Combat Options

Listed below are some combat options that I have used in my home-brew games.

Catching Items

It takes an immediate action to catch something and you must have at least one hand free. In order to catch something that is intended for you to catch, the thrower makes a ranged attack vs AC 10, modified for range, cover and conditions. You, in turn, make a Reflex save, DC 10. For every point over or under the thrower's attack roll was compared to the final AC, apply a +/- 1 to your Reflex save modifier. If two or more people are attempting to catch something, the highest Reflex save result wins, with ties going to the highest Reflex modifier.

If order to catch something that is not intended for you, you must be occupying a square that the object will be passing through. You must make the same Reflex save, just as if he was meaning to throw it to you, but the modifier is reversed. So if your buddy is throwing you a potion and gets a total result of 14 on his attack roll, you make your Reflex save at a +4 modifier (14 – 10 = 4). If he got a 8 instead, it would be at a -2 (8 – 10 = -2). Likewise, if the evil priest is throw a potion to his buddy, you're intercepting it and he gets a total of 14, you are rolling at a -4 modifier (10 – 14 = -4). Likewise, if he got an 8, you are rolling at a +2 (10 – 8 = +2). Resolving two or more people attempting catch something is still handled with the highest Reflex save, as above.

Attempting to catch something that is still dangerous, regardless of whether or not you have caught it, means it automatically succeeds on any ranged touch attack (critical confirmations still need to be rolled normally) and you automatically forfeit any Reflex save or special class feature that changes the amount of damage done on a failed Reflex save (like Improved Evasion). Examples of things that are still dangerous would include alchemist's bombs, fuse grenades or anything that would trigger without an actual impact. Examples of things that would need an impact to be dangerous would include most alchemical items and beads from a Necklace of Fireballs.

Intentionally Falling on Someone

If you wish to intentionally fall on someone, you must make successful grapple check. If you are successful,you and the person you grappled each take half the amount of damage you would normally receive for falling. If you take any damage for falling, you are still knocked prone.

Swinging & Throwing Someone

If you have successfully grappled and pinned your target and your target is your size category or smaller, you can swing him or throw him like a weapon. Doing so requires another successful grapple check prior to the attack roll. Failure means the grapple is automatically broken and the defender gets to move 5' as part of the action. Whether your target is considered to be a light, one-handed or two-handed weapon is based on how much smaller the target is than you. The damage dealt is always bludgeoning with a x2 critical multiplier. The range increment is always 5 feet. Your Strength modifier to damage does apply.

Also, unless he wants to be swung, impose a -4 to hit on top of the penalty for an improvised weapon (so usually a -8). However, the humanoid being used as a weapon takes damage to equal the amount he ‘deals’. All the normal rules from grappling still apply to this new option as well.