Combat/Melee

The following rules apply to melee or Hand-to-hand combat. This can be with weapons held in the hand (i.e. sword or bat) or it can be a part of the creature (i.e. claws or fists). See Melee Weapons for a detailed list.

## Melee Attacks

A character's attack bonus with a melee weapon is:

Strength helps a character swing a weapon harder and faster, so a character's Strength modifier applies to melee attack rolls.

Flanking Bonuses may also contribute to the melee attack bonus.

## Unarmed Strike

Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except that an unarmed attack deals nonlethal damage. Unarmed strikes count as light melee weapons (for purposes of two-weapon attack penalties and so on). The following exceptions to normal melee rules apply to unarmed attacks.

Attacks of Opportunity
Making an unarmed attack against an armed opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from the character attacked. The attack of opportunity comes before the character's attack. An unarmed attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity from other foes, nor does it provoke an attack of opportunity from an unarmed foe.
"Armed" Unarmed Attacks
Sometimes a character or creature attacks unarmed but the attack still counts as armed. A creature with claws, fangs, and similar natural physical weapons, for example, counts as armed. Being armed counts for both offense and defense - not only does a creature not provoke an attack of opportunity when attacking an armed foe, but a character provokes an attack of opportunity from that creature if the character makes an unarmed attack against it. The Combat Martial Arts feat makes a character's unarmed attacks count as armed.
Unarmed Strike Damage
An unarmed strike from a Medium-size character deals 1d3 points (plus the character's Strength modifier, as normal; minimum 1) of nonlethal damage.
A character can specify that his or her unarmed strike will deal lethal damage before the character makes his or her attack roll, but the character takes a -4 penalty on the attack roll because he or she has to strike a particularly vulnerable spot to deal lethal damage.

**Table: Feats**

## Attacking with Two Weapons

**Table: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties**
 Off-hand weapon is light andTwo-Weapon Fighting feat | –2 | –2

If the character wields a second weapon in his off hand, the character can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. However, fighting in this way is very difficult; the character takes a –6 penalty on the regular attack or attacks with his or her primary hand and a –10 penalty on the attack with his or her off hand. A character can reduce these penalties in two ways:

1. If the off-hand weapon is *light*, the penalties are reduced by 2 each (-4 and -8 respectively)
2. The Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6 (-4 and -4 respectively).

Table: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties summarizes the interaction of all these factors.

**Unarmed Combat**: An Unarmed Strike is always considered as a light weapon.

**Double Weapons:** A character can use a double weapon to make an extra attack as if he or she were fighting with two weapons. The penalties apply as if the off-hand weapon were light.

### Feats

To fight with two weapons more effectively, see the following feats:

**Table: Feats**

## Grappling

Grappling means wrestling and struggling hand-to-hand. This is done during Combat rounds.

### Grapple Stages

There are three stages to grappling: grabbing, holding, and pinning.

Grabbing
Normally, a grab is just the first step to starting a grapple. If the character grabs an opponent, but fails to go on to hold him or her, the character doesn't actually start a grapple. However, sometimes all a character wants to do is grab the target.
Holding
Once a character has established a hold, he or she is involved in a grapple. From a hold, a character can attempt a number of actions, including damaging the opponent or pinning the opponent. A character can't get a hold on any creature more than two size categories larger than the character. (However, such a creature can get a hold on the character-so while a character can't initiate a grapple with a creature more than two size categories larger than, a character can still end up in one.)
Pinning
Getting the opponent in a pin is often the goal of a grapple. A pinned character is held immobile.
### Grapple Checks

When a character is involved in a grapple, he or she will need to make opposed grapple checks against an opponent-often repeatedly. A grapple check is something like a melee attack roll. A character's attack bonus on a grapple check is:

*\*Grapple modifier usually comes from size. other modifiers may come from number of limbs and species traits.*

### Grapple Modifier

A creature's size works in its favor when grappling, if that creature is Large or larger in size. Conversely, a creature of Small or smaller size is at a disadvantage because of its size when grappling. Instead of using a creature's size modifier on a grapple check (as would be done for a melee or ranged attack roll), use the appropriate grapple modifier from Table: Grapple **Modifiers.**

### Starting a Grapple

To start a grapple, a character first needs to grab and hold his or her target. Attempting to start a grapple is the equivalent of making a melee attack. If the character gets multiple attacks in a round, he or she can attempt to start a grapple multiple times (at successively lower base attack bonuses). Follow these steps.

1. Attack of Opportunity
A character provokes an attack of opportunity from the target he or she is trying to grapple if that character still has one available.
**(Fail)** If the attack of opportunity deals the initiating character damage, the character fails to start the grapple.
**(Success)** If the attack of opportunity misses or otherwise fails to deal damage, proceed to step 2.
2. Grab
The character makes a melee touch attack to grab the target.
**(Fail)** If the character fails to hit the target, the character fails to start the grapple.
**(Success)** If the character succeeds, proceed to step 3.
3. Hold
Make an opposed grapple check. (This is a free action.)
**(Fail)** If the character loses, he or she fails to start the grapple. The character automatically loses an attempt to hold if the target is two or more size categories larger than the character is (but the character can still make an attempt to grab such a target, if that's all he or she wants to do).
**(Success)** If successful, the character has started the grapple, and deals damage to the target as if with an unarmed strike.
4. Maintain the Grapple
To maintain the grapple for later rounds, the character must move into the target's square. (This movement is free and doesn't count as part of the character's movement for the round movement.) Moving, as normal, provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies, but not from the target.
**(Fail)**If the character can't move into the target's square, the character can't maintain the grapple and must immediately let go of the target (to grapple again, the character must begin at step 1).
**(Success)**The character and the target are now grappling. Both gained the Grappled condition.
### Grappling Consequences

While a character is grappling, his or her ability to attack others and defend him or herself is limited.

No Threatened Squares
A character doesn't threaten any squares while grappling.
No Dexterity Bonus
A character loses his or her Dexterity bonus to Defense (if the character has one) against opponents the character isn't grappling. (The character can still use it against opponents he or she is grappling.)
No Movement
A character cannot move while held in a grapple.
### If the Character is Grappling

When a character is grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), he or she can attempt any of several actions on his or her turn. Unless otherwise noted, each of these options is equivalent to an attack. (If the character normally gets more than one attack per attack action, he or she can attempt as many of these options as he or she has attacks available, using his or her successively lower attack bonus for each roll.) The character is limited to these options only; he or she cannot take any other actions.

Damage the Opponent
Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he or she deals damage as with an unarmed strike.
Escape from Grapple
Make an opposed grapple check. If the character succeeds, he or she can escape the grapple. If more than one opponent is grappling the character, the grapple check result has to beat all their check results to escape. (Opponents don't have to try to hold a character if they don't want to.)
Alternatively, the character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by the opponent's grapple check to escape from the grapple. This is an attack action that the character may only attempt once per round, even if the character gets multiple attacks.
If the character has not used his or her move action for the round, the character may do so after escaping the grapple.
Pin
Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he or she holds the opponent immobile for 1 round forcing them into the Pinned condition. The opponent takes a -4 penalty to Defense against all attacks from other people (but not from the character); however, the opponent is not considered Helpless.
A character can't use a weapon on a pinned character or attempt to damage or pin a second opponent while holding a pin on the first.
A pinned character can't take any action except to attempt to escape from the pin.
Escape from Pin
Make an opposed grapple check. If the character succeeds, he or she can escape from being pinned. (Opponents don't have to try to keep the character pinned if they don't want to.) The character is still being grappled, however.
Alternatively, a character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by the opponent's grapple check to escape from the pin. This is an attack action that the character may only attempt once per round, even if the character gets multiple attacks.
Break Another's Pin
Make an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he or she can break the hold that an opponent has over another character or creature.
Draw a Light Weapon
A character can draw a light weapon as a move action.
Attack with a Light Weapon
A character can attack with a light weapon while grappling (but not while pinned or pinning). A character can't attack with two weapons while grappling.
### Joining a Grapple

If the target is already grappling someone else (a creature or character with the Grappled condition)), a character can use an attack to start a grapple, as above, except that the target doesn't get an attack of opportunity against the character, and the character's grab automatically succeeds. The character still has to make a successful opposed grapple check and move in to be part of the grapple.

If multiple enemies are already involved in the grapple, the character picks one against whom to make the opposed grapple check.

### Multiple Grapplers

Several combatants can be in a single grapple. Up to four combatants can grapple a single opponent in a given round. Creatures that are one size category smaller than the character count as one-half creature each; creatures that are one size category larger than the character count as two creatures; and creatures two or more size categories larger than the character count as four creatures.

When involved in a grapple with multiple opponents, the character chooses one opponent to make an opposed check against. The exception is an attempt to escape from the grapple; to escape, a character's grapple check must beat the check results of all opponents

**Table: Feats**

## Trip

A character can try to trip an opponent, or otherwise knock him or her down, as an unarmed melee attack. A character can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than the character, the same size, or smaller.

### Making a Trip Attack

Make an unarmed melee touch attack against the target. Doing this provokes an attack of opportunity from the target as normal for unarmed strikes.

If the attack succeeds, make a Strength check opposed by the target's Dexterity check or Strength check (using whichever ability score has the higher modifier). If the target creature has ranks in Balance, they may add those ranks.

If the character and the target are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the Strength check of +4 per difference in size category.
The target gets a +4 stability bonus on his or her check if he or she has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable.
If the character wins, he or she trips the target.

If the character loses, the target may immediately react and make a Strength check opposed by the character's Dexterity check or Strength check to try to trip the first character.

A tripped character is Prone. Standing up from a prone position is a move action.

### Tripping with a Weapon

Some weapons, such as the Chain and the Whip, can be used to make trip attacks. A character doesn't incur an attack of opportunity when doing so. If the character is tripped during his or her own trip attempt, the character can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped.

**Table: Feats**

## Disarm

As a melee attack, a character may attempt to disarm his or her opponent. If the character does so with a weapon, he or she knocks the opponent's weapon out of his or her hands and to the ground. If the character attempt the disarm while unarmed, the character ends up with the weapon in his or her hand.

### Melee Weapons

If a character is attempting to disarm the wielder of a melee weapon, follow the steps outlined here.

1) Attack of Opportunity
The character provokes an attack of opportunity from the target he or she is trying to disarm.
2) Opposed Attack Rolls
The character and the target make opposed attack rolls with their respective weapons.
**(Weapon Size):** If the weapons are different sizes, the combatant with the larger weapon gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.
**(Character Size):** If the combatants are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.
**(Two Handed Weapon):** If the target is using a weapon in two hands, he or she gets an additional +4 bonus.
If the disarm attempt fails, the target may immediately react and attempt to disarm the first character with the same sort of opposed melee attack roll. The opponent's attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the character.
If the opponent fails to disarm, the character does not get a free disarm attempt against the opponent.
3) Disarm
If the character beats the target's attack roll, the target is disarmed.
If the disarm action was attempted while unarmed, the attacking character now has the weapon.
If the character was armed, the target's weapon is on the ground at the target's feet.
### Ranged Weapons

To disarm an opponent wielding a ranged weapon, the character makes a melee attack or unarmed attack to strike the weapon in the opponent's hand (see Attack an Object).

If the weapon is held in two hands, it gets a +2 bonus to its Defense.
If the character's attack succeeds, the ranged weapon falls to the ground or winds up in the character's hands (if the character made the attack unarmed). This kind of disarm attempt provokes an attack of opportunity, but if the character fails, the target does not get to make a disarm attempt against him or her.