roll is made to determine who stays and who is displaced.
Concluding our example, the halfling decides to rise again to avoid getting trampled some more. Since the ogre is larger than the halfling, the halfling must be displaced one square in order to rise. Since the ogre is also the standing creature, it decides which square the halfling is displaced to. If the roles had been reversed, with the halfling in the square of a prone ogre that wished to stand, the halfling would still have to be displaced, since it is smaller. However, this time the halfing, which is the standing figure, chooses which square to be displaced to.
Of course, the standing figure might wish to keep the other figure from rising, or the prone figure might decide to fight it out rather than try to rise. If one figure wishes to keep another figure prone, an overbearing attack is necessary, but treat the situation as if the attack roll to hit AC 10 is automatically successful (see Overbearing, Chapter Five).
Choosing an Action
When it is time for a character to select an action for the round, the action is chosen independently without selecting a movement category beforehand. For example, if a warrior chooses to attack, there is no need to declare whether this is a no-move attack or a half-move and attack. The player simply announces that his warrior intends to attack.
This allows some flexibility in the system so that the ebb and flow of battle does not thwart the characters' actions each round. By waiting until a character's action phase occurs to determine how much movement is needed to perform a chosen action, much of this problem is eliminated.
Still, there are times when characters may be prevented from completing their action by a change in their situation. A spellcaster may have his spell interrupted, or a fleeing character may find himself trapped with no place to run. When a character's action is prevented by an enemy's interference, the action is lost for the round and the character can take no other action for that round.
On the other hand, characters may sometimes start an action and then think better of it. A character may begin a charge and then pull up short when he realizes he is about to run into a hedge of pikes, or a character who had planned to fire a crossbow may suddenly recognize his target as a potential ally.
At that point, a character can choose to either hold or abort a combat action when his action phase arises. Holding an action simply involves delaying the intended action for one or more action phases.
For example, Tyar the Glorious wins initiative and declares that he will attack (because there is an orc in front of him). Tyar would normally perform his attack on the average phase, due to his long sword. However, on the fast phase Twillo the Sly, Tyar's thiefly companion, successfully kills the orc with a backstabbing attack. Tyar sees an ogre that will most likely advance during the average phase, but only after Tyar is elligible to take his attack (since Tyar won initiative). Tyar decides to hold his attack until the slow phase so that he can attack the ogre after it advances.
A character may also choose to abort his planned action in favor of another. There are some limits to the new choice of actions, and the character's turn automatically bounces to immediately after the very slow phase of the combat round. It is treated like an extra phase and is resolved normally in all respects. See the individual action choices for more details.
The Actions
Below are listed each of the actions available to a character and how they are resolved.
Attack
This is the basic action for characters and monsters in a fight. When a character chooses to attack, he makes his normal hand-held weapon attacks. Characters and creatures can make a half-move and attack or they can stand their ground and attack as a no-move action.
Monsters with multiple attacks perform all their attacks on the same phase. If a dragon attacks with average speed, its bite, claws, tail, and wing buffets all take place in the average phase of the combat round. Characters using a weapon in each hand strike in the same fashion, during the action phase of the slower weapon.
Characters who have multiple attacks with the same weapon (such as high-level fighters or weapon specialists) make their first attack normally and then make one attack each phase thereafter until they've resolved all of their multiple attacks. A long sword specialist with two attacks in a round makes his first attack in the average phase and his second in the slow phase of the round.
Normally, a character can combine a move and an attack only by moving first and resolving attacks later. However, a character can choose to attack first and then make a half-move at the end of the round. Note that characters can adjust their position each time they attack, so a hero with multiple attacks could attack several creatures standing apart from each other.
Attacks of opportunity (see Threatening) do not count as a character's attack for the round. It is possible for a creature to get more attacks than normal if its opponent provides it with an opening for an attack of opportunity.
Characters and monsters may choose a number of attack options, such as grab, block, trap, or disarm. The fighter might use his bill-hook to pull a mounted opponent off his horse, or he might try to trip the animal. He could even go on the defensive and try to block his enemy's blow. Refer to Attack Options in Chapter Two for more information about the various alternatives.
Cast a Spell
Wizards and priests may choose to cast spells during combat. All spells are assigned an action phase just as weapons are. The character is considered to begin casting in the very fast phase and to finish in the spell's action phase. If the spellcaster is injured by an attack during the casting, the spell is lost.
Spells and spell-like abilities are assigned action phases based on their casting times:
Casting Time Phase
1–3 Fast
4–6 Average
7–9 Slow
1 round or more Very Slow
When a character casts a spell, she loses any Dexterity benefit to her Armor Class, since she must hold still and concentrate to make the spell work. After the spell has been cast, the mage or priest may apply her Dexterity bonus to her Armor Class again. If the spellcaster doesn't cast a very slow spell, she can take a half-move at the end of the round.
Psionic powers take effect during a randomly determined phase, regardless of the psionic creature's regular Base Phase.
Random Psionic Initiative
d10 roll* Base Phase
1-2 Very Fast
3-4 Fast
5-6 Average
7-8 Slow
9-10 Very Slow
*Add the power's Preparation Time to this roll.
Charge
Characters and monsters can charge to rapidly close for combat and make an attack. Charging is a full-move action, but a charging character may move 11/2 times his base movement when he charges. A knight with a movement of 6 can charge an enemy up to 9 spaces away.
Characters begin their charge on their base initiative, moving up to one-half the distance of the charge. In the following phase, they move the remainder of the distance. Unlike most attack forms, the charge attack is resolved the moment the attacker arrives. If the knight above has a base initiative of fast and an opponent is standing 7 squares away, the knight moves 5 spaces in the fast phase and 2 more in the average phase, at which point he attacks immediately.
Charging (which might more accurately be called the reckless attack) gives characters several advantages but also imposes some penalties. The charging character gains a +2 bonus on his attack roll. Some weapons, such as lances, are suited for charging and inflict double damage when used in a charge.
Because they are so intent on the attack, however, charging characters are at a disadvantage defensively. They lose all Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class and suffer a +1 penalty to AC in addition to that. Guarding characters with weapons longer than the charger's automatically strike first. In addition, characters can set spears (see Guard) against charges.
Cover
A character with a cocked and loaded crossbow, or an arrow nocked and drawn in a bow, can announce that he is covering an opponent within his weapon's short range. The covering character can only choose to cover a single square on the board, as long as that square is within the weapon's short range and in sight. Only characters with a weapon proficiency slot in bow or crossbow can cover someone in this manner. Covering situations usually are created by the circumstances of the initial encounter; for example, an archer may surprise his enemy, cover him, and order him to drop his weapon. Characters can also declare a combat action to cover someone.
Since the arrow or bolt is ready to be fired, the covering character's first shot is fast (or very fast if the character is a specialist.) See Bows and Crossbows in Chapter Seven. The covering character automatically wins initiative against the covered target. It is possible for a very fast creature to beat out the shot of a proficient archer, but even very fast creatures can be covered by a specialist.
The character can hold his cover until later in the round, if he wants to see what his target is going to do. He can fire first in any later phase. After the first shot has been loosed, the covering character can perform the rest of his missile fire at the regular action phase and rate of fire.
The covering shot itself is made with a +2 bonus to the attack roll. Covering is handy for freezing opponents in their tracks, since everybody knows how quickly an arrow or bolt can be released once it is drawn.
Covering can also be used with any hand-held bladed weapon—basically, the character puts her sword to an opponent's throat in a single adjacent square and menaces him. The victim must be stunned, dazed, pinned, unconscious, or surprised for a character to cover him with a melee weapon. As with bows and crossbows, the covering character automatically wins initiative against her target and can attack in the fast phase, or in the very fast phase if she is a specialist. The attack is made with a +2 bonus to hit, and the critical number (see Critical Hits in Chapter Six) drops to a 16.
Fire/Throw Missiles
Firing missiles and throwing hand-held weapons (including splashing holy water or oil) is another basic action that is very common in combat. The character can stand still and attack at his full rate of fire, or he can make a half-move and fire or throw missiles at 1/2 his normal rate.
The one exception to this move-and-fire routine is for missile weapons that have a rate of fire less than 1/round (this includes large crossbows and most firearms). In this case, the character wielding such a weapon can move half his normal rate and still fire the weapon only on the initial discharge of the weapon. The weapon is assumed to be loaded and cocked. After this first shot, the character can only fire the weapon as a no-move action.
Firing or throwing missiles is dangerous when a character is threatened by another creature, since it creates an attack of opportunity. The only exception to this rule is during the same combat round that the threatening creature actually moves up to threaten the character. The character can get his shots in while his enemy closes, but after that he had better switch to a melee weapon.
Characters with multiple missile attacks in the same combat round perform their first attack on the normal action phase, and then follow with one missile per phase until they've completed their full rate of fire. For example, a dart specialist has 3 attacks per round with his darts, a fast weapon. He therefore throws his first dart in the fast phase, the second in the average phase, and the third in the slow phase.
Some monsters, such as manticores, may have multiple missiles that are fired simultaneously. These attacks are all resolved in the same phase.
Guard
When a character guards, she waits for her opponents to come to her. Guarding is a half-move action, or a no-move action if the character stands her ground. A guarding character strikes the moment an attacker moves into the guarding character's threatening squares, regardless of her actual initiative and action phase. The only way an enemy can attack a guarding character first is with a longer-ranged weapon.
If a guarding character is attacked by a charging character, the character that won initiative attacks first (unless one of the characters has a longer-ranged weapon than the other). If both the charging and guarding characters have weapons of equal range, then the character with the larger weapon strikes first. Guarding characters are considered to be set for charge, and spears and spear-like polearms inflict double damage against charging creatures (see Chapter Seven).
For example, Aerwen loses initiative and is armed with a long sword, normally a weapon of average speed. A very fast size M creature takes a half-move to attack her with claws in the fast phase, but since Aerwen is guarding, she attacks first. If the very fast creature were charging, it would attack first since it won initiative for the round. If Aerwen had a long spear (range 2), she would get the first blow despite the creature's charge.
If no one attacks a guarding character, she can abort to an attack at the end of the round and take a half-move to reach someone.
Move
Moving allows a character to cover a lot of ground without dropping his defenses. Moving is normally a full-move action, but if a character only moves half his maximum move or less, he can consider it a half-move action instead.
Movement normally begins on a character's base initiative, without modifiers for weapon speed. Each half-move a character makes requires one phase, so a fast character does half his move in the fast phase and finishes his move in the average phase.
Parry
Sometimes the best thing to do is take cover and try not to get clobbered. Any character can choose to parry as a combat action. Parrying is a no-move action that is in effect for the entire combat round. If a character parries, he cannot move, attack, or cast spells.
Parrying reduces a nonwarrior character's Armor Class by one-half his level. A 6th-level wizard with an AC of 5 who parries reduces his AC to 2. Warriors who choose to parry reduce their AC by one-half their level, plus one. A 6th-level fighter gets an AC bonus of 4 by parrying.
Run
A character can double his base movement by running. Running is considered a full-move action; the character can't do anything else in the same combat round that he runs. Running on a battlefield is dangerous; the character loses all Dexterity bonuses to his Armor Class and suffers a +1 AC penalty on top of that. In addition, he is considered to be charging if he runs into a square threatened by an opponent with a set spear.
Characters can maintain a run as long as they have the necessary fatigue points (see Fatigue, below). Outside of combat, they can run for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution score. After that, they must stop and rest. See Jogging and Running in the Player's Handbook under Chapter 14: Time and Movement for more information.
Sprint
A character can triple his base movement by sprinting. Like running, sprinting is a full-move action that drops the character's defenses for the round.
Unarmed Combat
Any character may choose to make an unarmed attack instead of attacking with his weapons. There are four basic types of unarmed combat: punching, wrestling, overbearing, and martial arts. Refer to Chapter Five for more information on resolving unarmed attacks.
A character can perform an unarmed attack on his base initiative if he doesn't have to move to reach his target, or he can take a half-move action to close for combat. Attacking armed opponents (including monsters with natural attacks) is dangerous for an unarmed fighter; if the character attacks an armed creature that is threatening him, he suffers an immediate attack of opportunity from his intended victim. The armed defender gains a +4 bonus on his attack roll and his damage roll against an unarmed attacker.
Monsters with natural weaponry almost never make unarmed attacks. However, it is possible for intelligent creatures to "pull in their claws" and try to batter a character into unconsciousness. Monsters without natural attacks may resort to unarmed combat if they are disarmed or want to capture their enemy.
Use A Magical Item
Generally, a character can use a magical item as a fast action or make a half-move and use an item as an average action. Some magical items take more or less time, as noted below:
Item Phase
Potion Average
Scroll Very Slow
Rod, Staff, or Wand Fast
Miscellaneous Magical Item Average
For most magical items with functions that do not emulate combat or spellcasting actions, the magic of the item is activated during the resolution step at the end of the round. In a few cases where powers take an unusual amount of time to activate, the DM is the final arbiter. If an item combines weapon-like characteristics and miscellaneous magic, such as a rod of lordly might, it should be treated as a weapon when being used to attack and as a magical item when its other functions are being used.
Withdraw
Withdrawing is the only safe way to leave a square that is threatened by an opponent. When a character withdraws, he backs carefully away from his opponent without turning his back or creating an attack of opportunity for his opponent.
Withdrawing is a half-move that takes place on the character's base initiative. A withdrawing character cannot attack or cast spells, although he can still get attacks of opportunity.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 11:38:22 GMT -6
Ending the Combat Round After all the combat actions have been resolved, it is time to finish up the round and get ready for the next one. The end of the round is a time to take care of any loose ends or bookkeeping that needs to be looked after. The four major items that are addressed at the end of the round are retreats, fatigue, morale, and status.
Retreats
When one character inflicts melee damage (but not as a result of missile combat) on an enemy without being hit in return, she may force her foe to retreat, driving him back with well-aimed blows. The attacker doesn't have to force her enemy back; she can decide to let him stand fast and not press the advantage. A defender can ignore the requirement to retreat if he is 4 or more levels/Hit Dice higher than the attacker or if he is two sizes larger than the attacker. A retreat cannot occur if the enemy was knocked down during the round.
When a character retreats, he must move backward into one of his rear spaces chosen by the attacker. If there is no place to retreat directly behind him, the attacker must choose one of the retreating character's flank spaces. If the character is unable to retreat into any rear or flank space, he must roll a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or be knocked down in the space he is in. In some special situations, the DM may allow a retreating character a chance to avoid being forced back. This allows a character with his back to a cliff (for example) to avoid giving ground.
The creature who forces a retreat may follow her retreating enemy, keeping her foe in a threatened square. The attacker can instead choose to back her enemy off and then hold her own position.
Retreats are good for breaking up enemy battle-lines or for maneuvering an enemy into a battlefield hazard. Retreats can also be used to disengage from a threatening creature by driving it back. Retreats don't create attacks of opportunity for the creature forcing the retreat; this is the end of the combat round and everyone is finished attacking for the round. However, the retreating creature may have been pushed into a situation where his rear or flank is exposed to an enemy during the next round of combat.
Fatigue
Fighting a prolonged battle can be exhausting. Only the most heroic characters can stand fast against wave after wave of foes without tiring. The various character classes gain a number of fatigue points equal to their base Hit Die value. In other words, a warrior has 10 fatigue points, a thief 6, etc. Warriors gain one additional fatigue point each time they gain a level; nonwarriors gain one fatigue point every two levels. This value is modified by the hit-point bonus or penalty for Constitution.
For monsters, fatigue points are equal to 8 (since monsters use a d8 for their Hit Dice) plus the number of Hit Dice, rounded down. Thus an ogre (4+1 Hit Dice) has 12 fatigue points.
Keeping Track of Fatigue
Characters and monsters start off in a fresh state. In every phase that a character or monster moves or attacks, check off one fatigue point. When the total reaches 0, the character or creature is fatigued. Reset the fatigue score back to its original value and check off two points in every phase that movement or combat takes place. When the score reaches 0 again, the creature is exhausted.
Effects of Fatigue
Characters and monsters who are fatigued move and fight as if they were encumbered one category more than they really are. For example, A character who was moderately encumbered becomes heavily encumbered when he is fatigued.
Exhausted characters move and fight as if they were encumbered two categories more than normal. An exhausted, moderately encumbered character moves and fights as if he were severely encumbered. Usually, exhausted characters are well-advised to catch their breath.
Recovering from Fatigue
If a character or monster spends one round resting, making no moves or attacks of any kind, he gets the chance to recover one category of fatigue (exhausted to fatigued, fatigued to fresh) by rolling a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation. Characters modify the die roll by a cumulative +1 bonus for each consecutive round they spend resting. The character's hit-point bonus for exceptional Constitution is also used as a modifier to the recovery roll.
When a character recovers a fatigue category, his fatigue number is re-set all the way back to its original value. He gets a second wind and can rejoin the fray.
Effects of Force Marching on Fatigue
Whenever characters have failed a Constitution check as a result of force marching and are still in the process of recovering (see the PHB, Chapter 14: Time and Movement, under Cross-Country Movement), they automatically begin the combat in a fatigued state rather than fresh. Fatigue points are consumed at the doubled rate and all the penalties for being fatigued (as well as the penalties for force marching) apply, until a state of exhaustion is reached. Furthermore, creatures cannot return to a fully fresh state during the battle; only the noncombat recovery period for force marching can remove this restriction.
Morale
The end of the round is also the time for morale checks. Remember, player characters never need to check morale; they're smart enough to know when to cut and run, and foolish enough not to run when they should. However, NPC allies or followers of the PCs may decide to abandon them if things go poorly.
Morale is discussed at length in the Dungeon Master Guide, so it won't be reiterated here. The DM is not required to make a morale roll every round; he can use his own judgment to decide when someone might be thinking of calling it a day. Some good guidelines of when monsters or NPCs might make morale checks:
• When surprised;
• When faced by an obviously superior enemy force;
• When an ally is slain by magic;
• When 25% of their group has fallen;
• When 50% of their group has fallen;
• When their leader deserts or is killed;
• When they are fighting an enemy that can't be hurt by their weapons;
• When they are offered a chance to surrender and they've already met one other condition for a morale check.
Informal Morale Checks
The DM can always just decide if a creature or NPC passes its morale check, without even rolling dice. The DM should be fair with this; it'll quickly annoy the players if their trusted henchmen run away through DM capriciousness at the first sign of trouble.
Formal Morale Checks
A formal morale check is a comparison of a 2d10 roll against the creature's base Morale rating, modified for the situation. An extensive list of modifiers appear on the DM Screen and under Morale in Chapter 9: Combat in the Dungeon Master Guide.
Failing a Morale Check
When a character or group of monsters fails a morale check, their first consideration is to get away from the fight. If they fail by a small margin (say, 1 or 2 on the die roll), they try to withdraw in good order. If they fail by a large margin, they break off the fight and flee for their lives. Intelligent creatures may try to surrender if there is no place for them to run, or if they think they won't be able to get away.
Status
This is a catch-all phrase for any condition or situation that may affect the actions next round. Did a character get knocked down during the fight? He'll start the next round prone. Generally, magical effects and continuing damage (poison, burning, acid, etc.) actually inflict their damage in this part of the combat round.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 11:39:29 GMT -6
Standard and Optional AD&D Rules
These rules can all be found in the Player's Handbook and/or the Dungeon Master Guide. Even if they are listed as optional rules in the core rule books, they are a standard part of the Player's Option combat system. They are presented again here (with any necessary combat system alterations and additions) for ease of reference. Refer to Chapter 9: Combat in the PHB and DMG for more details.
Movement and Footing
Ground characteristics may drastically limit a character's ability to move in a fight. The movement reductions listed below apply to the character's base movement, so a character with a normal move of 12 spaces would be reduced to a move of four spaces in heavy brush. If a character passes through multiple ground types in one round, he uses the worst of the modifiers.
Condition Reduce Move by
Heavy brush or thicket 2/3
Light brush or forest 1/3
Ice or slippery footing 1/3
Steep slope or rough ground 1/2
Knee-deep snow, water, or soft sand 1/3
Waist-deep snow or water 1/2
Shoulder-deep snow or water 2/3
Cover and Concealment
Concealment and cover work only against missile fire, and cover also provides a bonus to saving throw rolls where an effect causes physical damage, like a fireball spell.
The amount of the target that is concealed or covered determines the penalty to any missile attacks made against the target.
Target is: Cover Concealment
25% hidden –2 –1
50% hidden –4 –2
75% hidden –7 –3
90% hidden –10 –4
A target is impossible to hit when it is completely blocked from the archer by cover.
Line of Fire. A figure's line of fire is considered to run from the center of its square to the center of the target's square. If the line of fire passes through any part of a square containing an obstacle, the target is considered to be covered or concealed to some extent. The DM can decide whether the target is 25%, 50%, 75%, or 90% screened, or he can roll randomly if it is not clear. If the line of fire passes through a square containing a figure engaged in melee, the archer must use the rules for firing into a melee to determine where his shot goes.
Note that intelligent creatures who are facing the archer will usually use the screening object for its maximum effect, while animals and monsters that aren't intelligent (Int 1 or less) will rarely try to screen themselves against an archer's fire.
If there's any question about which squares the line of fire passes through, you can use a string, a ruler, or the edge of a card to check the missile's path.
Mounts
Mounts provide their rider with a +1 bonus to attack rolls when fighting against unmounted opponents, while the opponents suffer a –1 penalty to attacks against the rider (there is no penalty to attack the mount itself). Most mounts are fairly large and can overrun smaller creatures. A normal human on horseback can use his mount's speed and size to trample his opponents underfoot (see Overrun). Many mounts are also capable of making attacks along with their rider.
Rear or Flank Attacks
If a creature is able to position itself for a rear or flank attack, it gains a significant advantage. Flank attacks get a +1 bonus to hit, and rear attacks a +2 bonus. A thief attacking from the rear can declare a backstab and gain a +4 bonus to his attack roll. In addition to the attacker advantages, the defender's shield doesn't help against flank attacks on his unshielded side nor on any rear attacks. Last but not least, the defender's Dexterity adjustment doesn't count against rear attacks, since the defender can't see the attack coming and attempt to dodge it.
Sitting, Kneeling, and Lying Prone
Characters may sit, kneel, or fall prone as a no-move action. Getting up from sitting or kneeling is considered a half-move action, so a character can stand and still fire a missile or make an attack. Standing up from a prone position is treated as a full-move action, so the character can do nothing else in that round except rise.
Sitting or kneeling characters are slightly harder to hit with missiles or thrown weapons; they gain an Armor Class bonus of –1 against any ranged attacks. However, they're at a disadvantage in melee. Anyone making a melee attack against a sitting or kneeling character gains a +2 bonus to hit them.
Prone characters present very small missile targets and gain an AC bonus of –2 versus ranged attacks. However, they are very vulnerable to anyone close enough to threaten them. Melee attacks against prone characters gain a +4 bonus to hit.
Kneeling characters can use any weapon with no penalty. Sitting characters can only use crossbows without a penalty; with any other weapon, they suffer a –2 penalty to their attack rolls. (Note that characters on horseback are mounted, not sitting!) Prone characters can only use crossbows or size S weapons while they're on the ground. A prone character firing a crossbow attacks at one-half the normal rate of fire and makes any melee attacks with a –4 penalty to hit.
Damage and Dying
Creatures reduced to negative hit points are incapacitated and begin losing 1 hit point per round until they reach –10, at which point they die. A creature's loss of hit points can be halted by binding its wounds, using the healing proficiency, or casting some kind of curative magic on the victim.
Characters who have been reduced to 0 hit points or less are helpless; they can't tend their own wounds or take any actions. At exactly 0 hit points, the character is simply unconscious, and remains so until healed or until 2d6 full turns pass. If a character's death is prevented by binding his wounds or healing him, the character is completely helpless for at least 24 hours.
It is dangerous to leave characters at a negative hit point total for long. Each day that a character begins with negative hit points, roll a d10 and compare it with the absolute value of the character's hit points (in other words, take into account only the numerical value of the hit points, ignoring the negative sign). If the die roll is less than this numerical score, the character loses 1d4 additional hit points. This additional loss of hit points can be avoided if someone with the healing proficiency is there to tend to the patient, or if curative magic is used.
For example, Gorathan the Unlucky was badly mauled by a dire wolf and reduced to –5 hit points. His companions bound his wounds, but no clerics or proficient healers were nearby, so Gorathan didn't recover any hit points. The next day, a d10 is rolled to see if he worsens or not. If the roll is a 4 or less (which is less than the "5" of Gorathan's –5 hit points), Gorathan loses 1d4 additional hit points. If the roll is a 5 or better, Gorathan recovers hit points normally for a day of bed rest. If Gorathan has some bad rolls, he might not make it.
Weapon Type vs. Armor Type
Some weapons have an innate advantage against certain types of armor. In the Middle Ages, hundreds of weapons were designed for the purpose of penetrating heavy armor. Weapon types and armor types are explored in more detail in Chapter Seven.
Firing Into a Melee
Throughout the ages, friendly fire has been a significant threat on the battlefield. In the Player's Option combat system, the shorter combat round means that archers can't wait to pick and choose their shots. They have to fire or hold their fire in an instant.
A melee is defined as any situation in which one creature threatens another. Firing or throwing missiles at either of the two engaged creatures requires the shooter to roll to see which figure he actually attacks. All creatures that are threatened or threatening one another in the same group are included, so the archer is guaranteed of at least firing at the right engagement.
To determine the actual target, assign each Man-sized target 1 point on a die. Small-sized targets get 1/2 a point, Large targets 2 points, Huge targets 4 points, and Gargantuan targets 6 points.
Additional Rules
These rules are specific to the Player's Option combat system.
Higher Ground
If the attacker's waist is higher than his opponent's head, he gains a +1 bonus to his attack rolls. Stairways, tabletops, and steep slopes may create higher-ground opportunities for a character in combat. This doesn't apply to colossal creatures such as giants who are fighting on level ground against much shorter characters, nor does it apply to mounted characters; they already get a bonus.
Knockdowns
Some creatures can smash their opponents to the ground with raw strength or heavy weaponry. Knockdowns are based on the size of the attacker's weapon compared to the size of the defender.
Every weapon (including monster attacks) is assigned a knockdown die that is rolled when a hit is scored. Light weapons have a small die, while heavy weapons use a d10 or d12 for knockdowns. The size of the target determines what roll is required for a knockdown.
Target Size Knockdown Roll
T 3
S 5
M 7
L 9
H 11
Don't confuse the knockdown die with the actual damage caused by the hit; they are two different things. It is a little quicker to roll the knockdown chance along with the damage dice, but don't feel like you have to.
Obviously, some creatures are immune to knockdowns. An ochre jelly, black pudding, or fire elemental can't really be knocked down, nor could a crocodile or shark in the water. In addition, some monsters may be unusually resistant to knockdown effects.
Knockdown Effects. Creatures who suffer a knockdown must roll a successful saving throw vs. death or be knocked prone. The victim can stand up by forfeiting a half-move or an attack. If he has already completed his actions for the round, he has to wait until next round to stand up. Refer to Sitting, Kneeling, and Prone above for more information about being on the ground.
Any character or creature armed with a loaded and cocked crossbow or firearm that is knocked down must roll a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or accidentally fire the weapon.
Monsters and Knockdowns. Monsters who wield weapons can use the knockdown die size that is listed for that weapon, and then modify the die for their own size. Increase the die one step for each Size category larger than Man-sized, or decrease it for each one under. For example, an ogre is wielding a morningstar, which normally has a knockdown die of d10. Because the ogre is Size L, one size larger than Man-sized, the knockdown die increases to a d12.
For monsters with natural attacks, choose a weapon that seems close to the attack type and then modify it for the monster's size. An adult dragon's claws may be like long swords. A wyvern's sting might be similar to a spear. Monsters may resist knockdowns better if they have four or more legs, are exceptionally dense or low-built, or seem generally tougher than normal.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2015 11:41:15 GMT -6
Attack Options Heroic swordsmen don't just stand still and hack at their opponents; they dash back and forth, trading parries and ripostes with skill and agility. A great way to add excitement and flavor to your battles is to allow PCs the chance to try flashy maneuvers or special tactics against their dastardly foes.
In a melee, characters can choose any number of tactics instead of a simple strike or thrust. The following attack options are available to any character proficient with the weapon he is using:
Block
Pull/trip
Called shot
Sap
Disarm
Shield-punch
Grab
Shield-rush
Overbear
Unarmed attack
Pin
Unhorse
Special weapon maneuver
The Opposed Roll
Many of the attack options described below use a game mechanic known as an opposed roll. In an opposed roll, whoever comes closest to their success number without going past it wins the contest.
For example, two characters wrestling for control of one sword could be required to make opposed Strength checks to see who gets the weapon. The character with the highest d20 roll that doesn't exceed his Strength score wins the contest.
Because the goal of an opposed roll is to come as close to missing as possible without doing it, attack rolls are won by the character with the lowest roll that doesn't go under their required to-hit number, and ability checks are won by the character with the highest roll that doesn't exceed his ability score. Ties extend the contest one round, unless stated otherwise.
Block
A character can declare that she is using one of her attacks to block an opponent's strike. Blocking is a hard parry with a weapon that deflects an opponent's attack. Any weapon except rope-like things such as nets, lassoes, or slings can be used to block.
When a character tries to block an attack, she makes a normal attack roll against AC 4. Her opponent makes a normal attack roll against her Armor Class. The strike is blocked if the character succeeds with a lower roll than her enemy succeeded with. If the attacker failed anyway, it's a miss no matter what the blocking character rolled. If the blocking character failed but her attacker succeeded, it's a hit despite the block attempt.
For example, Arweth is a 5th-level fighter with an adjusted THAC0 of 14 with her long sword. She is fighting a hill giant with a THAC0 of 9. Arweth decides to use an attack to block the hill giant's next strike. She rolls a 15 and succeeds with her roll. The hill giant rolls a 12; Arweth is AC 1, so the giant succeeds, too. His roll of 12 is lower than her 15, so Arweth's block fails.
If the character announces her block before initiative is rolled, she can block an attack even if it beats her action phase. If she decides to wait, she can only block attacks in her action phase or later.
Blocking is an excellent tactic for characters with multiple attacks to use against characters or monsters with only one attack. A rapier specialist with a main-gauche in her off hand can use her off-hand weapon or one of the rapier attacks to block while using the rest of her attacks offensively.
Called Shot
A called shot is an attack at a specific location on the target. For example, a called shot can be used to attack the head of an enemy who isn't wearing a helm, the unarmored legs of a character wearing only a breastplate, or the special weakness of a monster with an Achilles' heel.
Called shots have to be announced before the attack roll is made. When the called shot is announced, the character's action phase is delayed by one category; a bowshot that would normally be in the average phase becomes a slow action if the archer decides to make a called shot. If you're not playing with the initiative system described in Chapter One, assume called shots receive a +1 initiative penalty.
Called shots normally present the attacker with a –4 penalty on his attack roll, but the DM can modify this for the circumstances. If the target is surprised or not expecting the attack, the called shot modifier may not apply at all. On the other hand, a particularly difficult called shot (stabbing an enemy through the eyeslit of his visor, for example) may inflict a –6 or even a –8 penalty to the attack roll. Called shots are disrupted if the character attempting it suffers a knockdown.
Although called shots are normally most useful for special combat effects, like breaking a beaker of acid in an evil wizard's hand, they can also be useful against partially unarmored opponents. An enemy in full plate mail with no helmet has an AC 10 head; it's easier to make the called shot with a –4 penalty against that AC 10 than to swing at the enemy's normal AC of 1. If a called shot is used to strike a specific body area and results in a critical hit, ignore the location die of the critical hit roll and just roll the effect for the area struck. (See Chapter Six for more information on critical hits.)
Called shots can also be used to fire missile weapons into a melee without the risk of hitting an ally. If the called shot misses, no one else is in danger of being hit by the missile.
As an optional rule, the DM may allow called shots to be used to force an automatic retreat or knockdown effect, rather than inflict damage.
Disarm
There are two types of disarming maneuvers, offensive and defensive, and they both work essentially the same way. A character who wishes to use either type of disarm must allocate one of his attacks for the round to the feat. If the disarm is a defensive one, it is resolved before the attacker rolls to hit. A disarm works very much like a block, but the character attempting the disarm must roll against AC 0, while the intended victim of the disarm still rolls against an AC 4.
Anyone involved in a disarm that is using a two-handed weapon receives a 4-point bonus to the target Armor Class for the purposes of the opposed roll. It's impossible to disarm a weapon two sizes larger than your own, so a fighter with a dagger can't try to disarm a mage with a quarterstaff. Disarming can occur using a missile weapon, but the missile's size is the factor used to determine whether or not the attempt can succeed, not the weapon firing the missile.
For example, Dain the dwarf warrior is fighting a human sellsword named Torath. Dain announces before initiative that he will use one of his attacks for a defensive disarm on Torath's attack that round. Before Torath attacks, he makes an opposed roll against AC 4 while Dain rolls against AC 0. Torath's THAC0 is 17 and Dain's is 13. Torath rolls a 15, good enough to hit AC 4, while Dain rolls a 12, not quite enough to hit AC 0. Torath avoids Dain's disarm attempt and proceeds normally with his attack roll.
If Dain had been wielding a two-handed axe, his roll would also have been against AC 4 (the 4-point bonus to AC 0), and his 12 would have been good enough to hit. Since his 12 was lower than Torath's 15, Dain would have won the opposed roll and disarmed Torath.
Defensive disarms work just like blocks for initiative; if announced before the roll, they can be attempted against attacks that beat the character's action phase. Otherwise, they can only be used on the character's action phase or later in the round. Offensive disarms work like called shots; when announced, they delay the character's action phase by one step. The intent to disarm has to be announced before any rolls are made.
When a weapon is disarmed, it falls 1–10 feet away (1d3–1 squares) in a random direction. Recovering a disarmed weapon requires a half-move. A disarmed character can be immediately covered if the attacker has an attack remaining in the round.
Disarms work best against low-level opponents who don't have good THAC0s, since it's difficult for them to make their opposed rolls.
Grab
Characters can grab weapons or important items away from their opponents. If the character wants to grab his opponent directly, he should consider it a wrestling attack and resolve it as unarmed combat; see Chapter Five. A character has to have a hand free to grab; if both hands are full, he's got to drop something in order to attempt the grab. (Two-handed weapons can be held in just one hand, but the character can't attack this way.) The attacker must announce the grab attempt before he makes his attack roll.
Trying to grab an enemy's possessions while he threatens you is a bad idea; the defender receives an immediate attack of opportunity against the grabber.
Generally, the grab attempt works the same way a disarm attempt does. The character attempting to grab an item must make an opposed roll against AC 0 while the intended victim rolls against AC 4. The DM may assign certain penalties to the character attempting the grab, depending on circumstances; grabbing a tiny ring on someone's finger might incur a –8 penalty to the target Armor Class for the grabbing character. If the opposed roll results in a tie, the item may be dropped or broken at the DM's discretion.
For example, Euserio the Bold is behind the evil wizard Warjo and decides to grab Warjo's wand of lightning. There's no attack of opportunity, since the hero wasn't threatened by Warjo. The DM rules that there is no penalty to Euserio's attempt, since Warjo has the wand in his hand and isn't paying Euserio any attention. Euserio and Warjo make the opposed roll, Euserio against AC 0, Warjo against AC 4. Euserio's THAC0 is a 16, while poor Warjo's is still a 20. Euserio scores a hit with a roll of 18, while Warjo rolls a 12 and misses, so Euserio gets his hands on the wand.
Once the grabbing character succeeds in grasping the item, the opponents must wrestle for control of it using opposed Strength checks. If a character only grabs (or was originally holding) the item with one hand, then his Strength is reduced by 3 points.
Continuing our example, Euserio and Warjo now struggle for control of the wand, making opposing Strength checks. Euserio's 17 Strength is reduced to an effective 14 because he only got one hand on the wand, and Warjo's 13 becomes a 10. Euserio makes his Strength check with a 6, but Warjo rolls a 9 and wins, jerking the wand away! Wonder what he'll do with it next round?
Overbear
The best attack against a warrior of heroic prowess is often a simple rush. Overbearing is a common tactic when several creatures are confronting a lone enemy who can cut them to pieces one at a time. Overbearing attackers throw themselves at their opponent, using whatever holds they can find to get him on the ground and restrain him.
Overbearing is hazardous; the defender gets an attack of opportunity against any attacker he threatens (up to the limits imposed in Chapter One). It can take a concerted rush of a dozen or more to get through a high-level fighter's guard. Overbearing is treated as an unarmed attack, and is resolved on the base initiative of the slowest attacker in the pile.
The overbearing force resolves the attack by making a single attack roll at the THAC0 of their best member. The attackers get a +1 bonus to hit for each additional attacker. The attack is made against the defender's natural Armor Class (AC 10 for most PCs), only counting magical and Dexterity adjustments—a man in plate mail is just as vulnerable to being pulled down as a man in leather armor.
If the attackers hit, they must make an opposed Strength check against the defender to see if they drag him down or not. Use the Strength of the largest attacker, and apply the following modifiers:
• 4-point bonus or penalty per size difference of the largest attacker versus the defender;
• +1 per additional attacker;
• –4 if defender has more than two legs.
Monsters can be assumed to have a Strength of 31/2 points per size category (3 for Tiny, 7 for Small, 10 for Man-sized, 14 for Large, etc.) plus their Hit Dice. If the defender wins the Strength check, he keeps his feet and shrugs off the attack. If the attackers win, the defender is knocked down. The defender can be pinned and restrained if he is successfully overborne again in the next round.
For example, six kobolds are fighting Alvoth, a human knight. The monsters decide to use their numbers against Alvoth and overbear him. Alvoth kills one of the kobolds in an attack of opportunity as the monsters close, but the other five try to overbear anyway. Alvoth is normally AC 0, but his chain mail and shield don't help him here, only his Dexterity of 18. The kobolds attack against an AC of 6, with a +1 bonus to hit since they outnumber him.
The kobolds score a hit, so Alvoth engages in a Strength contest to keep his feet. Kobolds should have a Strength score of 7 based on the formula above (31/2¥2 for Small). However, their effective Strength is increased to an 11 due to their numbers (4 extra kobolds). Alvoth has a Strength of 17 and rolls a 9, making his Strength check. The kobolds roll an 11, just making their check with a higher roll and winning the contest. Alvoth goes down beneath the brutes' rush.
As an option, a saving throw vs. paralyzation can be substituted for the opposed Strength checks. This works a little faster, but it's not as accurate as the system described above.
Pull/Trip
A good tactic against moving enemies or characters who aren't paying attention is a trip or tangling maneuver. To pull or trip an opponent, the character must be armed with a weapon that has the ability to snare someone's legs. The following weapons all qualify: bill, bola, bow, light or heavy crossbow, horseman's flail, harpoon, javelin, khopesh, lasso, mancatcher, net, footman's or horseman's pick, any polearm, quarterstaff, scourge, spear, staff sling, and whip. These weapons feature long, staff-like pieces, chains or ropes, or heads that can catch and pull an enemy's legs out from under him.
To pull or trip an enemy, the character makes a normal attack roll. If he hits, he makes an opposed roll of his Strength against the defender's Dexterity or Strength, whichever is better. If the attacker wins, the defender is knocked down. If the defender wins or if both fail, the attack fails. If the roll is a tie, they both fall down.
For purposes of this maneuver, a monster's normal movement rate can be considered its Dexterity score. Its Strength is equal to 31/2 points per size plus its Hit Dice. There are several modifiers that apply to the attacker's Strength, however:
• 4-point bonus or penalty per size difference of the attacker versus the defender;
• –2 to attacker's Strength if the target has four legs or more;
• +3 if the defender was unaware of the pull or trip attack;
• –6 if the defender was stationary.
For example, Alvoth is waiting in ambush for the king's messenger to come galloping down a wooded lane. He decides to use his halberd to trip the horse when it comes by. If he hits, he'll use his Strength against the horse's move of 18. Alvoth's Strength is modified by –4 for the size difference and –2 for the horse's extra legs, but +3 because he is hiding, so his 17 Strength is an effective 14 for purposes of tripping the horse.
Optionally, the opposed roll can be replaced by a simple saving throw vs. paralyzation. It's not as accurate, but it may be more convenient for the DM and players to remember.
Sap
Sapping is an attempt to knock out an opponent by striking with the flat of the blade or slugging him from behind with a sturdy sword-hilt. It doesn't work very well against characters or monsters that are expecting it; any character attempting to sap a creature that threatens her provokes an attack of opportunity for the defender. Hand-held weapons and thrown weapons may be used in sap attempts.
A sap is a type of called shot; it has a one-phase initiative penalty, and the attacker has a –4 penalty to hit. The penalty increases to –8 if the defender is wearing some kind of helmet. Only Small or Medium creatures can be sapped; Large monsters can't be knocked out like this.
If the attacker scores a hit, she may knock out her opponent. There is a 5% chance per point of damage of knocking out the victim, up to a maximum of 40%. Thus, if the sapper inflicts 5 points of damage, she has a 25% chance of knocking out her opponent. Sapping damage is like unarmed combat damage; 25% is real and the rest is temporary. Naturally, if her damage roll exceeds the victim's hit points, he's knocked out anyway.
The knockout chance increases to 10% per point of damage (max 80%) if the victim is surprised, asleep, restrained, or magically held in some way. Sapped characters remain unconcious for 3d10 full rounds.
Shield-Punch
Any character equipped with a shield can choose to forego its protection and gain an extra attack known as a shield-punch. The shield-punch is treated as a normal, secondary weapon attack; the primary weapon suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls that round and the shield-punch attack is rolled with a –4 penalty. A character may use his reaction adjustment due to a high Dexterity score to offset these penalties. Alternatively, the character can substitute his normal attack for a shield punch, with no penalties.
The exact characteristics (i.e., damage and speed) of each type of shield are noted on page 51. If the character is trying a shield-punch, he must announce his intention while declaring his combat action and forfeits the defensive benefit of the shield for the round. The character moves into the square of his opponent on his base initiative, then executes the shield punch and backs out into his own square again on the following initiative phase.
Shield-Rush
The shield-rush is an attempt to knock someone down by running into them with your shield. The character must have 10 feet (2 spaces) of running room to make an effective shield-rush. Making a shield-rush is treated as a charge attack for purposes of guarding characters with set spears.
When the character makes a shield-rush, he makes a normal attack against his enemy's AC. Some shields may provide modifiers or bonuses to the rush; refer to Chapter Seven. After a shield has been used for a rush, it provides no AC bonus for the rest of the round for its bearer. Making a shield-rush also costs the character a normal attack, but it isn't considered an off-hand weapon like a shield-punch.
If the shield-bearer hits with his attack, he makes an opposed Strength roll against his opponent to see if he knocks him down. The loser of the opposed roll falls down; if both characters fail their Strength rolls, they both fall down. The following modifiers apply to the attacker's Strength score:
• 4-point bonus or penalty for each size difference of the attacker versus the defender;
• +3 if the defender was unaware of the shield-rush;
• –2 if the defender has four legs or more.
As noted before, monsters can be assumed to have a Strength of 31/2 per size category plus their Hit Dice. Instead of an opposed roll, the DM can substitute a saving throw vs. paralyzation for the defender to save time.
If the shield-rusher misses with his attack roll, he must roll a successful Dexterity check to stay on his feet as he rushes past his target. If he fails, he falls down.
Shield Punch
Shield Type Size Speed Reach Damage Knockdown
Small S Fa (2) 1 1d3 d6
Medium M Av (6) 1 1d4 d8
Large L Sl (8) 1 1d6 d10
Shield Rush
Shield Type Size Speed Reach Damage Knockdown**
Small S Base* 1 1d3 0
Medium M Base* 1 1d4 +1
Large L Base* 1 1d6 +3
* A Shield Rush is performed in the attacker's base initiative phase.
** The knockdown bonus is used during the opposed Strength check that takes place if the attack hits (see Chapter Two, page 46). If the character's Strength check succeeds, add the listed number to the roll before the two rolls are compared.
Special Weapon Maneuver
Several weapons have special properties that can be used to great effect by a skilled wielder. The bolas, chain, harpoon, lasso, mancatcher, and net all have special effects that can be used against opponents. The exact nature of each weapon's special maneuver is discussed in Chapter Seven.
Generally, using a special weapon maneuver requires a called shot that delays the wielder's action phase by one step and gives him a –4 penalty on his attack roll.
Trap
It's possible to use your weapon or shield to pin your enemy's weapon against his body or to trap the weapon on your own sword-hilt or weapon haft. This maneuver is known as a trap. Traps are much like blocks; the character can get a chance to trap an attack that comes before his action phase by declaring the trap before initiative is rolled, or he can trap any attack that comes in his action phase or later without declaring his action beforehand.
Like with a disarm, the trap is resolved before the normal attack roll is made. A character attempts to trap an enemy's attack by rolling an opposed attack roll versus AC 0 while his opponent rolls against AC 4. If the trapping character wins the opposed roll, the weapon is successfully pinned. Otherwise, the pin fails and the normal attack roll is made.
Once an enemy's weapon is trapped, he loses any additional attacks he could have made with that weapon in the current round. At the end of the round, the trapping character and his victim make opposed Strength rolls to see if the victim can free his weapon. In each subsequent round, one Strength check is made on the fastest character's base initiative, and a second one at the end of the round.
A character with a trapped weapon can always attack with a secondary weapon or simply abandon the weapon that's been caught. The character who performs the trap cannot use the weapon or shield he's pinning the opponent's weapon with.
Trapping is an excellent tactic to use against an opponent with fewer attacks. It is also a good tactic for a two-weapon fighter to use against a single-weapon fighter; by sacrificing one weapon's attacks, he completely stops his opponent's offense. Another sneaky trick is to have an ally trap a tough opponent's weapon to free up unanswered flank or rear attacks for a second character. Trapping is tougher than a simple block, but worth the effort.
Trap and Break
Some weapons, such as the sai or the swordbreaker, are suited for breaking a trapped enemy weapon. When a weapon of this type is used to trap an enemy weapon, the trapping character can declare an attempt to break the weapon. The trapped character must roll a successful item saving throw vs. crushing blow for his weapon or it breaks; for metal weapons, this is a 7 or better on 1d20. The weapon's magical bonus applies.
If the break attempt fails, the trapped blade is automatically freed. Otherwise, the weapon is broken. Only swords, knives, or weapons with sword-like components (such as a halberd's spike or a glaive) can be broken.
Unarmed Attack
Throwing a punch or trying to get a wrestling hold on the enemy is always a legitimate attack. As noted in Chapter One, trying to engage an armed opponent in unarmed combat is risky; if the armed character threatens the attacker, he gets an immediate attack of opportunity.
There are several types of unarmed attacks that can be employed by a character, including punching, wrestling, martial arts, and overbearing. The various types of unarmed combat are described in great detail in Chapter Five. Note that a character has to have a hand free to punch or wrestle someone.
Unhorse
A mounted enemy can be knocked off his steed by a number of methods. Whenever a character is in danger of falling off his horse, he must roll a successful riding proficiency check (or a saving throw vs. paralyzation if he doesn't have the riding proficiency) to remain in the saddle. If he fails, he's considered to be knocked down and is lying prone on the ground.
Some ways to unhorse a mounted character include:
• Knockdown: Striking a mounted character or the mount hard enough to create a knockdown chance;
• Damage: Striking a mounted character for 10 or more hit points of damage;
• Pull/Trip: Hitting a mounted character or the mount itself with a pull/trip attack;
• Overbearing: Successfully grappling a mounted character with an overbearing attack (he may also be pulled down by losing the opposed Strength check to fight off the overbearing attempt);
• Damage to the Mount: Wounding a mount during the battle (killing the steed always unhorses a character, no questions asked).
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Post by The Dungeon Master on Mar 18, 2018 7:55:46 GMT -6
Any Large creature armed with a weapon adds 1 to its range, due to its great natural reach. For example, an ogre wielding a spear (normally range 1) has a range of 2 with the weapon. Any Huge creature armed with a weapon adds 2 to the weapon’s range. A Gargantuan creature adds 3 to a weapon’s range; a titan swinging a 15-foot sword endangers an enemy quite a ways off.
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Post by The Dungeon Master on Jun 26, 2018 19:36:25 GMT -6
Diagonals
When measuring distance, the first diagonal counts as 1 square, the second counts as 2 squares, the third counts as 1, the fourth as 2, and so on.
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