Situational Modifiers to Combat
Summary:
SITUATIONAL MODIFIERS
Situational modifiers are somewhat nebulous and, for the most part, those that the Castle Keeper deems appropriate. There are often situations for which it is impossible to set a rule, or would involve such complex rules as to fill up an entire tome. In these instances, the Castle Keeper must use reason, common sense or narrative development to determine what modifier is applied to the to hit roll. For example, should a fighter, after a long night of carousing, be swinging across a crowded tavern clinging to a fraying rope with one hand and a sword in the other, decide to take a swing at a plump gnome merchant as he passes over it, the Castle Keeper must decide upon the appropriate modifier to the to hit roll (or an attribute check to determine if it is even possible to make the attack). In general, combat to hit modifiers can be broken down into three categories: easy, difficult and heroic. For tasks that are easy, up to a +/-5 modifier should be imposed. Difficult tasks would range from +/- 6 to 10, and heroic acts would range from +/- 11 or above. The instance described above may seem ridiculous, but players attempt all manner of actions with their characters - something which should be encouraged. However, the Castle Keeper is left with the task of deciding the modifier to be applied to a situation. What the fighter in the example above is attempting is not heroic, but it most certainly is not easy. In this instance, the Castle Keeper should probably err on the high side of difficult since the fighter is inebriated. A -10 to the attack roll would not be unreasonable. Some situational modifiers can be applied with regularity. These are listed below and can be used to help in making decisions about other unusual situations. Concealment includes those circumstances where nothing physically blocks an attack, but there is something that interferes with the attacker’s accuracy. The other modifiers should be self explanatory. The modifiers are cumulative. In all instances, attackers must know of a defender’s presence, though not their exact location. Also, the Castle Keeper should add to this list and keep track of decisions which are made in the game in order that they can be made with some regularity and consistency.
Cover:
The following chart gives AC adjustments for concealment/soft cover and hard cover. Soft cover makes the target harder to see but does not stop arrows whereas hard cover offers both concealment and stops projectiles. Note: these adjustments apply to a target behind cover but can also apply to a target's AC in a clear area with the attacker in cover (e.g. an attacker concealed behind light brush - 1/2 cover can have his/her projectile deflected). Also, if an attacker in full cover cannot see the target….. The following chart addresses cover where the attacker knows the defender is there (e.g. a defender at +4AC because his lower body is hidden by a stone wall or a wizard cowering behind a large tree at +10AC - you know he's there but cannot see him. See situational modifiers for 'larger cover'. Melee cover is a different situation. Usually the opponents are close enough that the cover does not apply (e.g. both on the same side of the stone wall) or the cover applies to both (either side of a large tree or both hampered by dense brush).
COVER AC ADJUSTMENT - SOFT AC ADJUSTMENT - HARD
1/4 cover +1 AC +2 AC
1/2 cover +2 AC +4 AC
3/4 cover +3 AC +6 AC
Full cover +5 AC +10 AC
Situational modifiers:
Use common sense here. Most of these modifiers apply just to ranged combat. Again, common sense! Fog will hamper aiming; but if you're close enough for melee…. It will take near darkness to hamper melee…. To sum up, anything that hampers the attacker's ability to aim or the smooth passage of the weapon/projectile will decrease the chance to hit (i.e. increase the defender's AC). Likewise, anything that hampers the defender's ability to dodge will increase the chance for the projectile/weapon to hit the defender.
SITUATIONAL COMBAT MODIFIERS TO ATTACKER'S "TO HIT"
Defender sitting or kneeling -1 (range)
Defender prone -2 (range)
Defender prone or blind +5 (melee)
Defender prone and defenseless +10 (melee)
Defender at a higher elevation -1
Defender at lower elevation +1
Defender stunned or cowering +2
Defender invisible or attacker blind –10
Melee attack from mount or unstable platform –2
Ranged attack from mount or unstable platform –4
Defender 1/4 concealed* (light fog) –2
Defender 1/2 concealed* (dense fog) –4
Defender 3/4 concealed*(near darkness) –6
Defender completely concealed* –10
*These concealment penalties to hit apply to the overall situation - i.e. the attacker does not know the location of the enemy. So, an enemy in dense fog (-4 to hit) is in a general location (glimpses in the fog); but would effectively become -2 to hit (+2AC in soft cover) if the attacker knows the defender's location (e.g. very near the corner of the building, easier to hit but still not as easy as 'normal' conditions).
- 1. Situational modifiers are anything that hampers the attacker's ability to aim or the smooth passage of the weapon/projectile will decrease the chance to hit (i.e. increase the defender's AC).
- 2. Likewise, anything that hampers the defender's ability to dodge will increase the chance for the projectile/weapon to hit the defender.
- 3. Often the situation will affect melee differently than range combat (e.g. light fog is a bit of an issue for a long range bow shot but not for a sword thrust!).
- 4. Use common sense and your brain. Your DM told you that your character is in a large dining hall. It is up to you to ask (Are there tables with thick tops that can be tipped over?) and to utilize them for cover. Look for any advantage and utilize it to modify your chance for success/advantage and the other side's chance for failure/disadvantage. The monsters will…. Below are just some possibilities.
SITUATIONAL MODIFIERS
Situational modifiers are somewhat nebulous and, for the most part, those that the Castle Keeper deems appropriate. There are often situations for which it is impossible to set a rule, or would involve such complex rules as to fill up an entire tome. In these instances, the Castle Keeper must use reason, common sense or narrative development to determine what modifier is applied to the to hit roll. For example, should a fighter, after a long night of carousing, be swinging across a crowded tavern clinging to a fraying rope with one hand and a sword in the other, decide to take a swing at a plump gnome merchant as he passes over it, the Castle Keeper must decide upon the appropriate modifier to the to hit roll (or an attribute check to determine if it is even possible to make the attack). In general, combat to hit modifiers can be broken down into three categories: easy, difficult and heroic. For tasks that are easy, up to a +/-5 modifier should be imposed. Difficult tasks would range from +/- 6 to 10, and heroic acts would range from +/- 11 or above. The instance described above may seem ridiculous, but players attempt all manner of actions with their characters - something which should be encouraged. However, the Castle Keeper is left with the task of deciding the modifier to be applied to a situation. What the fighter in the example above is attempting is not heroic, but it most certainly is not easy. In this instance, the Castle Keeper should probably err on the high side of difficult since the fighter is inebriated. A -10 to the attack roll would not be unreasonable. Some situational modifiers can be applied with regularity. These are listed below and can be used to help in making decisions about other unusual situations. Concealment includes those circumstances where nothing physically blocks an attack, but there is something that interferes with the attacker’s accuracy. The other modifiers should be self explanatory. The modifiers are cumulative. In all instances, attackers must know of a defender’s presence, though not their exact location. Also, the Castle Keeper should add to this list and keep track of decisions which are made in the game in order that they can be made with some regularity and consistency.
Cover:
The following chart gives AC adjustments for concealment/soft cover and hard cover. Soft cover makes the target harder to see but does not stop arrows whereas hard cover offers both concealment and stops projectiles. Note: these adjustments apply to a target behind cover but can also apply to a target's AC in a clear area with the attacker in cover (e.g. an attacker concealed behind light brush - 1/2 cover can have his/her projectile deflected). Also, if an attacker in full cover cannot see the target….. The following chart addresses cover where the attacker knows the defender is there (e.g. a defender at +4AC because his lower body is hidden by a stone wall or a wizard cowering behind a large tree at +10AC - you know he's there but cannot see him. See situational modifiers for 'larger cover'. Melee cover is a different situation. Usually the opponents are close enough that the cover does not apply (e.g. both on the same side of the stone wall) or the cover applies to both (either side of a large tree or both hampered by dense brush).
COVER AC ADJUSTMENT - SOFT AC ADJUSTMENT - HARD
1/4 cover +1 AC +2 AC
1/2 cover +2 AC +4 AC
3/4 cover +3 AC +6 AC
Full cover +5 AC +10 AC
Situational modifiers:
Use common sense here. Most of these modifiers apply just to ranged combat. Again, common sense! Fog will hamper aiming; but if you're close enough for melee…. It will take near darkness to hamper melee…. To sum up, anything that hampers the attacker's ability to aim or the smooth passage of the weapon/projectile will decrease the chance to hit (i.e. increase the defender's AC). Likewise, anything that hampers the defender's ability to dodge will increase the chance for the projectile/weapon to hit the defender.
SITUATIONAL COMBAT MODIFIERS TO ATTACKER'S "TO HIT"
Defender sitting or kneeling -1 (range)
Defender prone -2 (range)
Defender prone or blind +5 (melee)
Defender prone and defenseless +10 (melee)
Defender at a higher elevation -1
Defender at lower elevation +1
Defender stunned or cowering +2
Defender invisible or attacker blind –10
Melee attack from mount or unstable platform –2
Ranged attack from mount or unstable platform –4
Defender 1/4 concealed* (light fog) –2
Defender 1/2 concealed* (dense fog) –4
Defender 3/4 concealed*(near darkness) –6
Defender completely concealed* –10
*These concealment penalties to hit apply to the overall situation - i.e. the attacker does not know the location of the enemy. So, an enemy in dense fog (-4 to hit) is in a general location (glimpses in the fog); but would effectively become -2 to hit (+2AC in soft cover) if the attacker knows the defender's location (e.g. very near the corner of the building, easier to hit but still not as easy as 'normal' conditions).