Combat Maneuvers: Difference between revisions

From Epic Path
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
 
(56 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Category:Epic Path]]
[[Category:Epic Path]]
''Go back to the [[Epic Path]] page.''
[[Image:Sunder_1.jpg|500px|right|The creature surged forward, unleashing a devastating blow against the shield, shattering it to flinders!]]
<div style="clear:right; float:right; font-size:85%; padding-left:0.5em; padding-top:0.5em">__TOC__</div>


== Combat Maneuvers ==
In Epic Path, there are actually TWO ways to fight.  
During combat, you can attempt to perform a number of maneuvers that can hinder or even cripple your foe, including bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, sunder, and trip. Although these maneuvers have vastly different results, they all use a similar mechanic to determine success.


The most common way of getting a fight done is by making attack rolls, using a D20, and this is explained in complete detail on the [[Combat]] page.


=== Combat Maneuver Bonus ===
But, while the basic D20 combat system is powerful and can be quite detailed, it is not terribly...cinematic. There's no way to swing from chandeliers, climb up the giant Ogre's back, kick down a door, do a dive-and-roll to get behind the bad guy, etc, etc, etc.  How...boring.
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 + Dexterity modifier + special size modifier
But fear not!  For all you latter-day Errol Flynn's out there, we present the Combat Maneuvers system!


====Special Size Modifier====
During a combat, and often, even during a skill challenge with the GM's permission, you are allowed to make skill rolls instead of boring old [[Attack Roll]]s, right in the middle of the fight.  These skill rolls are called Maneuver Offense rolls, and they allow you to do all kinds of crazy, exciting, and interesting things during a fight, that do all sorts of fun and interesting things to the bad guys, and they can even do damage to those bad guys, so that you can be as cinematic as you want, and still win fights.
The special size modifier for a creature's Combat Maneuver Bonus is as follows:


Fine -8, Diminutive -4, Tiny -2, Small -1, Medium +0, Large +1, Huge +2, Gargantuan +4, Colossal +8, Titanic +12.
Heck, if you take the right feats, you can do a LOT of damage with combat maneuvers.  Indeed, if you are playing a Class that has three or four attacks in a Full Attack action, you will frequently discover that those last attacks are really tough to land...the normal boring way.  But Combat Maneuvers made with your last attack have the exact same chance to-hit as ones made with your best attack. So trading away your last, or second-last, normal attack for a fun, fancy combat maneuver is often a way to be MORE effective in a battle, while getting rid of bland boredom at the same time. So if you want to be as acrobatic as the most exciting fight scenes in books, comics, and movies, you absolutely can, and should!


Some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMB when performing specific maneuvers.
Indeed, we want to emphasize that the Combat Maneuver system laid out here is just the guideline.  We encourage players to be as imaginative and free-form as they want.  Most GM's will be able to find a Maneuver listed below that at least gets ''close'' to what the player wants to do, and then, well, it's up to the dice, how well you do!


If you want to use combat maneuvers, you will want to be good at a few [[skills]], but there's always a price to pay for all that awesome. If you want to be '''really''' good at combat maneuvers, we direct your attention to [[Improved Combat Maneuvers (Feat)]]. Have fun exploring the possibilities!!


====Actions Required for Combat Maneuvers====
During combat, you can perform 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 Maneuvers fall into three general classes. Some maneuvers require a standard action to perform, some require only a single melee attack to perform, and some are special, requiring variable actions to perform depending upon circumstances.
Note that Combat Maneuvers are NOT Attack Rolls, though it is considered an attack. Combat Maneuvers are [[Skills | Skill Rolls]], which is why they may be made without suffering the -5, -10, or -15 penalty assessed to some Attack Rolls in Combat. As a result, Combat maneuvers cannot be used to apply abilities, powers, spell effects, class features, etc that require an attack roll. Examples include applying poisons, sneak attack, a paladin's Smite, precision damage dice, laying a fighter's Challenge, and many others besides.


==Performing a Combat Maneuver ==
* To perform any combat maneuver, you make an applicable Skill roll, and if it '''Equals or Exceeds''' your target's Maneuver Defense, your maneuver is successful, inflicting the listed effect of the maneuver and a small amount of damage.


The Standard Action Combat Maneuvers are the most numerous, and include:
* Some maneuvers, such as [[Bull_Rush_(Combat_Maneuver)|bull rush]], have varying levels of success depending on how much your skill roll exceeds the target's Maneuver Defense. Rolling a natural 20 while attempting a maneuver adds a bonus (usually +5) to the result like other skill rolls, while rolling a natural 1 is always a failure. Rolling a natural 20 does not qualify a combat maneuver for additional damage, the bonus to the result is what you get.


*Dirty Trick
* Even though they use Skill rolls instead of Attack rolls, Maneuvers are capable of combat effectiveness. As a result, they can inflict damage (although this is entirely optional; you may always choose not to deal damage with a combat maneuver).  However, unlike attacks, they may not be used to add any types of precision damage, such as a rogue's Sneak Attack, ranger's Quarry, etc., or to apply any effects that rely upon an attack, like a paladin's Smite Enemy, a prowler's Encroaching Jolt, or a fighter's Challenge.
*Drag
*Reposition
*Grapple
*Steal


The Single Attack Combat Maneuvers include:
* This is worth repeating: DAMAGE FROM A COMBAT MANEUVER IS ALWAYS OPTIONAL. If the Brawler wants to Grapple an NPC to prevent them from running away, or use Bull Rush to clear a door blocked by an innocent bystander, you can totally do that without breaking their bones.


*Disarm
* Maneuvers do not benefit from bonuses to hit, such as flanking bonuses or a Warlord's Battle Standard any more than any other skill does.  Maneuvers do benefit from bonuses to skill rolls, such as a Bard's ability to grant re-rolls, or magic items that boost Skill rolls.
*Sunder
*Trip


The Special Action Combat Maneuvers include:
* If you are performing a [[full attack action]], and use a maneuver that only requires an [[attack action]] to perform, you can perform it with your worst remaining attack action at any point during your full attack action (that is, you don't need to use up your best attack actions before trading away your worst one to perform the maneuver, you can do the maneuver early, then finish up your remaining attack actions, exactly like trading away your worst attack action for a bonus [[5-foot step]]). Of course, if you are ''not'' performing a full attack action, then the attack action requires your standard action to perform.


*Bull Rush
* Only one combat maneuver may be attempted per round, and only during your turn. The exception to this rule being when you spend an action point to gain an action type sufficient to perform the maneuver again, or you have some ability that specifically lets you break this rule. (Fighters. Sheesh, those guys...)
*Overrun


All of these maneuvers are performed using the same mechanic, of CMB versus CMD rolls, detailed below.
* Combat maneuvers may never be performed as part of an attack of opportunity. Skills can't be used for attacks of opportunity, sorry.


==Performing a Combat Maneuver==
* If your target is helpless, unconscious, or otherwise unable to perform any actions, your maneuver automatically succeeds, as if you rolled a natural 20 on the skill roll. This allows you to drag or reposition unconscious creatures automatically, for example.


*Combat Maneuvers are considered to be attacks. As a result, they do damage (just a little), and may benefit from damage buffs such as a Warlord's Formation dice, a Bard's song, a Paladin's Smite, and may be used to lay a Fighter's Challenge and trigger Assists.
* If your target is suffering any condition that denies it an action of any type (such as [[Rattled]]), you receive a +4 bonus on your skill roll to perform a maneuver against it.


* When performing a combat maneuver, you must use an action appropriate to the maneuver you are attempting to perform.  
* If the target creature has concealment (partial or total), cover, or otherwise inflicts penalties on attacks made against it, those same penalties are also applied to the skill check you make to perform combat maneuvers against it.


* Combat maneuvers may only be attempted on your turn, never as part of an attack of opportunity or a bonus attack.  
* Monsters can perform combat maneuvers just like players can, except that monster combat maneuvers never inflict damage; they only inflict the associated condition (if successful).
:* Some monsters have special abilities that include combat maneuvers.  In these cases, the special ability language supersedes the above; if the special ability states that the combat maneuver also inflicts damage, it inflicts damage as listed.


* Each combat maneuver may only be performed once per round.  This means a character can't use two attacks to perform a pair of trips in the same round, but could use those two attacks to perform a trip and a sunder.
{{:Maneuver Offense}}


* Most combat maneuvers are standard actions, but some of them may be used as part of an attack action in place of an attack, or as part of a charge.
{{:Maneuver Damage}}


* 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 take a -4 penalty to the attack roll to perform the maneuver.
{{:Maneuver Defense}}
 
* 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). This allows you to drag or reposition unconscious creatures automatically, for example.
 
* If your target is suffering any condition which denies it an action of any type, you receive a +4 bonus on your attack roll to perform a combat maneuver against it. This applies to the automatic success rule, above, and may increase the effects of your maneuver against a foe.
 
* 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.
 
* If you wish to, and you are currently wielding a weapon you are proficient in, you may inflict damage if your CMB roll equals or exceeds your target's CMD.  This damage is in addition to the normal effects of the Combat Maneuver, and is equal to the base damage dice of the weapon. As the base damage dice increase with level, this damage increases. If you wish to inflict subdual damage with a Combat Maneuver, the CMB roll is penalized for subdual damage as normal.
 
* If you have natural or class-based non-weapon attacks(such as a Monks Unarmed Attacks), you may roll one iteration of the normal damage type that would apply. For a monk this is their base Unarmed Attack damage, for a Brawler it is either their Cross Damage or their Counterstrike Damage, whichever they prefer and have access too. (A Monk can't use Echoing Strike or Flurry of Blows as part of a Combat Maneuver, for example.) In no cases may you apply bonuses from enhancements, feats, spells, class abilities, or any other boost to this damage.  This damage can never be increased as a critical, either.
 
===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
 
; Special Size Modifier
The special size modifier for a creature's Combat Maneuver Defense is as follows:
 
Fine -8, Diminutive -4, Tiny -2, Small -1, Medium +0, Large +1, Huge +2, Gargantuan +4, Colossal +8, Titanic +12.
 
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, martial, 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.
 
==Determine Success==
*If your attack roll equals or exceeds the CMD of the target, your maneuver is a success and has the listed effect.
 
*Some maneuvers, such as bull rush, have varying levels of success depending on how much your attack roll exceeds the target's CMD. 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.  In no way is a natural 20 on a Combat Maneuver ever a critical.
 
{{:Bull Rush (Combat Maneuver)}}
 
{{:Dirty Trick (Combat Maneuver)}}
 
{{:Disarm (Combat Maneuver)}}
 
{{:Drag (Combat Maneuver)}}
 
{{:Grapple (Combat Maneuver)}}
 
===Overrun===
 
 
As a full attack action (combining a move and a standard action), you may move through a foes space.  Or, you may perform this maneuver as part of a charge, during the move of the charge. In performing this maneuver you attempt to overrun your target, moving through its square.  If combined with the move action of a charge, this will allow you to 'charge through' an opponent if successful.
 
 
*Overrun rolls are made from adjacent squares only, although you might not occupy that space for long.
 
*Overrun does not require you to move in a straight line unless you combine it with a charge.
 
*Overrun attempts must end your movement in an open space.  If there is no open space past your opponent in which to end your movement, the overrun fails in the square before the opponents space.
 
*You can only overrun an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
 
*You can overrun multiple opponents if you have enough movement to do so. Lay out your desired path and determine how many foes you wish to move through. ALL of your overrun attempts take a penalty of -4 for each enemy above one you wish to move through. If you fail any of these attempts, your overrun ends in the closest empty square in the path you traveled before failure. If you succeed in all your overrun attempts, you deal normal damage to all overrun foes.
 
*If you do not have the Improved Overrun feat, or a similar ability, initiating an overrun provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver. If this attack of opportunity hits you take damage as normal and suffer a -4 penalty to complete the Overrun maneuver.
 
*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.
 
*When you attempt to overrun a target, it can choose to avoid you, allowing you to pass through its square without requiring a combat maneuver attack. If all your overrun foes avoid you, and you were not performing a charge with the overrun, you may sever the full attack action used for the overrun attempt into a move action and a standard action and take that standard action when you arrive at the end of your movement.
 
*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, inflicting your normal damage for a combat maneuver. If your target occupies more than one square, one overrun check will get you through its entire space, but you must have enough movement to make the whole trip. 
 
*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.
 
 
===Reposition===
 
 
You can attempt to reposition a foe to a different location as a standard action.
 
 
*Reposition attempts may be made anywhere in the reach of the weapon you are using for the attempt.
 
*You can only reposition an opponent that is no more than one size category larger than you.
 
*A reposition attempts to force a foe to move to a different position in relation to your location. You may never move out of your starting square during a reposition attempt.
 
*If you do not have the Improved Reposition feat or a similar ability, attempting to reposition a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.  If this attack of opportunity hits, you suffer damage as normal and take a -4 penalty to hit with the combat maneuver attack.
 
*If your combat maneuver attack is successful, you may move your target 5 feet to a new location within your reach.
 
*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.
 
*You can use this maneuver to move a foe into a space that is intrinsically dangerous, such as off a cliff or into a wall of fire, but it may fall [[Prone]] to stop its forced movement in all cases.
 
*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 move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle.
 
 
===Steal===
 
 
You can attempt to take an item from a foe as a standard action. 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.  The Steal attempt is made with that empty hand, and, unlike other combat maneuvers, Steal deals no damage.
 
* You must make a Steal attempt while adjacent to a target.
 
* If you do not have the [[Steal, Improved|Improved Steal]] feat or a similar ability, attempting to steal an object provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.  If this attack of opportunity hits, you suffer damage as normal and take a -4 penalty to the attack roll of the Steal maneuver.
 
* 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).
 
* Modifiers to the check:
 
:* Items that are '''loosely attached''' (such as items tucked into a belt, potions in a bandoleer, hats, brooches or necklaces) are the easiest to take, imposing no penalty.
 
:* Items '''fastened''' to a foe (such as cloaks, sheathed weapons, or pouches) are more difficult to take, and impose a -5 penalty to the check.
 
:* 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.
 
* Who can be stolen from:
 
:* Creatures that use natural attacks or have an intelligence of less than 6 frequently lack any items or equipment worth stealing. 
 
:* Undead, creatures with weapons, or creatures with greater than animal intelligence are subject to the steal maneuver, even if the bestiary entry doesn't detail any specific items they possess. 
 
:* If a monster uses a Steal maneuver against a player character, the monster chooses one of the character's visible items to target, determines whether it is "loosely attached" (no penalty), or "fastened" (-5 penalty), and makes his CMB check against the player's CMD. If successful, the creature steals that object from the player, and the player loses any benefits provided by that item until it is recovered.
 
* Effects of stealing an item from a monster:
 
:* In cases where no items are defined for the creature, the Steal maneuver imposes a -2 penalty on the creature's armor class until the end of the encounter, or until it recovers its stolen item(s). This penalty applies to the creature's normal, touch and flat-footed AC's.  In addition, a random amount of the creature's treasure value (1d10+4% of the creature's treasure value) is awarded immediately to the stealing character in the form of a small item, or piece of jewelry.  (In a non-cutthroat party, this is only actually relevant if the creature escapes the combat and would otherwise not leave treasure behind.)
 
:* Generally speaking, a single creature with equipment (subject to Steal maneuvers) only has 1 "loosely attached" item, and 2 "closely worn" items, for a maximum AC penalty from the Steal maneuver of -6.  This would require one successful Steal check at no penalty, and two successful steal checks at -5.
 
* Recovering stolen items:
 
:* Stolen items can be recovered by rendering the stealing character helpless, unconscious, or dead and expending a move action to retrieve the items from the stealing character.  Stolen items can also be recovered by attempting a Steal maneuver against the stealing character to try to recover the lost items. If successful, the penalty to armor class is removed.
 
* Although this maneuver can only be performed if the target is within your reach, you can use a regular non-combat whip to steal an object from a target within range with a -4 penalty on the attack roll.
 
* Your enemy is always immediately aware of this theft unless you possess the Greater Steal feat.
 
 
 
===Sunder===
 
 
The Sunder combat maneuver can be used for two purposes: to attempt to sunder an item held or worn by an opponent, or to attempt to break or destroy an unattended object, fortification or structure.
 
To attempt to sunder an item held or worn by your opponent
 
*A Sunder must be made within the reach of the weapon be used for the Sunder attempt.
 
* The sunder attempt is made as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack.  If you make a Sunder attempt at less than your full BAB, you still use your full CMD for the Sunder attempt, although you still provoke an attack of opportunity.
 
* If you do not have the Improved Sunder feat, or a similar ability, attempting to sunder an item provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.  If this attack of opportunity hits, you take damage as normal and suffer a -4 to-hit on the Sunder combat maneuver attack roll.
 
* If your attack is successful, the item you are sundering gains the [[Broken]] condition.  Broken weapons suffer a -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls until repaired, and broken armor inflicts a -2 penalty to the wearer's armor class. Wands and Staves which are broken require twice as many charges to activate their abilities.  Any other item which is broken stops providing any benefit until repaired.
 
* Only actual items, armor or weapons can be sundered.  Natural armor, natural weapons and special abilities are not subject to Sunder attacks.
 
* Where normally all items worn or wielded have a Durability of 1 (meaning they require only a single successful Sunder attempt to inflict the Broken condition), armor and shields are exceptions to this.  Armor and shields have durability scores depending on the the type of armor and shields in question. Refer to the [[Armor_and_Shields#Sunders_Against_Armor|Sunders Against Armor]] and [[Armor_and_Shields#Sunders_Against_Shields|Sunders Against Shields]] entries for details.
 
* A creature wielding a shield who is targeted with a Sunder combat maneuver may always elect to have its shield be the target of the sunder attempt, instead of the object being targeted, as long as the shield is not already Broken.
 
To attempt to sunder an unattended object, fortification or structure:
 
* The sunder attempt is typically performed outside of combat, or as an attack by a [[Siege Weapons|Siege Weapon]], though it can be done as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack, just like a Sunder against a worn or wielded item.
 
* If the weapon you are wielding to perform the Sunder combat maneuver does not have the [[Weapon Qualities#Sunder|Sunder]] weapon quality, it cannot be used to sunder an object, structure or fortification made from metal or stone.  Any weapon (even fists) can be used to make sunder attempts against softer objects, such as wood or glass, however.
 
* The DC of the Sunder combat maneuver for most objects, structures and fortifications can be found on the [[Breaking Objects]] page.
 
* Most unattended objects can be sundered with a single successful Sunder combat maneuver, but most structures and fortifications require multiple successful Sunder checks (this is denoted as the object's "Durability", listed on the [[Breaking Objects]] page).
 
* For every 5 by which you beat the Sunder DC for the listed object, your number of successful checks is increased by 1.  For example, if a Reinforced Chest requires a Sunder DC of 22, and has a Durability of 4 successes, and your CMB check to sunder it is 37 or more, you break it with that one Sunder attempt (1 success for equaling the DC of 22, and another 3 successes for being 15 over the DC).
 
* Once the number of successes is achieved to equal or exceed the object's listed Durability, the object becomes [[Broken]].
 
:* Broken objects cease doing what they were designed to do. In the case of a broken chest, it is destroyed enough to allow its contents to be removed.
 
:* Broken structures, such as doors and gates, are broken enough to allow a character to pass through its shattered remains.
 
:* Broken fortifications, like walls or the ground, have been penetrated 5 feet in depth, such that a character may enter the square that was broken.  In some cases, such as the ground, there's often more material behind that first 5 feet.  This is how acts like tunneling under a wall (or smashing through a wall) can be performed.
 
Objects are rarely so destroyed that they cannot be repaired with magic or by the appropriate craftsman.  Magic items can only be destroyed via spells such as Disjunction, while mundane objects must be pretty thoroughly obliterated (as with a Disintegrate spell) before they are too destroyed to be repaired by a Mending spell.  No amount of Sundering something can render it into a worse condition than [[Broken]].
 
===Trip===
 
 
You can attempt to trip your opponent in place of a melee attack.
 
*You may roll a Trip account against any foe in reach of the weapon used to perform the combat maneuver.
 
*Note that trip does not require a standard action: It replaces a melee attack, and only one melee attack, even if you have more than one attack per round.  If you make a trip attack at less than your full BAB, use the BAB of the attack used to determine your CMB. IE, if you replace your last attack in a full attack action with a trip, and your last attack in a full-attack action is at -10, then your CMB roll is also at -10.
 
*You can only trip an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
 
If you do not have the Improved Trip feat, or a similar ability, initiating a trip provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.  If this attack of opportunity hits, you take damage as normal and suffer a -4 on your attack roll for the Trip maneuver.
 
*If your Trip combat maneuver 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.

Latest revision as of 02:26, 31 January 2024

The creature surged forward, unleashing a devastating blow against the shield, shattering it to flinders!

In Epic Path, there are actually TWO ways to fight.

The most common way of getting a fight done is by making attack rolls, using a D20, and this is explained in complete detail on the Combat page.

But, while the basic D20 combat system is powerful and can be quite detailed, it is not terribly...cinematic. There's no way to swing from chandeliers, climb up the giant Ogre's back, kick down a door, do a dive-and-roll to get behind the bad guy, etc, etc, etc. How...boring.

But fear not! For all you latter-day Errol Flynn's out there, we present the Combat Maneuvers system!

During a combat, and often, even during a skill challenge with the GM's permission, you are allowed to make skill rolls instead of boring old Attack Rolls, right in the middle of the fight. These skill rolls are called Maneuver Offense rolls, and they allow you to do all kinds of crazy, exciting, and interesting things during a fight, that do all sorts of fun and interesting things to the bad guys, and they can even do damage to those bad guys, so that you can be as cinematic as you want, and still win fights.

Heck, if you take the right feats, you can do a LOT of damage with combat maneuvers. Indeed, if you are playing a Class that has three or four attacks in a Full Attack action, you will frequently discover that those last attacks are really tough to land...the normal boring way. But Combat Maneuvers made with your last attack have the exact same chance to-hit as ones made with your best attack. So trading away your last, or second-last, normal attack for a fun, fancy combat maneuver is often a way to be MORE effective in a battle, while getting rid of bland boredom at the same time. So if you want to be as acrobatic as the most exciting fight scenes in books, comics, and movies, you absolutely can, and should!

Indeed, we want to emphasize that the Combat Maneuver system laid out here is just the guideline. We encourage players to be as imaginative and free-form as they want. Most GM's will be able to find a Maneuver listed below that at least gets close to what the player wants to do, and then, well, it's up to the dice, how well you do!

If you want to use combat maneuvers, you will want to be good at a few skills, but there's always a price to pay for all that awesome. If you want to be really good at combat maneuvers, we direct your attention to Improved Combat Maneuvers (Feat). Have fun exploring the possibilities!!

During combat, you can perform 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.

Note that Combat Maneuvers are NOT Attack Rolls, though it is considered an attack. Combat Maneuvers are Skill Rolls, which is why they may be made without suffering the -5, -10, or -15 penalty assessed to some Attack Rolls in Combat. As a result, Combat maneuvers cannot be used to apply abilities, powers, spell effects, class features, etc that require an attack roll. Examples include applying poisons, sneak attack, a paladin's Smite, precision damage dice, laying a fighter's Challenge, and many others besides.

Performing a Combat Maneuver

  • To perform any combat maneuver, you make an applicable Skill roll, and if it Equals or Exceeds your target's Maneuver Defense, your maneuver is successful, inflicting the listed effect of the maneuver and a small amount of damage.
  • Some maneuvers, such as bull rush, have varying levels of success depending on how much your skill roll exceeds the target's Maneuver Defense. Rolling a natural 20 while attempting a maneuver adds a bonus (usually +5) to the result like other skill rolls, while rolling a natural 1 is always a failure. Rolling a natural 20 does not qualify a combat maneuver for additional damage, the bonus to the result is what you get.
  • Even though they use Skill rolls instead of Attack rolls, Maneuvers are capable of combat effectiveness. As a result, they can inflict damage (although this is entirely optional; you may always choose not to deal damage with a combat maneuver). However, unlike attacks, they may not be used to add any types of precision damage, such as a rogue's Sneak Attack, ranger's Quarry, etc., or to apply any effects that rely upon an attack, like a paladin's Smite Enemy, a prowler's Encroaching Jolt, or a fighter's Challenge.
  • This is worth repeating: DAMAGE FROM A COMBAT MANEUVER IS ALWAYS OPTIONAL. If the Brawler wants to Grapple an NPC to prevent them from running away, or use Bull Rush to clear a door blocked by an innocent bystander, you can totally do that without breaking their bones.
  • Maneuvers do not benefit from bonuses to hit, such as flanking bonuses or a Warlord's Battle Standard any more than any other skill does. Maneuvers do benefit from bonuses to skill rolls, such as a Bard's ability to grant re-rolls, or magic items that boost Skill rolls.
  • If you are performing a full attack action, and use a maneuver that only requires an attack action to perform, you can perform it with your worst remaining attack action at any point during your full attack action (that is, you don't need to use up your best attack actions before trading away your worst one to perform the maneuver, you can do the maneuver early, then finish up your remaining attack actions, exactly like trading away your worst attack action for a bonus 5-foot step). Of course, if you are not performing a full attack action, then the attack action requires your standard action to perform.
  • Only one combat maneuver may be attempted per round, and only during your turn. The exception to this rule being when you spend an action point to gain an action type sufficient to perform the maneuver again, or you have some ability that specifically lets you break this rule. (Fighters. Sheesh, those guys...)
  • Combat maneuvers may never be performed as part of an attack of opportunity. Skills can't be used for attacks of opportunity, sorry.
  • If your target is helpless, unconscious, or otherwise unable to perform any actions, your maneuver automatically succeeds, as if you rolled a natural 20 on the skill roll. This allows you to drag or reposition unconscious creatures automatically, for example.
  • If your target is suffering any condition that denies it an action of any type (such as Rattled), you receive a +4 bonus on your skill roll to perform a maneuver against it.
  • If the target creature has concealment (partial or total), cover, or otherwise inflicts penalties on attacks made against it, those same penalties are also applied to the skill check you make to perform combat maneuvers against it.
  • Monsters can perform combat maneuvers just like players can, except that monster combat maneuvers never inflict damage; they only inflict the associated condition (if successful).
  • Some monsters have special abilities that include combat maneuvers. In these cases, the special ability language supersedes the above; if the special ability states that the combat maneuver also inflicts damage, it inflicts damage as listed.

Maneuver Offense

Maneuver offense is a generic term for a skill check to perform a combat maneuver. The combat maneuvers and their associated skill checks are:
Combat Maneuver Skill Action Required Description
Bull Rush Might Attack Action Shove an enemy away from you
Charge Movement Standard Action Move directly up to a foe and attack them
Clamber Movement Attack Action Crawl underneath, or climb on top of a foe
Cleave Might Attack Action Attack a foe adjacent to a foe you just attacked
Demoralize Intimidate Attack Action Shake the confidence of a foe
Dirty Trick Sleight of Hand Attack Action Discombobulate your foe using an unconventional attack
Disarm Sleight of Hand Attack Action Strip a weapon out of the hands of your foe
Dismantle Trap Disable Device Attack Action Deal siege damage to a trap
Drag Might Attack Action Pull yourself and a foe backwards
Feint Bluff Attack Action Make your foe drop their guard momentarily
Grapple Might Standard Action Tackle your foe and wrestle them into submission
Overrun Movement Standard Action Run through an enemy's space and knock them prone
Reposition Sleight of Hand Attack Action Shove an enemy into the space of your choosing
Shield Bash Might Attack Action Rattle an opponent by hitting them with your shield
Steal Sleight of Hand Attack Action Why wait until they're dead to loot them?
Subdue Sleight of Hand Attack Action Incapacitate your foe instead of killing them
Sunder Might Attack Action Destroy your foe's weapon or shield
Trip Sleight of Hand Attack Action Sweep the leg, and lay them out flat
Tumble Acrobatics Move Action at half speed Get yourself into a bad situation, hopefully unscathed
Withdraw Movement Standard Action Get yourself out of a bad situation, hopefully unscathed


Combat maneuvers are performed by making a skill check with the appropriate skill, versus a DC of the target creature's Maneuver Defense. If the check equals or exceeds this target DC, the maneuver is successful. Refer to the individual maneuvers to resolve the outcome of this success.

Maneuver Damage

Combat maneuvers can inflict some damage when performed, in addition to the other effects of the maneuver in question. This damage is optional; the character performing the maneuver may elect not to inflict damage while still inflicting the other effects (assuming the maneuver is successful). Damage from combat maneuvers is less than the damage the character would do with a normal attack, but is still based on the primary weapon the character is wielding. A character's exact Maneuver Damage is determined using the following formula:
(Primary Weapon's Base Damage (Dice Only) x Level Damage Multiplier) + Weapon Quality + Feat Bonus + Class Feature + Racial Trait + Other
  • Primary Weapon's Base Damage (Dice Only): Maneuvers deal original base weapon damage of the weapon you are wielding, not including any adders, such as enhancement bonuses, STR modifiers, feats, spell effects, precision damage, bonus damage, etc. This is just the base weapon damage dice of the weapon.
  • Level Damage Multiplier: Base weapon damage increases at each experience tier above courageous (i.e. at 6th level, 11th level, 16th level, 21st level, 26th level, and at 31st level). As these increases occur, they increase maneuver damage accordingly.
  • Weapon Quality: Some weapons possess qualities which directly improve the damage of one or more combat maneuvers, when that weapon is wielded as your primary weapon. Typically, weapon qualities only apply to a particular maneuver (or set of maneuvers).
  • Class Feature: Some class features grant a bonus to combat maneuver damage, or to damage dealt when performing particular maneuvers.
  • Racial Trait: Some racial traits grant a bonus to combat maneuver damage, or to damage dealt when performing particular maneuvers.
  • Other: Other bonuses may grant increases to damage dealt by combat maneuvers. These could come from magic items, magic weapon properties, or permanent boons from a powerful entity. Oftentimes, such bonuses will only increase the damage to a particular maneuver (or set of maneuvers).
If you have natural or class-based non-weapon attacks (e.g. Brawler or Monk), you may roll just the dice you would normally roll for an attack you are allowed to make during an attack of opportunity at your current class level for that class, not including any adders (such as enhancement bonuses, STR modifiers, feats, spell effects, precision damage, bonus damage, etc).
Example: a 5th level fighter would roll just the dice from their +1 longsword (1d8), while a 5th level Monk would roll just the dice of their Echoing Strike attack (2d8), and a 5th level Brawler would roll just the dice of their Cross attack (also 2d8).
Combat maneuvers can gain the skill critical bonus effect on a roll of a natural 20 (usually +5 to the total result), which can result in a greater effect from the combat maneuver, but maneuvers never inflict additional damage due to a critical hit, and therefore do not require a critical confirmation roll.

Maneuver Defense

Each character and creature has a Maneuver Defense value that represents its ability to resist combat maneuvers such as Trip, Overrun and Bull Rush, among many other uses. Maneuver Defense can be thought of as a general statistic used to represent how well a character or creature can handle rough physical treatment. It is related to but different than Armor Class, and is derived in a different way. Maneuver Defense is based on a character's overall experience with the school of hard knocks; the physical size, power, and deftness of the character, combined with their ability to dodge or deflect events. A player character's exact Maneuver Defense is determined using the following formula:
10 + ½ Character Level (round down, min 0) + Size Modifier + STR modifier + DEX modifier + Dodge AC + Natural Armor Bonus + Shield AC + Shield Enhancement Bonus + Miscellaneous + Penalties
  • Size Modifier: Fine -4, Diminutive -3, Tiny -2, Small -1, Medium +0, Large +1, Huge +2, Gargantuan +3, Colossal +4, Titanic +5.
  • Dodge AC: This typically comes from feats, such as the Dodge feat, but can also come from class features, racial traits, etc. Unlike most bonus types, dodge bonuses stack (are added together) with other dodge bonuses.
  • Natural Armor Bonus: This nearly always comes from a magic item, such as an Amulet of Natural Armor, but it can sometimes be gained through other means, such as class features or racial traits. Natural armor bonuses do not stack; only the highest available bonus is used.
  • Shield AC: This is the bonus to AC provided by the shield itself, typically ranging from +1 (a buckler) to +4 (a tower shield).
  • Shield Enhancement Bonus: This is a magic bonus applied to the shield, in the form of plusses. For example, a +3 shield is "plus three" because it has a +3 shield enhancement bonus, which adds to the AC granted by the shield and also contributes to the maneuver defense of the wearer, while the shield is being actively wielded or worn.
  • Miscellaneous Modifiers: Some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your Maneuver Defense when resisting specific things.
  • Penalties: Any penalties to a creature's AC also apply to its Maneuver Defense for physical attacks. For example, a flat-footed creature suffers the same -4 penalty to its Maneuver Defense as it does against its AC.
Retrieved from "https://www.epicpath.org/index.php?title=Combat_Maneuvers&oldid=172853"