Move or Manipulate

During a combat round, creatures will often move across the battlefield to gain some advantage or they will attempt to manipulate an item or object. Manipulation includes drawing a weapon, retrieving an item, opening a door, dragging a body, or anything remotely similar. Movement can be the slow stutter step of combat engagement, an all out charge, or climbing, sliding or anything similar.

Standard Movement in Combat Conditions

Movement in Combat. Creatures may move normally during a combat round as a minor action up to 1-foot per movement " per segment indoors. Thus, a creature that moves at 12” will move 12 feet per segment. Other types of movement (climbing, jumping, movement up stairs or inclines) or prevailing conditions (dim light, slipperiness) can affect this rate.

Full Move vs. a Partial Move. A full move uses all 10 segments of the round in movement. A partial move or partial movement means the figure moves less than a full move.

Rules for Entering Melee. See Melee, Entering Melee. A special exception to these rules is a charge attack.

Charge

Once per turn (10 rounds), a creature may use a charge attack as a major action. This attack combines movement with an immediate attack granted at the end of the movement. Once a charge is declared and movement begun, the ability to charge has been used for that turn even if the charge does not terminate with an attack.

Time Required. A charge adds no additional time but the movement requires time as normal (although movement rate is faster).

Charging Rules

• A charge allows you to move at double your movement rate for up to 10 segments of movement.
• From the beginning of the charge and lasting until the end of the round in which the charge terminates, the charger will lose any bonus modifiers to Armor Class from Dexterity. Creatures with no Dexterity bonus become 1 Armor Class factor worse than normal (although no Armor Class will be worse than AC 10).
• At the end of your movement, if you are within melee range (1") of an opponent, you may make an immediate attack with a +2 bonus to-hit.
• If defender is wielding a longer melee weapon than that of the charger, the defender is given an immediate attack before the charger can attack. If the defender's weapon has the "brace" quality, it will apply to damage. If a defender is surprised, they cannot take an immediate attack.
• Weapons with the “mounted charge” quality do twice indicated damage employed by an attacker riding a charging mount. (See Equipment, Melee Weapon Table Charts.)

Length for Immediate Attacks. For melee weapons, these are given in the Melee Weapon Tables. The length of a natural weapon will depend on the size of the creature but also the length of the attacking limbs. For example, a man-sized humanoid’s fist has an attack length of approximately 2 ft. In general, smaller than man-sized creatures have natural weapon lengths of 1 ft. or under and larger than man-sized humanoids have a natural weapon length of 4 ft. for creatures up to 12 ft. and 6 ft. to 10 ft. for larger creatures.

Two Creatures Charging. If two creatures are both charging when they come into melee range, the one with the longer weapon is granted the first attack, otherwise Initiative rules will apply.

Breaking Off from Melee

At such time as any creature decides, it can break off the engagement and flee from melee range. To do so, however, may allow opponents in melee range a free attack (or set of attacks) on the fleeing creature.

Flee from Melee. A creature in melee range seeking to disengage can move away from it’s opponent or opponents. However, in so doing, it will draw a free attack by any opponents wielding melee or natural weapons who are also in melee range. The free attack (or set of attacks) against a fleeing foe will be at +4 “to hit” rolls and negates any consideration for shield or Dexterity to their armor class.

Falling Back. (See Melee, Parry and Fall Back.)

Standing up from Prone

If a creature is prone, it may stand up as a major action. Being prone in melee gives enemy melee attacks +4 “to hit” and does not allow adjustments to AC for Dexterity or a shield. However, missile weapon attacks or other ranged abilities that must roll a “to hit” instead suffer a -2 penalty (if the target is prone).

Time Required. If in melee range of an opponent, standing up does not draw a free or immediate attack but this major action takes 8 segments. If the creature is not within melee range of an enemy combatant the major action normally takes 3 segments for a man-sized creature. Larger and/or slower creatures may take longer. Creatures with more than four legs can rise in 1 segment as a minor action.

Retrieve an Item

Drawing a Readied Item. A readied item is an easily accessible sheathed weapon or a vial (potion or magical oil) from a bandoleer. Drawing a sheathed or readied weapon is included in the weapon’s speed factor. If not attacking, drawing a single weapon is a minor action requiring 1 segment (drawing multiple weapons takes more time). Accessing a readied potion or oil from a bandoleer is a minor action that requires 1 segment. Readying a shield on the arm is a minor action and will take from 1-4 segments (based on size: 1—buckler, 2—small, 3—normal, or 4—large). Sheathing a weapon is a minor action and takes 1 segment.

Retrieving a Prepared Item. Items easily accessed from pouches (such as a tinderbox or a wand) or hidden sheaths may be accessed in 2 segments as a minor action. Putting an item in a pouch is a minor action requiring 2 segments.

Retrieving a Stowed Item. Accessing items stowed in packs or backpacks or breakable items carefully wrapped (an example is a flask of oil) is a major action that will take 6 segments of activity (or more as determined by the DM). Stowing an item carefully in one’s pack is a major action that takes at least 10 segments.

Picking up an Item on the Ground. An item within 1” may be retrieved while in melee as a major action requiring 5 segments of activity and, if using the item is desired, another 1d6 segments of delay. If not in melee, picking up an item within 1” is a minor action that takes 2 segments. An item located further than 1” will require movement as well as the activity noted.

Handing Off an Item. If seeking to pass an item to a willing creature within 1” in combat conditions, it is a major action that will usually take 2 segments for both creatures to accomplish successfully (2 segments to make ready then another 2 segments to access it).

Manipulate an Object

This broad category includes opening doors, rolling barrels, knocking over chairs, pounding spikes, pulling ropes, and anything else of the kind. Almost all are considered major actions (as determined by the DM).

Time Required. The DM must adjudicate the time required based on a few key principles:

• Creatures will rarely engage in an activity to the exclusion of all else. This is to say, the creature is keeping a close eye out while performing the activity—watching for all forms of danger.
• Conditions are rarely ideal. Lighting, moisture, footing etc. are all suspect and may hinder the activity.
• Complexity increases chances of failure. If attempting to perform complex movements (picking a lock, tying a knot, etc.) in combat conditions, chances of failure could increase—especially if the activity is rushed.

While in optimal conditions, most activities are easy and take mere seconds, but in adventuring conditions and, especially in life-threatening combat, these tasks take much more time to get right.

Thus, doors (frequently stuck and requiring an open doors roll) may take up to 6 segments to open. A lock to be picked in 8 segments and a wound bound in 10 segments—including the retrieval of bandages and the like. However, the operation of a lever may take but 1 segment as could kicking over a chair.

Complex Tasks. These involve multiple steps, several that may need to be done with a certain amount of precision. For example, something as mundane as lighting a torch: The character must first divest themselves of anything in hand (sheathing weapons or stowing a shield). Then they will locate the prepared torch as well as their flint and steel. Depending upon conditions, it may require an extra step of lighting tinder from a tinder box before the torch can catch (assuming all items are prepared, the lighting of the torch is the major action). All of this activity occurring while evading enemy missile weapons, watching for new enemies, sliding on a muddy floor, and possibly trying to juggle torch-lighting components in the near-dark. Thus 10 segments to complete the task without a chance of failure seems almost generous. Once lit, the torch may then be used for lighting oil, warding off wolves, or simply seeing one’s enemies.