HGd10PHB - Special Attacks

Below are the descriptions of special Physical Combat attacks.

Unarmed Combat Moves
These moves are particular to those who fight without weapons.

Bull Rush
There are two kinds of Bull Rush maneuvers a character can perform. One without a shield and one with. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, but they accomplish the same general objective, Knockback. For both kinds of attacks, the size category matters. For every Size Category larger the attacker is than the target, the distance of knockback is multiplied by 2. For every Size Category smaller the attacker is than the target, the distance of the knockback is halved.

Bull Rush can be attempted at melee range or at the end of a Charge.

Bull Rush is opposed by Dodge, in which case the target is able to avoid the Bull Rush altogether (see Missed Bull Rush below). Bull Rush can be opposed by any armor check or Shield skill, but the target does not get the equipment bonus except for the shield. If the attacker rolls higher, then the target is knocked back 1m+1m/5 over the target's defending roll. If the target is knocked back into a wall rather than the distance they should be knocked back in meters, they take 2 points of damage for every 1m they would have been knocked back but weren't. The type of damage is based on what they are knocked back into (bludgeoning for walls, furniture, etc.; slashing for blades and sharp edges; piercing for pikes, hooks, and spikes).

''E.g. Thean Bull Rushes an orc and rolls a 56 vs the orc's 33. He would thus knock the orc 4m. However, there is a wall of spikes 1m behind the monster. 4m-1m = 3m so the orc takes 6 points of piercing damage.''

If the Knockback is sufficient to move the target into a dangerous environment (lava, off a cliff, into the Void, etc.) then they are knocked into that environment that many meters and must deal with the new environment.

Missed Bull Rush

Any distance less than 1m is considered 0m and the attacker ends up in one of the three open spaces in the front arc of the target. If the target makes a successful Dodge, then the attacker continues forward past the target 1m/5 lower on their Attack than the Dodge roll with a minimum of 1m. If the attacker would slam into an obstacle beyond the dodging target, they take 1 point of damage per meter traveled of the type determined by what they collided with. If the missed attack would cause the attacker to move into a hostile environment, then the attacker moves into that environment that many meters and must deal with the new environment.

Without Shield

DS to Learn: 10

Practically anyone but a child can learn to rush an opponent with the intent to knock them back or down. Without a shield, the attacker rolls their Hand to Hand skill roll. The move draws an Attack of Opportunity from any character that has Focus on the attacker including the target. If the target does not have Focus on the attacker, they do not get an Attack of Opportunity.

With Shield

DS to Learn: 20

Still a relatively simple combat maneuver to learn, the shield-based Bull Rush takes a bit more skill to pull off but has the added benefit of not provoking an Attack of Opportunity. The shield is sufficient to prevent any meaningful strike from a melee weapon during the move. However, the extra skill required means the attacker suffers a -5 to their Shield skill roll when used for the attack. If the Shield - Bull Rush misses and the attacker collides with an object, they may subtract their shield's equipment bonus from the damage taken.

Grapple
DS to Learn: 20

Grappling is a Hand to Hand attack that causes no damage. The Hand to Hand roll is made versus Dodge, Shield, or Armor check normally (and may therefore provoke an Attack of Opportunity). If successful, the attacker and the target must make 1d10+STR check (or 1d10+AGL for the attacker if they have the Agile Fighter Trait). If the attacker rolls higher, the target is considered Pinned. If the target's roll is higher, then both are considered Grappling for that Turn.

If Grappling, on the next Turn another opposed 1d10+STR (or AGL for Agile Fighters) roll is made. Whoever wins can either disengage from the Grapple or Pin their opponent.

For every difference in Size Category between the two grapplers, the larger gets +5 to their STR check (Agile Fighters do not get a size bonus). This +5 may be converted into additional d10 normally.

E.g. a Large creature grappling with a tiny creature would get 1d10+STR+15.

While Grappling When a character is grappling, the following applies:


 * Their Focus is their grappling target.
 * They cannot move.
 * They can make an attack with one hand (Hand to Hand) or small weapon (1H Melee) no larger than a knife. (-2 to their next STR check)
 * They can draw a light weapon no larger than a knife. (-3 to their next STR check)
 * They can reach for a focus or material component. (-3 to their next STR check)
 * They can cast spells that do not require somatic components. (-2 to their next STR check)
 * They can aid the pinned target of their target in breaking the pin. (Target gets -4 on next check versus their target's attempt to break a Pin)
 * They may not Dodge attacks from other attackers.

While Pinning

Once a character has successfully pinned their target, the following applies:


 * Their Focus is their pinned target.
 * They can prevent their target from speaking. (-2 to their next STR check)
 * They can attempt to move with their pinned opponent 2m/Turn as their Move. (-2 to their next STR check)
 * They can make an attack with one hand (Hand to Hand) or small weapon (1H Melee) no larger than a knife as an Action.
 * They can draw a light weapon no larger than a knife as an Action.
 * They can reach for a focus or material component as an Action.
 * They can cast spells that do not require somatic components as an Action.
 * They may interpose their pinned target between themself and an attacker with a successful Senses roll vs the attack roll. The pinned opponent takes damage equal to the difference - their own equipment bonus for armor.  Otherwise, the one pinning their target takes damage equal to the difference - their own equipment bonus for armor.
 * They can release their target as a Secondary Action which provokes no Attack of Opportunity.

Multiple Grapplers

For every grappler attempting to grapple a single target, each attacker gets +2 to their initial Hand to Hand roll and the target must make a STR roll versus each attacker individually.

Special Attacks - Melee
These pertain to any melee combat style, though some require a weapon.

Parry
Parry is used instead of a normal weapon skill to protect against physical attacks. The Parry skill is weapons based and very much like an attack. It is used as a Reactive roll to an opponent's Active melee combat roll (see example below). Used alone, Parry provides an effective defensive maneuver superior to Dodge in that damage is only applied from the difference in the Active and Reactive rolls like Armor. It is inferior to Dodge in that Parry generally only applies to physical melee combat. Equipment special properties or traits may change this.
 * Basic Skill: Physical Combat
 * Skill Bonus: Weapon Based
 * Range: Melee
 * DS to Learn: 25
 * Prerequisite: None

Additionally, Parry is a prerequisite to and lead up to other combat maneuvers. Several combat moves that require Parry as a prerequisite will use the difference in a successful Parry and the Active roll. If this happens, then Parry provides a bonus of [Parry roll]/5+1 as a bonus to the secondary maneuver.

''E.g. Spenciel uses a quarterstaff to parry an incoming sword attack by an attacking foe. The aggressor attacks with his short sword [+6] using his 1H Melee skill. The aggressor rolls 1d10+13+6 for a total of 24. Spenciel rolls his Parry skill as a 1d10+27+3 and rolls a 37. He not only parried the blow, but he also gets a +3 on his Counter Attack on his next turn.''

Navigation

 * Back to Physical Combat


 * Hero's Guild Players Handbook Home
 * Chapter 1 - Creature Kinds
 * Chapter 2 - Base Characteristics
 * Chapter 3 - Skills
 * Chapter 4 - Traits and Foibles
 * Chapter 5 - Physical Combat Skills 
 * Chapter 6 - Mystical Skills
 * Chapter 7 - Equipment
 * Chapter 8 - Crafting
 * Chapter 9 - Knowledge Social and Movement Skills
 * Chapter 10 - Optional Classes
 * Chapter 11 - Rules of Engagement