Forgotten Realms Campaign: Combat Moves

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Forgotten Realms Campaign - Combat Moves

You may do one of four things on your turn in each round of combat:

Perform a full-round action
Perform a standard action and a move action
Perform two move actions
Delay your turn until later in the round (ie, lower your initiative roll)

In addition you may take as many free actions as you want in a round (as long as it doesn't get silly). If you have not moved as part of your actions, you may also take a 5' step at any point in the round. Taking a 5' step never provokes attacks of opportunity.

(a) Full-round actions

(i) Full Attack

You attack for the entire round. This is necessary in order to use any multiple attacks you have. The only other actions you may take in the round are a 5' step (at any point) and free actions. A full attack with a ranged weapon provokes attacks of opportunity.

(ii) Defensive Full Attack

As the full attack, except that in fighting defensively you take -4 to all hitrolls to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the round.

(iii) Charge

You move up to twice your speed in a straight line towards an opponent and make a single melee attack on them, gaining +2 to the hitroll and -2 to your AC until your next turn. Instead of attacking you may attempt a bull rush or overrun (see below) with a +2 bonus to the roll. You must have a clear path and be able to see your opponent to charge them. You may not take a 5' step during the round.

(iv) Withdraw

This is a controlled withdrawal from combat. You move up to double your speed for the round and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for leaving the square in which you started the round. You may not also take a 5' step. Also there is no requirement to be leaving combat completely; you may use this action to position yourself for subsequent attacks, for example.

(v) Run

You move up to 4x your speed for the round (3x in heavy armour). In contrast to the withdraw action, all attacks of opportunity apply as usual. You lose your Dex bonus to AC for the round (unless you have the Run feat). You may not also take a 5' step.

(vi) Coup de Grace

You attack a helpless opponent whom you are adjacent to. You automatically hit and score a critical hit. Sneak attack damage also applies if you are able to deal it. If the target survives the damage they must make a Fort save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. You cannot coup de grace creatures which are immune to critical hits. This action provokes attacks of opportunity.

(vii) Reload Heavy Crossbow

You reload a heavy crossbow. Attacks of opportunity are provoked.

(viii) Metamagic

Bards and sorcerers must use a full-round action to cast a metamagic spell with a listed casting time of a standard action. Attacks of opportunity are provoked.

(ix) Specific spells or abilities

Although most spells or special abilities require a standard action, a small number specify that a full-round action must be used. Attacks of opportunity are provoked.

(b) Standard actions

(i) Standard Attack

You make one attack against a single target. If using a melee weapon, the target must be within reach; if using a ranged weapon, the target must be in line of sight and within range. Note that firing a ranged weapon into melee incurs a -4 hitroll penalty unless you have the Precise Shot feat, or unless your target is big enough that you are aiming at a spot 10' or more away from any allied character. An attack with a ranged weapon provokes attacks of opportunity.

(ii) Defensive Attack

As the standard attack, except that in fighting defensively you take -4 to your hitroll to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the round.

(iii) Total Defence

This is not an attack. You gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC for the round. You may not make attacks of opportunity this round.

(iv) Start or Complete Full-round Action

You may split any of the above full-round actions over two rounds, using up the standard action portion of both.

(v) Aid Another

By putting an opponent off guard you grant an ally +2 to their next hitroll against that opponent or +2 to their AC vs. that opponent's next attack against them. You must both be within melee range of the opponent. You must make an attack roll against AC 10. This action is not an attack.

This action may also be used to aid an ally under the effects of sleep or similar spells, to assist an ally's skill check in the usual way, and so on.

(vi) Bull Rush

You attempt to push an opponent back without damaging them. In attempting a bull rush you move into the same square as your opponent and provoke attacks of opportunity. (If you have the Improved Bull Rush feat you don't provoke one from the defender.) If you succeed at an opposed Str check, you push them back by at least 5'. Your target cannot be more than one size larger than you.

(vii) Disarm

You attempt to knock your opponent's weapon out of their hand. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the defender unless you have the Improved Disarm feat. Opposed attack rolls are made to determine success. If you fail, the defender gets a free disarm attempt against you.

Grabbing a defender's worn item counts as a disarm attempt except that the defender doesn't get a chance to disarm you if the attempt fails.

(viii) Feint

You bluff your opponent. If you make a successful Bluff check against their Sense Motive check, your next attack ignores their Dex bonus to AC. They get to add their base attack bonus to the Sense Motive check. If you have the Improved Feint feat, feinting becomes a move action.

(ix) Grapple

You attempt to grab and hold an opponent. Starting a grapple provokes an attack of opportunity. Frankly the grappling rules are far too complicated to summarise here...

(x) Overrun

You attempt to run through or over an opponent, either in combination with a charge or with a standard move. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the defender. The defender has the option to simply move out of the way in response (if you don't have the Improved Overrun feat, and if there's room). Otherwise they attempt to block you and opposed rolls are made (your Str vs. their Str or Dex, whichever is higher). If you succeed, you may continue moving. If you fail, they get an attempt to knock you prone. Your target cannot be more than one size larger than you.

(xi) Sunder

Using a melee slashing or bludgeoning weapon you attempt to break your opponent's weapon or shield. This provokes an attack of opportunity unless you have the Improved Sunder feat. Opposed attack rolls are made; if you succeed, you deal damage to the item. You may also attempt to sunder a carried or worn object.

(xii) Throw Splash Weapon

Splash weapons are things like flasks of acid and the like. Against a specific target, you must make a ranged touch attack to hit (i.e., armour, shield and natural armour bonuses to their AC are ignored). Direct damage is dealt to the target and splash damage is dealt to everyone within 5'. Alternatively you can throw the weapon at the floor, in which case you make a ranged touch attack against AC5, but nobody takes the direct damage. Splash weapons that miss land randomly nearby and still deal splash damage if anyone is within 5'.

(xiii) Trip

By making a melee touch attack against an opponent, then succeeding at an opposed roll (your Str vs. their Str or Dex, whichever is higher) you attempt to make them fall to the ground. This provokes an attack of opportunity unless you have the Improved Trip feat. Some weapons (flails, halberds, whips, etc.) can be used to make trip attacks; in this case no attack of opportunity is provoked.

(xiv) Cast Spell

You cast any spell which specifies its casting time to be a standard action (that's most of them). Attacks of opportunity are provoked.

(xv) Maintain Spell

If a spell requires you to concentrate on maintaining it, that concentration takes up your standard action in each round whilst the spell is in effect. (Attacks of opportunity are not provoked.)

(xvi) Cast Spell on the Defensive

As the cast spell action, except that no attacks of opportunity are provoked. You must make a Concentration check to successfully cast a spell on the defensive.

(xvii) Magical Touch or Touch Attack

An attack with a spell with a range of "touch" is considered a standard attack, with two exceptions: for a touch attack, the armour, shield and natural armour components of the target's AC are ignored; and you may perform a touch attack as an additional standard action in the round you cast a touch spell. The spell is not discharged until a successful touch is made or another spell is cast. Touching an allied target automatically succeeds.

(xviii) Sing

A bard's song takes up the standard action in the round it begins in and in each round it is maintained for. Note that most effects of bards' songs last for a number of rounds after the end of the song, so singing every round is not necessary if the bard wants to use other standard actions.

(xvix) Use Magical Item or Ability

Activating a magical item or using a spell-like ability is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. (You may use a spell-like ability on the defensive as if it were a spell, as above.) Using a supernatural ability (this includes turning undead) is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

(c) Move actions

(i) Standard Move

You move any distance up to your speed. You may not also take a 5' step in the round.

(ii) Draw or Sheathe Weapon

Drawing a weapon or putting it away requires a move action. If your base attack bonus is at least +1, you may perform a standard move as your move action to be able to draw a weapon as a free action. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you may draw both your weapons in the action usually taken to draw a single weapon. Drawing ammunition for a ranged attack is always a free action.

(iii) Ready or Loose Shield

In a similar way, strapping or unstrapping a shield to your arm requires a move action. As above, this becomes a free action if you instead perform a standard move with your move action and your base attack bonus is at least +1.

(iv) Reload Crossbow

You reload a light or hand crossbow. Attacks of opportunity are provoked.

(v) Manipulate Item

Moving, picking up, or otherwise manipulating an object (including opening and closing doors and retrieving something from your pack) requires a move action. Attacks of opportunity may be provoked, depending on the action.

(vi) Stand Up

Picking yourself up off the floor is a move action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

(vii) Mount or Dismount Steed

Mounting or dismounting is a move action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

(d) Free actions

(i) Drop Item

Dropping an item which you have to hand is a free action.

(ii) Drop to the Floor

Dropping prone to the floor is a free action.

(iii) Speak

Speaking is a free action, and can be done even when it's not your turn.

(iv) Rage

A barbarian may enter a rage as a free action.

(v) Cease Concentration on Spell

Any spell effect which requires the character to concentrate to maintain it may be ended as a free action.

(vi) Cast Quickened Spell

Casting a spell affected by the Quicken Spell metamagic is a free action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Only one quickened spell can be cast per round, but you may still cast another spell in your standard action for that round.