Combat Rules & Rulings

As you might actually draw your weapons in anger next session, I thought I'd post a few combat related posts here. Feel free to post questions.

Remember: Not everything attacks and not everything fights to the death-- except predators. Be clever and creative.

FYI, I have this in a one-page word doc for easy printing. Let me know if you want it and I will send. Please ask for clarifications.

Once it's obvious combat commences, I will ask you to whisper your combat action for the round. In general, you can only do one thing, though you can usually take a ½ move and attack.

Combat Actions

--Cast Spell--
Must declare spell being cast, but may choose target on your turn

--Fire Missile--
Must declare missile use and any ½ move, but may choose target on your turn;
Must declare loading crossbow

--Move--
Must declare a type of movement. Examples include:
• Full move, jog (x2) or run (x4) to general location
• Flanking move vs. specific target
• Move silently attempt (d20 in the Box); ½ move to general location
• Climb attempt (d20); ½ move to general location
• Hide (d20 in the Box)

--Close to Melee--
Must declare specific target;
DM will advise if charging bonuses apply to damage (0 for ½ or full move, +1 for jog, +2 for run)

--Attack (currently engaged in melee)--
Must declare attack, but may choose target and type of attack (weapon, grapple, overbear, trip, disarm, back attack) on your turn

--Defend--
Must declare defensive action. Examples include:
• Disengage (hasty or fighting)
• Evade
• Set weapon vs. charge

--Use Item--
Must declare item used; may include ½ move if item is easily accessible

--Hold--
Must declare an action from above plus
the situation when the action should occur or
interrupt a creature with a lower initiative and perform declared act first

Shields will be splintered! is a house rule allows players to sacrifice their shield when they would otherwise suffer damage from an attack.

When a hit is rolled, the player can immediately offer up their shield to avoid taking damage from that attack. The shield is destroyed in the process.

There is a small chance that the shield both saves the damage and remains intact. The PC may make a saving throw to see if this is the case. There are rare cases when extreme failure causes the PC to take damage from the splintered shield.

If you're a spellcaster, it's still possible for you to wield a shield, but you won't be able to cast while you're using one.

If you are two-weapon fighting, you may also give up your off-hand weapon.

In cases where it will be necessary (for meta-gaming reasons) that the PCs exit a dungeon, I will invoke the Triple Random Dungeon Fate of Very Probable Doom rule from Jeff Rients. As our gaming group gets bigger, this will allow different party members to assemble, descend into the depths and return to civilization.

The idea is that if the party do not make it out of the dungeon by session's end, this will be a way for the PCs to see if they got out alive. Their fate will be determined by three separate die rolls, a 1d100, a 1d20 and a 1d6.

The first is a percentile roll, which gives a 50% chance of survival if the where the character level matches the dungeon level. Each level's difference alters the chances by 10%. A character with a greater than 100% chance to survive can share the extra points with a comrade.

If the first role fails, the player rolls a d20. The result of this roll could end up in a successful return, death, capture, or being lost in the dungeon.

Finally, a captured PC has one final chance of escaping their captors by rolling a d6 and getting a successful result.

Now that there's been more combat and a possible death, I thought I'd better talk about wounds and healing.

Unconsciousness, bleeding out and death

0 hit points-- unconscious
Once your PC is reduced to exactly 0 hit points, they fall unconscious and are incapable of further actions until their wounds are tended or healed. Their wounds will not kill them, but they will be incapacitated for 8 hours/overnight. They will regain consciousness and a limited ability to act once they've recovered at least 1 hit point.

-1 to -6 hit points; -7 to -9 hit points-- bleeding out
If your PC has -1 to -6 hit points, they are in danger of dying from their wounds if not healed or tended. They will continue to lose 1 hit point/minute (10 combat rounds) until they reach -7 hit points.

Once your PC is reduced to -7 to -9 hit points they are extreme danger of dying. If they are not healed or tended immediately, they will lose 1 hit point every 3 combat rounds until they reach -10 hit points. Your PC will also have a disfiguring injury if they recover from -7 to -9 hit points.

-10 hit points-- death

First aid, healing, rest and recovery

First Aid
Bandages (1sp) can be used to stop a PC with -1 to -9 hit points from bleeding out. The unconscious PC will not be able to recover any further hit points from additional first aid.

For PCs that are wounded, but have ≥0 hit points they may use bandages to bind their wounds and recover 1d2 hit points per combat.

Bandages do not take up much space, so it could be useful to have a reasonable number on hand.

In some cases, a cleric may be able to provide a special kind of first aid which will stop a PC from bleeding out, but will not help them recover hit points.

Healing
Clerics may be able to provide healing. An unconscious character must be brought to 1 hit point before additional healing can be applied.

It may be possible to locate natural, folk, alchemical or magical healing. In some cases, the remedies may be portable.

Rest
For every 8 hours spent resting, it's possible to recover 1+CON hit points.