SPECIAL TERMS
Face
How wide a face a combatant presents in combat.
Face is essentially the border between the square or rectangular space that
a combatant occupies and the space next to it. These faces are abstract, not
"front, back, left, and right," because combatants are constantly
moving and turning in battle. Unless a combatant is immobile, it practically
doesn't have a front or a left side—at least not one that can be identified
on the tabletop.
Flanking
If a combatant is making a melee attack against
an opponent, and an ally directly opposite the combatant is threatening the
opponent, the combatant and the combatant's ally flank the opponent. A combatant
gains a +2 flanking bonus on the attack roll. A rogue in this position can
also sneak attack the target. The ally must be on the other side of the opponent,
so that the opponent is directly between the combatant and the ally.
Flat-Footed
At the start of a battle each combatant is
flat-footed. A combatant can't use a Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while
flat-footed. A flat-footed combatant can't make attacks of opportunity.
Initiative Check
At the start of a battle, each combatant makes
a single initiative check. An initiative check is a Dexterity check. If two
or more combatants have the same initiative check result, the combatants who
are tied go in order of Dexterity (highest first). If there is still a tie,
flip a coin.
Touch Attack
Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch
attacks and ranged touch attacks. A combatant can score critical hits with
either type of attack. A combatant's opponent's AC against a touch attack
does not include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. The
target's size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any)
all apply normally.
SIZE MODIFIERS
Size AC/Attack Modifier
---- ------------------
Fine +8
Diminutive +4
Tiny +2
Small +1
Medium 0
Large -1
Huge -2
Gargantuan -4
Colossal -8
Apply this modifier to the attack rolls and AC values of combatants, unless
the value has not already been precalculated to include this modifier.
COMBAT SEQUENCE
Step One:
The DM determines which combatants are aware of their opponents at the start
of the battle. If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents,
a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. The combatants who are
aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative.
In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle
aware of their opponents each take a partial action during the surprise round.
Combatants who were unaware do not get to act in the surprise round. If no
one or everyone starts the battle aware, there is no surprise round.
Step Two:
Combatants who have not yet rolled initiative do so.
Step Three:
Combatants act in initiative order.
Step Four:
When everyone has had a turn, the combatant with the highest initiative acts
again, and steps 4 and 5 repeat until combat ends.
ATTACKS OF OPPORTUNITY
Threatened Area
A combatant threatens the area into which
it can make a melee attack, even when it is not a combatant's action. An enemy
that takes certain actions while in a threatened area may provoke an attack
of opportunity from a combatant.
A combatant normally threatens all adjacent spaces. "Reach weapons"
and "natural reach" can change the threatened area.
Provoking an Attack of Opportunity by Moving
If a combatant moves through (not simply into)
or out of a threatened area, a combatant usually provokes an attack of opportunity.
If all a combatant does is take a normal move
or a double move (not a run), the space that the combatant started out in
is not considered threatened.
If a combatant's entire move for the round
is 5 feet the 5 foot move does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Provoking an Attack of Opportunity by Taking
an Action
A combatant taking some kinds actions provokes
attacks of opportunity, as described in the rules for each action type.
Making an Attack of Opportunity
An attack of opportunity is a single melee
attack, and a combatant can only make one per round. The combatant does not
have to make an attack of opportunity if the combatant doesn't want to. A
combatant can make the attack of opportunity at a combatant's normal attack
bonus - even if the combatant has already attacked this round.
THE COMBAT ROUND
Each round represents about 6 seconds in the
game world. Anything a person could reasonably do in 6 seconds, a combatant
can do in 1 round.
When a combatant's turn comes up in the initiative
sequence, that combatant performs his entire round's worth of actions.
Effects that last a certain number of rounds
end just before the same initiative count that they began on.
