Chapter 8: Combat :: Combat Modifiers

Fighting Defensively

Defensive Fighting Mode

When being attacked by a stronger opponent or when the characters health is at a concerning level, the player can opt to fight defensively. Doing this removes all offensive actions and movement and must be announced at the beginning of the turn. Fighting defensively will add a +10 to the defenders AC, however, the defender must have at least two hexes adjacent to its position to move to during the attack, if there is only a single open hex, the defender may only add a +5 to AC. If there are no adjacent hexes the character must drop into a parry mode instead. A defensively fighting character is also immune to flanking attacks, considering the character is assumed to be moving rapidly from hex to hex and constantly changing direction. A character may attempt to move through the attackers hex to take a position on the opposite side of the attacker, if this is done the defender must make a tumble check with the DC being the attackers full attack roll. If the defender makes the check, then the attacker will lose all attacks but one. If the defender fails, then the attacker may use all attacks at the defender’s normal armor class. During an attack the defender will move to an adjacent un-occupied hex, the attacker will follow, this will continue until the defender runs out of hexes, at which point the defender will either return to normal attack mode, or drop into parry mode.

Parry Mode

In this mode the defender uses weapons to deflect incoming attacks. The defender one attack per attack the defender has this round. An example, if the defender has normally 3 attacks per round, then the defender may attempt to parry three attacks this round. In parry mode the defender gains a +2 to armor class and can chose to parry attacks from a certain melee attacker or from all melee attackers. To parry, the defender will make an attack roll using base attack + dexterity bonus + dodge AC bonus, if this roll is equal to or higher than the attackers roll then the attack is swept aside and the defender takes no damage. If the defenders roll is 5+ the attacker roll, then the defender may take a single attack (reprise attack) with a -2 penalty against the same target.

The Parring Dagger

Using a parring dagger grants the user a +1 to AC and allows the defender to parry a single incoming attack that would normally hit the defenders AC. The parry chance is the same as with parry mode, and includes the reprise attack. Using the parry dagger does to grant an additional attack per round, but requires two weapon fighting.

The blade breaker dagger

This parring dagger can on a critical parry (rolling a critical threat for the dagger while parring) can break a normal bladed weapon. A magical weapon gains an object saving throw, if it fails the magical weapon breaks.

Verses Ranged Attacks

Fighting defensively or attempting to use parry verses ranged attacks is hard to do. The defender will only receive half of the ac bonus gained while fighting defensively and will be at a -4 to parry the first ranged attack, -6 for the second -8 for the third and -10 for a fourth, if the defender has that many attacks per round. Synergy: For every five points in tumble the defender gains and additional +1 to AC while in defensive fighting mode verse ranged attacks.

Verses Ranged Touch Attacks

Fighting defensively will also grant a +5 to ac verses range touch attacks. The defender must be aware of the attack and focus the attention on the spellcaster, this will open the defender to flanking attacks. Synergy: For every 5 points in tumbling the defender may add a +1 to the armor class verse the touch attack.