[CONAN] More HTH in our CMBT.

[Supplement Four]

Another thing I'd like to see implemented, besides a reason to move around the battlefield, is a reason to use unarmed attacks while in melee.

I'm not talking about ever combat round. But, from time to time, when an opportune moment shows up, it would be neat to have some sort of un-armed Attack of Opportunity available, where a back-hand slap of the guantlet or a headbutt gets into the fight.

Too often, in D&D and other games, we have rules for these types of attacks but never use them. Why go for an elbow to your foe's chest when you can slice 'em with your longsword? So, unless you have a monk or some other bare-handed specialized class--or, unless you're weaponless for whatever reason--we never seem to get these types of attacks into the game.

The question is: How to do it?

You can't expect a player to give up a more powerful attack in favor of something like this. Your unarmed attacks have to be "gravy". Extras. To where the players says, "Why not use it? It can't hurt."

A special Attack of Opportunity that allows only unarmed attacks is one way to do it. Or, you can trigger a combat maneuver with specific requirements that will allow these types of attacks every so often.

The question is: What are the triggers? What conditions need to exist where the unarmed attack is allowed?

With unarmed attacks, you've got:

Punch
Backhand
Elbow
Kick
Knee
Headbutt

And some of those can be varied due to equipment: brass knuckels for a punch. A spike on the elbow. Stuff like that.

How to implement this and keep it fair?

 

[Supplement Four]

I've got an idea.

What I want to have a tad more unarmed attacks as you see in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b6got4G4Ys



And in this fight scene from Spartacus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o1HsidznrM&feature=fvst



See the headbutt? The punches? The elbow? The kick? See the grapples? Warriors using thier pommels, pulling out their daggers to get in close.

They come up in fights, and I want them more often in my d20 Conan game.




What I'm think of is this:

When a nutural "1" is rolled on the attack throw or defense throw (we use the alternate rule where you roll your defense, not let it be a stagnant number), you've opened yourself up to either an armed or unarmed counterattack.

This is a version of an Attack of Opportunity.

Use a -4 penalty if attempting an attack that does lethal damage (with your weapon or unarmed). No penalty for an attack that does non-leathal damage (so, here come your headbutts, kicks, punches, elbows, etc).



I'd also use the rule whenever a natural 20 is throw on any Defense throw, except the defender attacks his foe.



Thoughts?











EDIT: So, the rule would be--

Roll natural 1 on Attack throw? Defender gets....

Roll natural 20 on Defense throw? Defender gets....

Roll natural 1 on Defense throw? Attacker gets...




Choice of...

Grapple (without defender getting the AoO)

Unarmed Attack (without defender getting the AoO)

Lethal Unarmed Attack (without defender getting the AoO, but attacker suffers -4 penalty)

Counterattack (with offhand weapon, but suffers -4 penalty)

Shield Bash (at a -4 penalty)

 

[Supplement Four]

I actually think this is a good idea, But.... it would disrupt my game in a few concepts!

1: I do Fumble roll on a 1, so If a 1 is rolled on 1D20 on Attack rolls, I will use the next 1D20 to see if a fumble has been created.

You could find another "trigger". Pick something easy. For example: Anytime the attack roll is exactly 5 points over the Defense number, the attacker gets one of the Unarmed Attacks of Opportunity.

4: This Shield bash at -4 atk is good also, good thinking, I am enjoying this one

The idea of the -4 is to encourage normal unarmed attacks. I like the idea of a player sweating out his normal Hit Point total and his non-lethal damage. Plus, every fight won't end in bloodshed. Sometimes, foes will just collapse because non-lethal damage became higher than hit points.

I'm hoping the rule will encourage a PC to make a quick punch attack in a fight, maybe a headbutt or a kick. Or, I'd like to see the PC occasionally move from melee into a grapple, making the pommel of his sword as a weapon--also making the use of knives, stilletos, daggers, and dirks more important.

 

[Supplement Four]

This is how I adapted it and I enjoying the possibilities in future Combats

I'm going to go a slightly different direction from what I said above.

Any time an attacker or defender rolls a natural "1", this indicates that they have slightly opened themselves up, allowing their opponent to get inside their guard and step close. It's an opportunity for a certain type of close attack. In game terms, the attacker moves into the same square with the enemy.

The "1" on the throw indicates a special Attack of Opportunity, where the attack can only be a grapple or unarmed strike*. These types of attacks normally provoke an AoO from the defender, but in this special case, the grapple or the unarmed strike is made without the defender benefitting from an AoO on his attacker. The "1" indicates a whole in his defenses so that a grapple or an unarmed strike is almost telegraphed and welcomed.

Defenders who roll a natural 20 on their defense throws have also found a like opening in their attacker's attack. Thus, this rule is used anytime an Attacker or Defender rolls a natural "1", or a Defender rolls a natural "20".

By using this rule, this gives players the opportunity to go into grapples with their foe or use unarmed attacks for either leathal or non-leathal damage.

Using this rule will result in the chaos of combat as seen in this clip:

COMBAT CLIP



Thus, a PC could gain an opening on a foe to move into a grapple, pull out his dirk, and slice the enemy's throat, as seen i the clip. Or, an NPC combatant might get in an extra punch on a PC, as seen in the clip. All sorts of things are possible.




*Use the various unarmed strikes presented on pages 9-11 of The Barbaric Warrior.





CONSIDERING: I am also considering adding the use of any weapon in the "Light" category, used as a counter attack (basically, a normal AoO). This way, a PC could use th epommel of his sword to bang on an enemy. Dirks, knives, daggers, and the like take on an added importance. Players will get a kick out of using their Craft skills to mount spikes on steel guantlets and such.

 

[Supplement Four]

I tweaked it yet again. This seems the most balanced.

A natural 20 on an Attack throw is a Critical Threat, of course, while a natural 20 on either Defense throw results in a counter strike.

A natural 1 on any of the throws results in an Inside Opening for the character.



Attack Roll, natural 20 = Critical Threat.
Attack Roll, natural 1 = Inside Opening.

Dodge Roll, natural 20 = Counter strike
Dodge Roll, natural 1 = Inside Opening.

Parry Roll, natural 20 = Counter strike
Parry Roll, natural 1 = Inside Opening.



COUNTER STRIKE: Attack of Opportunity against attacker.

INSIDE OPENING: You have over-extended your attack, parry, or dodge such that your opponent has an opportunity to get in under your guard, sharing the same square. You are exposed for a limited Attack of Opportunity that can be a grapple, unarmed attack, or light weapon counter attack. Your attacker is not subject to an Attack of Opportunity if a grapple or unarmed attack is attempted.





EDIT: And, I think there should be some room for on-the-spot creativity during the combat. For example, if a Pict, wielding his spear, thrusts it at your Barbarian character and rolls a natural "1" on the attack throw, the Barbarian should have the standard Inside Opening choices.

But, if the player asks, "Instead of that, I want to attempt a Sunder on the spear!" Or, he says, "I grab it! Rip it out of his hands!" I don't see why the PC shouldn't be entitled to a free Sunder attempt or Disarm or Weapon Grab, without the normal Attack of Opportunity, instead of being forced to use the Inside Opening choices.