Advanced Combat Rules

This section contains rules for more complex and unusual situations that can arise in combat. Feel free to skip this section and come back if it ever becomes important.

Damage is classified into several categories.

Physical damage. This is a general category that contains three sub-categories: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing.

Acid damage. Acid attacks are especially dangerous because in addition to dealing hit point damage they often also ruin or damage metal equipment. Normally a successful Reflex save prevents damage to equipment.

Cold damage. Cold damage is inflicted by frigid weather, by contact with extremely cold substances, and by spells that suck heat from an area. It is especially potent against creatures soaked in water.

Electric damage. A notable feature of electric damage is that it can be conducted through metal or water. Normally, when lightning strikes water, the current is discharged across the water’s surface, dealing damage to anything floating or swimming on the water, but sparing creatures more than a few feet underwater.

Fire damage. The defining feature of fire damage is its propensity to light things on fire. Flammable substances like oil automatically ignite when exposed to fire, causing additional fire damage. Paper items, such as scrolls and spellbooks, are also vulnerable to fire attacks if not safely bundled away. An item in hand can normally be shielded from fire on a successful Reflex save.

Force damage. Force damage is magical energy concentrated into a solid form. A notable feature of force damage is that extends into the ethereal plane, making it effective against ghosts and other ethereal creatures. Effects that warp space, such as teleportation mishaps, can also inflict force damage.

Holy damage. This is the fire of the gods, undiluted divine light too glorious for mortals to endure. It is especially deadly to undead and unholy creatures.

Negative energy. This is the raw energy of death, often channelled by the priests of evil gods. It damages living creatures, but heals the undead.

Positive energy. This is the life energy channelled by healing spells. Positive energy heals living creatures, but deals damage to undead creatures.

Psychic damage. Psychic damage harms the body by attacking the mind. It has no effect on mindless creatures such constructs or plants.

Sonic damage. Sonic damage is damage caused by a powerful shockwave. A sonic attack can be heard from a great distance away, and may cause temporary or permanent deafness to creatures up close. Fragile crystalline objects, such as gems, will shatter if exposed directly to a sonic blast.

Water damage. Water damage is damage from water, which normally only applies to creatures made of fire or of water-soluble substances like sand or salt. Water damage may harm some equipment, such as spellbooks or scrolls, and turns deadly when combined with cold damage.

Many creatures are naturally resistant or immune to certain energy types. Player characters can achieve the same through the use of protective spells. Resistance to a damage type is measured with a number, such as “5 fire resistance.” This means the creature takes 5 less damage from each individual fire attack.

Damage Reduction (DR). Some creatures (usually extraplanar beings) have damage reduction, which is resistance to all physical attacks except those that meet a special condition. For example, a creature may have “DR 10/bludgeoning,” which means the creature takes 10 less damage from each physical attack, except bludgeoning attacks.

A magic weapon bypasses 10 points of DR for each point of magic bonus. For example, a creature with DR 30 effectively only has DR 10 against a +2 magic weapon. This is the only way to overcome the DR of certain creatures.

Some creatures are vulnerable to specific damage types. This means the creature takes twice the usual damage.

A character can normally only make one attack per round. However, there are various ways to gain extra attacks.

Primary and secondary attacks. A primary attack is an attack using the attacker’s full Base Attack Bonus, whereas a secondary attack is made at a −5 penalty. If you make only one attack in a round, then that attack is a primary attack. Extra attacks may be either primary or secondary, depending on the source of the attack.

Base Attack Bonus. You gain a secondary attack if your Base Attack Bonus (BAB) is +6 or higher. This is indicated in the progression table for each class. For example, a BAB of +7/+2 indicates that each round you may make one primary attack (at a +7 bonus) and one secondary attack (at a +2 bonus).

Natural attacks. Animals and monstrous creatures can often attack with several body parts each round. The creature’s statblock determines which natural attacks are primary and which are secondary. For example, a tiger’s claws are primary attacks, while its bite is a secondary attack. A creature attacking with multiple natural attacks can not also use extra attacks from a high BAB.

Flurry of blows. A monk’s Flurry of Blows ability grants an additional primary attack each round, which can only be used to make an unarmed strike.

Two-weapon fighting. If you take the “two-weapon fighting” feat, you can make an extra attack each round by using the weapon in your other hand. If your second weapon is a light weapon, this extra attack is a primary attack. Otherwise, it is a secondary attack.

Haste spell. The haste spell grants one additional primary attack each round.

The normal modifiers received in combat assume a character is balancing attack and defense, damage and accuracy. If you wish, however, you can fight in a more reckless or more defensive stance. You can only use a fighting stance if you make a mêlée attack on your turn, and must select your stance before making any attacks. The changes remains in effect until the start of your next turn.

Power attack. In this stance, you make wild swings that trade accuracy for sheer power. Choose a number from 1 to your Base Attack Bonus. You take a penalty of this amount on mêlée attack rolls, and gain an equal bonus on mêlée weapon damage rolls.

Reckless stance. Gain a +2 bonus to mêlée attack rolls, but suffer a −4 penalty to AC.

Defensive stance. Gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC, but suffer a −4 penalty to mêlée attack rolls.

A creature that takes cover behind a low wall, a tree, or some other object gains a circumstance bonus to AC against attacks originating on the other side of the cover.

Degree of cover should be understood as a subjective measurement of how much protection the cover offers, not only the percent of the character’s body that is shielded from harm. For example, cover which protects the lower body or extremities is less valuable than cover which protects the torso and head. Cowering around the corner of something is more effective in ranged combat than in close combat.

*Half damage on failed save, no damage on successful save.

Concealment applies when poor visibility interferes with an attacker's accuracy. When you attack a creature with concealment, there is a percentage chance that the attack misses automatically. This chance is rolled on a d10, with a low roll indicating a miss.

Concealment always depends on the point of view of the attacker. For example, a creature with low-light vision does not suffer concealment in dim light. The following chart lists typical circumstances that would incur a miss chance for concealment.

Attacking a handheld item. Sometimes it is advantageous to strike an item held by another creature. For example, you could use an opportunity attack to smash the potion bottle in an evil wizard’s hands, preventing him from imbibing its contents.

To hit a small handheld item requires an attack roll against the holder’s Touch AC + 4. This AC may be lower for especially large objects, at the referee’s discretion.

Attacking an inanimate object. No attack roll is required to strike an unattended object with a mêlée attack. For a ranged attack, an AC may be set based on the object’s size.

Damage. Small fragile items (such as potions and scrolls) break automatically on a hit. A large object may be assigned hit points to determine when it is destroyed. Some objects may be difficult or impossible to damage with a particular weapon, at the referee’s discretion. For example, it is hard to sever a rope with a club—try an axe!

Subdual damage is used when you wish to subdue a creature than to kill it. For instance, a subdued dragon might agree to serve you in exchange for its eventual freedom. Prisoners might be turned over to the authorities for a reward, or used to barter for passage through enemy territory. Certainly, subduing intelligent enemies is more humane than killing them.

Effects of subdual damage. Subdual damage reduces a creature’s hit points just as normal damage does, but cannot reduce a target to fewer than 0 hit point. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by subdual damage collapses unconscious rather than beginning to die. The unconscious creature wakes up once it recovers any hit points.

Dealing subdual damage. Unarmed attacks normally deal subdual damage. A monk (or any creature with the Unarmed Combat feat) can choose whether to deal subdual damage or lethal damage with an unarmed strike. A deadly mêlée weapon can be used to deal subdual damage, but deals only half the usual damage when used in this way. For example, you could strike with the flat of a sword rather than the blade.

Grappling means wrestling and struggling hand-to-hand. In practice, this most often comes up when dealing with a grabby creature like a giant octopus. The rules for grappling are quite simple and easy to understand (with a few years of experience).

Grapple checks. During a grapple, opponents make opposed grapple checks. A grapple check is a special mêlée attack roll where the usual size modifier to attack is replaced with a special grapple size modifier. Unlike when making a normal attack roll, a larger size is beneficial when grappling.

Calculating your grapple bonus. If you are a medium character (a human, elf, or dwarf), your grapple bonus is the same as your normal mêlée attack bonus. If you are a small character (a halfling), your grapple modifier is 2 less than your normal mêlée attack bonus, since you lose your usual +1 size bonus and instead apply a −1 penalty.

Initiating a grapple. When you make an unarmed attack with a hand (or tentacle, etc.), you can attempt to grapple instead of dealing damage. Your attack is resolved against the target’s Touch AC, since armour does nothing to prevent grappling. If your attack roll succeeds, you and your target make opposed grapple checks. If your grapple roll is greater than or equal to the target’s roll, you get a hold on the target and the two of you begin grappling. Otherwise, the creature struggles free from your grip.

Note that for most characters, making an unarmed attack against an armed creature provokes an opportunity attack in return.

Attacking when grappling. While engaged in a grapple, you can make an opposed grapple check as an attack. This is possible regardless of whether you initiated the grapple or your opponent did. If your grapple check is greater than or equal to your opponent’s, you momentarily gain control of the grapple and can do any one of the following:

While grappling, you cannot attack with any weapon except a light weapon. Such an attack is resolved as a normal attack, not a grapple check. You cannot fight with two weapons while grappling.

Multiple attacks. If you are able to make multiple unarmed attacks per turn, you can use any or all of them to attempt to initiate a grapple, or to attack while grappling. Each attack is made using the appropriate Base Attack Bonus.

Other actions while grappling. While grappling, you cannot attack any creature other than the creature you are grappling. You cannot move except by dragging the other creature. It is almost impossible to cast spells while grappling because of the precise motions required (Spellcraft DC 20 + twice spell level).

Slipping free. You can attempt to slip free from a grapple as a standard action. Make a Slip Free check opposed by your opponent’s grapple check; if you roll equal or higher, you escape. You can end a grapple as a free action if the other creature also wishes to end it.

Piling on. It is possible for multiple creatures to grapple against a single creature. The normal grappling rules apply to each one-on-one grapple relationship. However, if there get to be multiple creatures on both sides, the grapple splits into multiple one-on-one or one-on-many grapple piles.

Monsters grappling. Some creatures (those with the Improved Grab ability) can make a grapple check in addition to dealing damage when they succeed on a natural attack. For example, if you are bitten by a lion, you take damage and must also make a grapple check to avoid being held in its mouth. Even after it establishes a hold, such a creature can continue to attack with its other natural weapons (goring you with its claws while it holds you in its mouth). Some creatures, like the boa constrictor, can crush an opponent while grappling, dealing extra damage on each successful grapple attack after establishing a grab.

You can attempt to climb a larger creature and cling to its back (a popular manoeuvre in Peter Jackson movies). This is similar in some respects to grappling, but you do not attempt to restrain the larger creature, only to get on top.

Getting up. You must first grab onto the larger creature by making an unarmed attack against Touch AC, just as when grappling. If you grab on, make a Strength check opposed by the target’s Strength check. If you succeed on the opposed roll, you pull yourself up onto the creature. If you fail, you are shaken off (but suffer no damage).

Getting down. Sliding down safely takes all your movement for one round.

Falling down. If you unsafely fall off the larger creature, you land prone by its feet and take 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If the creature is Huge or larger, you suffer an extra 5 damage for each size category above Large.

Moving around. The referee may require Climb or Balance checks to move around on a particularly enormous creature.

Attacking the larger creature. You can attack a creature while clinging to its back. At the referee’s discretion, you may deal double damage if your position on the creature’s back makes it easier to hit vulnerable areas like the neck and head. Naturally, this bonus does not apply against creatures with armoured backs, like giant turtles.

If you attempt to attack with a two-handed weapon, you must first pass a Balance check or fall off and lose your attack. The DC for this check is 10 + the larger creature’s Hit Dice.

Attacks by the larger creature. Depending on its weapons and anatomy, the larger creature may be unable to attack a creature on its back, or may suffer penalties to its attack rolls. For example, a lion would be unable to bite a creature on its back, and would suffer a penalty if attacking with its claws. On the other hand, a troll could easily use its claws to attack a creature clinging to its back.

Shaking the smaller creature off. As a standard action, the larger creature may attempt to shake the smaller creature off. The larger creature makes a Strength check opposed by the Strength check of each smaller creature clinging to its back. Any clinging creature that fails the opposed check falls down.

You can attempt to trip a creature with an unarmed attack, or with certain weapons (a pole arm, or an entangling weapon like a whip or flail). To attempt a trip, make a Strength check opposed by the target’s Strength check or Dexterity check (whichever is better). Both you and your target add the grapple size modifier to these checks. The target creature also adds an additional +4 bonus if it has four or more legs.

If you succeed on the opposed roll, the target is tripped and falls prone. Some creatures cannot be tripped, such as those with no legs.

You can attempt to disarm an opponent when you attack with certain weapons (such as a whip or a flail). You and your opponent make opposed attack rolls. If the weapons are different sizes, the opponent with the larger weapon gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category. If the target creature is wielding its weapon in two hands, it gains an additional +4 bonus, since it’s harder to pull a weapon out of two hands.

If you succeed on the opposed roll, the target is disarmed.

To meet the gaze of a basilisk or medusa is to stare death itself in the eyes. Once per turn, if you see a creature with a gaze attack, you must make a saving throw. On a failure, you are struck dead, turned to stone, or whatever the case may be.

Averting your gaze. You can choose to avert your eyes from the creature’s deadly face (watching its body, shadow, or reflection), but this is quite difficult—there is still a 50% chance each turn that you will accidentally glimpse the creature’s face. While averting your eyes, you can’t see the creature clearly, so your attacks against it suffer a 20% miss chance.

Closing your eyes. If you squeeze your eyes shut or wear a blindfold, you are completely safe from gaze attacks—but, of course, you are effectively blind.

Concealment and special vision. A gaze attack is potent even when seen using infravision or a see invisibility spell, when seen through glass, or when viewed from the ethereal plane. When visibility is limited by fog or darkness, a gaze attack suffers the same percentage miss chance as a normal attack. If a gaze attack is reflected in a mirror or transmitted through a spell such as clairvoyance, the worst of the effect is absorbed by the intermediary medium (shattering the mirror or terminating the spell).

To serve as a mount, a creature must be at least one size category larger than its rider. Dwarves are an exception—due to their stature, they are better suited to ride ponies than horses.

Mounting and dismounting. To mount or dismount from a horse or other suitable animal takes half your movement for a turn. This also takes up half the mount’s move for the turn, since it needs to stand still while you are getting on or off.

Controlling a desperate mount. To stay on the back of an uncooperative creature, such as a wild or frightened horse, requires a Handle Animal check. The standard DC is 15 + the animal’s Hit Dice. Trained warhorses and war-ponies normally remain well-behaved in battle as long as they have positive hit points remaining.

Mounted movement. You and your mount move together on your turn, using your mount’s movement speed. Warhorses and war-ponies are trained to respond to guidance given with the knees or by leaning the body. To direct other horses requires you to keep a hand on the reins. You can urge your horse to dash (that is, to canter or gallop) by tightening your legs or digging in your heels. You should not expect a horse to make tight turns while dashing.

Attacks by a mount. A mount trained for war will attack your enemies each turn.

Being thrown. If you are thrown from your mount, you fall prone and take 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If your mount is huge or larger, you take an additional 5 damage for each size category above large.

Falling unconscious. If you fall asleep or unconscious while riding, you have a 50% chance to stay in the saddle. Otherwise you fall off, taking damage as if thrown.

Ranged attacks. If you make a ranged attack when your mount is moving, you suffer disadvantage on the attack.

Spellcasting. To cast a spell while your mount is moving require a Spellcraft check with a DC of 10 + twice the spell level.

Hover. A hovering creature can remain in one spot in the air, or even fly backwards. A creature unable to hover must move forward at at least half its speed to remain aloft.

Swoop. When a creature swoops, it can descend at any angle and at double speed. A swooping creature can attack only with its claws, but deals double damage on a hit.

Flyby attacks. Any flying creature can attack while flying past its target without becoming engaged or provoking an attack of opportunity. If you want to strike at a creature as it flies past, you can use a readied action.

Stalling. A creature unable to hover will stall if it fails to maintain its forward momentum (such as if it is paralyzed). A stalling creature descends 100 feet per round, spiralling erratically. If it crashes to earth, its falling damage is limited to 3d10 since its wings reduce its falling speed.

Damage while flying. A creature unable to hover must make a Reflex saving throw to remain aloft if it takes any damage while flying. The DC is equal to 10 or half the damage dealt, whichever is higher. On a failure, the creature stalls for one round.

Unconscious while hovering. A creature that hovers using wings (such as a giant wasp) plummets like a stone if it loses consciousness in the air. A creature that hovers using magic (such as a fly spell) drifts safely to earth, descending 60 feet per round.

Attacks with slashing and bludgeoning weapons have disadvantage underwater (this does not include natural attacks by aquatic creatures, like the bludgeoning damage from being constricted by a giant octopus).

Bows and crossbows have only half their usual range underwater. Slings and thrown weapons are impossible to use underwater. Spells may fail or behave differently.