The Encounter and Combat Rules
THE ENCOUNTER
Order of PlayWhen the party of adventurers comes in contact with potential enemies, time shifts to combat rounds (10 seconds long, as described previously). Before beginning combat, surprise is checked. Unsurprised characters then roll for Initiative, and act in order of the rolls. Surprise
When surprise is possible, roll 1d6 for each side which might be surprised; most normal characters are surprised on a roll of 1-2. Surprised characters are unable to act for one round. Characters or creatures which are well hidden and prepared to perform an ambush surprise on a roll of 1-4 on 1d6. Some characters or creatures (such as Elves) are described as being less likely to be surprised; reduce the range by 1 for such creatures. Surprised characters or creatures stand flat-footed for one round. They still defend themselves, so there is no penalty to Armor Class, but they cannot move nor attack during the round of surprise. Monster Reactions
When a group of player characters meet one or more monsters, it's important to know how the monsters will react to the party. In many cases, the reaction of the monster or monsters is obvious… zombies guarding a tomb will virtually always attack intruders, for example. In cases where the reaction of the monsters to the party is not obvious, a reaction roll may be made. The Game Master rolls 2d6, adding the Charisma bonus of the “lead” character (or applying his or her Charisma penalty) along with any other adjustments he or she feels are reasonable. Initiative
Each round, 1d6 is rolled for Initiative for each character or monster. This roll is adjusted by the character's Dexterity bonus. High numbers act first. Any characters/monsters with equal numbers might act simultaneously. The GM may make single rolls for groups of identical monsters at his or her option. As the GM counts down the Initiative numbers, each character or monster may act on his or her number. If desired, a combatant can choose to wait until a later number to act. If a player states that he or she is waiting for another character or monster to act, then the player character's action takes place on the same Initiative number as the creature he or she is waiting for. In this case, the player character's action is simultaneous with the creature waited for, just as if they had rolled the same number. The order of action during an Initiative number is:
1. Movement: Characters who choose to move do so now. Once you move and attack, you cannot move again until your next turn
2. Artillery Combat: Large siege weapons, firearms, and cannons make their attacks.
a. They choose their targets
b. They make their attack rolls
c. They roll damage for any successful hits
3. Missile Combat: Characters using missile and thrown weapons make their attacks:
a. They choose their targets
b. They make their attack rolls
c. They roll damage for any successful hits
4. Magic: Characters using magic cast their spells:
a. They choose their targets
b. Their targets roll saving throws if appropriate
c. The DM applies the results
5. Hand-to-Hand Combat: Characters fighting hand-to-hand make their attacks:
a. They choose their targets
b. They make their attack rolls
c. They roll damage for any successful hits
A character using a weapon with a long reach (spears, for instance) may choose to attack a closing opponent on the closing opponent's number and thus attack simultaneously with the opponent, even if the character rolled lower for Initiative.
MOVEMENT AND DEFENSE
The movement rate of a character or creature is expressed as the number of feet it can move per combat round. The normal player character races can all move 40' per round. A character's movement rate is adjusted by their Encumbrance (the load they are carrying). Normally, grid squares in combat are measured as 5'. Moving diagonally along the grid has no effect on the first time during a movement but the second time during a movement will count as 10'. Once you move and attack, you cannot move again until your next turn RunningCharacters may choose to run; a running character is not normally allowed to attack unless they are Charging. Running characters can move at double their normal encounter movement rate. Characters are allowed to run a number of rounds equal to 2 times the character's Constitution, after which they are exhausted and may only walk (at the normal encounter rate). Exhausted characters or creatures must rest for at least a turn before running again. Swimming
Players can normally hold their breath while swimming for a number of rounds equal to one half their Constitution score (round fractions up). They can swim at a speed equal to half their move value unencumbered, double that (their full move value) when swimming up. Anyone who runs out of breath before reaching the surface dies unless he or she is within one round of reaching the surface, in which case a save vs. Death Ray (with Constitution bonus) will avoid death and float to the surface where he or she will immediately reawaken. Maneuverability
Horses, large monsters, and vehicles of various sorts have a turning distance. This is given as a distance in feet in parentheses after their movement rate, and it determines how far they must move between facing changes when moving about in combat. In general, a facing change is any turn of up to 90º (a right-angle turn on a square-gridded map, this means turning to face directly to the right or left of the figure's current facing. A half-turn (45º) still counts as a full facing change. If using hexes, “diagonal” movement is not available, so a facing change is the 60º turn to face toward the hex-side to the right or left of the current facing. There are a few exceptions to this rule:
- First, any creature that does not move away from its starting position during the combat round may make as many facing changes as desired (though circumstances, such as trying to turn a horse around in a narrow corridor, may prevent this).
- Large incorporeal flying creatures can turn freely at any point while moving.
- 5-10 rule for diagonals will be used. What this means is for movement purposes, 5 feet is used for the 1st diagonal movement, 10 feet for the 2nd diagonal movement, 5 feet for the 3rd diagonal movement, and so on.
- Creatures which are running (moving at double speed) may not make facing changes of more than 60º, and their turning distance increases by 10' (or, if it is 5' normally, it increases to 10').
- Also, most creatures can shift one space laterally while preserving their facing (this is called “sidestepping”), but this may only be done when moving at normal (“walking”) speed, not at fast (“running”) speed. “One space” means either 5' or 10', depending on the map or board being used.
For battles involving three dimensions, each creature or vehicle has an altitude (when flying) or depth (underwater). For air or sea battles, at least one of the creatures or vehicles should start at an altitude/depth of 0, and a new 0 level can be established at any time, to simplify play, by adjusting the altitudes of each creature or vehicle. A winged flier can gain up to 10' of altitude after moving forward by the distance shown for its maneuverability class, and can dive (lose altitude in a controlled fashion) at up to twice the normal movement rate; if the creature does not move horizontally by at least one-third its normal speed, it will stall, being forced to dive at maximum rate for one round. Floating creatures or vehicles (balloons, fly spell, flying carpets, etc.) can climb vertically without horizontal motion up to half the normal movement rate, but such “floaters” can only descend at the normal movement rate, unless they have lost the ability to float entirely. Evasion and Pursuit
Sometimes a party of adventurers will want nothing more than to avoid a group of monsters (or sometimes, it's the monsters avoiding the adventurers). If one group is surprised, and the other is not, the unsurprised group may be able to escape automatically (unless something prevents them from making an exit). Otherwise, the characters wanting to flee begin doing so on their Initiative numbers. The GM may easily play out the pursuit, following along on his or her map (note that the players can't draw maps while they run headlong through the dungeon or wilderness area). Any time a character must pass through a doorway, make a hard turn, etc., the GM may require a saving throw vs. Death Ray (with Dexterity bonus added if the save is failed, the character has fallen at that point and moves no further that round; he or she may stand up and make a full move on his or her Initiative number in the next round. If at any point the pursuers are within 5' (melee range) at the start of a round, they may begin melee combat; the fleeing characters will be subject to “parting shots” as described under Defensive Movement if they continue to flee after the pursuers close to melee range. If the fleeing characters or creatures are ever able to get beyond the pursuer's sight for a full round, they have evaded pursuit… the pursuers have lost them. Defensive Movement
Any time a character turns his or her back on an adjacent opponent (who has a ready weapon) and begins movement, that opponent is allowed a “parting shot” with a +2 bonus to attack, even if that opponent has already made all attacks for the round. Opponents with attack routines must choose one attack mode. Alternately, the character may begin backing away (at up to half normal walking movement) while continuing to fight (if the opponent remains within reach, that is, follows the retreating character). This is termed a fighting withdrawal. Cover and Concealment
In certain situations, the intended target of a missile (or melee) attack may have cover or concealment of some kind. Cover is defined as “hard” protection such as that afforded by shooting through an ally to an enemy or thick tree trunk or stone wall, that is, anything that will stop or slow a missile weapon. Concealment is “soft” cover like fog or light foliage that makes the target difficult to see but does not affect the missile itself. Cover or concealment makes it more difficult to strike an intended target, and thus a penalty will be applied to the attacker's die roll depending upon how much of the target is protected from attack. For concealment the attack penalty should range from -1 (25% obscured) to -4 (90% obscured). For hard cover, these penalties should be doubled.
THE COMBAT
Each character or creature involved in combat may move, if desired, up to its encounter movement distance, and then attack, if any opponent is in range, when its Initiative number comes up. After attacking, a character or creature may not move again until the next round. Opponents more than 5' apart may move freely, but once two opposing figures are within 5' of each other, they are “engaged” and must abide by the rules under Defensive Movement. To roll “to hit,” the attacker rolls 1d20 and adds his or her attack bonus (AB), as shown on the Attack Bonus table, as well as Strength bonus (if performing a melee or thrown attack) or Dexterity bonus (if performing a light weapon, touch attack, or missile attack) and any other adjustments required by the situation. If the total is equal to or greater than the opponent's Armor Class, the attack hits and damage is rolled. A natural “1” on the die roll is always a failure. A natural “20” is always a hit, if the opponent can be hit at all (for example, monsters that can only be hit by silver or magic weapons cannot be hit by normal weapons, so a natural “20” with a normal weapon will not hit such a monster). Aimed ShotsCharacters armed with a ranged weapon can choose to forgo their attack that turn and instead spend the round aiming their weapon. They can take no other action and cannot move while aiming. On their next round they fire their ranged attacks with a +4 bonus to hit (this is still modified by penalties from range or other factors). Firing Into Melee or at a Moving Opponent
A character must be at least 5’ away from an opponent to fire any ranged weapon. A character who fires at an opponent currently engaged in melee combat may take a –4 penalty to their attack roll. If they fail to do so, then any shot missed by less than a margin of 4 will hit the person their opponent was in melee with. If there was more than one character in melee with his intended target, roll randomly to determine who suffers the hit. This penalty does not apply if his intended target is of Large size (8’+) or greater and all of the target’s melee opponents are medium (human) size or less. If the target of a ranged attack had spent their previous action (either in the previous round, or before the attacker in the current initiative round) engaging in a full movement (that is, running), the attacker has a –2 penalty to hit with their ranged attacks. Attacking from Behind
Attacks made from behind an opponent usually receive a +2 attack bonus. This does not combine with the Sneak Attack ability (see the Thief). Brawling
Sometimes a character will attack without a weapon, striking with a fist or foot. This is called brawling. Normal characters do 1d3 points of subduing damage with a punch, 1d4 with a kick; kicks are rolled at a -2 attack penalty. A character in no armor or leather armor cannot successfully punch or kick a character in metal armor, and in fact, if this is attempted the damage is applied to the attacker instead of the defender. The GM must decide which monsters can be successfully attacked this way. All character classes may engage in brawling; there is no “weapon” restriction in this case. Charging
Under some circumstances, characters or creatures may be allowed to attack after a running move. This is called a charge, and some specific limitations apply. First, the charging character or creature must move at least 10 feet, and may move up to double his or her normal movement rate, as given above. The movement must be in a more or less straight line toward the intended target, and the path to the target must be reasonably clear. Finally, the attacker must be using a weapon such as a spear, lance, or pole arm which is suitable for use while charging. Certain monsters, especially including those with horns, are able to use natural attacks when charging. If the attacker does not have line of sight to the opponent at the start of the charge, that opponent can’t be charged. The attack made after the charge is made at +2 on the attack roll. The charging character or creature takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class for the remainder of the round. If the attack hits, it does double damage. Set Weapon Against Charge: Spears, pole arms, and certain other piercing weapons deal double damage when “set” (braced against the ground or floor) and used against a charging creature. For this to be done, the character or creature being charged must have equal or better Initiative; this counts as holding an action: both attacker and defender act on the attacker's Initiative number and are therefore simultaneous. Critical Hits and Lingering Injuries
A natural 20 on the attack die roll results in a hit and a threat. Roll again -- if the player hits on the second roll (a normal hit, not just another natural 20), a critical hit is scored, and the max damage die is dealt in addition to an additional damage roll with modifiers. However, if the only way the character can hit is to roll a natural 20, critical hits are not scored. In addition, the player can forgo dealing additional damage and instead inflict a lingering injury in the form of a ruptured eye, disabling a limb, breaking bones, or inflicting a humiliating scar. This is a case-by-case scenario and will depend on the DM and the type of damage being inflicted. Two Weapon Combat
The weapon in the primary hand suffers a penalty of -2 to hit, while the weapon in the off-hand is used at a -5 penalty normally. Subtract from this penalty the character's Dexterity bonus, with a minimum penalty of +0 (so a character with 18 Dexterity does not get a +1 bonus to hit this way). The primary weapon must, obviously, be one-handed, and the secondary must be a dagger, handaxe, or similar very small weapon. The off-handed weapon normally does not get multiple attacks, even if allowed by specialization. Like a monster using an attack routine (claw-claw-bite) the off-handed weapon attacks at the same time as the primary weapon. Note: Off-handed weapon attacks (with no primary hand attack) are at -3 penalty, with the Dexterity bonus subtracted as above. As an option, a character using two-weapon combat may choose to use the off-handed weapon as a defensive item similar to a shield. This must be declared at the start of the round. In this case, no special penalty is applied to the primary weapon, and the off-handed weapon adds +1 to the wielder's AC value against a single melee attacker per round. If the weapon has a magic weapon bonus, it may be applied, but only the base bonus for those weapons with multiple values. If the character using two weapons at once has a specialization bonus with the off-hand weapon he is using to defend, add the specialization AB modifier as well to the character's AC. Parrying and Defensive Combat
The application of Armor Class assumes that the character tries to avoid each incoming attack, while still making attacks himself. However, there will be occasions when the character just wants to fight defensively, actively parrying with a weapon or shield. The player must declare that the character is "partial" or "total" defending. This can be done regardless of Initiative and is therefore a good choice when fighting unarmored and the Initiative is lost. When engaged in "partial defense", characters will suffer a –4 penalty to attack rolls during that round and cannot move more than their base movement per round. If engaged in "full defense", characters will not be able to attack that round and cannot move more than 5’ that round (nor can they use any magical object or perform any magic that requires anything other than a free action to activate). A character engaging in defense, if successfully attacked in melee, may make a parrying roll of 1d20, plus their attack bonus (specialization bonus included), if they are parrying with a weapon. If they are using a shield, they add their basic melee attack bonus +2. If engaged in total defense, the character gets an additional +4 bonus to parrying rolls. To successfully parry, the character’s parrying roll must surpass the value of the attack roll. If the character successfully parries, he must do a ‘blocking’ roll, of a d4, or a d8 if parrying with a shield; this roll is modified by the defender’s STR bonus. If the shield being used has a magical bonus, that is also added. Finally, Fighters and Clerics get a further bonus equal to their level. The attacker rolls his damage normally. If the attacker’s damage roll surpasses the value of the blocking roll, the attacker does full damage. If the blocking roll is higher than the attacker’s damage roll, then the damage was absorbed by the parry.
1. Declare partial or total defensive combat. Apply bonuses to AC and penalties to attack roll. Note permitted movement.
2. If successfully attack, roll parrying (1d20+AB+Specialization) with weapon or shield. If roll surpasses value of attack roll, successful parry.
3. If successful parry, perform a 'blocking' roll, modified by STR bonus, magical bonus, and class level bonus if applicable.
4. Attacker rolls damage. If surpasses 'blocking' roll, full damage is applied. If 'blocking' roll surpasses damage, damage is deflected/absorbed.
- Characters doing Partial Defense can only attempt to do one parrying roll per round, except for fighters who can parry a number of attacks equal to their level, but have a cumulative –2 penalty to parrying rolls for each attack after the first that they attempt to parry in the round (so a fighter trying to block the third melee attack in a round gets a –4 penalty to parrying rolls).
- Characters engaged in "total" defense can attempt to parry all attacks against them in the round, but suffer a cumulative –1 penalty to every parrying roll in the round after the first.
- Characters cannot attempt to parry surprise attacks. They can attempt to parry ‘free attacks’ if they were already engaged in defensive combat at the time of the attack, and are aware of the incoming attack.
- Characters cannot attempt to parry ranged attacks, except for fighters with shields, who may attempt to do so at a –8 penalty.
Staves must generally be wielded with two hands, though a walking staff can be used in one hand, doing damage as a club if so used. A character using a staff of any kind with both hands may perform a normal attack, and still use the weapon to parry any single melee attack; this grants the wielder a +1 to AC vs. that attack, in much the same way as a shield would. Or, the staff may be used as a shield against any number of melee attackers, granting a bonus of +1 to AC, but in this case the wielder may make no attacks of his or her own; this is often combined with the Defending rule, above. When used as a defensive item, apply magical bonuses as explained in Two Weapon Combat, above. Alternately, the wielder may choose to make two attacks in any given round, treating the staff as if it were two clubs. The penalties given under Two Weapon Combat, above, are applied when the staff is used in this way, and the weapon may not be used to parry in this situation. The two attacks are separated by one Initiative number; i.e., a wielder who has rolled a 4 for Initiative attacks once on 4, and again on 3. Unarmored Combat
Characters who, for whatever reason, engage in combat while wearing no armor whatsoever have a base Armor Class of 11 plus Dexterity bonus. Use of a shield is allowed (to those characters who may use shields normally), as are magical protection items which are not otherwise properly armor (such as rings or cloaks of protection). This improved base Armor Class only applies to opponents the character is aware of and whose location is at least approximately known, as it is not possible to defend effectively against attackers you do not know about. Mounted Combat
When a combatant is mounted, the rider's Initiative roll is used for both rider and mount, as the rider is the one guiding the mount's movements. Thus, all attacks by rider and mount are effectively simultaneous and generally must all be against the same target. Some exotic mounts may vary from this rule at the GM's option, especially if the mount is unusually fast or slow. For example, a zombie steed still moves and attacks last in the round regardless of the rider's Initiative roll. Characters who are on horseback (or some other combatcapable mount) gain a +1 bonus to hit opponents on foot in melee combat. They gain a +1 bonus to their AC against any attacks from opponents on foot. This bonus to AC also applies to the mounts. A character with a one-handed medium weapon or lance can do a mounted charge on horseback from 20 to 80 feet away. They get +2 to hit, and do double damage on a hit. Opponents with spears or pole arms can get a free attack against the charge, but only if they are the target of the charge, and do double damage if they hit. When charging, only one of the rider or mount receives the charging bonus, and the other of the pair does not attack that turn. Note that normal steeds (horses) do not generally have attacks which benefit from a charging movement. To receive the benefits of charging, the rider must have proper riding equipment, i.e. a saddle with stirrups. If characters are shooting a ranged weapon while moving on horseback (or a wagon, or any other means of propulsion) moving faster than 30’ in the round, they have a –4 penalty to hit. This is in addition to any other ranged penalties. The mount must be trained for mounted combat in order to coordinate attacks with rider. Otherwise, only the rider may attack, and does so at a -2 penalty to AB. Mounts having near human Intelligence (or better) are automatically considered trained for combat. A mount is generally large enough compared to the rider to allow the rider to “set against charge” when using an appropriate weapon. The rider and mount must remain stationary and the rider must have a proper saddle with stirrups to do this. Nearly all rider and mount combinations are considered large for purposes of fighting against small humanoids like Halflings, who may have special bonuses against such combatants. Unless otherwise specified by the attacker, all attacks are assumed to be directed against the rider rather than the mount. An attack that misses the rider by 1 to 2 points, but which would hit the mount's AC, is applied against the mount instead. An untrained mount that takes damage must roll a Morale check, and will generally attempt to flee immediately if the check fails (regardless of Initiative). The rider must save vs. Death Ray with Dexterity bonus applied or be thrown from the steed's back. A thrown rider suffers 1d6 points of falling damage, is prone, and cannot make any further action until the next round. A rider who retains his or her seat will regain control 1d4 rounds after the mount is out of sight of the attacker. The GM must rule if magic or other means is used to regain control. Also note, even trained mounts subjected to magical fear will respond in this way. Jousting
A joust is simply a situation in which two riders charge at each other with lances. All the standard rules apply to such attacks, except that the AC penalty for charging does not apply to their attacks against each other (but the penalty does apply to attacks made by bystanders). When a jouster is hit by his opponent he must make a save versus Death Ray with Strength bonus applied or else be unhorsed and land prone upon the ground, suffering 1d6 points of damage just as given above. Each full 5 points of damage dealt applies a -1 penalty to the save. If the save is failed by 5 or more points, then the unhorsed individual is also stunned for 1d3 rounds, suffering a penalty of -2 to AC and a -2 penalty to AB for the duration. If save is failed by 10 or more the combatant is knocked out completely for 2d4 rounds. Jousting with deliberately blunted lances (as is often done in tournaments) results in subdual damage, but all other effects above still apply. Damage from being unhorsed will still be normal damage, for instance. Prone and Helpless Opponents
An opponent who has fallen to the ground or is otherwise prone suffers a –4 penalty to his Armor Class. Getting up from a prone position requires a full round during which no other action can be taken. Opponents who are completely helpless (either unconscious, paralyzed, completely bound or pinned, or otherwise totally immobilized) can be hit automatically by melee attacks; any melee strike against a helpless opponent will automatically do double the maximum usual damage against a helpless opponent. For example, a character whose melee attack does 1d8+1 damage would do 18 points of damage against a totally helpless opponent. Characters who have backstab do double their usual maximum backstabbing damage against a completely helpless opponent, and may do this damage even if the opponent is aware of their presence. Shield Bash
A character may use a shield as a weapon rather than as a defensive item. Such an attack is a normal melee attack and does 1d4 points of subdual damage, plus Strength modifier if any. Shield specialists receive a +1 bonus to damage. If the shield is magical, its normal bonuses may be applied to both the attack and damage roll. Naturally, the character loses all the AC benefits of the shield (including those for magic and specialization) until the beginning of the next round after attempting a shield bash. Penalties normally applied for an off-handed weapon do not apply, as shields are made to be carried and employed in that way. Subduing Damage
Attacks made with the “flat of the blade” for non-lethal damage are made at a -4 attack penalty and do half damage. Most weapons can be used this way; only those with penetration or slashing features on all sides cannot. If a character is reduced to zero hit points who has taken at least some subduing damage, the character becomes unconscious rather than dying. (Any further subduing damage is then considered killing damage, allowing the possibility that someone might be beaten to death.) A character knocked out in this way, but not subsequently killed, will wake up with 1 hit point in 1d4 turns, or can be awakened (with 1 hit point) by someone else after 2d10 rounds. Underwater
Surface dwellers have -2 to attack underwater. Shortbows and longbows do not work underwater at all. Swinging weapons like long swords and battle axes do half damage, rounded up. Spears, crossbows, and other weapons that are thrust rather than swung work just as well as they would above ground. In order to swim, one cannot be more than lightly-loaded. Otherwise, the character will sink and have to walk on the ocean floor. Movement rate while swimming is half the normal rate. Wrestling
A wrestling attack requires a successful melee attack roll, where success indicates the attacker has grabbed his or her opponent. This hold is maintained until the attacker releases it or the defender makes a save vs. Death Ray, which is attempted at the defender's next action (according to Initiative). A successful wrestling attack causes the attacker to move into the same “space” as the defender (if miniature figures are used). After achieving a hold on an opponent, the attacker can automatically inflict unarmed damage (as if striking with a fist), prevent a held opponent from speaking, use simple magic items such as rings, or take any other action the GM allows. The attacker may also attempt to acquire an item the opponent is holding (such as a weapon) or attempt to move the opponent (as described below). A held character may be voluntarily released whenever the attacker so desires. The attacker can’t draw or use a weapon or use a wand, staff, scroll or potion, escape another’s wrestling attack, cast a spell, or pin another character while holding an opponent. Moving the Opponent: The attacker can move up to one-half speed (bringing the defender along) with a successful attack roll, if the attacker is strong enough to carry or drag the defender. Tripping: A successful “tripping” maneuver causes the target to fall to the floor, up to five feet away in the direction desired by the attacker (this maneuver can also theoretically be used to trip someone off a ledge or into a pit, etc.). Getting up from a prone position on the floor takes a full round. Acquiring an Object: The attacker may attempt to take an item away from the defender. This requires an additional attack roll; if the roll fails, the defender may immediately attempt an attack roll (even if he or she has already attacked this round) which, if successful, results in the defender pinning the attacker; or, the defender may choose to escape instead of reversing the hold. Actions Allowed to the Defender: The target of a successful hold is usually immobile (but not helpless) at least until his or her next action, as determined by Initiative. Such characters suffer a penalty of -4 to AC against opponents other than the attacker. If the defender is significantly stronger and/or larger than the attacker, he or she may move at up to one-half speed, dragging the attacker along. On the defender's next action, he or she can try to escape the pin with a saving throw vs. Death Ray; the defender must apply the better of his or her Strength or Dexterity bonuses (or penalties) on this roll. If the escape roll succeeds, the defender finishes the action by moving into any space adjacent to the attacker. If more than one attacker has a hold on a particular defender, a successful escape roll frees the defender from just one of those attackers. Held characters may also use simple magic items such as rings. A character being held may not normally cast a spell, even if he or she has not been silenced by the attacker. Multiple Opponents: Several combatants can be involved in a wrestling match. Up to four combatants can wrestle a single opponent of normal size in a given round. Creatures that are smaller than the attacker count for half, while creatures that are larger count at least double (as determined by the GM). Note that, after an opponent is pinned, other attackers benefit from the -4 AC penalty applied to the defender. However, this AC penalty is not cumulative (that is, each successful attack does not lower the defender's AC further).It is also possible for another character to attack the attacker in an ongoing wrestling bout. In this case, a successful hold on the attacker grants the original defender a +4 bonus on subsequent escape rolls. Wrestling With Monsters: In general, the rules above can be used not only when character races wrestle but also when humanoid monsters are involved. The GM will decide whether or not to allow wrestling involving non- humanoid creatures on a case-by-case basis; if this is allowed, the following adjustments apply: Creatures with extra grasping appendages (more than the usual two) gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls or saving throws for each such appendage. This includes creatures with feet capable of grasping (such as monkeys or apes, giant spiders, etc.) Large creatures able to fly may attempt to carry off their opponents (even if the flying creature is the defender). Wrestling attacks against creatures with touch attacks (such as wights) will cause the attacker to suffer one such attack automatically every round.
