Battlefield Shift

[Supplement Four]

In real life, rarely do two figures stand like statues, in one spot, and go at it with their enemy (but it can happen).

In order to encourage more combat movement in the game (and to leave room for combatants to remain in place), I present a couple of Combat Maneuvers that will spice up the battlefield dance.

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Both of these maneuvers are examples of use of the Five Foot Step, described on page 189 of the Second Edition Core Rules.



CIRCLE STEP combat maneuver

(Re-wrote this maneuver later in the thread.)






GIVE GROUND combat maneuver

(Re-wrote this maneuver later in the thread.)

 

[Supplement Four]

That would mean then he could take a move back to Conan on his turn and Attack ?

You see? This is why I post this stuff here. I thought I had all the bases covered with that one--had thought of everything--and then you spring this on me!

Good catch!

Let's see:

If Conan has initiative and attacks the Vanir, the Vanir fails in his parry, and Conan damages him, the Vanir can take a 5 foot step directly backwards. Conan can choose to follow as a free action. If Conan doesn't follow, then the Vanir, as you say, can use his five foot step (since his movement with the maneuver was an immediate action, and immediate actions are free actions) to just approach Conan and use his attack on his turn.

I do think that the movement for the maneuver should be an immediate action, but I also see your point--in that it's counter intuitive for the Vanir to be pushed back buy the attack but then reverse direction.

Is it an "issue" though? Conan decided not to continue with the press, so why wouldn't the Vanir step back up to fight him, then?

I think I'm OK with that. If Conan wants to continue the press, he can, by using his free action to keep step with the Vanir. If Conan stops the press, then the Vanir is free to use his normal five foot step to close and continue the fight.

The result is that we get movement on the battlefield--the battlefield dance, so to speak--so, I think we're in good shape.

But, he doesn't rob himself of an attack as I indicated, does he? Nope, he doesn't. I kind of liked that feature of the maneuver.

If I include that the character must have initiative in order to do the maneuver, then we're back in business. Because the Vanir would attack, and then move when he failed his parry against Conan's counter attack.

I didn't include nish as part of the prerequisite on this one because it seemed counter intuitive to "giving ground". If someone is forcing your back with thier blows, they've probably got the initiative, not you.

Then, otoh, maybe you have to have the initiative in order to be able to react defensively so--otherwise, you freeze and your opponent moves in ot cream you.

So, I could leave it as-is, or throw in that the defender doing this maneuver must have initiative.

Your thoughts?

CIRCLE STEP combat maneuver: you not think there should be some prerequisite for this manoeuvre like Dodge Feat ?

No, I didn't want to put any prerequisites like that onto these two maneuvers. Prerequisties are only triggers signaling when they can be used (failing a parry, or having initiative and attacking).

I want these two manevuers to be basic maneuvers that all fighters are taught (or pick up quickly), useable from 1st level on. The first thing a fighter is taught, usually, is to move his feet and not be a standing target. That's what these maneuvers are all about--small benefit and simulated movement on the battlefield.

 

[Supplement Four]

OK, Nialldubh (how do you pronounce that, anyway?) has made me re-think a couple of things about these combat maneuvers.

That's good! That's why I post them here--to get the critique from those experienced with the game!

I'm adding a prerequisite to the Give Ground maneuver so that it can only be used if the character does not have initiative.

So, try this on for size and tell me what you think.

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CIRCLE STEP combat maneuver

You circle around your opponent, always making yourself the hardest possible target while looking for an opening in your opponent's defenses to deliver your own strikes.

Circumstance: The character must have initiative and be in melee combat with a single opponent.

Effect: The character must attack from his starting square then use his five foot step to circle his opponent, moving to one of the two squares beside his opponent. If his opponent is right handed*, then the character's move to his opponent's right side will gain a larger dodge bonus than if the character moves to his opponent's left where the character is an easier target for a right handed swing. The opponent is allowed to keep step with the character, adjusting his facing as a free action. The character receives a +1 or a +2 bonus to Dodge Defense for the rest of the round when the move is completed depending on which side the character moved and the handedness of his opponent. Parry Defense does not receive a bonus from this maneuver.

*There is a 10% chance that a character is left handed.



Example --

Conan battles a Vanir. The Cimmerian crouches in the classic combat stance, his gleaming broadsword in his right hand and his left arm extended wide for balance. He studies the Vanir, wielding a large axe with both hands. Seeing his opponent favors a swing from right to left, Conan knows to keep him off balance by circling to the Nordheimer's right.

In game terms, Conan is in melee combat with a single opponent and has initiative. When the Cimmerian attacks, he will attack from his present square (the attack is resolved before movement) and then end his turn by placing Conan's figure to the right of the Vanir, using Conan's five foot step to do so.

Now, it's the Vanir's action, and his figure is allowed to turn and face Conan as an immediate (free) action, then make his attack normally. If Conan dodges this attack, then the Cimmerian will receive a +2 bonus to his Dodge Defense. If, for some reason, Conan decides to parry, then the attack is resolved normally without bonus.







GIVE GROUND combat maneuver

You retreat a few steps, in the face of an onslaught of powerful blows by your opponent, in an effort to steal some of the energy from his fierce swings and jabs.

Circumstance: The character cannot have initiative and must fail a parry, and be damaged, from an attack while in melee combat with a single opponent.

Effect: If the character is damaged after his opponent defeats the character's parry, the character can use an immediate action in the form of a five foot retreat directly backwards. Doing so will rob the attack of some of its energy, reducing damage by 1 point. Once the attack is resolved, the attacker can decide to use his five foot step normally, if able, to keep step with the opponent.


Example --

Conan battles a Vanir. Conan swings his massive sword using both hands at the Vanir. The northman throws up his axe to block Conan's blow and takes a few steps backwards just as Conan hits. The Cimmerian's strike loses some of its energy with the Vanir's maneuver.

In game terms, Conan has initiative and attacks and damages the Vanir. Conan may be intending to use the Circle Step maneuver above, but the Vanir robs him of that option when the Nordheimer moves directly backwards by five feet after failing to parry Conan's blow. The damage put to the Vanir is reduced by 1 point with this maneuver. Conan can now use his five foot step to move towards the Vanir and continue melee or remain where he is, in which case the Vanir begins his turn five feet away from Conan.




MOVEMENT NOTE: The Circle Step maneuver is a use of the character's Five Foot Step, therefore the character cannot move any farther this round. The Five Foot Step associated with the Give Ground maneuver, on the other hand, is an immediate action and therefore is a free action that does not count against the character's movement during the round (as with the Dance Aside maneuver).

 

[Supplement Four]

Here's another House Rule I'm using in my game:



Getting The Drop On Another - When sneak up behind an enemy and place a blade to his throat (or the point of a sword into his kidney), catching him flatfooted, you have the drop on him. Likewise, if you cover a flatfooted character with a crossbow or drawn bow (how long can you hold it?), but not a sling, you are considered to have the target covered and have gained the drop on him.

If you have the drop on a target and make a successful attack throw, a Massive Damage check is made no matter the total damage inflicted.

If the target's Massive Damage save is successful, the wound is still subject to the Permanent Damage rule.

 

[Supplement Four]

Getting The Drop On Another - When sneak up behind an enemy...

I might have a problem with this House Rule. I want to use it for situations where a guard would have a prisoner covered, as with the guard and Conan in The God in the Bowl. I don't really want to use it in an ambush situation, or before every fight, giving the person with initiative a large advantage.

And...am I stealing the thunder from the Back Stab? Don't want to do that.

More thoughts required.

 

[Supplement Four]

So... "Nile-duh" ...or .... "Nile-do"?





I think the "Drop" thing needs more thought and work, but the two combat maneuvers are keepers.

 

[Supplement Four]

Ni al du

Ni rhymes with "eye"

al sounds like "all"

du is what you say when someone reaches an obvious conclusion "duh"


How's that?

 

[Jotenbjorn]

Getting the Drop yoinked and added to campaign guide.

 

[Spectator]

Is that your real name?
Does it have a meaning in Scotch-gaelic? For some reason I'm thinking like "dances-with wolves" or something like that?

 

[Supplement Four]

1. Can this rule be abused the first round of every combat when the lnitiative loser is considered flatfooted? Don't want to make the first round of combat super deadlier than it already is.

2. Does this rule rob the thieves' sneak attack of its thunder? I mean, why would thieves go for a sneak attack if this is more powerful? Don't want to change that game dynamic.

3. Is there a better way to accomplish the goal of making a character respect a loaded crossbow pointed at him (or a knife up against his throat) no matter how many hit points the character has? He's already flatfooted and AC 10. What about extra damage? Going to the Permanent Damage Chart? Want to find a way to achieve the goal without altering the game as described in #1 and #2.

It dawned on me today how to fix the drop rule when I realized all the problems I cite are centered around melee weapons. The answer: Drop the melee weapons from the Drop Rule.

There are plenty of rules that cover slapping a knife up to someone's throat. There are bonuses to hit, and there's the sneak attack and coup de grace rules.

Therefore, the Drop rule will work fine is it is only applied to bows and crossbows.

How long, do you think, an archer can keep a bow nocked with an arrow? A number of rounds equal to STR?