Combat Options and Maneuvers

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

Pre-Attack Roll Options
These are some commonly-used alternatives to the normal declaration of action and target. They are available to both players and NPCs.

Choose to Guard
If Bob announces that he will “Guard” he need 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. Note that merely stopping next to Bob does not trigger any response.


 * On his initiative Bob may either:
 * 1) attack (without moving) any foe in range; or,
 * 2) make 0' to 15' of his declared movement and resume guarding (but not attack).
 * 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.
 * 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.

Choose to Delay
Bob can announce that his movement and action will follow some other event (such as some other character’s action). Bob then acts according to the following tests:

Proposed Change: Omit Test 1 I'm thinking that separate conditions for Guard and Delay is too confusing. I want to fold them into a single pattern.

Test 1: Was the target in range at the start of the round? -- If NO, Bob acts at the very end of the round. -- If YES, proceed to Test 2. Test 2: Did Bob's initiative come before the triggering event? -- If NO, Bob acts when his own initiative arrives. -- If YES, Bob acts during or immediately after the triggering event.

Note that the target and action must be identified. For example, Bob could declare that he will attack the first enemy to come around a corner, which turns out to be Doris. Since Doris was not in range at the start of the round, Bob's attack must wait until the end of the round.

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 either roll a higher initiative or are on guard 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
Proposed Change: Addressing player concerns about moving into formerly occupied space -- new text below:

When his initiative arrives, Bob may: 3. Change the target of an attack action and immediately attack at the cost of all movement and hit disadvantage to his Action Roll (only if his original action did not use the Guard or Delay options). 4. Change the movement portion of an attack action at the cost of losing his attack. 5. Change the destination of a movement action at the cost of ½ his speed.
 * 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 at the cost of losing all movement.
 * 3) Change his target and/or his movement with a penalty of Hit Disadvantage to his Action Roll and a reduction of movement from 15’ to 10’ (or one-half movement for a movement action).

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.