Combat Notes ------------ These combat notes are not meant to be an all inclusive listing of rules regarding combat. They are simply notes. Something to remind you of the major points regarding combat. If you have specific questions you should always consult the rules, and or the DM. SCALE: -Melee 5 feet per square Normal movement -Missile 5 yds per square 1/3 movement TIME: -Standard round 1 minute, 60 seconds -Combat round 12 seconds, 5 combat rounds=1 standard round -Turn 10 minutes, 50 combat rounds COMBAT STATUS: -Clear Not in combat or threatened. 1 free facing chg/round -Threatened Opponents can reach each other w/weapons & claws -Grappled Physically restrained. Permitted actions are: ¡ Respond w/unarmed combat ¡ Attack w/small weapon ¡ Attempt to escape ATTACKS OF OPPORTUNITY: The following actions may provoke an attack of opportunity while threatened. ¡ Attempting missile combat ¡ Moving away (Not withdrawing) ¡ Turning away ¡ Attempting an unarmed attack ¡ Attempting to pass through a threatened square # of attacks of opportunity: * Warriors & Monsters get 3+1/5 lvls or HD * All others get 1+1/5 lvls COMBAT MOVEMENT: 1 point for each 5 ft square of orthogonal movement. 1.5 pts for each 5 ft square of diagonal movement (Round up). FIVE BASIC STEPS: 1. Opponent/Monster action determination by DM. 2. PC action declaration in random order. 3. Initiative. Random player rolls for party. DM rolls for opp. 4. Resolution of actions* 5. End of round resolution (fatigue, retreat, morale, combat status) *If a character abandons his chosen action from step 2, then the new action takes place at the very end of the combat round. After the very slow phase. INITIATIVE: Each combat round consists of five action phases. * Very fast - tiny/small * Fast - man sized * Average - large * slow - huge * very slow - gargantuan A characters action phase is determined by his base initiative, modified by his weapon speed, and the combat action selected for the round. At the begining of each round of combat each side rolls a d10. The side with the lowest roll wins initiative. In each action phase, the side that won the initiative roll attacks and moves first in each participants respective action phase. ++ In any given action phase for one side of a fight attacks and spells take place before any movement. ++ Initiative roll special results: ¡ Result of 1 accelerates the action phase of that side by one. ¡ Result of 10 slows the action phase of that side by one. ¡ A tie results in a critical event. Initiative is re-rolled until a winner is determined. COMBAT CHOICES: The following combat actions are available to all characters. ¥ No move actions: (May still move 1 square in any direction, and make a free facing adj. This adj. move occurs simultaneously with the no move action) ¡ Attack ¡ Fire/throw a missile (normal rate of fire) ¡ Parry ¡ Unarmed combat ¡ Use a magical item ¡ Cast a spell ¡ Cover ¡ Guard ¥ Half move actions: (move up to half your movement and then perform one of the actions listed. Or perform a listed action and then move up to half your movement) ¡ Attack ¡ Guard ¡ Charge ¡ Unarmed combat ¡ Fire/throw a missile (half normal rate of fire) ¡ withdraw ¥ Full move actions: (These actions generally consist of movement only. With the exception of the charge, in which the attack occurs at the end of the full move) ¡ Charge ¡ Move ¡ Run ¡ Sprint MOVEMENT AND INITIATIVE: Begin movement in the characters base initiative and complete movement in half move increments. A fast character finishes a full move action in the Average phase. If a fast character with a two- handed sword (a slow weapon) makes a half move & attack, the movement portion of the action occurs in the fast phase but the attack does not occur until the slow phase. Characters may not attack before the phase of the weapon. ENCUMBRANCE: Use rules from C&T pages 14-15 MAGICAL WEAPON INTIATIVE MODIFIERS: +1 No modifier +2/+3 One phase faster +4 or > two phases faster OVERRUNS: An overrun occurs when a hostile larger creature moves into a square with a smaller creature. * Overrun creates an attack of opportunity. * Defender must make a svs paralyzation (dex adj applies) or be knocked prone. (-4 for 2 sizes larger/-8 for 3 sizes larger or more) - If defender saves then larger creature displaces smaller by 1 square. - Overrun character takes 1d4 damage per size difference. (make to hit roll 1st. No modifiers apply even though the defender is prone) MULTIPLE ATTACKS: Characters with multiple attacks with the same weapon must make the 1st attack normally in the phase the weapon normally attacks in. Then additional attacks are made at the rate of 1 attack each phase thereafter until all multiple attacks are resolved. CASTING SPELLS: * Spell casting begins in the VF phase. * Spell effects occur during the phase based on the spells casting time. Casting time Initiative phase ------------ ---------------- 1 - 3 Fast 4 - 6 Average 7 - 9 Slow 1 rnd or more Very slow * Spell casters lose their dex bonus to AC during spell casting. * As usual any damage to the spell caster, or interruption to the spell casting results in a failure to cast the spell. PSIONICS: Psionics with a preparation time of 0 occur during the characters base initiative phase. Other psionics occur during the end-of-round resolution step of the combat rnd in which the character completes the preparation time. CHANGING WEAPONS: * Drawing a weapon incurs a one phase delay. For example if a character intends on performing a half move & attack using his two handed sword but has not drawn it yet then he does not attack until the very slow phsae. Movement occurs in the fast phase, and the attack would normally occur in the slow phase. (because of the weapons initiative) But since the weapon was not drawn yet, there is a further one phase delay. * Changing a weapon by sheathing/putting away one weapon (provided it is not placed in a back pack. But is readilly stowed in a sheath or a similar means) and then drawing a different weapon is a two phase delay. * Getting something out of your back pack during combat is a full move action, and will incur attacks of opportunity if applicable. CRITICAL HITS: The critical hit method described in C&T pages 100-115 will be used. ¥ Must roll a natural 18 or >, and the attack must hit the opponent by a margin of 5 or > than needed. Then if the victim fails a svs death a specific injury may occur. Multiple damage occurs regardless of the save. Multiple damage is: Damage of the weapon (With the weapons bonuses added on) doubled. Any other adjustments due to expertise, magic spells in effect, or character strength are then added afterwards. ¥ Effects are determined by four factors: - Attackers weapon size vs defenders size. - Type of weapon compared to type of target. ¡ Three weapon types. + Slashing + Piercing + Bludgeoning ¡ Three target types. + Humanoids + Animals + Monsters - Location of hit. ¡ Location of attacks + Standard 1d10 + Low 1d6 + High 1d6+4 - A roll to determine severity, and specifics of injury. ¡ Severity + Weapon < target minor 1d6 + Weapon = target major 2d4 + Weapon > target severe 2d6 + Weapon 2 sizes larger mortal 2d8 ¡ Five degrees of severity + Grazed + Struck + Injured + broken + shattered, severed, crushed. ¡ Critical hits automatically inflict double damage (Triple if weapon is 2 sizes larger than target) ¡ Any critical hit will also damage the defenders armor to such a degree that it's protective rating may be lessened by one degree. Normal armor is permited no save. Magical armor is permitted a svs crushing blow on the item saving throw chart. +1 for being magical, and +1 for each enchantment/bonus of the armor. ¡ In most cases the special damage caused by any of the critical hits may only be healed by spells specifically intended for critical hits. (i.e. 3rd level S&M priest spell Repair injury) Without the use of these type of restorative magics a character may be in hurtin status for a good amount of time. FUMBLES: Fumbles are the flip side of a critical hit. Any time a player rolls a natural 1, followed by a to hit roll that would miss the intended target a fumble has occured. The DM has charts for determining the specific results. It is possible to hurt your self, another player character, break your weapon, or drop your weapon. In any instance where damage occurs it will only be 1d4 damage. You can't accidently chop off your own head. Well maybe, if you had a vorpal sword! KNOCKDOWNS: ¥ Each weapon/creature has a knockdown die which should be rolled when a hit is scored. Compare the attackers weapon (or size) to the defenders size. target size knockdown roll ----------- -------------- Tiny 3 Small 5 Medium/man 7 Large 9 Huge 11 ¡ Creatures who suffer a knockdown must roll a svs death or be knocked prone. ¡ If you are holding a loaded xbow, a svs paralyzation must be made or the weapon is inadveratantly discharged. ¡ Large monsters have increase the knockdown die. Increasing the die type by one step for each size increase.