Overbearing (POCT)

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This version of overbearing is an expanded version of the one appearing in Chapter Two, but it also assumes that no combatants involved are fighting with weapons. Overbearing includes most attacks aimed at simply overpowering the target. If the attackers are seeking to overwhelm the defender through brute strength or sheer weight of numbers, it's an overbearing attack. Overbearing is a tactic available to any creature and can be used against almost any other creature. Creatures with multiple legs are difficult to overbear. Creatures with no legs at all are nearly impossible to overbear (because they can't be knocked down) but attackers with sufficient strength sometimes can pin them in place. Creatures with no solid form (immaterial, gaseous, or liquid) cannot be overborne.
Characters need not have their hands free to make overbearing attacks, but they might not be able to take full advantage of pins if they do not (see below).
==Overbearing Procedures==
Virtually all creatures can make one overbearing attack each round. As explained in Chapter Two, overbearing requires an attack roll vs. Armor Class 10. Adjustments for Dexterity and magic apply to the defender's Armor Class.
If the attack hits, there is an opposed Strength roll to determine if the defender keeps her feet. A list of modifiers (expanded from Chapter Two) is included below:
* 4-point bonus or penalty per size difference of the largest attacker versus the defender;
* +1 bonus per additional attacker;
* –4 penalty if defender has more than two legs;
* –4 penalty if the defender is legless (snake, worm, slug);
* –4 penalty if the defender is generally amorphous (ooze, slime, jelly).*
: * - Creatures that qualify for this modifier also get the modifier for having no legs, for a total penalty of –8.
If the defender wins the opposed Strength roll, she stays on her feet and the attackers remain in their squares. The defender remains clear and can finish the round normally. If the attackers win, they (or as many as will fit) enter the defender's square and everyone falls in a heap with the attackers on top. The overborne character takes no damage. Note that attackers in squares adjacent to the defender can contribute to overbearing attacks even if they can't enter the defender's square.
If defender is overborne, she loses all actions for the remainder of the round and her actions are severely limited the next round; the character is grappled and cannot move or make any attacks (including attacks of opportunity) until she gets free.
A defender who has been knocked down by an overbearing attack can be pinned if she is successfully overborne again in the following round. Overborne defenders can do nothing until the pin is resolved.
==Pins==
Attackers who have made successful overbearing attacks have an advantage over the defender in the following round. The attackers can release the opponent or try for a pin.
If the attackers release the opponent, they can immediately attempt another unarmed attack, draw a weapon and attack (this counts as a half-move action), or attempt some other action normally available to characters, such as movement.
If the attackers try for a pin, conduct another opposed Strength roll. If the attackers win, the opponent is pinned (see below). If the defender wins, the attackers must leave the defender's square and the defender can spend a half move or an attack to stand up, just as if she had suffered a knockdown.
===Effects of Pins===
A pin lasts for an entire combat round. A pinned character is considered prone and grappled. The attackers can immobilize a pinned character's limbs if their hands are free. If the attackers are the same size or larger than the defender, one of the defender's limbs is immobilized and useless for every attacker with free hands in the pile. If the attackers are smaller, it takes one extra creature per size class difference to immobilize a limb. For example, it takes one human to hold down an orc's arm, two humans to hold down an ogre's arm, and three humans to hold down a hill giant's arm. If the attackers are larger, they can pin two limbs for every two size classes difference. For example, a single ogre can pin one limb of a dwarf or two of a halfling's limbs.
If all the defender's limbs are immobilized for two consecutive rounds, the attackers have the upper hand and can choose any wrestling lock effect. (Damage from locks achieved through an overbearing pin is mostly temporary, as in all other forms of brawling combat.) A group that achieves a lock inflicts damage only once per round, but uses its effective group Strength score when determining damage.
===Maintaining and Breaking Pins===
A pinned creature can make unarmed or natural attacks with its free limbs or can attack with a size S weapon. The pinned character's original facing does not affect these attacks; all the characters involved are entangled in a random dogpile and the defender is assumed to be facing all the attackers simultaneously—this is one disadvantage to overbearing attacks. If the defender inflicts a critical hit with a weapon or natural attack, he can opt to inflict double damage (or roll for a special effect according to the rules presented in Chapter Six) or force the attacker who is struck to release her. If the defender scores a knockdown with a pummeling or weapon attack, the attacker who is struck must release the defender.
The attacker cannot directly counter the pin, she must wait until the attackers try to maintain the pin.
Attackers who have pinned a defender must make an opposed Strength roll each round to maintain the pin. If a pinned defender wins the opposed Strength roll, she breaks the pin and can spend a half move or an attack to stand up. She is still grappled, however. If the defender wins the next opposed Strength roll, she breaks free. If the defender wins initiative, she can force the roll herself on her attack phase; this is the only time a defender can initiate the opposed roll, which can be either an attack or a Strength roll, at the defender's option. If the defender loses or there is a tie, the defender remains grappled and the attackers can skip the attack roll and go directly to the opposed Strength roll on their next action phase. If the defender wins, she breaks free and can finish the round normally.
===Assistance===
Overbearing involves brute force and is the natural attack form for groups of creatures confronting a lone target. In the case of multiple defenders, the attackers can divide themselves among their opponents or concentrate on a single defender, provided that the attackers occupy squares adjacent to the defender.
The defender's allies, if clear, can remove attackers from the pile by making overbearing or wrestling attacks against them. An ally who threatens the attackers can make attacks of opportunity each time the attackers initiate an opposed roll—the arrival of an armed ally usually breaks up a massed overbearing attack. A critical hit or knockdown can force an attacker to release a defender, as described above.
Missile attacks directed at a pile have a chance to hit any character in the pile as described in Chapter One.
==Overbearing Skill Levels==
Any creature or character who can be overborne is automatically familiar with overbearing combat. A character cannot choose to be nonproficient in overbearing and gain extra character points under the optional character point system from the Skills & Powers book.
Overbearing is a crude form of combat that emphasizes brute force over finesse. It is not possible to develop overbearing expertise, specialization, or mastery.
==An Example of Overbearing==
Anada, the elf warrior from the two previous examples, is sneaking through the bugbear lair with a morning star in hand. He still wears his chain mail +1. The bugbears are quick to note escape and three of them corner him in an unused chamber. The trio decides to rush Anada and take his weapon away.
The three bugbears make a combined overbearing attack against Anada. Because he is armed, Anada can make attacks of opportunity against the bugbears. As an 8th-level fighter, Anada is entitled to up to four attacks of opportunity, but he only gets three since there are only three bugbears. Anada gets lucky and hits all three times. No hits kill any bugbears, but he scores a knockdown chance against one of them. The bugbear fails its saving throw roll vs. death and is knocked down. It cannot participate in the overbearing attack. Even if the save was successful, the bugbear could not participate in the attack because it suffered a knockdown chance.
The two remaining bugbears must hit AC 8 (because of Anada's magical chain mail and 15 Dexterity). They hit, and there is an opposed Strength roll to see if Anada is overborne. The bugbears receive a +4 bonus because they are larger than Anada and an additional +1 because there are two of them; their effective Strength score for this attack is 19. Anada rolls a 16, higher than his adjusted Strength score. The bugbears roll a 13, easily a success. Anada goes down, with the bugbears on top, in the square where he stood. Anada can do nothing except await the bugbears' pin attempt.
The next round, the bugbears attempt a pin. The third bugbear jumps on the pile, increasing the bugbears' bonus to +6. Anada rolls a 15, exactly what he needs to succeed with his Strength score. The bugbears roll a 10, a success, but Anada succeeded with a higher roll, so he wins. Because he was not pinned Anada can spend a half move regaining his feet and attack with his morning star. His blows do not slay any bugbears, and another bugbear enters the chamber and joins the fray.
All four bugbears attempt to overbear Anada during the next round. Anada gets an attack of opportunity against each of them and slays one. The three survivors make a combined attack and hit AC 8, forcing another opposed Strength roll. The bugbears win, and Anada goes down again. Once again, Anada can do nothing but await the pin attempt.
The three bugbears win the next opposed roll, pinning Anada. Both of Anada's arms and one of his legs are pinned. The DM decides that the bugbear holding Anada's leg is prone, and allows the elf to kick (pummel) that bugbear. Anada hits and scores a knockdown against the bugbear, making it let go of his leg.
The two remaining bugbears try to maintain the pin during the next round, and the bugbear who was knocked loose joins the pile. Anada wins the opposed roll. Because he was pinned, Anada can only regain his feet, he cannot break free or launch any other attacks.
Anada wins initiative, however, and can attack before the bugbears can do anything. His morning star is too large to use while grappled, so Anada decides to break free with an opposed attack roll (taking advantage of his superior THAC0). Unfortunately, he rolls a 1 and fails. He will remain grappled no matter what the bugbears roll.
The bugbears try to overbear again; because Anada is grappled, he gets no attacks of opportunity and the bugbears do not have to make an attack roll. The bugbears win the opposed Strength roll, knocking Anada to the floor again.
By this time, two more bugbears arrive on the scene. The bugbears attempt to pin Anada during the next round and the new bugbears join the pile. They have a +8 bonus and handily win the opposed Strength roll. All of Anada's limbs are pinned.
The next round, they attempt to maintain the pin and succeed again. All of Anada's limbs have been pinned for two consecutive rounds, and the bugbears have him under control. Four bugbears pull Anada's arms and lock them behind his back while the fifth bugbear ties them together (a manipulation). Anada suffers 1d2+10 points of damage from the manhandling (because the bugbears' effective Strength score is 22).
The five bugbears quickly haul their bound captive back to his cell, where they bind him even more securely.