NON-LETHAL & WEAPONLESS COMBAT

It is not uncommon for players to be weaponless at some stage of a game - or for better players to wish to attack on opponent bare-handed in order to most effectively neutralize that opponent’s potential; whether to subdue or slay when neutralized is another matter. 

Three basic attack modes are recommended: PUMMEL, GRAPPLE, OVERBEAR. Each method of attack is explained separately, and each has its own table and modifiers.

GENERAL NOTES

OPPONENTS WITH WEAPONS USED NORMALLY

• If the opponent of a grappling, pummeling or overbearing attack has a weapon, the opponent will always strike first unless the attacker has surprise. 

• Any weapon hit does NO damage, but it does indicate that the attacker trying to grapple, pummel or overbear has been fended or driven off, and the attack is unsuccessful.

• The weapon-wielder then has the opportunity to strike at the weaponless one “for real”, if he or she so chooses. 

• Surprised opponents with weapons have no chance for a fending-off strike, unless the attacker must use all surprise segments to close to grapple, pummel, or overbear.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Multiple Opponent Attacks: It is possible for as many opponents as will physically be able to attack a single adversary to engage in pummeling, grappling, or overbearing attack modes. Attack order must first be determined.

Attack from behind negates the shield and Dexterity components of the defending creature. Hits are determined, then results, in order of attack.

Monsters using these attack modes will choose the most effective if they are human or humanoid and have above average Intelligence, otherwise, they will use the modes in random fashion. 

Creatures will always attack to overbear if they do not use weapons, except bears and similar monsters who seek to crush opponents by hugging attacks (these are grappling).

Monks: Even if grappled, pummeled, or overborne, monks are able to conduct open hand combat normally until stunned or unconscious.

Creature Strength: By way of comparison, kobolds will have an average Strength rating of 9, goblins 10, orcs 12, hobgoblins 15, gnolls 16, bugbears 17, ogres 18, and trolls, a Strength rating of 18+. Gnomes have an average Strength rating of 10, dwarves 14, elves 12, halflings 8, and giants 19 and up.

Variable applicable to all pummeling, grappling, and overbearing attacks

1. The attacker takes the number of the column he or she normally uses for weapon attacks, 1 being that for the lowest levels, 2 being that for the next group of levels, and so on.

2. To this number [the attacker] adds the score of a secretly rolled d6, i.e. 1-6.

3. The defender does the same, but the die score is that of a d4.

USING THE VARIABLE FOR ATTACK OR DEFENSE

The attacker may use this variable for:

• a bonus to his or her base chance to pummel, grapple, or overbear, OR

• a bonus to the score rolled for a successful pummeling, grappling, or overbearing attack.

The defender may use the variable for:

• a penalty (subtraction) to the attacker‘s base chance to pummel, grapple, or overbear, OR 

• a penalty (subtraction) to the attacker‘s pummeling, grappling, or overbearing attack which has succeeded.

The decision as to how to use the variable must be made prior to each attack.

Unconscious parties gain no such variable.

GRAPPLE

This attack form is aimed at holding the opponent and rendering him or her helpless. 

Damage sustained is 25% actual and 75% incidental which is restored at 1 hit point per round. As in pummeling attacks, a [hit point] score of 0 equals unconsciousness, 1 round plus 1 round for each point of minus damage sustained.

DETERMINATION OF FIRST ATTACK INITIATIVE

First attack initiative is determined by: 

1. 1. surprise, 

   2. charging to attack, 

   3. higher dexterity, or 

   4. higher [initiative] die roll 

- in that order. 

BASE SCORE TO GRAPPLE

Multiply attacker’s armor class by 10, ignoring magical devices (bracers, cloaks, rings, etc.), but adding 1 for each +1 of magical armor, to find a percentage chance from 100% to 0%. 

Note: The attacker cannot grapple if either or both hands are holding anything. 

The base chance to grapple [to hit] is modified as follows:

GRAPPLING ATTACKS

In each round of grappling combat there will be an attack and a counter.

Any existing hold automatically goes first until broken. 

Once it is determined that a grappling attack succeeds, the percentile dice must be rolled again to find what hold is gained. 

The dice roll is modified as follows:

Bonuses and penalties are totaled and the result added to the result of the percentile dice roll. The GRAPPLING TABLE is then consulted for the result.

Any hold shown remains in effect from round to round unless the opponent scores [counters with] a higher percentage hold, 

i.e. arm lock breaks a waist clinch, a hand/finger lock breaks an arm lock, and so forth. 

Damage accrues until a hold is broken or until the holder elects to try for a different hold. 

The opponent may still inflict damage by lesser hold results shown after the double slashes (//).

These might result in both opponents falling to the ground and continuing their grappling there. 

Note: If the opponent is stunned, a second attack may immediately be made, and the stunned opponent cannot counter for 1 round.

OVERBEAR

This attack form aims at quickly taking the opponent to a prone position, incidentally inflicting damage, and allowing either a pummel or grappling follow-up attack. 

The attacker can have either or both hands otherwise employed - carrying a shield, weapon, etc. 

50% of damage inflicted is actual, the balance is restored at the rate of 1 point per round. 

Once an opponent is overborne, some other form of combat MUST take place.

DETERMINATION OF FIRST ATTACK INITIATIVE

First attack initiative is determined by: 

1. 1. surprise, 

   2. charging to attack, 

   3. higher Dexterity, or 

   4. higher [initiative] die roll 

- in that order. Attacker attempting to overbear need not go first to so attack.

BASE SCORE TO HIT

Same as grappling attack. 

OVERBEARING ATTACKS

If overbearing attack succeeds, roll percentile dice again, and modify the resulting total by the following:

PUMMEL

This attack form is aimed at battering an opponent into unconsciousness. It can be used with fists or dagger pommel (as in “pummel”) as weapons. 

25% of damage sustained is actual; the remaining 75% is restored at the rate of 1 hit point per round. Whenever an opponent reaches 0 hit points, unconsciousness occurs. It lasts for 1 round, plus 1 round for every point of damage beyond 0 hit points which has been sustained, i.e. 4 hit points equals 5 rounds of unconsciousness. An unconscious opponent can be trussed or slain in one round.

DETERMINATION OF FIRST ATTACK INITIATIVE

First attack initiative is determined by: 

1. 1. surprise, 

   2. charging to attack, 

   3. higher Dexterity, or 

   4. higher [initiative] die roll 

- in that order. 

Whichever first occurs determines the first attack for the round, so in most cases, the pummeling attacker will go first in the first round.

BASE SCORE TO HIT

The base score on percentile dice is opponent AC value times 10 to arrive at a percentage chance to hit, i.e. AC 10 = 100%. AC 9 = 90%, all the way to AC ratings of 0 and minus numbers which indicate no chance or a negative chance to score a hit.

The base chance to hit is modified as follows:

PUMMELING ATTACKS

In each round of weaponless melee, there will be two pummeling attacks, and possibly several blows per attack. 

The attacker determines if a strike is successful, and then whether or not it does any damage and how much, if any. 

Percentile dice are rolled, and the score is modified as shown below. The PUMMELING TABLE is then consulted.