Combat
From Titan's Teeth
| Main > Combat |
Contents
- 1 1. Martial Spheres
- 2 2. Combat Maneuvers
- 3 3. Morale Maneuvers
- 4 4. Combat Stances
- 5 5. Combat Parlay
- 6 6. Damaging Objects
- 7 7. Death and Dying
1. Martial Spheres
Spheres of Might is a new way of doing martial combat. Rather than standing still and trading blows, Spheres of Might is a system of dynamics, allowing each round to become a contest of strategy as each combatant delves into their repertoire of tricks to out-maneuver and ultimately defeat their opponent.
Spheres of Might is designed to allow players and game masters to more greatly employ strategy and tactical play on a round by round basis. Rather than simply exchanging damage until someone falls, practitioners of the Spheres of Might system make use of an extended arsenal of tricks with which to break each other’s defenses and manipulate their opponent until they are perfectly positioned to deliver a killing blow.
Combat Spheres
In the Spheres of Might system, each character gains a series of talents, called combat talents. The number of combat talents a character gains are determined by their class, although a character may always spend a feat to gain a combat talent via the Extra Combat Talent feat.
Whenever a character gains a combat talent, they may spend it on a combat sphere. The first time a character spends a combat talent on a sphere, they gain that sphere’s base abilities.
After a character possesses a base sphere, they may spend additional combat talents to gain talents specifically associated with that sphere. If a character is granted a bonus sphere that they already possess (such as through a class feature), they instead may gain one talent of their choice from that sphere.
Once a talent is spent, it cannot be changed except through retraining, which follows the same rules as retraining a feat. Unless noted otherwise, all abilities granted by combat spheres and their talents are extraordinary effects.
Sphere DCs
If a combat sphere ability requires a saving throw or skill check to resist, the formula for determining the DC is 10 + 1/2 the attacker’s base attack bonus + their practitioner modifier, unless otherwise indicated. If a character does not possess levels in a class that grants a practitioner modifier, they use their Wisdom modifier as their practitioner modifier.
Characters who multiclass into a second practitioner class may use the higher of their practitioner modifiers for determining all relevant effects of their combat sphere abilities.
Combat Training and Combat Talents
| Class Level |
Expert | Adept | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| 9 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| 10 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
Some practitioner classes gain the Combat Training class feature, granting them bonus talents based on their role in combat. The acquisition of these talents will typically, but not always, mirror the practitioner’s base attack bonus progression.
Terminology
Attack action
An attack action is a type of standard action. Some combat options can modify only this specific sort of action. When taking an attack action, you can apply all appropriate options that modify an attack action. Thus, you can apply both the Boxing sphere’s counter punch and Vital Strike to the same attack, as both modify an attack action. You can apply these to any combat option that takes the place of an attack made using an attack action (such as the trip combat maneuver), though options that increase damage don’t cause attacks to deal damage if they wouldn’t otherwise do so (such as Vital Strike and trip).
You can’t combine options that modify attack actions with standard actions that aren’t attack actions, such as Cleave.
Associated Feat
Some spheres and talents overlap the function of existing feats. Such a feat is listed in the talent as an associated feat. Talents with associated feats allow a character to qualify for feats that have the associated feat as a prerequisite, including any prerequisites the associated feat normally requires, and for abilities that modify the feat’s function (such as a mythic version of the feat). Unless noted, talents do not stack with their associated feats. Any time you would gain an associated feat, you may instead choose to gain the sphere or talent it is associated with. You must still meet the prerequisites for a talent gained this way, such as possessing the base sphere.
Expend
Some abilities require a character to expend their martial focus to use them; unless otherwise noted, expending martial focus happens as part of the specified action and does not require an action itself. A character will continue to receive any benefits accorded them for having martial focus until the action they choose to expend it on is complete.
Main Hand / Off-hand
The main hand and off-hand designations apply specifically when using two weapons or a double weapon to gain more attacks than that action would normally grant. You must designate one weapon as your main hand weapon when making an attack; all other manufactured weapons are treated as off-hand weapons and only add half your Strength modifier to damage on attacks.
Martial Focus
A character who has the combat training class feature, the Extra Combat Talent feat, or who has gained a combat talent progression by some other means can achieve martial focus.
Characters gain their martial focus after a minute of rest, or by taking the total defense action. You may not by any means regain focus more than once per round.
When you have martial focus, you can expend your focus as part of any single Fortitude or Reflex saving throw you make thereafter. When you expend your focus in this manner, your saving throw is treated as if you rolled a 13, similarly to taking 10 on a skill check, except that the number you add to your saving throw is 13. You can also expend your martial focus to gain the benefit of certain combat talents and class features, as described in their entry, while other talents and abilities may require you to currently have martial focus.
Once you have gained martial focus, you remain focused until you expend your focus, become unconscious, or go to sleep (or enter a meditative trance).
Practitioner
Practitioners are characters who train in combat spheres. Whenever a sphere or ability refers to the practitioner, it is referring to the individual creature using that sphere or talent.
Practitioner Modifier
A practitioner modifier is an ability modifier that the practitioner uses to determine the saving throws for their talents. If a creature has more than one practitioner modifier, they may use the highest practitioner modifier to determine the saving throws for their talents. If a character does not possess levels in a class that grants a practitioner modifier, they use their Wisdom modifier as their practitioner modifier.
Special Attack Action
A special attack action represents a unique method of making an attack. These special attack actions are granted by certain spheres and talents, and whenever a creature makes an attack action, they may choose to perform a special attack action they know, assuming they meet that special attack action’s requirements. A special attack action can be augmented by feats and talents just as if it were any other attack action, but a creature cannot perform more than one special attack action at a time. (Thus, if a character trained in both the Barrage sphere and the Sniper sphere makes an attack action, they may choose to perform a barrage or a deadly shot, but not both with the same attack action).
Rules Clarifications, Additions, and Interactions
Double-Barreled Weapons
When using an attack action to attack with both barrels of a double-barreled weapon, bonus damage and effects from talents apply only to a single bullet or cartridge.
Improvised Weapons
An improvised weapon includes both making an attack with an item not originally intended for use as a weapon, as well as using a weapon in a way it was not meant for (for instance, using a bow or arrow to make a melee attack, or throwing a longsword at an enemy). A character not proficient with improvised weapons suffers a -4 penalty when making an attack in this fashion.
| Improvised Weapon Size |
Damage Die |
Sample Item |
|---|---|---|
| Diminutive | 1d3 | toothpick |
| Tiny | 1d4 | fork |
| Small | 1d6 | fire poker |
| Medium | 1d8 | chair |
| Large | 2d6 | table |
| Huge | 3d6 | wagon |
Improvised weapons (including melee weapons not designed for throwing) have a range increment of 10 ft. and deal its normal damage on a successful hit. When using ranged weapons as melee weapons, darts, pistols, and shuriken deal 1d4 damage (1d3 Small), bows, larger firearms, and light crossbows deal 1d6 damage (1d4 Small), and heavy crossbows deal 1d8 (1d6 Small).
A creature may use an improvised weapon two sizes smaller than they are as a light weapon, one size smaller as a one-handed weapon, and the same size as they are as a two-handed weapon. Generally, items larger or three sizes smaller than the creature are impractical to use as an improvised weapon. A GM may always rule that particularly dense objects (such as a stone statue) count as being one size larger than normal due to their weight.
Retraining
If using the retraining rules from Ultimate Campaign, you may retrain combat talents for the same time and cost as feats. If you retrain the class you took at 1st level into a class that qualifies for a martial tradition, you may choose to gain a martial tradition at that time, though you lose all other class-based proficiencies you may possess.
Talents gained as part of a martial tradition can only be retrained if you retrain the entire martial tradition and replace it with a new martial tradition, which requires 15 days of retraining. If your martial tradition included a base sphere that is required for other talents you possess and your new tradition does not include that base sphere, you must retrain an additional talent you possess from that sphere into the base sphere, though this can be done at no additional cost in time or money.
If you gained the base sphere from multiple sources, you do not need to retrain an additional talent as long as you still possess the base sphere after retraining.
Scatter Weapons and Area Attacks
When using an attack action to attack with a scatter weapon or another weapon that attacks an area, any relevant talents you may possess affect only the nearest creature targeted by the attack. In the event that multiple creatures are equally close, the player may choose which one they want to treat as the primary target for talents and effects.
Unarmed Combatants
| Talents | Damage Small |
Damage Medium |
Damage Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 1d3 | 1d4 | 1d6 |
| 4-7 | 1d4 | 1d6 | 1d8 |
| 8-11 | 1d6 | 1d8 | 2d6 |
| 12-15 | 1d8 | 2d6 | 3d6 |
| 16-19 | 2d6 | 2d8 | 3d8 |
| 20+ | 2d8 | 2d10 | 4d8 |
Practitioners who train in certain spheres focused on unarmed combat, such as Boxing, deal additional damage with their unarmed strikes based on the total number of unarmed spheres and talents they possess, as shown in the table to the right.
Practitioners from a class that already grants an unarmed damage progression, such as the brawler or monk, may treat their unarmed strike as one size category larger if they have 3 or more talents in an unarmed combat sphere, but receive no further benefits.
In addition, any practitioner with at least 1 talent in an unarmed sphere gains the benefits of the Unarmed Combatant feat.
List of Spheres
2. Combat Maneuvers
During combat, you can attempt to perform a number of maneuvers that can hinder or even cripple your foe. Although these maneuvers have vastly different results, they all use a similar mechanic to determine success.
Combat Maneuver Mechanics
Combat Maneuver Bonus
Each character and creature has a Combat Maneuver Bonus (or CMB) that represents its skill at performing combat maneuvers. A creature’s CMB is determined using the following formula:
CMB = Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + special size modifier
Some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMB when performing specific maneuvers.
Combat Maneuver Defense
Each character and creature has a Combat Maneuver Defense (or CMD) that represents its ability to resist combat maneuvers. A creature’s CMD is determined using the following formula:
CMD = 10 + Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + Dexterity modifier + special size modifier + miscellaneous modifiers
Some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMD when resisting specific maneuvers.
Miscellaneous Modifiers: A creature can also add any circumstance, deflection, dodge, insight, luck, morale, profane, and sacred bonuses to AC to its CMD. Any penalties to a creature’s AC also apply to its CMD. A flat-footed creature does not add its Dexterity bonus to its CMD.
Special Size Modifier
The special size modifier for a creature’s CMB and CMD is as follows:
Fine –8, Diminutive –4, Tiny –2, Small –1, Medium +0, Large +1, Huge +2, Gargantuan +4, Colossal +8.
Performing a Combat Maneuver
When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus. Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver. The DC of this maneuver is your target’s Combat Maneuver Defense. Combat maneuvers are attack rolls, so you must roll for concealment and take any other penalties that would normally apply to an attack roll. Rolling a natural 20 while attempting a combat maneuver is always a success (except when attempting to escape from bonds), while rolling a natural 1 is always a failure.
Unless otherwise noted, performing a combat maneuver provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of the maneuver. If you are hit by the target, you take the damage normally and apply that amount as a penalty to the attack roll to perform the maneuver. If your target is immobilized, unconscious, or otherwise incapacitated, your maneuver automatically succeeds (treat as if you rolled a natural 20 on the attack roll). If your target is stunned, you receive a +4 bonus on your attack roll to perform a combat maneuver against it.
Combat Maneuvers
Bull Rush
Action: standard action or as part of a charge in place of the melee attack
Target: one opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Powerful Maneuvers, Greater Bull Rush
A bull rush attempts to push an opponent straight back without doing any harm. If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.
An enemy being moved by a bull rush does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Bull Rush feat.
You cannot bull rush a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle.
If there is another creature in the way of your bull rush, you must immediately make a combat maneuver check to bull rush that creature. You take a –4 penalty on this check for each creature being pushed beyond the first. If you are successful, you can continue to push the creatures a distance equal to the lesser result.Dirty Trick
Action: standard action
Target: one opponent
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Deft Maneuvers, Greater Dirty Trick
This maneuver covers any sort of situational attack that imposes a penalty on a foe for a short period of time.
If your attack is successful, the target takes a penalty. The penalty is limited to one of the following conditions:
Blinded, Dazzled, Deafened, Entangled, Shaken, or Sickened.
This condition lasts for 1 round. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, the penalty lasts 1 additional round. This penalty can be removed if the target spends a move action.
Disarm
Action: in place of a melee attack
Target: one item carried by an opponent
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Deft Maneuvers, Greater Disarm
Attempting to disarm a foe while unarmed imposes a –4 penalty on the attack. If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice.
If your attack exceeds the CMD of the target by 10 or more, the target drops the items it is carrying in both hands (maximum two items if the target has more than two hands).
If your attack fails by 10 or more, you drop the weapon that you were using to attempt the disarm.
If you successfully disarm your opponent with your bare hands, you may automatically pick up the item dropped.Drag
Action: standard action
Target: one opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Powerful Maneuvers, Greater Drag
The aim of this maneuver is to drag a foe in a straight line behind you without doing any harm.
If your attack is successful, both you and your target are moved 5 feet back, with your opponent occupying your original space and you in the space behind that in a straight line. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, you can drag the target back an additional 5 feet. You must be able to move with the target to perform this maneuver. If you do not have enough movement, the drag goes to the maximum amount of movement available to you and ends.
An enemy being moved by a drag does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Drag feat. You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle. If there is another creature in the way of your movement, the drag ends adjacent to that creature.Grapple
Action: standard action
Target: one opponent
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Unarmed Combatant, Greater Grapple
You attempt to grapple a foe, hindering his combat options.
Grappling without penalty requires two or more free hands. Grappling with one hand gives a –4 penalty on the combat maneuver roll.
If successful, both you and the target gain the Grappled condition. If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails).
Although both creatures have the grappled condition, you can, as the creature that initiated the grapple (the grappler), release the grapple as a free action, removing the condition from both you and the target. To maintain hold on the opponent, the grappler must use at least one hand at all times.
Counter-Grappling: If you perform the Grapple combat maneuver while in a Grapple, on a success you become the grappler and may decide whether to maintain the grapple, or release it. If your opponent is grappling you with only one hand, you receive a +4 bonus on your check.
Multiple Creatures: You can be the grappler of no more creatures than you have free hands. Any number of creatures can grapple you, as long as they can stand adjacent to you. You can attempt to perform the Grapple combat maneuver against multiple creatures at the same time. This imposes a -4 penalty for each additional creature. If you end up being the grappler of more creatures than you have free hands, you must immediately release the grapple on the excess creatures. This may be useful in cases where you are merely attempting to escape the grapple.
Hands: Any grasping appendage counts as a hand. Some monsters may count their body as one or more grasping appendages. Use common sense.
Overrun
Action: standard action, taken during your move or as part of a charge
Target: one opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Powerful Maneuvers, Greater Overrun
You can attempt to overrun your target, moving through its square.
When you attempt to overrun a target, it can choose to avoid you, allowing you to pass through its square without requiring an attack.
If your target does not avoid you, make a combat maneuver check as normal. If your maneuver is successful, you move through the target’s space. If your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD by 5 or more, you move through the target’s space and the target is knocked prone. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has.
If your overrun attempt fails, you stop in the space directly in front of the opponent, or the nearest open space in front of the creature if there are other creatures occupying that space.Reposition
Action: standard action
Target: one opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Powerful Maneuvers, Greater Reposition
A reposition attempts to force a foe to move to a different position in relation to your location without doing any harm.
If your attack is successful, you may move your target 5 feet to a new location. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, you can move the target an additional 5 feet. The target must remain within your reach at all times during this movement, except for the final 5 feet of movement, which can be to a space adjacent to your reach.
An enemy being moved by a reposition does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Reposition feat. You cannot use this maneuver to move a foe into a space that is intrinsically dangerous, such as a pit or wall of fire. You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle.Steal
Action: standard action
Target: one item
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Deft Maneuvers, Greater Steal
This maneuver can be used in melee to take any item that is neither held nor hidden in a bag or pack. You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to attempt this maneuver. You must select the item to be taken before the check is made.
Items that are simply tucked into a belt or loosely attached (such as brooches or necklaces) are the easiest to take. Items fastened to a foe (such as cloaks, sheathed weapons, or pouches) are more difficult to take, and give the opponent a +5 bonus (or greater) to his CMD. Items that are closely worn (such as armor, backpacks, boots, clothing, or rings) cannot be taken with this maneuver. Items held in the hands (such as wielded weapons or wands) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead. The GM is the final arbiter of what items can be taken.
If your attack is successful, you may take one item from your opponent. You must be able to reach the item to be taken (subject to GM discretion). Your enemy is immediately aware of this theft unless you possess the Greater Steal feat.
Although this maneuver can only be performed if the target is within your reach, you can use a whip to steal an object from a target within range with a –4 penalty on the attack roll.Sunder
Action: in place of a melee attack
Target: one object
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Powerful Maneuvers, Greater Sunder
Trip
Action: in place of a melee attack
Target: one opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Deft Maneuvers, Greater Trip
If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is knocked prone.
If your attack fails by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead.
If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures—such as oozes, creatures without legs, and flying creatures—cannot be tripped.
Advanced Combat Maneuvers
Crush
Action: standard action
Target: one creature, three or more size categories smaller than you
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Powerful Maneuvers
You must be sharing the creature’s space in order to target it with a crush maneuver.
If your attempt is successful, the target takes damage as if you had successfully hit it with an unarmed strike, a bludgeoning weapon, or one of the following natural weapons: hoof, slam, tail slap, tentacle, or wing. Add 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier to this damage, plus your special size bonus (if any).
If in an evasive stance you can attempt to defend by rolling against the combat maneuver instead of attack roll.
Any damage reduction that the target possesses doesn’t apply against a crush combat maneuver.
Nonlethal Crush Attempts: You can attempt to deal nonlethal damage with a crush attempt by taking a –4 penalty on your combat maneuver check.
Swarms and Crush Maneuvers: You can use a crush maneuver against any swarm that is composed of creatures that are three or more size categories smaller than you. A crush maneuver deals full damage to a swarm regardless of the size of its component creatures. A swarm is unable to avoid a crush attempt, although it has a 5% chance per point of base attack bonus to reduce the damage dealt to it by a crush attempt by half.Scale
Action: standard action
Target: one creature, three or more size categories larger than you.
Attack of Opportunity: yes
Feats: Deft Maneuvers
If your scale attempt is successful, you climb up the target’s body a number of squares up to half your speed or up to your full climb speed, if you possess a climb speed.
| Average Creature Height by Size | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Med. | Large | Huge | Garg. | Colo. |
| Height | 6 ft. | 12 ft. | 24 ft. | 48 ft. | 96 ft. |
Regardless of its actual height, a creature is considered to be a number of squares tall equal to its space. For instance, a Medium creature is one 5 ft tall, while a Gargantuan creature is considered to be 20 ft tall.
While scaling a creature, that creature is flat-footed against your attacks, and you can use this maneuver in order to get close enough to reach the creature’s vital spots, allowing you to sneak attack the target if you possess such an ability. Typically, climbing a minimum of half a creature’s height in squares is enough to place you within range of your opponent’s vital spots.
On subsequent rounds, if you do not let go of the creature that you are scaling, maintaining the maneuver is a move action.
If your target doesn’t try to knock you off its body, you gain a +5 circumstance bonus on scale attempts against that target on subsequent rounds. Maintaining the maneuver allows you to climb up or down the creature’s body a number of squares equal to half your speed (or your full climb speed if you possess a climb speed) or remain at your current location.
If you do not maintain the maneuver, you let go, taking normal falling damage for the amount of squares that you had climbed on the creature as you plummet to the ground.
If You Are Being Scaled: If you are being scaled, you can attempt to knock the creature that is scaling you off of your body as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent’s CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity). If you succeed, you knock the scaling creature off of your body and it takes falling damage as appropriate for the number of squares that it had climbed up on your body.
Alternatively, if you succeed you can immediately begin grappling the creature. Being scaled doesn’t impact your ability to perform any actions; you may act normally while being scaled.
Climbing and Scaling: A creature that is trained in the Climb skill can use its ranks in Climb as its base attack bonus when performing a scale maneuver. A creature with a climb speed gains a +8 racial bonus on scale combat maneuver checks, but not to his CMD against scale combat maneuvers.
Helpless While Scaling: If you become helpless while scaling a creature, such as when you are paralyzed, fall asleep, and so on, you immediately let go of the creature you are scaling and fall. You cannot perform an Acrobatics check to reduce the falling damage that you take while helpless.
3. Morale Maneuvers
Social combat maneuvers are used to influence your opponents through trickery or intimidation.
Social Maneuver Mechanics
Moral Maneuver Defense
Each character and creature has a Morale Maneuver Defense (or MMD) that represents its ability to resist morale maneuvers. A creature’s MMD is determined using the following formula:
MMD = 10 + your Hit Dice + your Wisdom modifier + miscellaneous modifiers
If you are trained in Sense Motive, you may calculate your MMD as 10 + your Sense Motive skill bonus if this value is higher.
Performing a Morale Maneuver
When you attempt to perform a morale maneuver, make a skill check with the skill associated with the maneuver. The DC of this maneuver is your target’s Morale Maneuver Defense. Morale maneuvers are skill checks, so rolling a natural 20 does not result in an automatic success, while rolling a natural 1 does not result in automatic failure. Performing a morale maneuver does not provoke any attacks of opportunity.
Multiple Attempts
For each that the same morale maneuver is performed against the same creature, you suffer a -4 penalty. This penalty stacks and lasts for 1 hour.
Creature Types and Morale Maneuvers
You suffer a –4 penalty on morale maneuver attempts made against opponents of a different creature type than you. You also suffer a –4 penalty against opponents that are of animal intelligence (Int 1 or 2). These penalties stack.
It is impossible to perform morale maneuvers against mindless creatures.
The Wild Empathy class feature can be used to antagonize, demoralize and feint creatures of animal intelligence (Int 1 or 2) in place of the usual skill, in which case you don’t receive the -4 penalty.
Morale Maneuvers
Antagonize
Action: standard action
Skill: Bluff
Target: one opponent within 30 feet and able to see and hear you
Feats: Compelling Maneuvers, Lasting Morale Maneuvers
In combat, you can goad a target into focusing his attacks upon you.
If you succeed, your target gains the Antagonized condition for 1 round. The duration of this condition increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat your opponent’s MMD.
Antagonizing an opponent is a verbal, mind-affecting ability and is language-dependent.
Demoralize
Action: standard action
Skill: Intimidation
Target: one opponent within 30 feet and able to see and hear you
Feats: Compelling Maneuvers, Greater Demoralize, Lasting Morale Maneuvers
In combat, you can shatter a foe’s resolve with biting words or an intimidating front.
If you succeed, your opponent gains the Shaken condition for 1 round. The duration of this condition increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat your opponent’s MMD.
Demoralizing an opponent who is already shaken does not create a stronger fear condition, although demoralizing a previously demoralized opponent extends the duration of the shaken condition.
Demoralizing an opponent is a verbal, mind-affecting ability.
Distract
Action: standard action
Skill: Bluff
Target: one opponent able to see you
Feats: Compelling Maneuvers, Greater Feint
If you succeed, the next time the target would be able to make an attack of opportunity against you, they lose that chance. This condition lasts until the end of your next turn or until triggered.
Feint
Action: standard action
Skill: Bluff
Target: one opponent able to see you
Feats: Compelling Maneuvers, Greater Feint
If you succeed, on the next melee attack you make against the target, the target counts as having a Dexterity modifier of -5 to AC and Reflex saving throws. This attack must be made on or before your next turn.
4. Combat Stances
Risky Strike
Prerequisite: BAB +1
Action: Free Action
You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all attack rolls to gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls.
When your base attack bonus reaches +4, the penalty increases to –2 and the bonus to damage increases to +4.
You must choose to use Risky Strike feat before making an attack roll and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.
Blocking Stance
Prerequisite: BAB +1
Action: Move Action
When you are in an blocking stance, you can defend against one attack as an immediate action. You may choose to do this after an enemy has made an attack and hit you, but before damage is rolled. You cannot defend against an attack that hit with a natural 20.
Choose a weapon or shield that you are wielding to block with. Roll a standard attack roll with that weapon against a DC equal to the opponent’s attack roll. A natural 20 on a defense roll is an automatic success.
On a success, the opponent hits (and potentially damages) the item that you were using to block. Resolve the damage as a successful Sunder attack. Even if the item is broken, you are not hit.
The dodge bonuses from Defensive Stance and Total Defense are also added to Block rolls.
Defensive Stance
Prerequisite: BAB +1
Action: Free Action
You can choose to take a –1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Armor Class.
When your base attack bonus reaches +4, the penalty increases to –2 and the dodge bonus increases to +2.
You must choose to use Defensive Stance before making an attack roll and its effects last until your next turn.
This replaces the ability to fight defensively.
Evasive Stance
Action: Move Action
When you are in an evasive stance, you can defend against one attack as an immediate action. You may choose to do this after an enemy has made an attack and hit you, but before damage is rolled. You cannot defend against an attack that hit with a natural 20.
Roll d20 + dex bonus + dodge AC bonus with a DC equal to the opponent’s attack roll. On a success, the opponent’s attack misses. A natural 20 on a defense roll is an automatic success.
This stance last until the start of your next round, or until you move.
Total Defense
Action: Standard Action
You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this action. You can’t combine total defense with fighting defensively or with the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat. You can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense.
5. Combat Parlay
Full Defense
When taking the Total Defense action, you buy enough time to exchange some banter with your opponent. Generally a maximum of five sentences between the pair of you.
Submit For Parlay
On your turn, before taking any actions, you may Submit for Parley. If everybody agrees, everybody can take a 5-foot step so they are no longer next to an opponent, and there is a lull in the combat allowing conversation between the two sides. If the parlay suggests it, more movement may take place, or the combat may be ended entirely.
Anyone can restart the battle by making an attack or other aggressive action with a standard action, after which the battle continues from the initiative of the combatant that initiated the Parlay.
6. Damaging Objects
Smashing an Object
Smashing a weapon or shield with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon is accomplished with the sunder combat maneuver. Smashing an object is like sundering a weapon or shield, except that your combat maneuver check is opposed by the object’s AC. Generally, you can smash an object only with a bludgeoning or slashing weapon.
Armor Class
An object’s Armor Class is equal to 10 + its size modifier + its Dexterity modifier. An inanimate object has not only a Dexterity of 0 (–5 penalty to AC), but also an additional –2 penalty to its AC.
Furthermore, if you take a full-round action to line up a shot, you get an automatic hit with a melee weapon and a +5 bonus on attack rolls with a ranged weapon.
Magic Armor, Shields, and Weapons
Each +1 of enhancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness of armor, a weapon, or a shield, and +10 to the item’s hit points.
Damaged Objects
A damaged object remains functional with the broken condition until the item’s hit points are reduced to 0, at which point it is destroyed.
Energy Attacks
For energy attacks divide the damage by 2 before applying the object’s hardness. Some energy types might be particularly effective against certain objects, subject to GM discretion. For example, fire might do full damage against parchment, cloth, and other objects that burn easily. Sonic might do full damage against glass and crystal objects.
Ranged Weapon Damage
For mundane ranged attacks divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the object’s hardness (unless the weapon is a siege engine or something similar).
Immunities
Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to critical hits.
Tables: Object Hardness and Hitpoints
| Weapon or Shield | Hardness | Hit Points |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | depends on material | armor bonus x 5 |
| 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 |
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.
| Object | Hardness | Hit Points | Break DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple wooden door | 5 | 10 | 13 |
| Good wooden door | 5 | 15 | 18 |
| Strong wooden door | 5 | 20 | 23 |
| Iron door (2 in. thick) | 10 | 60 | 28 |
| Small chest | 5 | 1 | 17 |
| Treasure chest | 5 | 15 | 23 |
| Masonry wall (1 ft. thick) | 8 | 90 | 35 |
| Hewn stone (3 ft. thick) | 8 | 540 | 50 |
| Rope (1 in. diameter) | 0 | 2 | 23 |
| Chain | 10 | 5 | 26 |
| Manacles | 10 | 10 | 26 |
| Masterwork manacles | 10 | 10 | 28 |
| Substance | Hardness | Hit Points / inch of thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Glass | 1 | 1 |
| Paper or cloth | 0 | 2 |
| Rope | 0 | 2 |
| Ice | 0 | 3 |
| Leather or hide | 2 | 5 |
| Wood | 5 | 10 |
| Stone | 8 | 15 |
| Iron or steel | 10 | 30 |
| Mithral | 15 | 30 |
| Adamantine | 20 | 40 |
7. Death and Dying
States of Being
Able
You are alive and able as long as your hit points are above 0.
Disabled
Once you reach 0 hit points you are considered disabled.
While you’re disabled, you must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the number of hit points below zero) any time you take damage (including the damage which resulted in you becoming disabled). If you fail this save you fall unconscious.
In addition, if the damage is at least 3 points, and is not the result of bleeding, you must make a second Fortitude save vs the same DC and consult the Injury table farther below.
A disabled character move at half speed and may only take a partial action each round. Disabled characters who perform a standard action (or any other strenuous action, such as casting a quickened spell) take 1 hp of damage after the action.
A disabled character who does not receive medical attention might still end up dying. Each day a disabled character must make a 10% roll to start healing naturally. If they fail this check, they also suffer 1 hp of damage and must check again the next day. A character automatically starts healing the first time they are subject to the Long-Term Care task of the Heal skill, whether or not the task succeeds.
Unconscious
An unconscious character have a 10% chance of waking up each hour. An untended character who fails to wake up takes 1 hp of damage with each failed check.
An unconscious creature cannot make Reflex saving throws and gets a -10 penalty to Will saving throws, but can make Fortitude saving throws without penalty.
Dead
You are dead if your current hit points are below your death threshold, or have received a lethal injury. Your death threshold is a negative number equal to your maximum hit points or your Constitution score (whichever is greater). For example, if you have a maximum of 23 hit points, then your death threshold is -23.
Dead characters automatically lose 1 hp per round.
Injury table
| Fortitude Save | Injury |
|---|---|
| Failed by 1-2 | Cool scar - Bleeds 1 hp / round. Will leave a cool scar. Roll d20: 1 – Head or neck. 2 – Right hand or wrist. 3 – Left hand or wrist. 4 – 5 Right arm. 6 – 7 Left arm. 8 – 10 Right leg. 11 – 13 Left leg. 16 – 20 Torso. |
| Failed by 3 | Ragged scar - Bleeds 2 hp / round. Will leave an ugly scar. Roll d20: 1 – Head or neck. 2 – Right hand or wrist. 3 – Left hand or wrist. 4 – 5 Right arm. 6 – 7 Left arm. 8 – 10 Right leg. 11 – 13 Left leg. 16 – 20 Torso. |
| Failed by 4 | Shaken - The character takes a -2 penalty to all physical actions until fully healed up. The character also bleeds 1 hp / round. |
| Failed by 5 | Lightly Concussed - You take a -2 penalty to all mental actions until fully healed up. Any spell-casting requires a DC 5 + spell level Concentration check. The character also bleeds 1 hp / round. |
| Failed by 6 | Broken Digits - Roll a d8: 1 – Break thumb + 1d4 – 2 digits from right hand. 2 – Same for left hand. 3 – Break 1d4 digits from right hand. 4 – Break 1d4 digits from left hand. 5-6 Break 1d5 digits from right foot. 7-8 Break 1d5 digits from left foot. |
| Failed by 7 | Seriously concussed - You take a -8 penalty to all mental actions until fully healed up. Any spell-casting requires a DC 15 + spell level Concentration check. |
| Failed by 8-9 | Broken Appendage - Roll a d8: 1 – 2, the character has broken her right right hand. 3 – 4 left hand. 5-6 right foot. 7-8 left foot. |
| Failed by 10-11 | Broken Limb - Roll a d8: 1 – 2, the character has broken her right right arm. 3 – 4 left arm. 5-6 right leg. 7-8 left leg. The character also bleeds 1 hp / round. |
| Failed by 12-13 | Niggling Wound - Get a -2 penalty to 1d6: 1 – maximum hit points. 2 – Fortitude saving throws. 3 – Reflex saving throws. 4 – Will saving throws. 5 – Acrobatics checks. 6 – Athletics checks. The character also bleeds 1 hp / round. |
| Failed by 14-15 | Niggling Injury - Lose 2 points from 1d6: 1 – Strength. 2 – Dexterity. 3 – Constitution. 4 – Intelligence. 5 – Wisdom. 6 – Charisma. The character also bleeds 2 hp / round. |
| Failed by 16 | Facial Wound - Roll a d6: 1 – lose nose. 2 – lose right ear. 3 – lose left ear. 4-6 – get grievous facial wound that’ll turn into a scar. The character also bleeds 1 hp / round. |
| Failed by 17 | Lost Eye - The character loses sight in one eyes, whether by losing the eye entirely, or merely being blinded. From now on the character takes a -4 penalty to ranged attacks and Perception checks related to vision. |
| Failed by 18 | Lose Digits - Roll a d8: 1 – Lose thumb + 1d4 – 2 digits from right hand. 2 – Same for left hand. 3 – Lose 1d4 digits from right hand. 4 – Lose 1d4 digits from left hand. 5-6 Lose 1d5 digits from right foot. 7-8 Lose 1d5 digits from left foot. The character also bleeds 2 hp / round. |
| Failed by 19 | Lost Appendage - One of the character’s appendages has been severed or otherwise completely destroyed. Roll a d8: 1 – 2, the character has lost her right right hand. 3 – 4 left hand. 5-6 right foot. 7-8 left foot. The character also bleeds 3 hp / round. |
| Failed by 20 | Lost Limb - One of the character’s limbs has been severed or otherwise completely destroyed. Roll a d8. On the roll of 1 – 2, the character has lost her right right arm. 3 – 4 left arm. 5-6 right leg. 7-8 left leg. The character also bleeds 3 hp / round. |
| Failed by 21-30 | Mortally Wounded - The character is bleeding heavily and takes 5 points of damage at the end of every round. This bleeding does not stop unless the character’s is magically healed to at least 0 hit points, or a full round is used to make a successful DC 25 Heal check. |
| Failed by 31+ | Lethal Injury - The character dies instantly from his wounds. |
Bleeding from Injuries
Bleeding takes place at the end of a round. Bleeding can generally be stopped by using the Heal skill. Minor bleeding also has a chance to stop on its own every round. Before taking damage check if the bleeding stops.
| Bleeding per round | Chance of stopping |
|---|---|
| 1 hp / round | 20% |
| 2 hp / round | 10% |
| 3+ hp / round | no chance |
Scars from Injuries
Any 6+ injury result will result in a minor scar if caused by a slashing or piercing weapon.
Any 12+ injury results in a major scar no matter the kind of weapon used.
Other Types of Damage
Constitution Score Damage
Characters reduced to 0 Constitution are dead, but still have whatever hit points were left to them. They still lose 1 hit point per round until their Constitution is raised to at least 1. If their hit points drop below their death threshold, it will be necessary to raise both their Constitution and their hit points in order to return them to life.
Death Effects
Any special ability or spell that results in death instead causes 4d6 points of Constitution damage. On a successful save, the special ability or spell causes 2 points of Constitution damage (instead of whatever effect a save would normally have).
Massive Damage Threshold
There is no massive damage threshold.