Fighting Styles (POCT)

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Fighting Styles There are almost as many different ways of fighting as there are fights. Every character and monster has his or her favorite weapon and preferred means of attack. Fighting styles are general ways in which a character can equip himself for a fight and execute his attacks during the battle.
If a character doesn't know a fighting style, he can learn it at the cost of a proficiency slot. Warriors can actually specialize in fighting styles to gain bonus attacks or defenses; this is covered in Chapter Four.
==Single Weapon==
In single-weapon style, the character wields a one-handed weapon and leaves his off-hand empty. There are some disadvantages to this style, in that the character is shorting himself the protection of a shield or the extra offense of a secondary weapon. However, single-weapon style does leave the character with a hand free for using magical items, grabbing, or punching an opponent.
If the single-weapon character makes an off-hand attack, such as a punch or grab, he's considered to be fighting with two weapons. His primary weapon suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls and his secondary attacks suffer a –4 penalty to hit. These penalties are offset by the character's reaction adjustment for his Dexterity score.
All player characters, regardless of class, know the single-weapon fighting style.
==Two-handed Weapon==
The largest and most damaging weapons available to PCs are usually two-handed weapons. Obviously, a character with a two-handed weapon is not going to be able to use a shield or a secondary weapon, but he does have a lot of offensive capability.
Many two-handed weapons are polearms and extended-range weapons that provide the wielder with special tactical benefits in addition to their raw damage potential. Note that a character doesn't have to use both hands just to hold a two-handed weapon; he can hang on to it with one hand to free up the other for another activity, but he can't attack until he gets both hands on the weapon again.
===Size and Two-handed Weapons===
Generally, a character can use a weapon equal to his own size in one hand, and a weapon one size larger in two hands. For example, a halfling (size S) can use a short sword or hand axe in one hand, since they're size S weapons, but if he used a broadsword (size M) he'd have to use it two-handed, and there's no way he could use a longbow or halberd.
===One or Two-handed Weapons===
Several weapons can be used as one-handed or two-handed weapons. These include the bastard sword, harpoon, javelin, spear, long spear, and trident. These weapons' characteristics change when used two-handed; refer to Chapter Seven.
===One-handed Weapons used Two-handed===
Several other weapons are normally one-handed weapons that can be used two-handed if the wielder so desires. There's no particular reason to do this, unless the character's too small to wield the weapon any other way. These weapons include the battleaxe, club, footman's flail, horseman's flail, long sword, footman's mace, horseman's mace, morning star, footman's pick, horseman's pick, and warhammer.
Warriors, priests, and mages normally know the two-handed weapon fighting style.
==Weapon and Shield==
One of the most common fighting styles in the AD&D game, this style provides the character with the defensive benefits of a shield and still allows a decent offense. In addition to the AC benefit of the shield, this style also gives the character the attack options of shield-punch and shield-rush.
There are two disadvantages to this style: first, the character is limited to using a single one-handed weapon, since his other hand has the shield; secondly, if he wants to quickly empty a hand, he has to drop his weapon. Most shields are strapped to the character's arm and take a full round to remove.
Warriors and priests normally know the weapon and shield fighting style.
==Two Weapon==
Not to be confused with the two-handed weapon style, two weapon style uses a weapon in each of the character's hands. The advantage of this is clear: the character either has more attack power or can use the secondary weapon defensively to block incoming blows. Another benefit lies in the fact that even if the character loses a weapon, he's still armed.
The character can use any one-handed weapon in his primary hand, but his secondary weapon must be a size smaller than his primary weapon. Knives and daggers can always be used, regardless of the primary weapon's size. The character suffers a –2 penalty to attacks with the primary weapon, and a –4 to attacks with the secondary weapon. This penalty is offset by the character's reaction adjustment for high Dexterity.
Important Note: While the character receives his normal number of attacks for class, level, and specialization with his primary weapon, he only receives one additional attack with his secondary weapon.
Warriors and rogues know two weapon fighting style.
==Unarmed==
Some characters prefer to fight with their fists and feet instead of weapons and shields. Generally, a character can make one wrestling or overbearing attack or two punching attacks per round. If a character is using a weapon in one hand, he can use his second hand for an additional attack, just like fighting in two-weapon style. However, the bare-handed attack creates an attack of opportunity for the defender if he threatens the attacker.
All characters can punch or wrestle; it doesn't even require a weapon proficiency. It's possible to specialize in unarmed combat and become better at hand-to-hand fighting—refer to Chapter Five for more information.
==Missile or Thrown Weapon==
Fighting with missiles or thrown weapons is an excellent option, as long as you can keep your target at a range where you can hit him without being hit. Once an enemy threatens an archer or slinger, it's a good idea to either withdraw or change weapons.
Regardless of a character's size, using a bow, crossbow, sling, blowgun, or firearm at its normal rate of fire requires both hands. Crossbows and firearms can be loaded with both hands and then aimed and fired in one hand, if the attacker's size is equal to the weapon's size or larger. However, heavy crossbows, arquebuses, calivers, and muskets suffer a –2 penalty to the attack roll if aimed one-handed.
===Multiple Loaded Weapons===
If a character is able to cock and load several crossbows or ready several firearms for firing, he can get several shots off very quickly. As long as the character has loaded weapons close at hand, he can triple his normal rate of fire. When he runs out of loaded weapons, he'll have to resume firing at the normal rate.
===Thrown Weapons===
Most thrown weapons only require one hand to use; there's no reason why a character couldn't carry a shield or a second weapon in his off-hand. A character can't throw weapons and make a melee attack in the same round—he has to choose one or the other.
Size M or larger thrown weapons can be used in conjunction with a charge attack. The character performs his charge as normal, but he pulls up short of his target by 10 to 20 feet and uses his momentum to add to the javelin or axe throw. This attack confers the movement and +2 attack bonus of a charge, but the attacker suffers the charge penalties, too.
==Weapon-Specific Styles==
Many specialized fighting styles and weapon combinations have developed over the history of personal combat. Some examples of these special cases include the net and trident, matched sai, nunchaku or fighting sticks, and the rapier and main-gauche.
The exact benefits of each weapon-specific style are described in Chapter Four. Generally, these efficient weapon pairings tend to offset the penalties of fighting in two-weapon style or provide extra defense when used together.