Combat

**Combat** is played out in rounds, and in each round everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle. Combat usually runs in the following way. Read through the entire sequence before reading about the details.

NOTE: The words "Creature" and "Character" are used interchangeably.

1. Each combatant starts the battle flat-footed. Once a combatant acts, he or she is no longer flat-footed.
2. The GM determines which characters are aware of their opponents at the start of the battle. If appropriate, a surprise round happens before a regular rounds begin. Aware combatants roll for initiative. In initiative order, combatants take one *Action*. Combatants who were unaware don't get to act.
3. Combatants who have not yet rolled initiative do so. All combatants are now ready to begin their first regular round.
4. Combatants act in initiative order.
5. When everyone has had a turn, the combatant with the highest initiative acts again, and steps 4 and 5 repeat until combat ends.

## Combat Order

Combat is played out in **Rounds** broken down into **Turns** further divided into **Actions**. Ten rounds takes about one minute in *game time.* A round takes approximately 6 seconds, but this is not a hard rule. While creatures will seem to move one at a time for the sake of game play, in the game world, they are moving simultaneously. When a creature enters the battle, they make an Initiative roll to get an initiative score (D20  + Init. Mod). Not all creatures on the battle field will be in the combat right away.

Combat does not have to always include attacks. Some "combat" scenarios may include opposed Hide and Spot checks, opposed Move Silently and Listen checks, Treat Injury checks, Pilot, Drive, Ride, Tumble (etc.) checks, Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Saves, or any number of scenarios a GM can imagine.

Combat ends when there are no more attacks, opposed rolls, and/or time (in terms of seconds) is no longer critical to the survival of any character. The GM may have other criteria.

### Rounds

Each round starts with the creature that rolls the highest Initiative score (D20  + Init. Mod) so long as they are not helpless. Creatures must be close enough to make some kind of effect on the battle and be aware of the enemy to make an initiative roll. Rounds proceed with each creature taking their turn (as described below). Any creature that has not yet acted is consider Flat-Footed until the start of their turn. Some characters may act out of turn with Attacks of Opportunity (creatures that have not had a turn are Flat-Footed and may not make Attacks of Opportunity). Rounds end with the conclusion of the last action of the creature that scored the lowest initiative score. Any persistent special effects on the battle field that existed before battle started and alter as time goes on generally make their alterations between rounds.

Surprise Rounds
If the first round of combat does not include all the creatures, then a surprise round is initiated before a normal round. Only one surprise round can take place in a combat. Any creature acting in a surprise round may only make one Attack Action or Move Action. Any Creature in the battle area but not part of the surprise round is Flat-Footed as they have not yet had a turn.
Entering Combat Late
Creatures that enter combat late will not roll for initiative until they are either close enough for a ranged attack or just over twice their base movement from any other creatures. The GM may have other criteria. Once they are close enough, they will make an initiative roll and join in the turn order at the start of the next round.
### Turns

Each creature that is aware of combat will take their Turn in initiative order. Each creature may make a Move Action, Attack Action, and Free Action. If they initiate an effect or grant themselves a condition, it will generally end at the start of their own turn some number of rounds later (though there are other possible criteria).

Delaying Actions
Actions may be delayed until a trigger event or the end of the round. Whenever a trigger event occurs, that creature's turn is permanently changed to that place in the initiative order.
### Actions

Move Actions
If a creature wishes to move some distance across the battle field, or wants to perform some skill checks, or need to perform a task that does not involve other creatures, it is generally a move action. A list of move actions is below. A move action may be made before or after an attack action. A creature may choose to perform two move actions in a turn at the cost of their attack action. In a surprise round, only either a single move action can be taken, not two.
Attack Actions
If a creature wants to attack a creature, effect the actions of a character, or perform some skill checks, then they must use an Attack Action. Attacks, whether *Melee* (face to face) or *Ranged* (from a distance) require an Attack Roll. An attack action may be made before or after a move action. Attack actions may be traded for move actions, but move actions cannot be traded for attack actions. In a surprise round, only either an attack action or move action can be taken, not both.
Full-Round Actions
Some tasks are much more time consuming or complicated (or too powerful for game balance) and need the creature's entire turn to perform. Sprinting to the other side of a battle field, taking a totally defensive stance, making multiple attacks in a round, or performing some skill checks requires a full round action. Full Round Actions are not available in surprise rounds.
Free Actions
Some tasks are so simple and fast that they do not justify the use of a move action, or they may be done in combination with another action including a full-round action. Saying a short sentence, dropping an object, taking a 5-foot step, or spotting something are some examples. Feats and special abilities may expand the range of free actions such as the Quick Draw feat allows the creature to pull a weapon from a holster and make a full-round attack. There is no cap to the number of free actions except as the GM sees fit.
A 5-foot step may be taken by any creature for free if it does not make any other movement that round. Drawing a weapon may be done as part of a move action if the creature has at least a +1 BAB.

## Initiative

Combatants' **Initiative** checks, from highest to lowest, determine the order in which they act in a round, from first to last.

At the start of a battle, each combatant makes a single initiative check. An initiative check is a Dexterity check + modifiers from feats and conditions and potentially Equipment. Each character applies his or her Dexterity modifier to the roll, and anyone with the Improved Initiative feat gets an additional +4 bonus on the check. The GM finds out what order characters are acting in, counting down from highest result to lowest, and each character acts in turn. On all following rounds, the characters act in the same order (unless a character takes an action that results in his or her initiative changing; see Special Initiative Actions). If two or more combatants have the same initiative check result, the combatants who are tied go in order of total initiative modifier (including Dexterity modifier and Improved Initiative bonus, if applicable). If there is still a tie, roll a die.

**Flat-Footed:** At the start of a battle, before the character has had a chance to act (specifically, before the character's first turn in the initiative order), the character is flat-footed. A character can't use his or her Dexterity bonus to Defense while flat-footed.

**Joining a Battle:** If characters enter a battle after it has begun, they roll initiative at that time and act whenever their turn comes up in the existing order.

**Surprise:** When a combat starts, if a character was not aware of his or her enemies and they were aware of the character, that character is surprised. Likewise, a character can surprise his or her enemies if the character knows about them before they're aware of the character.

**The Surprise Round:**If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. The combatants who are aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take an attack action or move action during the surprise round (see Action Types, below). If no one or everyone is surprised, a surprise round does not occur.

**Unaware Combatants:**Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle do not get to act in the surprise round. Unaware combatants are still flat-footed because they have not acted yet. Because of this, they lose any Dexterity bonus to Defense.

## Attack Roll

An attack roll represents a character's attempts to strike an opponent on the character's turn in a round. When a character makes an attack roll, he or she rolls 1d20 and adds his or her attack bonus (see Ranged Attacks and Melee Attacks below). If the result equals or beats the target's Defense, the character hits and deals damage. Many modifiers can affect attack rolls.

A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1)  on the attack roll is always a miss. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20)  is always a hit. A natural 20 is also always a threaten critical - a possible critical hit.

If the character is not proficient in the weapon he or she is attacking with (the character doesn't have the appropriate Weapon Proficiency feat), that character takes a -4 penalty on the attack roll.

### Base Attack Bonus

**Base Attack Bonus** (BAB) is a fundamental stat of a hero character as it drives every attack roll and is required to meet a minimum before entering an advanced class or to gain some feats. Every Class provide this bonus. BAB is always positive and cannot be lowered. Add the BAB for each each level of each class to get the hero's total BAB.

A resulting value of +6 or higher provides the hero with multiple attacks in the same round, however, a character must use a full attack, which is a full-round action, to use these additional attacks. The additional attacks are at a -5 for every attack after the first in the round.

### Size Modifier

Creature **Size Categories** are defined differently from the size categories for weapons and other objects. Since this size modifier applies to Defense against a melee weapon attack or a ranged weapon attack, two creatures of the same size strike each other normally, regardless of what size they actually are. Creature sizes are compatible with vehicle sizes.

## Damage Roll

When a character hits with a weapon, damage is dealt according to the type of weapon. Effects that modify weapon damage also apply to unarmed strikes and the natural physical attack forms of creatures.

Damage is deducted from the target's current hit points.

### Minimum Weapon Damage

If penalties to damage (such as negative strength modifiers) bring the damage result below 1, a hit still deals 1 point of damage.

**Damage Reduction** and **Hardness** may bring the applied damage to 0 as neither are "penalties" to damage dealt, but rather a reduction to damage received or a minimum threshold before a reduction.

### Strength Bonus

When a character hits with a melee weapon or thrown weapon, add his or her Strength modifier to the damage.

Off-Hand Weapon
When a character deals damage with a weapon in his or her off hand, add only half of the character's Strength bonus.
Wielding a Weapon Two-Handed
When a character deals damage with a weapon that he or she is wielding two-handed, add 1.5 times the character's Strength bonus. However, the character doesn't get this higher Strength bonus when using a light weapon two-handed; in such a case, only the character's normal Strength bonus applies to the damage roll.
### Multiplying Damage

Sometimes damage is multiplied by some factor. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results.

Bonus damage represented as extra dice is an exception. Do not multiply bonus damage dice when a character scores a critical hit.

### Critical Hits

When a character makes an attack roll and gets a natural 20  (the d20 shows 20), the character hits regardless of the target's Defense, and the character has scored a threat of a critical hit. To find out if it is actually a critical hit, the character immediately makes another attack roll with all the same modifiers as the attack roll that scored the threat. If the second roll also results in a hit against the target's Defense, the attack is a critical hit. (The second roll just needs to hit to confirm a critical hit; the character doesn't need to roll a second 20.) If the second roll is a miss, then the attack just deals the damage of a regular hit.

A critical hit multiplies the character's damage. Unless otherwise specified, the multiplier is x2. (It is possible for some weapons to have higher multipliers, doing more damage on a critical hit.) Some weapons have expanded threat ranges, making a critical hit more likely. However, even with these weapons, only a natural 20 is an automatic hit. The Critical column on Table: Ranged Weapons and Table: Melee Weapons indicates the threat range for each weapon on the tables.

Bonus damage represented as extra dice is not multiplied when a character scores a critical hit.

## Movement in Combat

Characters generally don’t walk during combat — they hustle or run. A character who moves his or her speed and takes some action is hustling for about half the round and doing something else the other half.

### Hampered Movement

**Table: Hampered Movement**
 1. May require a skill check

Difficult terrain, obstacles, or poor visibility can hamper movement. When movement is hampered, each square moved into usually counts as two squares, effectively reducing the distance that a character can cover in a move.

If more than one condition applies, multiply together all additional costs that apply. (This is a specific exception to the normal rule for doubling.)
In some situations, movement may be so hampered that characters don’t have sufficient speed even to move 5 feet (1 square). In such a case, a full-round action may be used to move 5 feet (1 square) in any direction, even diagonally. Even though this looks like a 5-foot step, it’s not, and thus it provokes attacks of opportunity normally. (players can’t take advantage of this rule to move through impassable terrain or to move when all movement is prohibited to the character.)

Running or charging through any square that would hamper movement is prohibited.

Movement in Darkness
If a character moves when he or she can’t see, such as in total darkness, his or her speed is limited to one-half normal. The Blind-Fight feat reduces this penalty.
### Passing Through

Sometimes a character can pass through an area occupied by another character or creature.

Friendly Character
A character can move through a square occupied by a friendly character. They cannot stop on that square. If there is no more available movement remaining, then the character cannot move farther than one square short of the friendly creature.
Unfriendly Character
There are two ways to move through a square occupied by a resisting enemy. The character can attempt an overrun. Or the character can attempt to tumble through a square occupied by an enemy (if the character has ranks in the Tumble skill; see the skill description).
A character can move through a square occupied by an unfriendly character who doesn’t resist as if the character was friendly.

Square Occupied by Creature Three Sizes Larger or Smaller: Any creature can move through a square occupied by a creature three size categories larger or three categories smaller than it is.

## Flanking

If a creature is making a melee attack against an opponent, and an ally directly opposite the opponent is "threatening" the opponent, the attacking creature and their ally are considered to be "flanking" the opponent. The character gains a +2 bonus on their attack roll. The ally must be on the other side of the opponent so that the opponent is directly between the creature and the ally. This can be difficult to understand for different sized creatures. If a line can be drawn between the center of two attacking (allied) creatures and it passes through opposite sides of that creature, it’s considered flanked.

Ranged attacks do not benefit from or provide a Flanking Bonus.

When making a melee attack, creatures get a +2 flanking bonus if their opponent is threatened by a character or creature friendly to them on the opponent’s opposite border or opposite corner.

When in doubt about whether two friendly characters flank an opponent in the middle, trace an imaginary line between the two friendly creatures’ centers. If the line passes through opposite borders of the opponent’s space (including corners of those borders), then the opponent is flanked.

Exceptions

* If a flanker takes up more than 1 square, it gets the flanking bonus if any square it occupies counts for flanking.
* Only a creature or character that threatens the defender can help an attacker get a flanking bonus.
* Creatures with a reach of 0 feet can’t flank an opponent.

## Attacks of Opportunity

The melee combat rules assume that combatants are actively avoiding attacks. A player doesn't have to declare anything special for his or her character to be on the defensive. Sometimes, however, a combatant in a melee lets his or her guard down, and doesn't maintain a defensive posture as usual. In this case, combatants near him or her can take advantage of this lapse in defense to attack for free. These attacks are called attacks of opportunity.

### Provoking an Attack of Opportunity

Two actions can provoke attacks of opportunity: moving out of a threatened square, and performing an action within a threatened square that distracts from defending and lets the character's guard down.

**Moving out of a Threatened Square:** When a character moves out of a threatened square, that character generally provokes an attack of opportunity. There are two important exceptions, however.

A character doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity if all he or she moves is a 5-foot step, or if the character withdraws.

If the character doesn't start in a threatened square, but moves into one, the character has to stop there, or else he or she provokes an attack of opportunity as he or she leaves that square.

**Performing an Action that Distracts the Character:** Some actions, when performed in a threatened square, provoke attacks of opportunity because they make a character divert his or her attention from the fight at hand. Using a ranged weapon, in particular, provokes attacks of opportunity. Table: Actions in Combat notes many additional actions that provoke attacks of opportunity.

### Making an Attack of Opportunity

An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack, and a character can only make one per round unless a feat or class ability would allow more. A character does not have to make an attack of opportunity if he or she doesn't want to.

A character makes his or her attack of opportunity at his or her normal attack bonus-even if the character has already attacked in this round.

**Threatened Squares:** A character threatens the squares into which he or she can make a melee attack, even when it is not the character's action. Generally, that's all squares adjacent to the character's position, however, weapons with reach may threaten further away. An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from the character. A character can only make attacks of opportunity with melee weapons, never with ranged weapons.

**Weapon Type:** A character can use a melee weapon to make attacks of opportunity whenever the conditions for such an attack are met. In addition, a character can make attacks of opportunity with unarmed attacks if the character's unarmed attacks count as armed (see "Armed" Unarmed Attacks).

# Melee Combat

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.

# Ranged Combat

The following rules apply to ranged combat. This can be with weapons that project a missile or bullet (i.e. bow or gun), an energy (i.e. flame thrower, laser), or it can be a creature throwing an object (i.e. rock or javelin). See Ranged Weapons for a detailed list.

## Ranged Attacks

With a ranged weapon, a character's attack bonus is:

Dexterity measures coordination and steadiness, so a character's Dexterity modifier applies when the character attacks with a ranged weapon.

Ranged attacks do not benefit from or provide a Flanking Bonuses.

### Range Penalty

The **Range Penalty** for a ranged weapon depends on what weapon the character is using and how far away the target is. All ranged weapons and thrown weapons have a range increment. Any attack from a distance of less than one range increment is not penalized for range. However, each full range increment causes a cumulative -2 penalty on the attack roll. A thrown weapon has a maximum range of five range increments. Ranged weapons that fire projectiles can shoot up to ten increments.

## Auto Fire

If a ranged weapon has an automatic rate of fire, a character may set it on autofire. Autofire affects an area and everyone in it, not a specific creature. The character targets a 10-foot-by-10-foot area and makes an attack roll; the targeted area has an effective Defense of 10. (If the character does not have the Advanced Firearms Proficiency feat, he or she takes a -4 penalty on the attack roll.) If the attack succeeds, every creature within the affected area must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or take the weapon's damage. Autofire shoots 10 bullets, and can only be used if the weapon has 10 bullets in it.

Autofire is not the same thing as burst fire, which involves firing a short burst at a specific target. Firing a burst requires the Burst Fire feat. If a character fires a blast of automatic fire at a specific target without the Burst Fire feat, it's treated as a standard attack. The attack, if successful, only deals normal damage - all the extra ammunition the character fired is wasted.

Some firearms (particularly machine guns) only have autofire settings and can't normally fire single shots.

**Table: Feats**

# Traps, Explosives, and Splash Weapons

These attacks do not require an attack roll against a the target, but rather against a space or even the use of a skill to set the weapon. Instead, the defending target must make a Reflex save and sometimes other actions to avoid being damaged or otherwise effected by the weapon.

## Splash Weapons

A **Splash Weapon** is a ranged weapon that breaks apart on impact, timer, proximity or other potential circumstances, splashing or scattering its contents over its target and nearby creatures or objects. Most splash weapons consist of liquids in breakable containers. Weapons like this can be found at Explosives and Splash Weapons.

To attack with a splash weapon, make a ranged touch attack against the target. Thrown weapons require no weapon proficiency, so characters don't take the -4 nonproficient penalty. A hit deals direct hit damage to the target and splash damage to all other creatures within 5 feet of the target.

A character can instead target a specific 5-foot square, including a square occupied by a creature. Use the rules for thrown explosives. However, if a character targets a square, creatures within 5 feet are dealt the splash damage, and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature.

If the character misses the target (whether aiming at a creature or a square), check to see where the weapon lands, using the rules for thrown explosives. After determining where the object landed, it deals splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet (some splash weapons have a larger area).