Combat Options and Maneuvers

07aug22: Emergency changes proposed to address player concerns; remainder of page finalized and active.

Pre-Attack Roll Options
Normally each player must declare his action and target prior to the rolling of dice at the beginning of the round. Below are some special case patterns and rulings for relatively common combat situations. They are available to both players and NPCs.

Choose to Guard
If Bob announces that he will “Guard” he does not choose a target, but must choose both his action and any movement before action rolls are made. During the round Bob may take any of the following options, but making any attack ends Bob's activity for that round.


 * On his initiative Bob may:
 * 1) Attack (without moving) any foe in range;
 * 2) Make 0' to 15' of his declared movement and resume guarding (but not attack); or,
 * 3) Declare that he is delaying his action until a trigger event happens. He must specify the trigger and designate a target (eg, shoot at the first person to come around a corner.


 * On a foe's move he may
 * 1) Make an Attack of Opportunity, if a foe tries to move past him;
 * 2) Attack first, if the foe makes a Melee attack on him and Bob's initiative was higher; or,
 * 3) Act immediately after his declared triggering event occurs.


 * At the end of the round he may attack any foe then in range (but not move).

Attack of Opportunity: If a foe tries to move past Bob without attacking him, Bob can move 5’ to attack that foe. This attack happens on the foe's turn as the foe moves past Bob. A successful attack will stop the foe's movement and cause the foe to lose any remaining attack. Note that merely stopping next to Bob does not trigger a response.

Choose to Defend
If Bob chooses defense as his action, he makes no Action Roll, but get +4 dice to every Melee Defense Roll. He can riposte.

Choose to Make a Fighting Retreat
If Bob has a clear path to move at least 20' from all currently adjacent foes, he may choose to retreat. When retreating, Bob rolls as if making a melee attack.


 * Only foes who roll a higher initiative can attack Bob.
 * Bob gets +6 dice to his melee Defense Rolls, but cannot riposte.
 * Whether or not Bob loses his action by taking damage, he must complete his retreating move.
 * A successful attacker may choose to advance to maintain Melee Range with Bob.
 * If Bob does not lose his action, he may choose to retreat an additional 20'.

Choose to Change Weapons
When changing weapons Bob must subtract dice from either the last Action Roll with the old weapon or the first Action Roll with the new weapon. He subtracts 2 dice for a quick change (eg. drop bow and draw sword), or 4 dice for a more difficult change.

Choose to Speak
When Bob chooses speech as his main action, his initiative is determined by a Awareness Roll as the Action Roll.

At Initiative Options: Change or Cancel Action
When his initiative arrives, Bob may:
 * 1) Change any action to Retreat without penalty (only if a clear path of retreat is available).
 * 2) Cancel any action or change it to Defend.
 * 3) Change the destination of a movement action at the cost of ½ his speed.

Penalty represents the time lost changing direction.

Pre-Defense Roll Option: Heroic Action
If Bob has a good Action Roll that he doesn't want to lose (by being hit), he can choose an alternate step 5. So long as Bob would otherwise roll at least 4 dice for his Defense Roll, he can roll ½ his normal Defense Roll for defense, but take his (later) action normally if he is still up (even if he was hit).

Surprise
Ordinary surprise gives Bob both Superior surprise additionally gives Bob +4 to his Action Roll in the first round. A successful use of Stealth before combat will usually grant surprise.
 * 1) 1 round in which his foe may not act but may defend normally, and
 * 2) initiative advantage on the next round.