Combat

Combat is cyclical; everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle of rounds. Combat follows this sequence, until combat ends:

1. When combat begins, all combatants roll initiative.
2. Combatants act in initiative order (highest to lowest).
3. When everyone has had a turn, the next round begins with the combatant with the highest initiative, and step 2 repeats until combat ends.

A Combat Turn lasts for 6 seconds of time in game. That means there are 10 rounds per minute. The character with the highest initiative roll takes their turn first and then proceed in order. (Sometimes an effect will increase or decrease initiative rolls. This effect can change the initiative order and is immediately calculated if combat is already initiated.) Once it is a characters turn they must take their turn. A turn is limited to a single characters initiative pass, while a round is a full initiative cycle starting from highest to lowest. There are a few actions that can be taken outside of the characters turn, such as immediate actions and Attacks of Opprotunity.

At the start of any combat encounter, or when starting a fight of any kind, an Initiative check is required to participate in the comabt. (Forfeiting an Initiative check mean a character is not participating in the combat. This does not mean they cannot be targetted, but often bystandards wild flee or remain as curious onlookers in the event of many brawls.) An Initiative check is a Dexterirty check + any misc or Talent based bonus. Characters act in order of highest check to lowest. After the character with the lowest Initiative check ends their turn their turn the round of combat ends and begins again starting from the highest. This cycle continues until combat is resolved. If two characters are tied for highest initiative a series of tie breakers are used. If any ties remain continue down the chain- The character with the higher Dex goes first > Higher of Wisdom > Higher number of Hero Points > flip a coin.

In the event not everyone is aware of opponents participating in combat then those characters should not roll to join iniative until they are ware of danager. This does not mean an invisible or concealed enemy prevents an opponent from join initiative. Once a character beleives they are in combat they act in initiative.

An attack roll represents your attempt to strike your opponent on your turn in a round. When you make an attack roll, you roll a d20 and add your attack bonus. (Other modifiers may also apply to this roll.) If your result equals or beats the target’s Armor Class, you hit and deal damage. A natural 1 on the roll applies an automatic -5 to the attack, while a natural 20 results in a +5 on the result.

Any attack that involves a to hit roll and inflicts HP damage has to potential to Critically hit. On the roll of a natural 20 first this grants a +5 on the roll, just as any other time a natural 20 is rolled. The attacker then rolls to confirm the Critical hit. They roll the attack again at all the same bonuses, if it hits they Confirm the Critical Hit. There are two options when determining what a critical hit does and you may choose one of them upon confirming…

• Double Damage: You roll any damage dice twice as well as double any bonus added to the roll (from strength for example). All enchantment bonuses are also doubled in this.
• Go to Wounds: Instead of doubling damage you may inflict normal damage, but it goes straight to to Wounds. Unless the attack was specifically aimed, this damage goes to the Body

Some weapons have a higher chance to score a critical hit, represented by the Critical Range of a weapon. If a weapon as a critical Range of 19-20, this means it can score a critical on the natural roll of a 19 or 20. No attack can ever have a critical range lower then 15.

In addition most weapons will have a critical multiplier listed next to the Critical Range. the standard is x2, which means they use the rolls presented above. However for weapons with x3 and x4, use the below rules.

• Triple Damage: You roll any damage dice three times as well as triple any bonus added to the roll (from strength for example). All enchantment bonuses are also tripled in this.
• Go to Wounds: Instead of tripling damage you may inflict double damage (like base critical hit rules), but it goes straight to to Wounds.

• Quadruple Damage: You roll any damage dice four times as well as quadruple any bonus added to the roll (from strength for example). All enchantment bonuses are also quadruple in this.
• Go to Wounds: Instead of quadrupling damage you may inflict triple damage (like base x3 rules above), but it goes straight to to Wounds.

If another natural 20 is rolled when confirming a critical hit, the player (Not normally available to npcs or monsters) may roll to see if its an Instant Kill. if the player rolls another natural 20 then the target is instantly slain with no save, gaining the Dead condition.

Attacking an enemy usually involves spending your Half Action to attempt to hit the enemy's Armor Class. To attack, roll 1d20 and add your relevant Ability Score Modifier (typically STR or DEX), your Base Attack Bonus, and any miscellaneous bonuses (for example, if your weapon is magical or of exceptional craftsmanship, you receive a bonus to the roll from it). If your check meets or exceeds the enemy's Armor Class, you hit them successfully, and may roll damage.

Damage is typically the Damage Dice of the weapon you are using (for example, a Longsword deals 1d8 points of damage), plus your STR modifier.

All Armor provides an Armor Class (AC) Bonus, which provides a flat numerical bonus against enemy attack rolls. Some attack rolls are capable of penetrating your Armor Class, striking directly against your Touch AC. Such attacks are usually magical.

Total Defense is an action you can take in combat, by spending a Half Action. Doing so grants you a +4 bonus to your AC until the beginning of your next turn. You cannot make attacks of opportunity whilst in Total Defense, and you must spend additional Half Actions to maintain it for following rounds. You can't combine Total Defense with Defensive Fighting, or any Combat Stances or Styles.

Any attack made against a character wearing a shield allows the shield-wearer to attempt to Parry the incoming attack: the shield-wearer may make an opposed attack roll against their attacker - if he meets or exceeds the enemy attack roll, they successfully deflect the attack using the shield. A shield may be used to attempt to deflect a number of attacks per turn equal to its Parry Bonus. When a shield is used to successfully deflect an attack, the shield takes the damage in place of its wielder, so more brittle shields may not last very long! Parries require quick reflexes, and thus your Armor Check Penalty applies to Parry attempts.

Most damage falls into one of two broad damage types. There are always unique cases where damage cannot be categorized as Energy or Physical. Often damage is hybrid and a mix of 2 or more damage types. When a damage source has multiple sources it is treated as each type at once for all purposes. Often Damage is increased or decreased based on a targets defensive abilities. (If Garry using fire damages against foe with Fire Resistance; the damage will be reduced based on the foes defensive ability.)

• Energy Damage - There are two sub-categories for Energy, Aligned and Elemental.
• Physical Damage - The three main types of Physical damage are bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing.

If your attack succeeds, you deal damage. The type of weapon used determines the amount of damage you deal.

Damage reduces a target’s current hit points.

If penalties reduce the damage result to less than 1, a hit still deals 1 point of nonlethal damage.

Many weapons add damage based on a characters Ability bonus. Most often this is Strength or Dexterity, however many Talents and weapon Traits can change this.

• When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon, add your Strength modifier to the damage result, by default.

• When you deal damage with a light weapon in your 1/2 your Ability bonus.
• If you have a Strength penalty, the entire penalty applies.

• When wielding a weapon two-handed, add 1-1/2 times your Ability bonus (Strength penalties are not multiplied).
• You do not get this higher bonus when using light weapons with two hands.

Sometimes you multiply damage (e.g., on a critical hit).

• Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results.

Note: When multiplying damage more than once, each multiplier uses the original, unmultiplied damage. For example, doubling damage twice results in three times normal damage.

Exception: Extra damage dice (beyond the weapon’s normal damage) are never multiplied.

Weapons are classified by the type of damage they deal:

• B – Bludgeoning
• P – Piercing
• S – Slashing

Some monsters may be resistant or immune to certain types of damage.

Weapons may deal multiple damage types:

• If a weapon deals two types of damage, all damage is treated as being of both types.
  • Example: A weapon that deals B/S damage is considered fully bludgeoning and slashing — not half of each.
  • A creature must be immune to both types to ignore the damage completely.

• Some weapons can deal either of two types of damage.
  • In such cases, the wielder may choose which type to deal when it matters.

Certain creatures and magical effects can cause temporary or permanent ability damage (a reduction to an ability score).

Damage (That's a lot of damage!)

ⁱ Add +2 Hardness for each +1 enhancement bonus.
² HP values are for Medium-sized items. Divide/multiply for different sizes.
³ Add 10 HP for each +1 enhancement bonus.
⁴ Varies by material; see Substance Hardness and Hit Points.

*Condition DC Adjustments: Hold portal (+5), Arcane lock (+10); use the higher value if both apply.

You can smash or break an object with a weapon or sheer strength.

• Use the sunder maneuver with a weapon.
• Combat maneuver check is opposed by the object’s AC.

• AC = 10 + size modifier + Dexterity modifier (usually –5) – 2 penalty
• Full-round aiming: automatic melee hit or +5 to ranged attack

• Represents how much damage is resisted.
• Subtract hardness from each damage instance.
• Only excess damage is subtracted from HP.

• Depends on material and size.
• Damage ≥ 50% HP: broken condition
• HP = 0: destroyed

• Ineffective Weapons: Some weapons cannot damage certain objects
• Immunities: Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and most critical hits
• Magical Items: +1 enhancement = +2 Hardness, +10 HP
• Vulnerabilities: Some attacks deal double damage and ignore hardness
• Damaged Objects: Still function (with broken condition) until 0 HP; can be repaired via Craft or spells (e.g., *make whole*, *mending*)

• Magical Items: Always allowed; save bonus = 2 + 1/2 caster level
• Unattended Non-Magic Items: No saving throws; always fail
• Attended Items: Use owner's save bonus unless otherwise stated

• Use creature rules for Armor Class

• Use Strength check (not damage)
• DC based on construction, not hardness
• Broken condition lowers DC by 2
• Size bonuses/penalties:

• Fine –16
• Diminutive –12
• Tiny –8
• Small –4
• Large +8
• Huge +16
• Gargantuan +24
• Colossal +32

Tools: Crowbar or ram improve checks (see Equipment)

Energy Damage is a broad term used to describe most non-physical attacks. Fire and Cold are the most common forms of naturally occurring sources, while a acidic pool or lightning strike would be examples of Electrical or Acid damage. There are many types of less natural types as well.

• Acid
• Electricity
• Fire
• Cold
• Sonic

• Anarchic
• Axiomatic
• Holy
• Primal
• Unholy

When a character is subject to a damage-dealing effect, the effect first depletes the character's Hit Points, which are determined by their Hit Dice, Bonus HP and their Constitution modifier. A character's Hit Points restore hourly, of an amount equal to their total Hit Dice plus their Constitution modifier. If a character's Hit Points reach 0, or if the character is subject to a critical hit, they instead take Wound Damage.

Barrier represents a “shield” of HP which mitigates damage. Barriers are typically a small amount of mitigation, and any excess damage applies to your HP or Wounds as normal. Barrier absorbs damage before your HP or Wounds, until the Barrier is depleted. Certain effects may still bypass Barrier. Barrier effects do not stack - the highest Barrier overwrites any others.

Barriers are represented by two factors - their strength, and their total amount. For example, a Barrier with a strength of 10 and a total of 100 would block up to 10 damage per attack or otherwise damage-inflicting effect, until 100 total points of damage have been blocked. This is typically illustrated as Barrier 10/100.

Shell operates similarly to Barrier, with some key differences. Shell provides a large amount of mitigation, which absorbs damage before affecting your HP or Wounds. Unlike Barrier, Shell does not have a strength factor - a Shell of 50 will absorb 50 damage in one go, if necessary. However, once Shell is used, it's gone. Additionally, Shell typically lasts for just one round, unless stated otherwise. Shell does not stack with Shell - the highest one overwrites.

As mentioned in the previous Tip. Whenever a creature moves through your threatened area, they risk provoking an Attack of Opportunity from you. You may make a number of Attacks of Opportunity each round equal to 1 + your Dexterity modifier (minimum 0), and you may gain further Attacks of Opportunity by selecting the Combat Reflexes Universal Talent.

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Some effects don't directly target your armor or shield, but your physical or mental fortitude, or your reaction speed. For such dangers, you roll a Saving Throw to mitigate or to entirely avoid the effects. The Saving Throws are:

• Fortitude (CON) is typically for bodily dangers, such as disease and poison
• Reflex (WIS) is typically for getting out of the way of danger, such as falling rocks or dodging a slow-moving projectile
• Will (CHA) is typically for mental dangers, such as hostile magic spells trying to take over your character's mind

You possess two inherent adjustments to your Saving Throws - Base Saves and Ability Score Adjustments. Your base saves are determined by your Hit Dice (see below). At character creation, you choose two Saving Throws as your good saves, and one as your bad save. This provides you with a flat scaling bonus to your Saving Throws based upon the number of Hit Die you possess. See the Hit Dice page for more information on this scaling.

In addition, you add your relevant Ability Score Modifier to each Saving Throw, to determine your total bonus. When making a Saving Throw, roll 1d20 and add your total bonus (Base Save + Ability Score Modifier).

During one turn, there are a wide variety of actions that your character can perform, from swinging a sword to casting a spell.

Below is a list of all actions, and their common uses, in order of duration (from highest to lowest).

• Full Action - This action type uses your two Half Actions for the turn to produce a powerful effect. This action type is commonly used for a Full Attack (see Combat).
• Half Action - This is the most common action type. Making a single attack, moving up to your speed, casting a spell, drinking a potion, and other common activities in combat are usually Half Actions.
• Swift - A bonus action, usually used for unique Talents and certain spells.

• Free - As the name implies, these actions are completely free, and you may usually take as many free actions as you wish per turn, at GM discretion.
• Immediate - A special action type that takes place outside of your turn, at any point during combat. Using an Immediate Action takes your Swift Action from the following turn.

Each round a character gets two half actions and one swift action by default. Only one spell or spell-like ability may be cast per turn if it requires a half action.

A half action allows you to do something, most commonly to make an attack, move up to your speed, cast a spell, or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time (see Chart 1-1).

A full-round action generally consumes all your effort during a round. To use a full-round action you must expend two half actions.

Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. Reasonable limits apply, as determined by the GM.

A swift action consumes a very small amount of time but represents a greater expenditure of effort than a free action. You may perform only one swift action per turn.

An immediate action functions like a swift action but may be performed at any time, even when it is not your turn. This expends your next turn’s swift action.

Some activities are so minor they are not considered actions at all. They take no time and are treated as part of another action, such as nocking an arrow as part of making a ranged attack.

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All characters possess a number of Wound Points for each part of their body. The Head, Legs, and Arms are all referred to as Limbs, and the Body possesses its own separate Wound pool as well. An attacker may target a specific Limb by taking a -4 penalty on their attack roll. An attack that is not specifically targeted affects the body (this includes damage-dealing effects without an attack roll involved, such as a Fireball). If a character reaches -1 or fewer Wound points on a limb or body they gain the Dying condition

Wounds may only be restored through specific means. Unlike Hitpoints, which are typically healed through all kinds of methods such as Cure spells, Wounds may only be restored in following ways:

• Surgery: This is the way nonmagical folk handle their injuries. To perform surgery, you must roll a Heal check against a DC as shown in the table below, and use a Surgery Kit. Surgery takes 5 hours of work, though this takes 1 less hour for every 5 by which you exceed the Heal DC. Performing surgery successfully restores Wounds equal to 2x the creature's Hit Dice. Typically, surgery must be performed by another creature, but the injured creature may perform surgery on themselves by adding 10 to the Heal check DC.

• Magic: Cure Critical Wounds provides a one-off 2d8 restoration of the creatures wounds. This special use of the spell takes 1 hour to cast, and may only be used once per full recovery, meaning that until a creature's Wounds are fully restored, they may not benefit from this spell a second time during their recovery period.
• Rest: Plain old rest is a way to naturally recover Wound damage. For every 8 hours which you rest in bed and do absolutely nothing else, you restore Wounds equal to your Hit Die.

Resistances come in a few forms that act to prevent damage from happening or having a full effect. Some of these forms of Resistance include: Damage Reduction, Invulnerability, Indestructible, Spell Resistance or Energy Resistance. If two seperate types of Resistant would apply to the same source of damage you do not reduce the damage twice and only apply the higher of the bonuses.

The most common Resistance is Damage Reduction (DR). Damage Reduction reduces all damage taken by the amount listed. Normally specific kinds of damage ignore Damage Reduction. Example: DR 10/Magic would mean any damage taken is reduced by 10 except for magical damage sources. This means a non-magic weapons would be reduced but a enchanted weapon would overcome the DR. Some special Damage Types or Abilities overcome DR innately, such as Force damage or the Smite ability.

Energy Resistance provices flat resistance to specific forms of elemental or aligned energy damage. Example: Fire Resistance 20, would reduce any Fire damage take by 20. (Technically, Resistance can be applied to any damage type but most often it is Energy Resistance. Physical Damage resistence it very rare.)

Invulnerability (or Immunity) makes a character entirely immune to a specified damage type. While very rare there are some creatures that are entirely immune to some damage types. Example: Invulnerability Holy would prevent any damage from a Holy source. (It is often applied to creatures so innately tied to the energy)

Indestructible is the rarest form of Resistance due to how powerful it is. Often it is not innate to the creature or has some kind of “off switch”. A creature with Indestructible cannot be damaged outside of the listed damage type; no amount of damage can overcome Indestructible outside of the weakness. Example: Indestructible Cold, would prevent every time of damage aside from Cold damage type.

Spell Resistance (SR) is the extraordinary ability to avoid being affected by spells. Some spells can also grant spell resistance.

To affect a creature that has SR, a spellcaster must make a caster level check:

• `1d20 + caster level`
• The result must be equal to or greater than the target's Spell Resistance.

SR functions like an Armor Class against magical attacks. If the caster fails the check, the spell has no effect.

The creature does not need to take any action to use SR. It operates automatically, even if the creature is unaware of the threat.

• Only spells and spell-like abilities are subject to SR.
• Extraordinary and supernatural abilities (e.g., enhancement bonuses on magic weapons) are not affected by SR.
• Some spells explicitly bypass spell resistance — see below.

A creature can have some abilities that are subject to SR and others that are not.

A creature can voluntarily lower its SR as a standard action (does not provoke an attack of opportunity). Once lowered, SR remains down until the creature’s next turn.

• At the start of the next turn, SR automatically returns.
• The creature can choose to keep it down, which is another standard action.

• A creature’s SR does not interfere with its own spells, items, or abilities.
• SR cannot be shared by touch or proximity.
• Only rare creatures and specific magic items can grant SR to others.
• Spell resistance does not stack — use the highest value.

Each spell has an entry that indicates whether SR applies.

In general, whether SR applies depends on what the spell does.

Below are a list of all body parts that possess a Wound pool, their Wound total, and the effects from that part being damaged.

• Head: The Head possesses Wound Points equal to your Constitution score.
  • When under 50% Wounds on Head, Initial: Blinded for one round, afterwards Impaired till healed.
  • If the Head reaches 0 Wounds, the character is Dying. If the Head equals a number of negative Wounds equal to or exceeding the character's Constitution score, the character dies gaining the Dead condition.

• Arms: An Arm has Wound Points equal to your Constitution score.
  • Under 50% wounds on Arm, Initial: Drops any held item in that arm, -4 on any attacks made with just that arm, or -2 on any attacks using both arms till healed.
  • If the Arm reaches 0 or less Wounds, it ceases to function, and the character drops any items held in that Arm. If the Arm equals of a number of negative Wound Points equal to or exceeding the character's Constitution score, the Arm is severed off, or otherwise permanently unusable.

• Legs: A Leg possesses Wound Points equal to your Constitution score.
  • Under 50% wounds on Leg, Initial: Immobilized for one round, afterwards Hindered till healed.
  • If the Leg reaches 0 or less Wounds, it ceases to function, halving the move speed of the creature (if bipedal). If the Leg reaches negative Wounds equal to or exceeding the character's Constitution score, the Leg is severed off, or otherwise permanently unusable. If both legs are 0 or less Wounds, the character may only crawl, at a static 5 ft. of movement per Move Action.

• Body: The Body possesses Wounds equal to twice the character's Constitution score.
  • Under 50% wounds on Body, Initial: Stunned for one round, afterwards Fatigued till healed.
  • If the Body reaches 0 Wounds, the character is Dying. If the Body equals a number of negative Wounds equal to or exceeding the character's Constitution score,they gain the Dead condition

Rather then losing a limb when it reaches negative wounds, a character may instead gain a Permanent Injury to that location, or spend a Hero Point to prevent the limbs permanent loss. When either of these options are chosen the limb is restored to -1 wounds and the character loses the dying condition

When a character receives a permanent injury there is no way to heal it outside of spending magical or mundane resources and time. This requires a Heal Check DC 25 and a week of effort (Only an hour each day). However keep track of all Permanent Injuries a character receives, as each one (regardless if its been healed or not) increases the DC by 5. Some injuries are more difficult to heal or require special procedures or parts. Each injury will list the average TU required to mend.

When a character receives a Permanent Injury roll a d4 for the respective limb hit.

Head

1. Brain Damage: Character's mind is addled from the brutal head injury. When trying to recall details or rolling Knowledge Skills, flip a coin. If Heads the character remembers things correctly, if Tails some details are wrong. If this injury is gained again the character falls into a coma and can not be woken until one of the Brain Damage injuries are healed Requires 40 TU in Magical Or Alchemy parts to mend.
2. Lost Ear: One of the Characters ears are sheered off causing hearing damage and leaving a nasty scar. when the character makes a perception check based on hearing, flip a coin, if Heads there is no penalty, if tails they take a -10 on the check. If actively Perceiving, there is no coin flip. They may also take penalties to social checks from the disfigurement. If this injury gained again the character is now Deaf. Requires 30 TU in Magical or Alchemy parts to mend, or a prosthetic worth 30 TU
3. Lost Eye: The character loses an eye. This makes them look far more badass but hurts depth perception. When making Perception checks based on sight, flip a coin, if heads they take no penalty, if Tails they take a -10 on the check. If actively Perceiving, there is no coin flip. They may also gain bonus on social checks with pirates or other cool people, while others may look down on them as a disfigured cyclops. If this injury is gained again the character is Blind. Requires 40 TU in Magical or Alchemy to mend, or a prosthetic worth 40 TU
4. Mangled Face: The characters face is horribly mangled. While their senses are mostly unaffected, its painful and hard to look at. Any social tests may take a penalty up to -10 based on the targets bias. The scars are also very painful and result in the character being uncomfortable often. Flip a coin at the start of each day, if Heads the pain is manageable, if Tails, the character is Winded until the next day. If this injury is gained again the character dies. A heal Check DC 20 can mitigate the pain, but takes 15 minutes of work. Requires 40 TU in Magical or Alchemy parts to mend.

Body

1. Destroyed Lung: One of the Character's lungs are destroyed. Whenever the character would roll against Fatigue or Exhaustion of any kind they take a -4 on the check. Gaining this injury again results in the character dying from lack of air until it is resolved. Requires 40 TU in Magical or Alchemy parts to mend, or a prosthetic worth 40 TU
2. Massive Organ Damage The character's internal organs are a scrambled mess. This causes constant pain and the Character is Winded at all times unless a Heal check DC 20 is made each day to mitigate the pain. This check requires 30 minutes of effort. Gaining this condition again results in the character taking 1d4 constitution damage every day until one of the injuries are healed. Requires 40 TU in Magical or Alchemy parts to mend.
3. Liver Damage The character's liver is functioning at a diminished level. Any Fortitude saves against poison or poison effects are made at a -6. Gaining this injury again doubles the penalty taken and results in the character taking 1d6 constitution damage each day until one of the injuries are healed. Requires 40 TU in Magical or Alchemy parts to mend, or a prosthetic worth 40 TU.

Gaining the Dead condition can spell the end for a character, however depending on the setting it may not truly be the end. There are three ways to remove the Dead condition

• Path of the Healer
• Burning a hero point
• Powerful Magic/Divine intervention

The following are optional rules to be used in settings where death is not the end

With these rules the Death condition is removed and replaced with “Down and Out”. Meaning the character now needs extensive recovery time to heal the injuries but is not dead. Treat this just as recovering from negative wounds in healing, however there is no cap on how much negative wounds the character can have. The only time a PC would die is if the GM and Player both agree it is very fitting and cinematic.

Death is absolutely final, no amount of healing or magic can restore a person. This rule set also removes the ability to burn a hero point to avoid death.

A GM should consider how death is viewed in their setting. Is it something that is a minor inconvenience, or something utterly permanent? The base rules of Pathrunner only allow resurrection under strict conditions, normally directly after death. Reviving a long dead person can lead to large scale narrative concerns.

This does not mean that this magic doesn't exist in a setting, but it should be used carefully.Resurrection magic can create interesting stories, but for the mechanics of Pathrunner, it has been largely omitted.

A character gains this condition when their body or head wounds are below 0. The character falls Prone and can take no actions and are unconscious. Each round they must make a Fortitude save DC 10 in order to remove this condition, they take a penalty to this check equal to the amount of negative wounds they have on the Head or Body. After rolling the save, if the Dying condition is still present the character loses 1 more wound. If a character has more then their Constitution score in negative wounds, they gain the Dead condition.

This character has died, they no longer can be healed or take actions. They are capable of taking further damage (limited by limb destruction rules located at Health). A character with this condition is now considered an object for the purpose of talents and spells.

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Cover is a unique status that can grant your character a bonus to AC. Cover is typically gained from hiding behind a solid object, or from magical effects.

Concealment is a unique status that can grant your character a percentage chance of not being hit at all. Concealment is typically gained from hiding behind cover, or from magical effects.

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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.

With the correct Talent you can make a bull rush as a standard action or as part of a charge, in place of the melee attack. A bull rush attempts to push an opponent straight back without doing any harm.

If you do not have the Powerful Maneuvers talent, or a similar ability, initiating a bull rush Requires a Full-Round Action.

If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 10 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, you can push the target back an additional 10 feet. You can move with the target if you wish, but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.

An enemy being moved by a bull rush does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Bull Rush Talent.

If you bull rush a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle, the target takes damage based on remaining movement as if it were falling damage. If there is another creature in the way of your bull rush, you must immediately make a combat maneuver check to bull rush that creature.

• You take a –4 penalty on this check for each creature being pushed beyond the first.
• If you are successful, you can continue to push the creatures a distance equal to the lesser result.

Example: If a fighter bull rushes a goblin for a total of 15 feet, but there is another goblin 5 feet behind the first, he must make another combat maneuver check against the second goblin after having pushed the first 5 feet. If his check reveals that he can push the second goblin a total of 20 feet, he can continue to push both goblins another 10 feet (since the first goblin will have moved a total of 15 feet).

You can attempt to disarm your opponent in place of a melee attack.

If you do not have the Deft Manuevers talent, or a similar ability, attempting to disarm a foe requires a Full-Round Action.

Attempting to disarm a foe while unarmed imposes a –4 penalty on the attack.

If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice (even if the item is wielded with two hands).

• If your attack exceeds the CMD of the target by 10 or more, the target drops the items it is carrying in both hands (maximum two items if the target has more than two hands).
• Additionally for every 1 you attack exceeds knocks the weapon 1ft further away in a random direction.
• If your attack fails by 10 or more, you drop the weapon that you were using to attempt the disarm.
• If you successfully disarm your opponent with one hand free, you may automatically pick up the item dropped.

You can attempt to drag a foe as a half action. The aim of this maneuver is to drag a foe in a straight line behind you without doing any harm.

If you do not have the Powerful Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Full-Round Action.

If your attack is successful:

• Both you and your target are moved 5 feet back.
• Your opponent now occupies your original space, and you are in the space directly behind that, forming a straight line.
• For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, you can drag the target back an additional 10 feet.
• You must be able to move with the target to perform this maneuver.
• If you do not have enough movement, the drag ends at the maximum distance you can move.

An enemy being moved by a drag does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the movement unless you possess the Greater Drag Talent.

You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle. If there is another creature in the way of your movement, the drag ends adjacent to that creature.

As a half action, or as part of a charge, you can attempt to Grapple/Grab your target—taking firm hold of them or wrestling them. All participates (willing or unwilling) are treated as adjacent until the Grab or Grapple has ended despite the Reach of either creature. There are few exceptions to this such as bindings at 20 stacks of “Grappled!”, some spells and unique creature abilities or Talents.

• You must have both hands free or only be wielding a light weapon to Grapple.
• You must have one free hand to Grab a target.

If you do not have the Powerful Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a Grapple/Grab requires a Full-Round Action.

If the Grabber/Grappler or Grabbed/Grappled is moved or repositioned by an outside force that moves either target outside the reach of the Grabber/Grappler, then the Grab or Grapple is ended immediately. A Grabbed/Grappled target may attempt a Bullrush or Reposition Manuever against a target actively Grabbing or Grappling them at a -4 or -1 per stack of “Grappled!” (whichever is higher)

If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is Immobilized and is treated as occupying one of your hands. As a Half action on the grabbed target may attempt to break free using their CMB vs your CMD. If they meet or exceed your CMD they are no longer grabbed or Immobilized.

Any attempts to move the target using a spell or combat maneuver is opposed by your CMD or Saving Throw.

If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, you and the target are Immobilized and is treated as occupying one of your hands. This applies one stack of Grappled! to your target. For every 5 you exceed the targets CMD you may apply an additional stack of Grappled!. If you currently possess stacks of Grappled! you may instead remove 2 stacks. For every 5 you exceed the targets CMD you may remove an additional 2 stacks.

Any attempts to move the target using a spell or combat maneuver is opposed by your CMD or Saving Throw.

Each stack of Grappled! applies a -2 on combat casting

• At 1 stack you are treated as Immobilized
• At 5 stacks you are treated as Staggered
• At 10 stacks you are treated as Staggered and Impaired
• At 15 stacks you are treated as Stunned and Impaired
• At 20 stacks you are treated as Paralyzed and Helpless

After 20 stacks a target may be bound with rope, chain or similarly appropriate bindings. This allows the 20 stacks to remain so long as they are bound successfully. Despite being paralyzed a Bound creature may, once per round, attempt to break the bindings via Escape artist, Break check (based on binding), or CMB. If they exceed your CMD +15 they break free of the bindings and remove all stacks and may take their turn as normal as if they had spent a Full-Round action breaking free.

As a half action, taken during your move or as part of a charge, you can attempt to overrun a target, moving through its square. You can only overrun an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.

If you do not have the Powerful Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Full-Round Action.

If your overrun attempt fails, you stop in the space directly in front of the opponent, or the nearest open space in front of the creature if other creatures are occupying that space.

When you attempt to overrun a target:

• The target can choose to avoid you, allowing you to pass through its square without requiring an attack.
• If your target does not avoid you, make a combat maneuver check as normal.
• If your maneuver is successful, you move through the target’s space.
• If your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD by 5 or more, you move through the target’s space and the target is knocked prone.

You can attempt to reposition a foe to a different location as a Half Action.

A reposition attempts to force a foe to move to a different position in relation to your location without doing any harm.

If you do not have the Deft Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Full-Round Action.

You cannot use this maneuver to move a foe into a space that is intrinsically dangerous, such as a pit or wall of fire, unless you have the Greater Reposition Talent.

If your attack is successful:

• You may move your target 5 feet to a new location.
• For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, you can move the target an additional 10 feet.
• The target must remain within your reach at all times during this movement, except for the final 5 feet, which may move them to a space adjacent to your reach.

An enemy being moved by a reposition does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the movement unless you possess the Greater Reposition Talent.

You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle.

You can attempt to take an item from a foe as a Half Action. This maneuver can be used in melee to take any item that is neither held nor hidden in a bag or pack.

You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to attempt this maneuver. You must select the item to be taken before the check is made.

• Items tucked into a belt or loosely attached (such as brooches or necklaces) are the easiest to take.
• Items fastened to a foe (such as cloaks, sheathed weapons, or pouches) are more difficult and give the opponent a +5 bonus (or greater) to their CMD.
• Items that are closely worn (armor, backpacks, boots, clothing, rings) cannot be taken with this maneuver.
• Items held in the hands (like wielded weapons or wands) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead.

The GM is the final arbiter of what items can be taken.

If you do not have the Deft Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Full-Round Action.

Although this maneuver normally requires the target to be within your reach, you can use a whip to steal an object from a target within range, but take a –4 penalty on the attack roll.

If your attack is successful:

• You may take one item from your opponent.
• You must be able to reach the item (subject to GM discretion).
• Your enemy is immediately aware of the theft unless you possess the Greater Steal Talent.

You can attempt to sunder an item held or worn by your opponent as part of an half action or in place of a melee attack

If you do not have the Powerful Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Full-Round Action.

If your attack is successful:

• You deal damage to the item normally.
• Damage that exceeds the object's Hardness is subtracted from its hit points.
• If an object has half or less of its total hit points remaining, it gains the broken condition.
• If the damage you deal would reduce the object to less than 0 hit points, you may choose to destroy it.
  • If you do not choose to destroy it, the object is left with only 1 hit point and becomes unusable until repaired.

You can attempt to trip your opponent in place of a melee attack.

If you do not have the Deft Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Full-Round Action.

If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is knocked prone.

If your attack fails by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead.

• If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has.
• Some creatures—such as oozes, creatures without legs, and flying creatures—cannot be tripped.

You can attempt to Feint your opponent as a Swift Action.

If you do not have the Deft Maneuvers Talent or a similar ability, initiating a drag requires a Half Action.

If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is Impaired. If you exceed the target's CMD by 5 or more they are Impaired for 1d4+1 rounds. If you Exceed the target's CMD by 10 or more they are Vulnerable instead for 1 round and then become Impaired for 1d4 additional rounds after.

• –2 penalty against a creature of animal Intelligence (1 or 2)
• –4 penalty to feint a creature that lacks an Intelligence score
• Impossible to feint a creature that does not defend it's self.

Feinting in combat does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

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