Combat Maneuvers

Each character and creature has a Combat Maneuver Bonus (or CMB) that represents its skill at performing combat maneuvers. A creature’s CMB is determined using the following formula:

CMB = Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + special size modifier + talents + misc modifiers

Creatures that are size Tiny or smaller use their Dexterity modifier in place of their Strength modifier to determine their CMB. The special size modifier for a creature’s Combat Maneuver Bonus is as follows:

• Fine –8
• Diminutive –4
• Tiny –2
• Small –1
• Medium +0
• Large +1
• Huge +2
• Gargantuan +4
• Colossal +8

Some talents and abilities grant a bonus to your CMB when performing specific maneuvers.

When performing a combat maneuver, you must use an action appropriate to the maneuver you are attempting to perform. By default a combat maneuver requires a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

There are some talents that change this into a Half Action that can often be performed in place of a normal melee attack, apart of a charge action, or as an Attack of Opportunity.

When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver:

• Make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus.
• Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, talents, and other effects.
• These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver.
• The DC of this maneuver is your target’s Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD).
• Combat maneuvers are attack rolls, so you must roll for concealment and take any other penalties that would normally apply to an attack roll.

Each character and creature has a Combat Maneuver Defense (or CMD) that represents its ability to resist combat maneuvers. A creature’s CMD is determined using the following formula:

CMD = 10 + Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + Dexterity modifier + special size modifier + miscellaneous modifiers

The special size modifier for a creature’s Combat Maneuver Defense is as follows:

• Fine –16
• Diminutive –8
• Tiny –4
• Small –2
• Medium +0
• Large +2
• Huge +4
• Gargantuan +8
• Colossal +16

Some talents and abilities grant a bonus to your CMD when resisting specific maneuvers.

A creature can also add any circumstance, talent, dodge, condition,te and sacred bonuses to AC to its CMD. Any penalties to AC also apply to CMD. A flat-footed creature does not add its Dexterity bonus to CMD.

If your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s CMD, your maneuver is a success and has the listed effect. Some maneuvers, such as bull rush, have varying levels of success depending on how much your attack roll exceeds the target’s CMD.

• Rolling a natural 20 while attempting a combat maneuver is treat similar to a critical hit and adds an additional +5 to the total results. (except when attempting to escape from bonds).
• Rolling a natural 1 is treated similar to a critical failure and provides a -5 to the net results.