Combat Rules

Combat; The Rules and Procedures

Combat Steps

1) I try to use Combat Manager. So make sure that I know your character's Initiative Modifier and if or when it changes (due to a feat or increase in Dexterity and so on).

2) When it is your initiative; roll your attack dice, or have your spell go off, or you can do whatever action you desire. It is permissible to roll your attacks prior to your initiative and wait until your initiative to announce the results (if you have more than one attack then all attacks happen on the same initiative count that round). If you have the same initiative as another creature, then the one with the higher Dexterity score goes first. If you happen to have the same Dexterity score, then you go at the same time. If you don’t act on your round, then you may take a ready action to delay until the specific things happen that fulfills the prerequisites of your ready action, when you do act you act immediately preempting the other's actions at that segment count in the round (if you preempt someone then you change your initiative count to that of the segment right before the action you preempt). If you don’t act in a round, then you may simply wait until your initiative count on your next round to act. You may delay to act and wait for something to act upon, in this case you act AFTER the other creature's initiative count.

3) Talking is a free action which can be done at any time, up to 6 seconds of talking per initiative count. All other actions happen only on your initiative count. Monster Knowledge checks can be made as soon as you are no longer flat-footed (you have acted, or at least have had a chance to act, in that round) taking the time required for each Knowledge check as listed under the article Codifying the Knowledge Checks.

4) It is permissible, in fact encouraged, to roll your attacks before your turn. Record the roll, the modified roll, and the damage that would result IF you hit. When it is your turn then announce the lowest AC you hit and if you hit the damage and continue from there working up to the highest AC that you hit. For levels 1-4 you, typically, don't have multiple attacks so this only applies if you have a flurry of blows or somehow have multiple attacks though another means.

5) Characters with animal companions, pets, familiars, henchmen, cohorts, followers or others accompanying them will be able to make their attacks AFTER your attack and on your same Initiative Count. You may change this and let these accompanying creatures attack on their own separate initiative, but once that decision is made it will remain so for the rest of that creature's history in the game. I prefer for your accompanying creatures to attack on your Initiative Count (I will be running the monsters that way),

6) If a natural 20 is rolled in combat, or a roll inside the critical threat range is made, then the attack may be a critical attack. Some weapons have a critical threat range of 20,19-20,18-20 or even 16-20. A weapon’s critical threat range can be improved with the Improved Critical Feat or the Keen Weapon enhancement, but those effects don't stack. After rolling inside your critical threat range roll your to hit dice again to confirm your hit, if you fail to hit a second time then it is a normal hit, if you hit on the second attempt then you have scored a critical and deal extra damage (take normal damage and multiple that number by your critical multiplier). If you need a 20 to hit, then you need to roll a 20 on your confirm to get a critical hit. If you cannot hit normally, then you would still hit on a natural 20, but you would not be able to score a critical hit. When you score a critical hit, you multiple the die roll and the modifiers; you don’t roll the damage die extra times.

7) If a natural 1 is rolled then, unless you are using natural weapons or an unarmed attack, you miss. A natural one is always a miss unless you are mythic and take that path ability or are a deity. There are no fumbles, however if you miss with a natural one (that is not a natural attack or an unarmed attack) then you lose all further attacks that round as you recover your weapon. If you miss, by rolling a natural one, with a natural or unarmed attack, then you just miss your attack and may continue to roll attack rolls.

8) If you have multiple attacks then either roll one attack dice at a time or roll multiple attacks with color coded dice and record the numbers rolled. Personally, I use red-white-blue-green colors; with red being the first attack, white being the second attack, blue being the third attack, and green being the fourth attack. Make a decision on which type of dice you are using and please stick to it for the rest of the game. If you roll multiple attacks then you can roll up to five rounds in advance and record it on a post-it-note or an index card, or a dry erase card. Once the battle is complete and I declare the battle is over, then throw away the prerolls made, they do not carry forth to the next combat.

9) Saving rolls, skill checks and other rolls are made when called for and not in advance and on the Initiative Count that they happen.

10) Other things happen on the initiative count as determined by the effect. For example continuing damage usually happens at the beginning of your Initiative Count. There are some effects that happen at the end of the round and some other effects that happen on the Initiative Count of the creature who acted. For example a fireball saving roll happens on the Initiative Count of the spell's caster. An acid arrow does multiple rounds of damage, for casters with enough levels, it would deliver its damage on the Initiative Count of the spell's caster. If a dragon has clinging breath then the damage would happen on the Initiative Count it first takes effect on and if you failed to save on the same Initiative Count on the next round. Bleeding damage takes effect on the target at the beginning of their turn in the round. Other effects will happen as determined by either the DM or the effect's description.

To Sum Up

1. Initiative is rolled on Combat Manager and the person running Combat Manager will announce the order. Players should note who they act after and be prepared for their actions on their turn.

2. The DM will post the Initiative Card for the attacking creatures and attacks will then go in the order presented. Players will post their Initiative Card as listed by the person running the Combat Manager with the first person posting the Initiative number (0-32) and so on. This way it will be obvious who is acting next, as determined by their numerical order.

3. Roll your attacks (pre-rolling and average damage is allowed). If a critical is rolled then roll again to see if you hit confirming the critical hit.

4. If a natural one is rolled then it is a simple miss, there is no fumble system, but you lose any other attacks that round, unless you arettacking with natural weapons or an unarmed attack.

The players need to follow the sequence outlined above and be patient with the DM, if this is done then combat will be handled properly and quickly allowing each player to get their turn at their action. It is regretful when a player cannot join in a combat. If this does happen then please wait and be patient. The DM will try and get the combat resolved with as fast as possible; if you are disruptive though it will take longer. Talking with other players about subjects not related to the game, or trying to talk with the DM about something beyond the combat will only slow things down and insure that the time before you can rejoin the action will only be that much longer.

When an argument comes up about the rules, please refer to www.d20pfsrd.com, however when a problem comes up in the middle of combat, please wait (you can look up the rules to support your argument, but don’t expect the DM to drop everything to listen to you). Even if the DM is handling the situation wrong, it is best to not interrupt the flow of combat and let the combat resolve itself then tell the DM what is going on and we can adjust things afterwards. If the rules argument is life altering then the DM will try to listen to the rules question at the time it is poised. If it is not life altering then simply raise a hand, drop it and when the combat is over. tell the DM what the problem is.

Please remember that the DM has to divide their attention between all players and those who try to monopolize or who resort to throwing things at the DM are not helping things. A simple raised hand or a note passed to the DM should be sufficient to gather the DM’s attention. I know some of this sounds stupid or real basic, but I have had these problems crop up in my games in the past.