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All figures have front, flank, and rear spaces and a facing

Weapons - Many polearms are assigned a range, much like missile weapons. A polearm with a range of 2 can strike enemies standing in the character's front square or any adjacent square beyond the row of front squares. Some weapons are defined as range only weapons. Pikes and lances fall into this category. These weapons can be used to make normal attacks in the squares they can reach but cannot be used against targets in between the wielder and the weapon's point. Creatures wielding range 2 or larger weapons or natural attack forms cannot make melee attacks through an occupied square to another square unless as part of a spear or pike hedge.

Missile Scale - Some battles may open in missile scale,

Most characters and monsters can only make one effective attack per round; the rest of the swings are feints, parries, or just for show. Higher-level characters with multiple attacks are able to make more of these swings count. Parries are followed up with ripostes. Feints suddenly become attacks when an opening presents itself. With time and practice, a skillful swordsman can make every swing of his sword a potentially lethal attack.

Combat Status - Any figure involved in combat falls into one of three categories: clear, threatened, or grappled. This represents the immediacy of an enemy threat and influences what actions the character can choose for that combat round. A character's options are extremely limited when he is caught in an owlbear's hug. In addition to governing the character's choice of combat actions for the round, threatening is also important because it determines who is subject to what are known as attacks of opportunity.

Grappled creatures must get free before they can move. The only combat actions a grappled creature can take are:

• Respond with unarmed combat.
• Attack the grappling creature with a size S weapon.
• Attempt to escape. Each grappling method defines a means of escape.
• Grappling figures never threaten other squares.

A creature can't make more than one attack of opportunity against a single opponent in the course of a combat round, (make the whole thing depend on stance?) Surprised characters and monsters cannot make attacks of opportunity during the round in which they are surprised.

Characters determine their combat system movement in three steps:

• Determine the character's base movement rate from his character race;
• Adjust the base movement rate for exceptional ability scores;
• Modify the character's movement due to his encumbrance.

Surprise There are situations in which one side may have to make a surprise check but their opponents don't, for example, an ambush or a nighttime encounter with enemies carrying bright lights. The surprisers get a free round of attacks, movement, or spells against the surprised members of the other group.

The Five Basic of Every Combat Round With the exception of two skilled fighters using similar weapons or styles, combat is utter chaos. It's ludicrous to believe that any set of game rules could begin to approach an accurate simulation of fights that range from barroom brawls to fantastic duels between archmages and dragons. However, there has to be some way to resolve combat. In the Player's Option combat system, battles are divided into combat rounds, and each round is divided into five basic steps.

These steps are:

1. Monster Action Determination
2. PC Action Declaration
3. Initiative
4. Resolution of Actions
5. End-of-Round Resolution

Step Five: End-of-Round Resolution Fatigue is a measure of the character's endurance over a prolonged combat. At the end of each round, the character checks to see if the combat has lasted long enough for him to become fatigued or exhausted.
Retreats occur when a figure is forced to fall back by the press of the fight. This can have the effect of breaking up an enemy line or forcing the retreating character over a cliff, into quicksand, and so on.
The DM makes morale checks for the monsters, if appropriate. Most creatures don't care to carry a losing battle to their own deaths and will try to break off the fight if things aren't going their way.
Last but not least, characters who are suffering from spell effects, poison, or special critical hits suffer damage or fight off the effect. The exact procedure is determined by the type of condition the character is suffering from.

CriticalEventTable

Combat Actions
Combat actions are basic strategies that a character can follow in a round of combat. Does Argath the Brave stand his ground and wait for the orcs to come to him, or does he charge rashly into the center of their line? Does Rowan the Mage cast a spell or spend her round moving to a better vantage point? You decide when you select your character's combat action for that round. There are several factors involved in choosing a combat action. It is dangerous to do anything but attack or parry when your character is threatened by an adjacent opponent. It's downright useless to declare a charge when your character is grappled by a giant constrictor snake.

The following choices are available as combat actions in the Player's Option combat system:
No-move actions: Attack, Cast a Spell, Cover, Fire/Throw Missiles (normal ROF), Guard, Parry, Unarmed Combat, Use a Magical Item
Half-move actions: Attack, Charge, Fire/Throw Missiles (half the normal ROF), Guard, Unarmed Combat, Withdraw
Full-move action: Run, Sprint, Charge, Move,

Overruns - When a larger creature attempts to move into a smaller, standing enemy's square, it is called an overrun. When a defender is knocked down by an overrunning creature, he may suffer a trampling attack.

• 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. Since the arrow or bolt is ready to be fired, the covering character's first shot is fast. 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.
• Fire/Throw - 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.
• Guard - A guarding character strikes the moment an attacker moves into the guarding character's threatening squares. 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. If both the charging and guarding characters have weapons of equal range, then 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. 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.
• Parry - Sometimes the best thing to do is take cover and try not to get clobbered.
• Run - Running on a battlefield is dangerous (loses 'ac'). He is considered to be charging if he runs into an opponent with a set spear.
• Sprint - Like run, only faster
• Unarmed - There are four basic types of unarmed combat: punching, wrestling, overbearing, and martial arts. 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.
• 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.

Morale - 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

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.

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. The defender's can't see the rear attack coming and attempt to dodge it.

Sitting, Kneeling, and Lying Prone - Harder to hit with ranged, easier with melee. Sitting only crossbow without minus. Prone only crossbows or small weapons.

Knockdowns - Some creatures can smash their opponents to the ground with raw strength or heavy weaponry. An ochre jelly, black pudding, or fire elemental can't really be knocked down, nor could a crocodile or shark

Shield Wall - If the creatures stay along an even line in close order, they can form a shield wall by overlapping their shields. The shields must be medium or kite shields.

• Versus Missiles - All members of the shield wall and any allies behind it are considered to be behind 50% cover. Shield walls block lines of fire indoors or underground, so in dungeon settings any allies behind the wall can't be targeted by hostile missile fire.
• Versus Melee - Creatures forming a shield wall must be of the same size. They have to move together if they want to stay linked. They fight only with one-handed weapons. Poor with swing. Piercing not affected.

Spear Hedges - Spear or pike hedges are extremely effective against creatures trying to close in for melee.

Attack Options - 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

• 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. Blocking is an excellent tactic for characters with multiple attacks to use against characters with less attacks.
• Called Shot - A called shot is an attack at a specific location on the target.
• Disarm - Compare sizes of weapons. A disarmed character can be immediately covered if the attacker has an attack remaining in the round. Disarms work best against lower-level opponents.
• Grab - Characters can grab weapons or important items away from their opponents. Once the grabbing character grasps the item, opponents wrestle for control using Strength checks.
• Overbear - Overbearing is a common tactic when several are confronting a lone enemy who can cut them to pieces one at a time. Overbearing attackers throw themselves at their opponent, using whatever to get him on the ground. 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.
• Pull/Trip - 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.
• 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.
• Shield-Punch - Any character equipped with a shield can choose to forego its protection and gain an extra attack known as a shield-punch.
• Shield-Rush - The shield-rush is to knock someone down by running into them with your shield. A shield-rush is as a charge attack for purposes of guarding characters with set spears.
• 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. A character with a trapped weapon can attack with another weapon or abandon the weapon that's been caught.
• Trap and Break - Some weapons, such as the sai or the swordbreaker, are suited for breaking a trapped enemy weapon. 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 while having a free hand.
• Unhorse - A mounted enemy can be knocked off his steed by a number of methods. If he falls, he's considered to be knocked down and is lying prone on the ground.
  • Knockdown: Striking a mounted character or the mount hard enough
  • Damage: Striking a mounted character
  • 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
  • Damage to the Mount: Wounding a mount during the battle (killing the steed always unhorses a character, no questions asked).

Chapter Four: Weapon Specialization & Mastery

Weapon Proficiencies - Anybody can pick up a sword and swing it in a menacing manner, but without proper training and technique it's impossible to use a weapon correctly. A character's weapon proficiencies represent weapons in which he has some degree of training. Usually, he can wield them without embarrassing himself.

Many weapons are very similar in construction and techniques of use; for example, using a bastard sword with one hand is not too much different from using a long sword. Both weapons are heavy, two-edged blades that rely on slashing or chopping strokes to cut through armor. All weapons are categorized in tight groups, which are further organized into broad groups. A character who is proficient in one weapon is automatically familiar with the other weapons of that group and has a reduced penalty when using them.

Shield Proficiency - Modern re-enactments of medieval tournaments have demonstrated that the shield is a very important part of a warrior's protection. Armor Proficiency - How to use armor more efficiently. It can help offset the encumbrance penalties.

The level of skill with which a character fights is divided into six general categories: nonproficiency, familiarity, proficiency, expertise, specialization, and mastery.

Fighting Style Specialization

• Weapon and Shield Style - A shield-rush, shield-punch, block, or trap as if it were a secondary weapon and without losing the shield AC.
• One-handed Weapon Style - The character is always free to treat his empty hand as a "secondary weapon" and punch, grab, or otherwise annoy anyone he is fighting.
• Two-handed Weapon Style - Swing is faster
• Two-Weapon Style - The character's secondary weapon must be one size smaller than his primary

• Missile or Thrown Weapon Style - Can move while firing
• Local Fighting Styles - Some examples: rapier and main-gauche, sabre, fighting sticks or nunchuks, katana/wakizashi.

Chapter Five: Unarmed Combat

Skipping this for now

Chapter Six: Critical Hits

The effects are determined by four factors: the attacker's weapon size compared to the defender's size, the type of weapon compared to the type of target, the location of the hit, and a roll for the injury's severity.

Wounds are divided into five degrees of severity: grazed, struck, injured, broken, and finally shattered, severed, or crushed. Wounds should be recorded. Penalties remain until the injury has healed. A specific injury isn't damage per se; consider it a temporary penalty that has to be put up with until it is restored. Severe injuries can temporarily reduce a character's maximum allowable hit points.

• Grazed: Grazes are minor injuries that may prove troublesome if they bleed.
• Struck: A body part that has been struck is often penalized in a small way
• Injured: Wounds of this severity can trouble a character for weeks. Injuries almost always entail serious combat penalties for the wounded character.
• Broken: Broken bones run from minor fractures that don't hinder at all to life-threatening compound fractures. This category is reserved for severe fractures.
• Crushed, Shattered, or Destroyed: Limbs that suffer this kind of catastrophic injury may never be usable again, hits to the torso, abdomen or head of this magnitude are often lethal.
• Severed: A creature that has a limb severed can no longer engage in activities that require the use of that member.

Critical Hit Effects - There are several possible effects of injuries caused by critical hits: bleeding, attack penalties, movement penalties, knockdowns, dropped weapons or shields.

Bleeding: A character with bleeding loses hp until the wound is magically healed or bound. Minor bleeding might stop on its own. Left untreated, major bleeding can easily cause a character's death.

ADnDCriticalHitTable

-- PumaN - 11 Jan 2003