This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under
the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
COMBAT II (MOVEMENT,
MODIFIERS, SPECIAL ACTIONS)
MOVEMENT, POSITION, AND
DISTANCE
Miniatures are on the 30mm scale—a miniature figure of
a six-foot-tall human is approximately 30mm tall. A square on the battle grid is
1 inch across, representing a 5-foot-by-5-foot area.
TACTICAL
MOVEMENT
How Far Can Your Character Move?
Your speed is determined by your race and your armor (see Table: Tactical
Speed). Your speed while unarmored is your base land
speed.
Encumbrance: A character encumbered by carrying a large amount
of gear, treasure, or fallen comrades may move slower than
normal.
Hampered Movement: Difficult terrain, obstacles, or poor
visibility can hamper movement.
Movement in Combat: Generally, you can
move your speed in a round and still do something (take a move action and a
standard action).
If you do nothing but move (that is, if you use both of
your actions in a round to move your speed), you can move double your
speed.
If you spend the entire round running, you can move quadruple your
speed. If you do something that requires a full round you can only take a 5-foot
step.
Bonuses to Speed: A barbarian has a +10 foot bonus to his speed
(unless he’s wearing heavy armor). Experienced monks also have higher
speed (unless they’re wearing armor of any sort). In addition, many spells
and magic items can affect a character’s speed. Always apply any modifiers
to a character’s speed before adjusting the character’s speed based
on armor or encumbrance, and remember that multiple bonuses of the same type to
a character’s speed don’t stack.
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Table: Tactical Speed
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Race
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No Armor or Light Armor
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Medium or Heavy Armor
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Human, elf, half-elf, half-orc
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30 ft.(6 squares)
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20 ft.(4 squares)
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Dwarf
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20 ft.(4 squares)
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20 ft.(4 squares)
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Halfling, gnome
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20 ft.(4 squares)
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15 ft.(3 squares)
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Measuring Distance
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.
You can’t move diagonally past a corner (even by taking a
5-foot step). You can move diagonally past a creature, even an opponent.
You
can also move diagonally past other impassable obstacles, such as
pits.
Closest Creature: When it’s important to determine the
closest square or creature to a location, if two squares or creatures are
equally close, randomly determine which one counts as closest by rolling a
die.
Moving through a Square
Friend: You can move through a square occupied by a friendly
character, unless you are charging. When you move through a square occupied by a
friendly character, that character doesn’t provide you with
cover.
Opponent: You can’t move through a square occupied by an
opponent, unless the opponent is helpless. You can move through a square
occupied by a helpless opponent without penalty. (Some creatures, particularly
very large ones, may present an obstacle even when helpless. In such cases, each
square you move through counts as 2 squares.)
Ending Your Movement:
You can’t end your movement in the same square as another creature unless
it is helpless.
Overrun: During your movement or as part of a charge,
you can attempt to move through a square occupied by an
opponent.
Tumbling: A trained character can attempt to tumble through
a square occupied by an opponent (see the Tumble skill).
Very Small
Creature: A Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creature can move into or through an
occupied square. The creature provokes attacks of opportunity when doing
so.
Square Occupied by Creature Three Sizes Larger or Smaller: Any
creature can move through a square occupied by a creature three size categories
larger than it is.
A big creature can move through a square occupied by a
creature three size categories smaller than it is.
Designated
Exceptions: Some creatures break the above rules. A creature that completely
fills the squares it occupies cannot be moved past, even with the Tumble skill
or similar special abilities.
Terrain and Obstacles
Difficult Terrain: Difficult terrain hampers movement. Each square
of difficult terrain counts as 2 squares of movement. (Each diagonal move into a
difficult terrain square counts as 3 squares.) You can’t run or charge
across difficult terrain.
If you occupy squares with different kinds of
terrain, you can move only as fast as the most difficult terrain you occupy will
allow.
Flying and incorporeal creatures are not hampered by difficult
terrain.
Obstacles: Like difficult terrain, obstacles can hamper
movement. If an obstacle hampers movement but doesn’t completely block it
each obstructed square or obstacle between squares counts as 2 squares of
movement. You must pay this cost to cross the barrier, in addition to the cost
to move into the square on the other side. If you don’t have sufficient
movement to cross the barrier and move into the square on the other side, you
can’t cross the barrier. Some obstacles may also require a skill check to
cross.
On the other hand, some obstacles block movement entirely. A character
can’t move through a blocking obstacle.
Flying and incorporeal
creatures can avoid most obstacles
Squeezing: In some cases, you may
have to squeeze into or through an area that isn’t as wide as the space
you take up. You can squeeze through or into a space that is at least half as
wide as your normal space. Each move into or through a narrow space counts as if
it were 2 squares, and while squeezed in a narrow space you take a –4
penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to AC.
When a Large creature
(which normally takes up four squares) squeezes into a space that’s one
square wide, the creature’s miniature figure occupies two squares,
centered on the line between the two squares. For a bigger creature, center the
creature likewise in the area it squeezes into.
A creature can squeeze past
an opponent while moving but it can’t end its movement in an occupied
square.
To squeeze through or into a space less than half your space’s
width, you must use the Escape Artist skill. You can’t attack while using
Escape Artist to squeeze through or into a narrow space, you take a –4
penalty to AC, and you lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.
Special Movement Rules
These rules cover special movement situations.
Accidentally Ending
Movement in an Illegal Space: Sometimes a character ends its movement while
moving through a space where it’s not allowed to stop. When that happens,
put your miniature in the last legal position you occupied, or the closest legal
position, if there’s a legal position that’s closer.
Double
Movement Cost: When your movement is hampered in some way, your movement
usually costs double. For example, each square of movement through difficult
terrain counts as 2 squares, and each diagonal move through such terrain counts
as 3 squares (just as two diagonal moves normally do).
If movement cost is
doubled twice, then each square counts as 4 squares (or as 6 squares if moving
diagonally). If movement cost is doubled three times, then each square counts as
8 squares (12 if diagonal) and so on. This is an exception to the general rule
that two doublings are equivalent to a tripling.
Minimum Movement:
Despite penalties to movement, you can take a full-round action to move 5 feet
(1 square) in any direction, even diagonally. (This rule doesn’t allow you
to move through impassable terrain or to move when all movement is prohibited.)
Such movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal (despite the distance
covered, this move isn’t a 5-foot step).
BIG AND LITTLE CREATURES
IN COMBAT
Creatures smaller than Small or larger than Medium have special
rules relating to position.
Tiny, Diminutive, and Fine Creatures:
Very small creatures take up less than 1 square of space. This means that more
than one such creature can fit into a single square. A Tiny creature typically
occupies a space only 2-1/2 feet across, so four can fit into a single square.
Twenty-five Diminutive creatures or 100 Fine creatures can fit into a single
square. Creatures that take up less than 1 square of space typically have a
natural reach of 0 feet, meaning they can’t reach into adjacent squares.
They must enter an opponent’s square to attack in melee. This provokes an
attack of opportunity from the opponent. You can attack into your own square if
you need to, so you can attack such creatures normally. Since they have no
natural reach, they do not threaten the squares around them. You can move past
them without provoking attacks of opportunity. They also can’t flank an
enemy.
Large, Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal Creatures: Very large
creatures take up more than 1 square.
Creatures that take up more than 1
square typically have a natural reach of 10 feet or more, meaning that they can
reach targets even if they aren’t in adjacent squares.
Unlike when
someone uses a reach weapon, a creature with greater than normal natural reach
(more than 5 feet) still threatens squares adjacent to it. A creature with
greater than normal natural reach usually gets an attack of opportunity against
you if you approach it, because you must enter and move within the range of its
reach before you can attack it. (This attack of opportunity is not provoked if
you take a 5-foot step.)
Large or larger creatures using reach weapons can
strike up to double their natural reach but can’t strike at their natural
reach or less.
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Table: Creature Size and Scale
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Creature Size
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Space1
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Natural Reach1
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Fine
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1/2 ft.
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0
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Diminutive
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1 ft.
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0
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Tiny
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2-1/2 ft.
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0
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Small
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5 ft.
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5 ft.
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Medium
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5 ft.
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5 ft.
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Large (tall)
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10 ft.
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10 ft.
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Large (long)
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10 ft.
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5 ft.
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Huge (tall)
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15 ft.
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15 ft.
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Huge (long)
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15 ft.
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10 ft.
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Gargantuan (tall)
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20 ft.
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20 ft.
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Gargantuan (long)
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20 ft.
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15 ft.
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Colossal (tall)
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30 ft.
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30 ft.
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Colossal (long)
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30 ft.
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20 ft.
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1 These values are typical for creatures of the indicated size. Some
exceptions exist.
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COMBAT MODIFIERS
FAVORABLE AND
UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS
Table: Attack Roll Modifiers
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Attacker is . . .
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Melee
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Ranged
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Dazzled
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–1
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–1
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Entangled
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–21
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–21
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Flanking defender
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+2
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—
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Invisible
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+22
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+22
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On higher ground
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+1
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+0
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Prone
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–4
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—3
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Shaken or frightened
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–2
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–2
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Squeezing through a space
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–4
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–4
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1 An entangled character also takes a –4 penalty to Dexterity, which
may affect his attack roll.
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2 The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC. This bonus doesn’t
apply if the target is blinded.
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3 Most ranged weapons can’t be used while the attacker is prone, but
you can use a crossbow or shuriken while prone at no penalty.
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Table: Armor Class Modifiers
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Defender is . . .
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Melee
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Ranged
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Behind cover
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+4
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+4
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Blinded
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–21
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–21
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Concealed or invisible
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— See Concealment —
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Cowering
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–21
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–21
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Entangled
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+02
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+02
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Flat-footed (such as surprised, balancing, climbing)
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+01
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+01
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Grappling (but attacker is not)
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+01
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+01, 3
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Helpless (such as paralyzed, sleeping, or bound)
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–44
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+04
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Kneeling or sitting
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–2
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+2
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Pinned
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–44
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+04
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Prone
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–4
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+4
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Squeezing through a space
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–4
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–4
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Stunned
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–21
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–21
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1 The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.
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2 An entangled character takes a –4 penalty to Dexterity.
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3 Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. That defender
loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.
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4 Treat the defender’s Dexterity as 0 (–5 modifier). Rogues can
sneak attack helpless or pinned defenders.
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COVER
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged
attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any
corner of the target’s square passes through a square or border that
blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a
creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).
When making a melee attack against
an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from your square to the
target’s square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a
melee attack against a target that isn’t adjacent to you (such as with a
reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged
attacks.
Low Obstacles and Cover: A low obstacle (such as a wall no
higher than half your height) provides cover, but only to creatures within 30
feet (6 squares) of it. The attacker can ignore the cover if he’s closer
to the obstacle than his target.
Cover and Attacks of Opportunity: You
can’t execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with cover
relative to you.
Cover and Reflex Saves: Cover grants you a +2 bonus
on Reflex saves against attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the
other side of the cover from you. Note that spread effects can extend around
corners and thus negate this cover bonus.
Cover and Hide Checks: You
can use cover to make a Hide check. Without cover, you usually need concealment
(see below) to make a Hide check.
Soft Cover: Creatures, even your
enemies, can provide you with cover against melee attacks, giving you a +4 bonus
to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft
cover allow you to make a Hide check.
Big Creatures and Cover: Any
creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against
melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature
can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover
against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a
creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has
cover against you.
Total Cover: If you don’t have line of effect
to your target he is considered to have total cover from you. You can’t
make an attack against a target that has total cover.
Varying Degrees of
Cover: In some cases, cover may provide a greater bonus to AC and Reflex
saves. In such situations the normal cover bonuses to AC and Reflex saves can be
doubled (to +8 and +4, respectively). A creature with this improved cover
effectively gains improved evasion against any attack to which the Reflex save
bonus applies. Furthermore, improved cover provides a +10 bonus on Hide
checks.
CONCEALMENT
To determine whether your target has concealment
from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this
corner to any corner of the target’s square passes through a square or
border that provides concealment, the target has concealment.
When making a
melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has concealment if his
space is entirely within an effect that grants concealment. When making a melee
attack against a target that isn’t adjacent to you use the rules for
determining concealment from ranged attacks.
In addition, some magical
effects provide concealment against all attacks, regardless of whether any
intervening concealment exists.
Concealment Miss Chance: Concealment
gives the subject of a successful attack a 20% chance that the attacker missed
because of the concealment. If the attacker hits, the defender must make a miss
chance percentile roll to avoid being struck. Multiple concealment conditions do
not stack.
Concealment and Hide Checks: You can use concealment to
make a Hide check. Without concealment, you usually need cover to make a Hide
check.
Total Concealment: If you have line of effect to a target but
not line of sight he is considered to have total concealment from you. You
can’t attack an opponent that has total concealment, though you can attack
into a square that you think he occupies. A successful attack into a square
occupied by an enemy with total concealment has a 50% miss chance (instead of
the normal 20% miss chance for an opponent with concealment).
You can’t
execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with total concealment,
even if you know what square or squares the opponent occupies.
Ignoring
Concealment: Concealment isn’t always effective. A shadowy area or
darkness doesn’t provide any concealment against an opponent with
darkvision. Characters with low-light vision can see clearly for a greater
distance with the same light source than other characters. Although invisibility
provides total concealment, sighted opponents may still make Spot checks to
notice the location of an invisible character. An invisible character gains a
+20 bonus on Hide checks if moving, or a +40 bonus on Hide checks when not
moving (even though opponents can’t see you, they might be able to figure
out where you are from other visual clues).
Varying Degrees of
Concealment: Certain situations may provide more or less than typical
concealment, and modify the miss chance accordingly.
FLANKING
When
making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is
threatened by a character or creature friendly to you on the opponent’s
opposite border or opposite corner.
When in doubt about whether two friendly
characters flank an opponent in the middle, trace an imaginary line between the
two friendly characters’ centers. If the line passes through opposite
borders of the opponent’s space (including corners of those borders), then
the opponent is flanked.
Exception: If a flanker takes up more than 1
square, it gets the flanking bonus if any square it occupies counts for
flanking.
Only a creature or character that threatens the defender can help
an attacker get a flanking bonus.
Creatures with a reach of 0 feet
can’t flank an opponent.
HELPLESS DEFENDERS
A helpless opponent
is someone who is bound, sleeping, paralyzed, unconscious, or otherwise at your
mercy.
Regular Attack: A helpless character takes a –4 penalty
to AC against melee attacks, but no penalty to AC against ranged attacks.
A
helpless defender can’t use any Dexterity bonus to AC. In fact, his
Dexterity score is treated as if it were 0 and his Dexterity modifier to AC as
if it were –5 (and a rogue can sneak attack him).
Coup de Grace:
As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to
a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are
adjacent to the target.
You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If
the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage
dealt) or die. A rogue also gets her extra sneak attack damage against a
helpless opponent when delivering a coup de grace.
Delivering a coup de grace
provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening opponents.
You can’t
deliver a coup de grace against a creature that is immune to critical hits. You
can deliver a coup de grace against a creature with total concealment, but doing
this requires two consecutive full-round actions (one to “find” the
creature once you’ve determined what square it’s in, and one to
deliver the coup de grace).
SPECIAL
ATTACKS
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Table: Special Attacks
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Special Attack
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Brief Description
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Aid another
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Grant an ally a +2 bonus on attacks or AC
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Bull rush
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Push an opponent back 5 feet or more
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Charge
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Move up to twice your speed and attack with +2 bonus
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Disarm
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Knock a weapon from your opponent’s hands
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Feint
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Negate your opponent’s Dex bonus to AC
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Grapple
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Wrestle with an opponent
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Overrun
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Plow past or over an opponent as you move
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Sunder
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Strike an opponent’s weapon or shield
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Throw splash weapon
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Throw container of dangerous liquid at target
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Trip
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Trip an opponent
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Turn (rebuke) undead
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Channel positive (or negative) energy to turn away (or awe)
undead
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Two-weapon fighting
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Fight with a weapon in each hand
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AID ANOTHER
In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend
by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you’re in position to
make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat,
you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll
against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next
attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that
opponent’s next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before
the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend,
and similar bonuses stack.
You can also use this standard action to help a
friend in other ways, such as when he is affected by a spell, or to assist
another character’s skill check.
BULL RUSH
You can make a bull
rush as a standard action (an attack) or as part of a charge (see Charge,
below). When you make a bull rush, you attempt to push an opponent straight back
instead of damaging him. You can only bull rush an opponent who is one size
category larger than you, the same size, or smaller.
Initiating a Bull
Rush: First, you move into the defender’s space. Doing this provokes
an attack of opportunity from each opponent that threatens you, including the
defender. (If you have the Improved Bull Rush feat, you don’t provoke an
attack of opportunity from the defender.) Any attack of opportunity made by
anyone other than the defender against you during a bull rush has a 25% chance
of accidentally targeting the defender instead, and any attack of opportunity by
anyone other than you against the defender likewise has a 25% chance of
accidentally targeting you. (When someone makes an attack of opportunity, make
the attack roll and then roll to see whether the attack went astray.)
Second, you and the defender make opposed Strength checks. You each add a +4
bonus for each size category you are larger than Medium or a –4 penalty
for each size category you are smaller than Medium. You get a +2 bonus if you
are charging. The defender gets a +4 bonus if he has more than two legs or is
otherwise exceptionally stable.
Bull Rush Results: If you beat the
defender’s Strength check result, you push him back 5 feet. If you wish to
move with the defender, you can push him back an additional 5 feet for each 5
points by which your check result is greater than the defender’s check
result. You can’t, however, exceed your normal movement limit. (Note:
The defender provokes attacks of opportunity if he is moved. So do you, if
you move with him. The two of you do not provoke attacks of opportunity from
each other, however.)
If you fail to beat the defender’s Strength check
result, you move 5 feet straight back to where you were before you moved into
his space. If that space is occupied, you fall prone in that
space.
CHARGE
Charging is a special full-round action that allows you
to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. However, it carries
tight restrictions on how you can move.
Movement During a Charge: You
must move before your attack, not after. You must move at least 10 feet (2
squares) and may move up to double your speed directly toward the designated
opponent.
You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and nothing can
hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles). Here’s what
it means to have a clear path. First, you must move to the closest space from
which you can attack the opponent. (If this space is occupied or otherwise
blocked, you can’t charge.) Second, if any line from your starting space
to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows
movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge.
(Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.)
If you don’t have line
of sight to the opponent at the start of your turn, you can’t charge that
opponent.
You can’t take a 5-foot step in the same round as a
charge.
If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on
your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your
speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option
unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on
your turn.
Attacking on a Charge: After moving, you may make a single
melee attack. You get a +2 bonus on the attack roll. and take a –2 penalty
to your AC until the start of your next turn.
A charging character gets a +2
bonus on the Strength check made to bull rush or overrun an opponent (see Bull
Rush, above, and Overrun, below).
Even if you have extra attacks, such as
from having a high enough base attack bonus or from using multiple weapons, you
only get to make one attack during a charge.
Lances and Charge
Attacks: A lance deals double damage if employed by a mounted character in a
charge.
Weapons Readied against a Charge: Spears, tridents, and
certain other piercing weapons deal double damage when readied (set) and used
against a charging character.
DISARM
As a melee attack, you may
attempt to disarm your opponent. If you do so with a weapon, you knock the
opponent’s weapon out of his hands and to the ground. If you attempt the
disarm while unarmed, you end up with the weapon in your hand.
If
you’re attempting to disarm a melee weapon, follow the steps outlined
here. If the item you are attempting to disarm isn’t a melee weapon the
defender may still oppose you with an attack roll, but takes a penalty and
can’t attempt to disarm you in return if your attempt fails.
Step
1: Attack of Opportunity. You provoke an attack of opportunity from the
target you are trying to disarm. (If you have the Improved Disarm feat, you
don’t incur an attack of opportunity for making a disarm attempt.) If the
defender’s attack of opportunity deals any damage, your disarm attempt
fails.
Step 2: Opposed Rolls. You and the defender make opposed attack
rolls with your respective weapons. The wielder of a two-handed weapon on a
disarm attempt gets a +4 bonus on this roll, and the wielder of a light weapon
takes a –4 penalty. (An unarmed strike is considered a light weapon, so
you always take a penalty when trying to disarm an opponent by using an unarmed
strike.) If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a
bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category. If the targeted
item isn’t a melee weapon, the defender takes a –4 penalty on the
roll.
Step Three: Consequences. If you beat the defender, the defender
is disarmed. If you attempted the disarm action unarmed, you now have the
weapon. If you were armed, the defender’s weapon is on the ground in the
defender’s square.
If you fail on the disarm attempt, the defender may
immediately react and attempt to disarm you with the same sort of opposed melee
attack roll. His attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity from you. If
he fails his disarm attempt, you do not subsequently get a free disarm attempt
against him.
Note: A defender wearing spiked gauntlets can’t be
disarmed. A defender using a weapon attached to a locked gauntlet gets a +10
bonus to resist being disarmed.
Grabbing Items
You can use a disarm
action to snatch an item worn by the target. If you want to have the item in
your hand, the disarm must be made as an unarmed attack.
If the item is
poorly secured or otherwise easy to snatch or cut away the attacker gets a +4
bonus. Unlike on a normal disarm attempt, failing the attempt doesn’t
allow the defender to attempt to disarm you. This otherwise functions
identically to a disarm attempt, as noted above.
You can’t snatch an
item that is well secured unless you have pinned the wearer (see Grapple). Even
then, the defender gains a +4 bonus on his roll to resist the
attempt.
FEINT
Feinting is a standard action. To feint, make a Bluff
check opposed by a Sense Motive check by your target. The target may add his
base attack bonus to this Sense Motive check. If your Bluff check result exceeds
your target’s Sense Motive check result, the next melee attack you make
against the target does not allow him to use his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
This attack must be made on or before your next turn.
When feinting in this
way against a nonhumanoid you take a –4 penalty. Against a creature of
animal Intelligence (1 or 2), you take a –8 penalty. Against a
nonintelligent creature, it’s impossible.
Feinting in combat does not
provoke attacks of opportunity.
Feinting as a Move Action: With the
Improved Feint feat, you can attempt a feint as a move action instead of as a
standard action.
GRAPPLE
Grapple Checks
Repeatedly in a
grapple, you need to make opposed grapple checks against an opponent. A grapple
check is like a melee attack roll. Your attack bonus on a grapple check is: Base
attack bonus + Strength modifier + special size modifier
Special Size
Modifier: The special size modifier for a grapple check is as follows:
Colossal +16, Gargantuan +12, Huge +8, Large +4, Medium +0, Small –4, Tiny
–8, Diminutive –12, Fine –16. Use this number in place of the
normal size modifier you use when making an attack roll.
Starting a
Grapple
To start a grapple, you need to grab and hold your target. Starting a
grapple requires a successful melee attack roll. If you get multiple attacks,
you can attempt to start a grapple multiple times (at successively lower base
attack bonuses).
Step 1: Attack of Opportunity. You provoke an attack
of opportunity from the target you are trying to grapple. If the attack of
opportunity deals damage, the grapple attempt fails. (Certain monsters do not
provoke attacks of opportunity when they attempt to grapple, nor do characters
with the Improved Grapple feat.) If the attack of opportunity misses or fails to
deal damage, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Grab. You make a melee touch
attack to grab the target. If you fail to hit the target, the grapple attempt
fails. If you succeed, proceed to Step 3.
Step 3: Hold. Make an
opposed grapple check as a free action.
If you succeed, you and your target
are now grappling, and you deal damage to the target as if with an unarmed
strike.
If you lose, you fail to start the grapple. You automatically lose an
attempt to hold if the target is two or more size categories larger than you
are.
In case of a tie, the combatant with the higher grapple check modifier
wins. If this is a tie, roll again to break the tie.
Step 4: Maintain
Grapple. To maintain the grapple for later rounds, you must move into the
target’s space. (This movement is free and doesn’t count as part of
your movement in the round.)
Moving, as normal, provokes attacks of
opportunity from threatening opponents, but not from your target.
If you
can’t move into your target’s space, you can’t maintain the
grapple and must immediately let go of the target. To grapple again, you must
begin at Step 1.
Grappling Consequences
While you’re grappling,
your ability to attack others and defend yourself is limited.
No
Threatened Squares: You don’t threaten any squares while
grappling.
No Dexterity Bonus: You lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if
you have one) against opponents you aren’t grappling. (You can still use
it against opponents you are grappling.)
No Movement: You can’t
move normally while grappling. You may, however, make an opposed grapple check
(see below) to move while grappling.
If You’re Grappling
When
you are grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), you can perform any
of the following actions. Some of these actions take the place of an attack
(rather than being a standard action or a move action). If your base attack
bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these actions in place
of each of your attacks, but at successively lower base attack
bonuses.
Activate a Magic Item: You can activate a magic item, as long
as the item doesn’t require a spell completion trigger. You don’t
need to make a grapple check to activate the item.
Attack Your
Opponent: You can make an attack with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or
light weapon against another character you are grappling. You take a –4
penalty on such attacks.
You can’t attack with two weapons while
grappling, even if both are light weapons.
Cast a Spell: You can
attempt to cast a spell while grappling or even while pinned (see below),
provided its casting time is no more than 1 standard action, it has no somatic
component, and you have in hand any material components or focuses you might
need. Any spell that requires precise and careful action is impossible to
cast while grappling or being pinned. If the spell is one that you can cast
while grappling, you must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level) or
lose the spell. You don’t have to make a successful grapple check to cast
the spell.
Damage Your Opponent: While grappling, you can deal damage
to your opponent equivalent to an unarmed strike. Make an opposed grapple check
in place of an attack. If you win, you deal nonlethal damage as normal for your
unarmed strike (1d3 points for Medium attackers or 1d2 points for Small
attackers, plus Strength modifiers). If you want to deal lethal damage, you take
a –4 penalty on your grapple check.
Exception: Monks deal more
damage on an unarmed strike than other characters, and the damage is lethal.
However, they can choose to deal their damage as nonlethal damage when grappling
without taking the usual –4 penalty for changing lethal damage to
nonlethal damage.
Draw a Light Weapon: You can draw a light weapon as
a move action with a successful grapple check.
Escape from Grapple:
You can escape a grapple by winning an opposed grapple check in place of making
an attack. You can make an Escape Artist check in place of your grapple check if
you so desire, but this requires a standard action. If more than one opponent is
grappling you, your grapple check result has to beat all their individual check
results to escape. (Opponents don’t have to try to hold you if they
don’t want to.) If you escape, you finish the action by moving into any
space adjacent to your opponent(s).
Move: You can move half your speed
(bringing all others engaged in the grapple with you) by winning an opposed
grapple check. This requires a standard action, and you must beat all the other
individual check results to move the grapple.
Note: You get a +4 bonus
on your grapple check to move a pinned opponent, but only if no one else is
involved in the grapple.
Retrieve a Spell Component: You can produce a
spell component from your pouch while grappling by using a full-round action.
Doing so does not require a successful grapple check.
Pin Your
Opponent: You can hold your opponent immobile for 1 round by winning an
opposed grapple check (made in place of an attack). Once you have an opponent
pinned, you have a few options available to you (see below).
Break
Another’s Pin: If you are grappling an opponent who has another
character pinned, you can make an opposed grapple check in place of an attack.
If you win, you break the hold that the opponent has over the other character.
The character is still grappling, but is no longer pinned.
Use
Opponent’s Weapon: If your opponent is holding a light weapon, you can
use it to attack him. Make an opposed grapple check (in place of an attack). If
you win, make an attack roll with the weapon with a –4 penalty (doing this
doesn’t require another action).
You don’t gain possession of the
weapon by performing this action.
If You’re Pinning an
Opponent
You can attempt to damage your opponent with an opposed grapple
check, you can attempt to use your opponent’s weapon against him, or you
can attempt to move the grapple (all described above). At your option, you can
prevent a pinned opponent from speaking.
You can use a disarm action to
remove or grab away a well secured object worn by a pinned opponent, but he gets
a +4 bonus on his roll to resist your attempt (see Disarm).
You may
voluntarily release a pinned character as a free action; if you do so, you are
no longer considered to be grappling that character (and vice versa).
You
can’t draw or use a weapon (against the pinned character or any other
character), escape another’s grapple, retrieve a spell component, pin
another character, or break another’s pin while you are pinning an
opponent.
If You’re Pinned by an Opponent
When an opponent has
pinned you, you are held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. While
you’re pinned, you take a –4 penalty to your AC against opponents
other than the one pinning you. At your opponent’s option, you may also be
unable to speak. On your turn, you can try to escape the pin by making an
opposed grapple check in place of an attack. You can make an Escape Artist check
in place of your grapple check if you want, but this requires a standard action.
If you win, you escape the pin, but you’re still grappling.
Joining
a Grapple
If your target is already grappling someone else, you can use an
attack to start a grapple, as above, except that the target doesn’t get an
attack of opportunity against you, and your grab automatically succeeds. You
still have to make a successful opposed grapple check to become part of the
grapple.
If there are multiple opponents involved in the grapple, you pick
one to make the opposed grapple check against.
Multiple
Grapplers
Several combatants can be in a single grapple. Up to four
combatants can grapple a single opponent in a given round. Creatures that are
one or more size categories smaller than you count for half, creatures that are
one size category larger than you count double, and creatures two or more size
categories larger count quadruple.
When you are grappling with multiple
opponents, you choose one opponent to make an opposed check against. The
exception is an attempt to escape from the grapple; to successfully escape, your
grapple check must beat the check results of each opponent.
MOUNTED
COMBAT
Horses in Combat: Warhorses and warponies can serve readily as
combat steeds. Light horses, ponies, and heavy horses, however, are frightened
by combat. If you don’t dismount, you must make a DC 20 Ride check each
round as a move action to control such a horse. If you succeed, you can perform
a standard action after the move action. If you fail, the move action becomes a
full round action and you can’t do anything else until your next
turn.
Your mount acts on your initiative count as you direct it. You move at
its speed, but the mount uses its action to move.
A horse (not a pony) is a
Large creature and thus takes up a space 10 feet (2 squares) across. For
simplicity, assume that you share your mount’s space during
combat.
Combat while Mounted: With a DC 5 Ride check, you can guide
your mount with your knees so as to use both hands to attack or defend yourself.
This is a free action.
When you attack a creature smaller than your mount
that is on foot, you get the +1 bonus on melee attacks for being on higher
ground. If your mount moves more than 5 feet, you can only make a single melee
attack. Essentially, you have to wait until the mount gets to your enemy before
attacking, so you can’t make a full attack. Even at your mount’s
full speed, you don’t take any penalty on melee attacks while
mounted.
If your mount charges, you also take the AC penalty associated with
a charge. If you make an attack at the end of the charge, you receive the bonus
gained from the charge. When charging on horseback, you deal double damage with
a lance (see Charge).
You can use ranged weapons while your mount is taking a
double move, but at a –4 penalty on the attack roll. You can use ranged
weapons while your mount is running (quadruple speed), at a –8 penalty. In
either case, you make the attack roll when your mount has completed half its
movement. You can make a full attack with a ranged weapon while your mount is
moving. Likewise, you can take move actions normally
Casting Spells while
Mounted: You can cast a spell normally if your mount moves up to a normal
move (its speed) either before or after you cast. If you have your mount move
both before and after you cast a spell, then you’re casting the spell
while the mount is moving, and you have to make a Concentration check due to the
vigorous motion (DC 10 + spell level) or lose the spell. If the mount is running
(quadruple speed), you can cast a spell when your mount has moved up to twice
its speed, but your Concentration check is more difficult due to the violent
motion (DC 15 + spell level).
If Your Mount Falls in Battle: If your
mount falls, you have to succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to make a soft fall and
take no damage. If the check fails, you take 1d6 points of damage.
If You
Are Dropped: If you are knocked unconscious, you have a 50% chance to stay
in the saddle (or 75% if you’re in a military saddle). Otherwise you fall
and take 1d6 points of damage.
Without you to guide it, your mount avoids
combat.
OVERRUN
You can attempt an overrun as a standard action taken
during your move, or as part of a charge. (In general, you cannot take a
standard action during a move; this is an exception.) With an overrun, you
attempt to plow past or over your opponent (and move through his square) as you
move. You can only overrun an opponent who is one size category larger than you,
the same size, or smaller. You can make only one overrun attempt per
round.
If you’re attempting to overrun an opponent, follow these
steps.
Step 1: Attack of Opportunity. Since you begin the overrun by
moving into the defender’s space, you provoke an attack of opportunity
from the defender.
Step 2: Opponent Avoids? The defender has the
option to simply avoid you. If he avoids you, he doesn’t suffer any ill
effect.
If you were attempting the overrun as part of a charge, you may keep
moving. (You can always move through a square occupied by someone who lets you
by.) In either case, the overrun attempt doesn’t count against your
actions this round (except for any movement required to enter the
opponent’s square). If your opponent doesn’t avoid you, move to Step
3.
Step 3: Opponent Blocks? If your opponent blocks you, make a
Strength check opposed by the defender’s Dexterity or Strength check
(whichever ability score has the higher modifier). A combatant gets a +4 bonus
on the check for every size category he is larger than Medium or a –4
penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. You gain a +2 bonus
on your Strength check if you made the overrun as part of a charge. The defender
gets a +4 bonus on his check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise more
stable than a normal humanoid. If you win, you knock the defender prone. If you
lose, the defender may immediately react and make a Strength check opposed by
your Dexterity or Strength check (including the size modifiers noted above, but
no other modifiers) to try to knock you prone.
Step 4: Consequences.
If you succeed in knocking your opponent prone, you can continue your movement
as normal. If you fail and are knocked prone in turn, you have to move 5 feet
back the way you came and fall prone, ending your movement there. If you fail
but are not knocked prone, you have to move 5 feet back the way you came, ending
your movement there. If that square is occupied, you fall prone in that
square.
Improved Overrun: If you have the Improved Overrun feat, your
target may not choose to avoid you.
Mounted Overrun (Trample): If you
attempt an overrun while mounted, your mount makes the Strength check to
determine the success or failure of the overrun attack (and applies its size
modifier, rather than yours). If you have the Trample feat and attempt an
overrun while mounted, your target may not choose to avoid you, and if you knock
your opponent prone with the overrun, your mount may make one hoof attack
against your opponent.
SUNDER
You can use a melee attack with a
slashing or bludgeoning weapon to strike a weapon or shield that your opponent
is holding. If you’re attempting to sunder a weapon or shield, follow the
steps outlined here. (Attacking held objects other than weapons or shields is
covered below.)
|
Table: Common Armor, Weapon, and Shield Hardness and Hit
Points
|
|
Weapon or Shield
|
Hardness
|
HP1
|
|
Light blade
|
10
|
2
|
|
One-handed blade
|
10
|
5
|
|
Two-handed blade
|
10
|
10
|
|
Light metal-hafted weapon
|
10
|
10
|
|
One-handed metal-hafted weapon
|
10
|
20
|
|
Light hafted weapon
|
5
|
2
|
|
One-handed hafted weapon
|
5
|
5
|
|
Two-handed hafted weapon
|
5
|
10
|
|
Projectile weapon
|
5
|
5
|
|
Armor
|
special2
|
armor bonus x5
|
|
Buckler
|
10
|
5
|
|
Light wooden shield
|
5
|
7
|
|
Heavy wooden shield
|
5
|
15
|
|
Light steel shield
|
10
|
10
|
|
Heavy steel shield
|
10
|
20
|
|
Tower shield
|
5
|
20
|
|
1 The hp value given is for Medium armor, weapons, and shields. Divide by 2
for each size category of the item smaller than Medium, or multiply it by 2 for
each size category larger than Medium.
|
|
2 Varies by material.
|
Step 1: Attack of Opportunity. You provoke an attack of
opportunity from the target whose weapon or shield you are trying to sunder. (If
you have the Improved Sunder feat, you don’t incur an attack of
opportunity for making the attempt.)
Step 2: Opposed Rolls. You and
the defender make opposed attack rolls with your respective weapons. The wielder
of a two-handed weapon on a sunder attempt gets a +4 bonus on this roll, and the
wielder of a light weapon takes a –4 penalty. If the combatants are of
different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per
difference in size category.
Step 3: Consequences. If you beat the
defender, roll damage and deal it to the weapon or shield. See Table: Common
Armor, Weapon, and Shield Hardness and Hit Points to determine how much damage
you must deal to destroy the weapon or shield.
If you fail the sunder
attempt, you don’t deal any damage.
Sundering a Carried or Worn
Object: You don’t use an opposed attack roll to damage a carried or
worn object. Instead, just make an attack roll against the object’s AC. A
carried or worn object’s AC is equal to 10 + its size modifier + the
Dexterity modifier of the carrying or wearing character. Attacking a carried or
worn object provokes an attack of opportunity just as attacking a held object
does. To attempt to snatch away an item worn by a defender rather than damage
it, see Disarm. You can’t sunder armor worn by another
character.
THROW SPLASH WEAPON
A splash weapon is a ranged weapon that
breaks on impact, splashing or scattering its contents over its target and
nearby creatures or objects. To attack with a splash weapon, make a ranged touch
attack against the target. Thrown weapons require no weapon proficiency, so you
don’t take the –4 nonproficiency penalty. A hit deals direct hit
damage to the target, and splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet of the
target.
You can instead target a specific grid intersection. Treat this as a
ranged attack against AC 5. However, if you target a grid intersection,
creatures in all adjacent squares are dealt the splash damage, and the direct
hit damage is not dealt to any creature. (You can’t target a grid
intersection occupied by a creature, such as a Large or larger creature; in this
case, you’re aiming at the creature.)
If you miss the target (whether
aiming at a creature or a grid intersection), roll 1d8. This determines the
misdirection of the throw, with 1 being straight back at you and 2 through 8
counting clockwise around the grid intersection or target creature. Then, count
a number of squares in the indicated direction equal to the range increment of
the throw.
After you determine where the weapon landed, it deals splash
damage to all creatures in adjacent squares.
TRIP
You can try to trip
an opponent as an unarmed melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is one
size category larger than you, the same size, or smaller.
Making a Trip
Attack: Make an unarmed melee touch attack against your target. This
provokes an attack of opportunity from your target as normal for unarmed
attacks.
If your attack succeeds, make a Strength check opposed by the
defender’s Dexterity or Strength check (whichever ability score has the
higher modifier). A combatant gets a +4 bonus for every size category he is
larger than Medium or a –4 penalty for every size category he is smaller
than Medium. The defender gets a +4 bonus on his check if he has more than two
legs or is otherwise more stable than a normal humanoid. If you win, you trip
the defender. If you lose, the defender may immediately react and make a
Strength check opposed by your Dexterity or Strength check to try to trip
you.
Avoiding Attacks of Opportunity: If you have the Improved Trip
feat, or if you are tripping with a weapon (see below), you don’t provoke
an attack of opportunity for making a trip attack.
Being Tripped
(Prone): A tripped character is prone. Standing up is a move
action.
Tripping a Mounted Opponent: You may make a trip attack
against a mounted opponent. The defender may make a Ride check in place of his
Dexterity or Strength check. If you succeed, you pull the rider from his
mount.
Tripping with a Weapon: Some weapons can be used to make trip
attacks. In this case, you make a melee touch attack with the weapon instead of
an unarmed melee touch attack, and you don’t provoke an attack of
opportunity.
If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop
the weapon to avoid being tripped.
TURN OR REBUKE UNDEAD
Good clerics
and paladins and some neutral clerics can channel positive energy, which can
halt, drive off (rout), or destroy undead.
Evil clerics and some neutral
clerics can channel negative energy, which can halt, awe (rebuke), control
(command), or bolster undead.
Regardless of the effect, the general term for
the activity is “turning.” When attempting to exercise their divine
control over these creatures, characters make turning checks.
Turning
Checks
Turning undead is a supernatural ability that a character can perform
as a standard action. It does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
You must
present your holy symbol to turn undead. Turning is considered an
attack.
Times per Day: You may attempt to turn undead a number of
times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. You can increase this number
by taking the Extra Turning feat.
Range: You turn the closest turnable
undead first, and you can’t turn undead that are more than 60 feet away or
that have total cover relative to you. You don’t need line of sight to a
target, but you do need line of effect.
Turning Check: The first thing
you do is roll a turning check to see how powerful an undead creature you can
turn. This is a Charisma check (1d20 + your Charisma modifier). Table: Turning
Undead gives you the Hit Dice of the most powerful undead you can affect,
relative to your level. On a given turning attempt, you can turn no undead
creature whose Hit Dice exceed the result on this table.
Turning
Damage: If your roll on Table: Turning Undead is high enough to let you turn
at least some of the undead within 60 feet, roll 2d6 + your cleric level + your
Charisma modifier for turning damage. That’s how many total Hit Dice of
undead you can turn.
If your Charisma score is average or low, it’s
possible to roll fewer Hit Dice of undead turned than indicated on Table:
Turning Undead.
You may skip over already turned undead that are still within
range, so that you do not waste your turning capacity on them.
Effect and
Duration of Turning: Turned undead flee from you by the best and fastest
means available to them. They flee for 10 rounds (1 minute). If they cannot
flee, they cower (giving any attack rolls against them a +2 bonus). If you
approach within 10 feet of them, however, they overcome being turned and act
normally. (You can stand within 10 feet without breaking the turning
effect—you just can’t approach them.) You can attack them with
ranged attacks (from at least 10 feet away), and others can attack them in any
fashion, without breaking the turning effect.
Destroying Undead: If
you have twice as many levels (or more) as the undead have Hit Dice, you destroy
any that you would normally turn.
Table: Turning Undead
|
|
Turning Check Result
|
Most Powerful Undead Affected (Maximum Hit
Dice)
|
|
0 or lower
|
Cleric’s level – 4
|
|
1–3
|
Cleric’s level – 3
|
|
4–6
|
Cleric’s level – 2
|
|
7–9
|
Cleric’s level – 1
|
|
10–12
|
Cleric’s level
|
|
13–15
|
Cleric’s level + 1
|
|
16–18
|
Cleric’s level + 2
|
|
19–21
|
Cleric’s level + 3
|
|
22 or higher
|
Cleric’s level + 4
|
Evil Clerics and Undead
Evil clerics channel negative energy to
rebuke (awe) or command (control) undead rather than channeling positive energy
to turn or destroy them. An evil cleric makes the equivalent of a turning check.
Undead that would be turned are rebuked instead, and those that would be
destroyed are commanded.
Rebuked: A rebuked undead creature cowers as
if in awe (attack rolls against the creature get a +2 bonus). The effect lasts
10 rounds.
Commanded: A commanded undead creature is under the mental
control of the evil cleric. The cleric must take a standard action to give
mental orders to a commanded undead. At any one time, the cleric may command any
number of undead whose total Hit Dice do not exceed his level. He may
voluntarily relinquish command on any commanded undead creature or creatures in
order to command new ones.
Dispelling Turning: An evil cleric may
channel negative energy to dispel a good cleric’s turning effect. The evil
cleric makes a turning check as if attempting to rebuke the undead. If the
turning check result is equal to or greater than the turning check result that
the good cleric scored when turning the undead, then the undead are no longer
turned. The evil cleric rolls turning damage of 2d6 + cleric level + Charisma
modifier to see how many Hit Dice worth of undead he can affect in this way (as
if he were rebuking them).
Bolstering Undead: An evil cleric may also
bolster undead creatures against turning in advance. He makes a turning check as
if attempting to rebuke the undead, but the Hit Dice result on Table: Turning
Undead becomes the undead creatures’ effective Hit Dice as far as turning
is concerned (provided the result is higher than the creatures’ actual Hit
Dice). The bolstering lasts 10 rounds. An evil undead cleric can bolster himself
in this manner.
Neutral Clerics and Undead
A cleric of neutral
alignment can either turn undead but not rebuke them, or rebuke undead but not
turn them. See Turn or Rebuke Undead for more information.
Even if a cleric
is neutral, channeling positive energy is a good act and channeling negative
energy is evil.
Paladins and Undead
Beginning at 4th level, paladins
can turn undead as if they were clerics of three levels lower than they actually
are.
Turning Other Creatures
Some clerics have the ability to turn
creatures other than undead.
The turning check result is determined as
normal.
TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
If you wield a second weapon in your off
hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. You suffer a
–6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and
a –10 penalty to the attack with your off hand when you fight this way.
You can reduce these penalties in two ways:
•If your off-hand weapon is
light, the penalties are reduced by 2 each. (An unarmed strike is always
considered light.)
•The Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary
hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6.
Table: Two-Weapon Fighting
Penalties summarizes the interaction of all these factors.
|
Table: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties
|
Circumstances
|
Primary Hand
|
Off Hand
|
|
Normal penalties
|
–6
|
–10
|
|
Off-hand weapon is light
|
–4
|
–8
|
|
Two-Weapon Fighting feat
|
–4
|
–4
|
|
Off-hand weapon is light and Two-Weapon Fighting feat
|
–2
|
–2
|
Double Weapons: You can use a double weapon to make an extra
attack with the off-hand end of the weapon as if you were fighting with two
weapons. The penalties apply as if the off-hand end of the weapon were a light
weapon.
Thrown Weapons: The same rules apply when you throw a weapon
from each hand. Treat a dart or shuriken as a light weapon when used in this
manner, and treat a bolas, javelin, net, or sling as a one-handed
weapon.
SPECIAL INITIATIVE ACTIONS
Here are ways
to change when you act during combat by altering your place in the initiative
order.
DELAY
By choosing to delay, you take no action and then act
normally on whatever initiative count you decide to act. When you delay, you
voluntarily reduce your own initiative result for the rest of the combat. When
your new, lower initiative count comes up later in the same round, you can act
normally. You can specify this new initiative result or just wait until some
time later in the round and act then, thus fixing your new initiative count at
that point.
You never get back the time you spend waiting to see what’s
going to happen. You can’t, however, interrupt anyone else’s action
(as you can with a readied action).
Initiative Consequences of Delaying:
Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the delayed
action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed an action,
you don’t get to take a delayed action (though you can delay again).
If
you take a delayed action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up,
your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do
not get your regular action that round.
READY
The ready action lets
you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your
next one has begun. Readying is a standard action. It does not provoke an attack
of opportunity (though the action that you ready might do so).
Readying an
Action: You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action. To
do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will
take it. Then, any time before your next action, you may take the readied action
in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that
triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character’s
activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of
doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your
initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result
is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead
of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
You can take a
5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t
otherwise move any distance during the round.
Initiative Consequences of
Readying: Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the
readied action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your
readied action, you don’t get to take the readied action (though you can
ready the same action again). If you take your readied action in the next round,
before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point
in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that
round.
Distracting Spellcasters: You can ready an attack against a
spellcaster with the trigger “if she starts casting a spell.” If you
damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as
determined by her Concentration check result).
Readying to
Counterspell: You may ready a counterspell against a spellcaster (often with
the trigger “if she starts casting a spell”). In this case, when the
spellcaster starts a spell, you get a chance to identify it with a Spellcraft
check (DC 15 + spell level). If you do, and if you can cast that same spell (are
able to cast it and have it prepared, if you prepare spells), you can cast the
spell as a counterspell and automatically ruin the other spellcaster’s
spell. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other
arcane.
A spellcaster can use dispel magic to counterspell another
spellcaster, but it doesn’t always work.
Readying a Weapon against a
Charge: You can ready certain piercing weapons, setting them to receive
charges. A readied weapon of this type deals double damage if you score a hit
with it against a charging character.