Combat Manuevers
Combat Maneuvers
Certain individuals and classes may, at the Referee's discretion, perform combat maneuvers. These rules assume that they make use of the skill system introduced in Hex 18.23. Therefore, an individual can be Unskilled (succeeding only on a natural 20), Proficient (succeeding on a result of 15+, costing one skill slot), Skilled (succeeding on a roll of 10+, costing two slots) or Expert (succeeding on a roll of 5+, costing three slots).
Fighters can select three combat maneuvers, each of which they are Proficient in, at 1st-level. At every four additional levels (5th, 9th, etc.) they may either select an additional maneuver, gained at Proficient, or improve an existing maneuver by one step. Other classes can learn combat maneuvers as part of standard skill selections (and fighters and thieves can also select them as skill selections). When first purchasing a combat maneuver the character is limited to Proficient or Skilled.
When attempting a combat maneuver a skill roll is made instead of a to-hit roll, using the target number as set by the proficiency. The following modifiers apply to the roll:
The target's HD is subtracted from the roll. Each maneuver has a modifying Ability score. Add any plusses or minuses to the roll. A roll of 20 is always a success, a roll of 1 always a failure. Other modifiers applied at the Referee’s discretion. Example. Sir Harn attempts to Force Back an adult dragon. The Referee applies a –6 penalty to the roll due to the dragon’s size.
Combat maneuvers are declared in the declaration phase of a round and cannot be changed.
Defensive Stance (Int). By eschewing any offensive attacks during a round and using this maneuver the character can make themself harder to hit. Make a Defensive Stance roll at the beginning of the character’s turn. If the maneuver roll is successful, the character gains a +2 bonus to their AC for as long as the character remains in their defensive stance. A character in a defensive stance can automatically disengage from melee and move away at half their normal movement.
Disarm (Dex). On a successful attempt the target drops their weapon or shield (attacker’s choice). Dropped weapons land a number of feet away equal to the difference between the roll and the target number set by the attacker's skill. If the weapon drops within 5’ of the target they may pick it up during their next turn, but the process of doing so imposes a –2 penalty to their AC for the remainder of the round; if more than 5’ away they cannot reach their weapon without disengaging from melee.
Example. Sir Harn is facing a foe that he wishes to capture alive, and so rather than attacking to kill he attempts to disarm them. Harn is Skilled in Disarm and has a Dex modifier of 0, so he needs to roll a 10 or higher to succeed. His opponent has 4 HD, which brings the total up to 14. Harn’s player rolls an 18, a success. The weapon flies from his opponent’s grasp and lands 4 feet away.
Force Back (Str). When using this maneuver the attacker attempts to force their opponent in a direction of the attacker’s choosing. On a successful roll their target must either retreat a number of feet equal to the difference between the roll and the target number or they take ½ the damage from a normal attack.
Sir Harn is fighting with an opponent at the edge of a cliff. They are both evenly matched, so Harn attempts to fight dirty and force his opponent over the precipice. Harn is Expert in Force Back, has a Strength modifier of +2, and his opponent has 6 HD. The target number for the attempt is 13+. Harn rolls a 19, a success, and can move his opponent 6 feet in a direction of his choosing. His opponent, however, sensing the ploy, chooses not be moved, and instead takes half damage from the attack (Harn rolls damage as normal at this point).
Grapple (Str). On a successful roll the attacker is able to physically restrain a foe. Creatures more than twice the attacker's size cannot be grappled. It takes three successful grapple rolls to completely immobilize a target. Note that grapple checks can be made in opposition if both combatants are trying to grapple. Opposing grapple checks can be used to either extricate oneself from a grapple or try to grapple the other combatant.
A single success counts as a target being Held. Both target and attacker may do the following:
1. Move at ¼ speed. Whoever is doing the holding can force their opponent to move up to ¼ their normal speed each round. If both are holding, movement is not possible. 2. Attack. Hand to hand attacks are made as normal (see p. 122, OSE Core) but weapon attacks are made at a –2 penalty to hit. The attacker can only use non-two handed weapons to attack. 3. Attempt to break the grapple or put the target in a Clinch. 4. Spellcasting is not possible.
Two successes are referred to as a Clinch. The following is possible when Clinched:
1. The target cannot move but the attacker can move both combatants 5' per round. 2. The target attacks with handheld weapons at a –5 penalty, or hand to hand attacks at a –2 penalty. Weapons larger than daggers or truncheons cannot be used. 3. Attempt to reduce the Clinch to a Hold, or Immobilize the target.
If three successes are totaled the target is Immobilized. The following occurs when a target is immobilized:
1. The target cannot move. The attacker can move both at 5' per round, but doing so allows the target a chance to break the grapple. 2. The target cannot attack nor attempt to break the grapple unless possessing a higher Strength modifier than the attacker. If the target is a monster without a Strength score compare HD; if the target’s HD is equal to or greater than the attacker's they may attempt to break the hold. 3. The attacker may still attack, but at a –2 penalty for hand-to-hand attacks or a –5 penalty for weapon attacks. Attacking also allows the target a chance to break the hold, as above. There are two attacks that can be performed without risk of breaking the grapple (see 4 and 5, below). 4. The attacker may attempt to choke the target. Each round the target makes a Save v. Paralysis. If failing they take 1d2 damage, otherwise they take none. 5. The attacker may attempt to render the target unconscious by cutting off air flow. Each round the target must Save v. Death or fall unconscious for 3d4 rounds.
Knock-out (Dex). Using a blunt weapon or the flat of a blade, or a hand-to-hand attack, the attacker attempts to render a target temporarily unconscious. The maneuver only affects living targets. The roll suffers a penalty of 1d4, in addition to any other penalties. If successful, the target takes 1 point of damage and is rendered unconscious for 1d12 rounds.
Long Shot (Dex). The attacker is able to squeeze some extra distance out of ranged attacks. On a successful roll the attacker can increase the maximum range by 25%. Normal penalties to the roll still apply.
Overrun (Con). The adventurer attempts to move through or past an enemy. On a successful roll the adventurer succeeds, moving a distance up to their movement. On a failed roll the character stops in front of the nearest opponent in their path. An overrun roll must be made for each opponent of the same size or larger the adventurer is attempting to pass; if the opponents are a size or more smaller only one roll is needed.
Precise Shot (Dex). On a successful roll the character can fire into a melee or at opponents with less than full cover without penalty (they do not suffer the standard –4 penalty for doing so). This roll is only made once per round; a normal attack roll is still needed.
Stun (Str). On a successful roll the target automatically acts suffers a –2 penalty to all initiative, attack, and combat maneuver rolls for 1d4 rounds.
Trip (Strength). On a successful attack the target falls to the ground until their next turn. It takes their entire movement to stand back up. While prone all attacks against the target gain a +2 bonus. Creatures with more than two legs impose a –2 penalty per leg to the maneuver roll.
