Melee Combat
Melee Combat - Player's Summary
Melee occurs when two creatures engage in hand-to-hand combat. The attacker rolls a d20 and adds the basic to hit bonus plus any strength modifier. A monster’s basic to hit bonus is equal to its total number of hit dice (a 3d8 hit dice creature adds a +3). If the total is greater than or equal to the defender’s armor class, the attacker has successfully hit the defender and inflicts damage as determined by the weapon used. Unarmed combat is a type of melee attack, but it is addressed separately below.
It is important to note that a melee attack, like the combat round and movement, is also an abstraction. Though a character usually makes only one attack per round, it should not be considered a single swing. A melee attack involves a series of parries and thrusts, along with attack and defensive maneuvers that sometimes result in damage to the defender. The damage could be from one blow or could be representative of a series of blows or fatigue.
There are many other bonuses and penalties which may affect a melee attack to hit roll. These include, but are not limited to, racial modifiers, magic weapon bonuses, class ability modifiers, spell effect modifiers, and situational modifiers.
TWO WEAPON FIGHTING
At some point, characters will attempt to fight with a weapon in both hands. This is a difficult skill to master, and it takes much experience to do it well (see the monk class). Rangers are trained to fight two handed (see Ranger class description). When using two weapons, the player must designate which hand is used for the primary attack and which is the off hand attack. Typically, this is determined by the handedness of the character, either right handed or left handed.
The character is allowed to swing with both weapons, thus gaining two attacks in a single round, but the attack with the primary hand is at -3 and the attack with the off hand is at -6. These penalties are affected by the character’s dexterity modifier. The character’s strength modifier only applies to damage inflicted.
A monk may use the two-weapon fighting rule to gain a second hand-to-hand attack before the character reaches 6th level. If the monk does so, both attacks suffer the penalties for two-weapon fighting and the secondary attack inflicts normal fist damage of 1d2 hit points. When a monk reaches 6th level, the character gains a secondary hand-to-hand attack. A monk’s secondary hand-to-hand attack ability does not suffer any penalty for two weapon fighting and it inflicts the damage in the monk special ability chart. But, if a monk at any level fights with a weapon in one hand and attacks with his other hand, whether a primary or secondary attack, the monk suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting and follows the preceding rules in this paragraph as to secondary attack damage.
DISARM
A fighter, ranger, knight, rogue, assassin, cleric, paladin and a monk with a quarterstaff can disarm an opponent. The character must successfully hit an armor class equivalent of 18 plus the hit dice or level of the defender to successfully disarm them. For example, a ranger would need to hit an armor class of 23 to disarm a 5 hit dice creature or 5th level opponent. The defender receives a dexterity bonus to this armor class, if applicable.
DODGE
In this case, a character can dodge up to three attacks in a round that originate from an attacker(s) which they are facing and are aware of. If dodging, the character sacrifices their action in that round. They do not need to roll initiative, but must announce their intention before the round begins. The character cannot attack, cast spells, move or use an ability or item. The character gains a +2 to their armor class while dodging. A character can dodge every round should they desire.
EVADE
This maneuver is a desperate attempt to avoid being hit and involves using all one’s energies to dodge and parry blows but remain engaged in combat. If evading the character sacrifices their action in that round. They do not need to roll initiative, but must announce their intention before the round begins. The character cannot attack, cast spells, move or use an ability or item. The character doing this is allowed to evade one opponent they are facing. Evade confers a +4 bonus to armor class for that round.
Attacks of Opportunity Attacks of opportunity occur when a threatened character or creature ignores the enemy next to it or turns its back on a foe. The threatening enemy gets to make an immediate melee attack (or sequence of attacks for monsters with multiple attacks) against the threatened creature. Attacks of opportunity cannot be performed with missile weapons. This is a free attack that does not take the place of any actions the threatening creature had already planned. A creature can't make more than one attack of opportunity against a single opponent in the course of a combat round, but if several enemies leave themselves open, the creature can make one free attack against each one. There is a limit to the number of attacks of opportunity a single creature may make in one round. Warriors and monsters can make three attacks of opportunity plus one per five levels or Hit Dice. All other characters can make one attack of opportunity plus one per five levels. Thirty kobolds trying to swarm past a fighter in a narrow passage will take losses, but some will still get through. Surprised characters and monsters cannot make attacks of opportunity during the round in which they are surprised.
- 1. To hit: Roll a 1d20 + character's basic to hit bonus + strength modifier + miscellaneous (e.g. magical weapon). Result must be equal or greater than the defender’s armor class.
- 2. Damage done = damage dice for weapon (e.g. 1d8) + miscellaneous (e.g. magical) + strength modifier.
- 3. Range is adjacent (5') or 10' for reach weapons. Note: even if an attacker with a 5' reach weapon wins the initiative, if he moves into melee range of an enemy with a reach of 10' or more - the enemy with the superior reach goes first - even if the enemy has a poorer initiative score.
- 4. Multiple attacks - if each of the attacks is with a different weapon (e.g. an attack from each of a ranger's two swords or the bite/right claw/left claw of a monster) then all the attacks occur at the same time (player/creature's turn in combat). If there are multiple attacks with the same weapon (e.g. an upper level fighter attacking more than once with the same sword or a monk with a quarterstaff), then one attack occurs in the initiative turn and the other at the end of the round.
- 5. Flanking and rear attacks - attacking slightly behind and to either the left or right of an opponent gives a +1 bonus to hit. Attacking from directly behind an opponent gives a +2 bonus. These bonuses apply to any attack but do not stack with bonuses available to rogues.
- 6. Two weapon/hand fighting - primary hand is -3 while the secondary hand is -6, but dexterity bonus can reduce the penalty. Rangers and unarmed monks are exempt from these penalties.
- 7. Disarm: Certain classes (see below) can attempt to disarm an opponent.
- 8. Total Defense: A character or creature may choose to concentrate totally on defense (no other actions allowed). Dodge will give a +2 AC from 3 attacks per round while Evade will give a +4 AC from 1 attacker.
Melee occurs when two creatures engage in hand-to-hand combat. The attacker rolls a d20 and adds the basic to hit bonus plus any strength modifier. A monster’s basic to hit bonus is equal to its total number of hit dice (a 3d8 hit dice creature adds a +3). If the total is greater than or equal to the defender’s armor class, the attacker has successfully hit the defender and inflicts damage as determined by the weapon used. Unarmed combat is a type of melee attack, but it is addressed separately below.
It is important to note that a melee attack, like the combat round and movement, is also an abstraction. Though a character usually makes only one attack per round, it should not be considered a single swing. A melee attack involves a series of parries and thrusts, along with attack and defensive maneuvers that sometimes result in damage to the defender. The damage could be from one blow or could be representative of a series of blows or fatigue.
There are many other bonuses and penalties which may affect a melee attack to hit roll. These include, but are not limited to, racial modifiers, magic weapon bonuses, class ability modifiers, spell effect modifiers, and situational modifiers.
TWO WEAPON FIGHTING
At some point, characters will attempt to fight with a weapon in both hands. This is a difficult skill to master, and it takes much experience to do it well (see the monk class). Rangers are trained to fight two handed (see Ranger class description). When using two weapons, the player must designate which hand is used for the primary attack and which is the off hand attack. Typically, this is determined by the handedness of the character, either right handed or left handed.
The character is allowed to swing with both weapons, thus gaining two attacks in a single round, but the attack with the primary hand is at -3 and the attack with the off hand is at -6. These penalties are affected by the character’s dexterity modifier. The character’s strength modifier only applies to damage inflicted.
A monk may use the two-weapon fighting rule to gain a second hand-to-hand attack before the character reaches 6th level. If the monk does so, both attacks suffer the penalties for two-weapon fighting and the secondary attack inflicts normal fist damage of 1d2 hit points. When a monk reaches 6th level, the character gains a secondary hand-to-hand attack. A monk’s secondary hand-to-hand attack ability does not suffer any penalty for two weapon fighting and it inflicts the damage in the monk special ability chart. But, if a monk at any level fights with a weapon in one hand and attacks with his other hand, whether a primary or secondary attack, the monk suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting and follows the preceding rules in this paragraph as to secondary attack damage.
DISARM
A fighter, ranger, knight, rogue, assassin, cleric, paladin and a monk with a quarterstaff can disarm an opponent. The character must successfully hit an armor class equivalent of 18 plus the hit dice or level of the defender to successfully disarm them. For example, a ranger would need to hit an armor class of 23 to disarm a 5 hit dice creature or 5th level opponent. The defender receives a dexterity bonus to this armor class, if applicable.
DODGE
In this case, a character can dodge up to three attacks in a round that originate from an attacker(s) which they are facing and are aware of. If dodging, the character sacrifices their action in that round. They do not need to roll initiative, but must announce their intention before the round begins. The character cannot attack, cast spells, move or use an ability or item. The character gains a +2 to their armor class while dodging. A character can dodge every round should they desire.
EVADE
This maneuver is a desperate attempt to avoid being hit and involves using all one’s energies to dodge and parry blows but remain engaged in combat. If evading the character sacrifices their action in that round. They do not need to roll initiative, but must announce their intention before the round begins. The character cannot attack, cast spells, move or use an ability or item. The character doing this is allowed to evade one opponent they are facing. Evade confers a +4 bonus to armor class for that round.
Attacks of Opportunity Attacks of opportunity occur when a threatened character or creature ignores the enemy next to it or turns its back on a foe. The threatening enemy gets to make an immediate melee attack (or sequence of attacks for monsters with multiple attacks) against the threatened creature. Attacks of opportunity cannot be performed with missile weapons. This is a free attack that does not take the place of any actions the threatening creature had already planned. A creature can't make more than one attack of opportunity against a single opponent in the course of a combat round, but if several enemies leave themselves open, the creature can make one free attack against each one. There is a limit to the number of attacks of opportunity a single creature may make in one round. Warriors and monsters can make three attacks of opportunity plus one per five levels or Hit Dice. All other characters can make one attack of opportunity plus one per five levels. Thirty kobolds trying to swarm past a fighter in a narrow passage will take losses, but some will still get through. Surprised characters and monsters cannot make attacks of opportunity during the round in which they are surprised.