Combat Proficiencies (CWS)

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Combat proficiencies measure a dragon's expertise in using one of its natural fighting techniques. On hatching, the initial combat slots must be filled before the dragon participates in its first adventure. Any slots not filled by that time are lost. Slots acquired later can be saved to add more expensive proficiencies. 
==Aerial Combat==
To engage in battle while flying, dragons must select the Aerial Combat proficiency. With this proficiency, dragons are able to make all of the necessary manoeuvres to do more than simply stay aloft-they can slash with claws, deliver devastating bites, and use their breath weapons while flying. (Of course, each of these separate combat proficiencies must be slotted to make best use of them.) Additional slots can be used to make a dragon even more proficient at Aerial Combat. Aerial Combat must be used in conjunction with the Dragon Flight proficiency. With Aerial Combat, a dragon receives a +2 bonus to all attack rolls made while flying. This bonus can only be used against enemies who have less skill in the proficiency than the attacker. 
For example, if a copper dragon with one slot of Aerial Combat engages an unskilled black dragon in the air, the copper receives the +2 attack bonus. If a white dragon with one slot in the proficiency flies into the fray, neither the copper nor the white receive a bonus. The two are considered to be equal in the art of Aerial Combat. When the green dragon with two slots of Aerial Combat arrives, however, it receives the bonus as it is more skilled than the copper. 
Hatchlings may select this proficiency, provided they also take Dragon Flight. 
==Bite==
A dragon's bite is its most powerful physical attack form. Because of its long neck, it can deliver its bite to its front, sides, and even its back. Without the proficiency, dragons must apply the attack penalty listed in TABLE 11. In addition, successful nonproficient use of the bite attack causes only half damage. For example, a brass dragon without the Bite proficiency bites for 2-8 points of damage (2d4) instead of 4-16 (4d4). 
Dragons with this proficiency can bite once per round. The dragon must have both this and the Claw/Claw proficiency before it can take the Claw/ Claw/Bite proficiency (which gives it three attacks per round). 
Hatchlings may select this proficiency. 
==Breath Weapon==
A dragon's breath weapon can be a terrible thing to behold. From the earliest stage of life, a dragon can spew deadly blasts from deep within its body-easily its deadliest, most devastating, and most pref erred attack form. The combat modifier listed in TABLE 4 is not applied to the breath weapon attack, and neither is the penalty listed in TABLE 11. 
Until a dragon takes a Breath Weapon proficiency, it can't use its breath weapon. Before taking the proficiency, it can be assumed that the dragon has not yet been able to master the intricate body movements needed to discharge its deadly breath. A dragon can only take a proficiency in a breath weapon that is natural to its dragon type. 
Metallic dragons have two breath weapons. A Breath Weapon proficiency must be taken for each of them. 
Breath weapons can be used once every three rounds. In the round that a breath weapon is used, a dragon can't make any other type of physical attack, cast spells, or use its innate magical abilities. Dragons · with two breath weapons can use either form, but only once every three rounds. 
Hatchlings can take this proficiency, as they instinctively know how to call forth their devastating discharges. Chapter Four: Draconic Combat provides details on the specific breath weapons of each type of dragon. 
==Optional Breath Weapon Rule==
To impose a physical limitation on the use of a dragon's breath weapon, DMs may want to incorporate this rule. 
A dragon can use its breath weapon three times in a day without a problem. After the third use, a dragon must make a Constitution check each time it uses its breath to determine whether or not its body's capacity to generate the weapon has been exhausted. Each use beyond the third gets exceedingly harder. 
Successive Constitution checks (after the first) are made with a cumulative -1 penalty. For example, on the fourth try the penalty is -1, the fifth -2, the sixth -3, and so on. 
A successful check indicates that all is well and the dragon can continue to employ its breath weapon. A failed check indicates that the breath weapon has been exhausted. The dragon cannot use its breath weapon again until it has rested and recovered its strength. 
A dragon that has exhausted its breath weapon is not fatigued in any other way. It can continue to function normally except that it can't use its breath weapon. It can recover its breath weapon by resting (and only resting) for a number of hours equal to its breath weapon attack bonus. 
==Claw Attack==
The first attack a dragon learns to use is its claw attack. All dragon characters receive this combat proficiency for free. 
With a claw attack, a dragon can battle opponents to its front and sides. This proficiency gives a dragon the ability to attack with one of its front claws per combat round, delivering a nasty swipe. See Chapter Four for details on damage. 
==Claw/Claw Attack==
A dragon's Claw/Claw attack allows it to make two raking attacks every combat round against opponents to its front and sides. These attacks can be directed against a single target or split up to strike two opponents. Hatchlings can take this combat proficiency. It cannot be used unless it is placed into available combat proficiency slots. Chapter Four lists claw damage for each dragon type. 
The dragon must have both this and the Bite proficiency before it can take the Claw/Claw/Bite proficiency. 
==Claw/Claw/Bite==
The powerful Claw/Claw/Bite attack allows a dragon to inflict three attacks in a single combat round. These attacks can be directed against a single target or split up among opponents within the dragon's reach. The damage caused by these attacks varies for each dragon type and is listed in Chapter Four. 
This proficiency can be taken only if the dragon already has both Claw/Claw and Bite as separate proficiencies. A dragon with those proficiencies needs this one in order to make three melee attacks in the same combat round. 
Hatchlings can't take this proficiency. +2 bonus to attack rolls. When diving on land-bound opponents, a dragon with the Wing Buffet proficiency can also strike with its wings. This technique requires the dragon to land immediately after attacking. 
In flight, dragons must glide to cast spells (though innate abilities can be used at any time). Every round of gliding, a dragon loses 1,000 feet of altitude. Its forward speed drops to half the speed it was traveling the round before it began gliding. 
Flying dragons can attack other flying creatures with either claw or bite, but not both. Dragons with Aerial Combat receive additional benefits. 
==Kick==
The Kick proficiency allows a dragon to slash at opponents behind it with its rear claws. The kick causes the same amount of damage as a claw attack. Opponents struck by a kick must roll their Dexterity or less on 1d20. Those who fail are kicked backward 1d6 feet, plus 1 foot per age category of the kicking dragon. An opponent who is kicked backward must make a successful saving throw vs. petrification (adjusted by the dragon's combat modifier) or fall down. A dragon cannot use a Tail Slap while kicking. If it makes one claw attack it can kick with only one leg, and if the dragon uses both claws, then no kick is possible. 
Hatchlings can't select the Kick proficiency. If this attack is used without being slotted, the nonproficiency attack penalty is applied. 
==Plummet==
The Plummet proficiency allows a dragon to leap or fly down to land atop an opponent. To leap and plummet, a dragon must be at least 30 feet above its target. To plummet while flying, a dragon must be airborne (which requires the Dragon Flight proficiency). 
To plummet, a dragon rolls a separate attack against each creature it plans to land on. It can land on a maximum number of creatures equal to its combat modifier. Plummeting and landing on a creature causes a dragon to crush and pin opponents using its claws and tail. Crushing damage equals the dragon's bite damage. Any creatures that the dragon fails to hit (when making the attack rolls) are assumed to have moved out of the way. Those hit are crushed and must make successful saving throws vs. petrification or remain pinned under the dragon. Those pinned take crushing damage every round the dragon remains atop them. They can attempt to escape by making saving throws vs. petrification every round until they succeed, the dragon releases them, or they are crushed to death. 
The dragon's combat modifier is applied as a penalty to all saving throws made against the crush and pin. A dragon can do nothing else during the rounds it plummets or pins opponents. 
Hatchlings can't select this proficiency. Dragons without this proficiency can make this attack with the nonproficiency penalty, but saving throws against the crush attack are not adjusted by the dragon's combat modifier. 
==Roll==
Roll, when used as a combat technique, allows dragons to roll over and crush those opponents seeking to attack from atop a dragon's back. A successful attack roll against an opponent's Armor Class indicates that the dragon has rolled completely over and caused crushing damage to its enemy. Roll damage equals half a dragon's bite damage. An opponent who has endured a roll must make a saving throw vs. paralysis or be dislodged. This attack cannot pin an opponent, as the dragon rolls completely over and regains its feet all in the same round. 
Hatchlings can't select this proficiency. A dragon without this proficiency can roll, with the nonproficiency penalty applied. 
==Snatch==
Any dragon with the Dragon Flight proficiency can take the Snatch combat proficiency. A snatch allows a flying dragon to dive and attempt to grab smaller creatures or other items in its claws. Any creature or item struck in this manner (and weighing within the dragon's maximum press limits) is lifted into the air. A snatch requires a successful attack roll. 
Snatched creatures are pinned 50% of the time. Pinned creatures cannot physically attack the dragon that has snatched them. 
Dragons who have snatched creatures can then do a number of things with them. They can fly the creatures to great heights and drop them. They can squeeze the snatched creatures for automatic claw damage each round. If a dragon makes a successful attack roll, it can transfer a snatched creature to its mouth. This allows automatic bite damage each round. A failed attack during a transfer means the dragon has dropped the creature. Snatched creatures can attempt to break free of a dragon's claws by making a successful save vs. petrification. A dragon's combat modifier is applied as a penalty to the saving throw. To break free from the mouth, the creature must make a saving throw vs. petrification with a penalty of 3 plus the dragon's combat modifier. Creatures making the appropriate saving throw break free and immediately begin to fall toward the ground. 
Dragons younger than young adult can only snatch very small items and creatures. Rabbits, pigs, cats, hats, and weapons are the usual things these young dragons can snatch. Once dragons reach old age, they can attempt to carry a creature in each claw and snatch two victims at the same time (successful attack rolls are needed). Wyrms can carry three creatures, though one must be successfully transferred to the mouth before the third can be snatched. 
Hatchlings can choose this combat proficiency. Dragons without this proficiency can make this attack if the nonproficiency penalty is applied. 
A dragon can only snatch a creature that is two or more size categories smaller than itself. For example, a Gargantuan-sized dragon can snatch creatures up to Large size.
 Table 14: Size Categories
Code	Size
T 	Tiny (2 feet tall or less)
S 	Smaller than human (2 to 4 feet)
M 	Man-sized (4+ feet to 7 feet)
L 	Larger than human (7 to 12 feet)
H 	Huge (12+ feet to 25 feet)
G 	Gargantuan (25+ feet)
==Stall==
Any dragon with the Dragon Flight combat proficiency (except hatchlings) can take the Stall proficiency. Stall allows a flying dragon to approach the ground and halt its forward motion. This lets it hover for one round, though it must land immediately in the next round. A stalled dragon can attack with its bite and all four claws, or it can use its breath weapon. By stalling in an area with lots of loose earth or sand, a dragon's beating wings create a dust cloud of the same radius as its fear aura. This cloud lasts one round, blinds all creatures within it, and makes spellcasting impossible. Dragons too young to have a fear radius are not big enough to create a blinding cloud of dust. 
Hatchlings can't use this proficiency. Dragons without this proficiency are unable to use this combat technique. 
==Tail Mace==
By selecting this proficiency, a dragon is able to make skillful use of the tail mace weapon (see Section II). Without this proficiency, a tail mace must be used with the nonproficiency penalty. 
The Tail Slap proficiency must already be slotted before a dragon can select this proficiency. Unlike the tail slap, however, the tail mace can only strike one opponent at a time. 
Hatchlings can't select this proficiency. 
==Tail Slap==
The Tail Slap combat proficiency allows a dragon to employ its tail as a weapon against opponents to its rear and sides. The tail can strike a number of opponents equal to the dragon's age category. For example, a juvenile dragon can strike up to four opponents. The tail slap inflicts damage equal to a dragon's two claws, but each opponent to be hit requires a successful attack roll. 
An opponent struck by a tail slap must make a successful saving throw vs. petrification (adjusted by the dragon's combat modifier) or be stunned for 1d4+ 1 rounds. 
Tail slaps can smash light wooden structures. They can also be used to cause damage to larger, more solid structures. Dragons with this proficiency gain a +5% bonus to their Bend Bars/Lift Gates rolls when using tail slaps to cause structural damage (see Chapter One). 
Hatchlings cannot select this proficiency. Because of the difficulty of learning to use its tail as a weapon, a dragon cannot use this attack until it has this proficiency. 
==Wing Buffet==
The Wing Buffet combat proficiency allows dragons to use their wings as weapons against opponents to either side. Only one wing can strike a specific opponent in a single round. A wing buff et inflicts the same damage as a claw attack, and an opponent struck by a wing buffet must roll its Dexterity or less on 1d20 or be knocked to the ground. 
Hatchlings can't select this proficiency. Because of the difficulty of learning to use its wing as a weapon, a dragon cannot use this attack until it has this proficiency. 
==Wing Spur==
By selecting Wing Spur, a dragon is able to make skilful use of the wing spurs weapon (see Section II). Without this proficiency, wing spurs must be used with the nonproficiency penalty. 
The Wing Buffet proficiency must already be slotted before a dragon can select Wing Spur. 
Hatchlings can't select this proficiency.