| Pummeling | - | Kicking | - | Grappling |
| Dragon 83 | - | - | - | Dragon |
How to finish fights faster
A s u g g e s t e d s i m p l
e r s y s t e m f o r u n a r m e d
c o m b a t
b y R o g e r M o o r e
. . . I do have one severe problem with my own game system. I got
talked into doing the
complicated and time-consuming series for grappling, pummeling,
and overbearing in a
weak moment. I have regretted them ever since. I tend to use a very
simple system which we
initially developed for such close-quarters combat in about 1974.
. . .
-- E. Gary Gygax
D R A G O N ® i s s u e # 6 7 ,
p . 6 6
T h e r u l e s f o r w e a p o
n l e s s c o m b a t i n t h e
A D & D g a m e
s y s t e m a r e d i f f i c u l t
t o u s e
a n d t i m e - c o n s u m i n g . T h i s
o p i n i o n i s s h a r e d
b y m a n y p e o p l e , i n c
l u d i n g t h e p e r s o n w h o
c r e a t e d t h e g a m e s y
s t e m . M a n y p l a y e r s s k
i p
o v e r t h e m o r d e v e l o
p t h e i r o w n s y s t e m s
f o r
u n a r m e d c o m b a t . P a r t
o f t h e p r o b l e m i s
w i t h t h e m e t h o d s f o
r d e t e r m i n i n g h i t s ,
d a m a g e , a n d s u b d u a l
d a m a g e , w h i c h o f t e n
r e q u i r e p l a y e r s t o
c a l c u l a t e p e r c e n t a g e
d i f f e r e n c e s i n o p p o n e n t s
? h e i g h t s a n d
w e i g h t s , a n d s o f o r
t h . T h i s i s c o n f u s i n g
a n d
s o m e w h a t d a u n t i n g t o
p l a y e r s a n d D u n g e o n
M a s t e r s a l i k e .
F o l l o w i n g i s a s u g g
e s t e d a l t e r n a t i v e t o
t h e
w e a p o n l e s s c o m b
a t s y s t e m i n t h e
D u n g e o n
M a s t e r s G u i d e . I t d
i v i d e s s u c h c o m b a t i n
t o
t h r e e a t t a c k m o d e s :
p u m m e l i n g , k i c k i n g ,
a n d g r a p p l i n g . A n y
c h a r a c t e r c a n u s e t h e
s e
a t t a c k m o d e s e x c e p t
m o n k s , w h o a r e g i v e n
s p e c i a l t r a i n i n g i n
o p e n - h a n d a t t a c k s a n d
a r e t r e a t e d a s p e r
t h e P l a y e r s H a n d b o o k .
N o n e o f t h e t h r e e
m o d e s o f w e a p o n l e s s
c o m b a t m a y b e c o m b i
n e d w i t h a n y w e a p o n
a t t a c k , s p e l l a t t a c k ,
o r p s i o n i c a t t a c k , b u
t a
p s i o n i c d e f e n s e m o d e
a n d a w e a p o n l e s s
c o m b a t m o d e m a y b e
u s e d a t t h e s a m e
t i m e . A c h a r a c t e r w
h o c a n m a k e m o r e
t h a n
o n e w e a p o n l e s s a t t a c k
p e r r o u n d i s a l s o
a b l e
t o s w i t c h m o d e s b e t
w e e n t h o s e a t t a c k s , a
s
l o n g a s e a c h o p p o n e
n t i s n o t a t t a c k e d
i n
more than one way. In other words, any
c h a r a c t e r f i g h t i n g a
s i n g l e o p p o n e n t c a n n o t
c h a n g e f r o m o n e a t t
a c k m o d e t o a n o t h e r
d u r i n g a r o u n d . A n y
o n e c a n c h a n g e a t t a c k
modes from one round to the next. (Obvio u s l y , c i
r c u m s t a n c e s m a y s o m e t i m e s
m a k e
i t i m p o s s i b l e t o f o
l l o w t h e s e g u i d e l i n e s . )
I n a n a t t a c k b y
a n u n a r m e d c h a r a c t e r
a g a i n s t a n o p p o n e n t
w i t h a w e a p o n , t h e
a r m e d o p p o n e n t g e n e r a l l y
g a i n s a + 3 o n
i n i t i a t i v e d i e r o l l s
t o r e f l e c t t h e l o n g e r
r e a c h
o f t h e w e a p o n . T h i s
d o e s n o t a p p l y w h e n
t h e o p p o n e n t i s a r m
e d w i t h c l a w s o r
d a g g e r ( s ) , i n w h i c h c
a s e t h e r e a c h o f
t h e
w e a p o n i s m i n i m a l a
n d i n i t i a t i v e i s d e t e
r m i n e d a s u s u a l .
T h e s e r u l e s w e r
e m e a n t t o a p p l y
o n l y t o
c o m b a t b e t w e e n o p p o n e n t s
w h o a r e m a n
l i k e i n s h a p e ( s e e
t h e l i s t g i v e n
i n t h e p u m
m e l i n g r u l e s ) . O n l y
v e r y r a r e l y d o e s
u n a r m e d c o m b a t o c c u r
w i t h o t h e r t y p e s o f
o p p o n e n t s .
A n d o f t e n , o n l y a
m o n k c h a r a c t e r w o u l d
s t a n d a c h a n c e t o
h a r m a n o p p o n e n t l i k e
a b e a r , f o r i n s t a n c e ,
u s i n g
u n a r m e d c o m b a t t e c h n i q u e
s . E v e r y o n e e l s e
? t h a t i s , a n y o n e
w h o u s e s t h e ? r e g u l a r
?
w e a p o n l e s s c o m b a t s y s t e m
i n s t e a d ? m u s t
u s e a w e a p o n t o
i n f l i c t d a m a g e o n a n
o p p o n e n t i n s u c h c a s e
s .
O n l y b a r b a r i a n
c h a r a c t e r s ( s e e i s s u e s
# 6 3
a n d # 6 5 o f D R A G O N
M a g a z i n e ) c a n u s e
u n a r m e d c o m b a t t o h
a r m m o n s t e r s w h o a r e
o t h e r w i s e h i t o n l y
b y m a g i c a l w e a p o n s ,
p r o v i d e d t h a t t h e b
a r b a r i a n i s o f s u f f i c
i e n t
l e v e l t o d o s o.
T o u s e u n a r m e d c o m b
a t , a p l a y e r s i m p l y
i n d i c a t e s h i s o r h e
r c h a r a c t e r ? s i n t e n t i o n
t o
d o s o a t t h e s
t a r t o f a m e l e e
r o u n d , a n d t h e
D M t h e n f o l l o w s t h e
d i r e c t i o n s i n t h e a p p
r o p r i a t e s e c t i o n ( p u m m e l i n
g , k i c k i n g , o r
g r a p p l i n g ) . T h i s s y s t e m
h a s b e e n m a d e a s
s i m p l e a s p o s s i b l e
w i t h o u t s a c r i f i c i n g g a m e
? r e a l i s m , ? a n d a t t h e
s a m e t i m e s t a y i n g i n
a c c o r d w i t h t h e s p i
r i t o f t h e A D & D
g a m e
c o m b a t r u l e s .
1 . T w o p u m m e l i n g
a t t a c k s m a y b e m a d e
per round by members of non-lighter
c l a s s e s , h u m a n o i d m o n s t e
r s ( t h o s e l i s t e d
b e l o w ) , a n d b y l o w e
r - l e v e l m e m b e r s o f t h
e
f i g h t e r c l a s s ( f i g h t e r s
a n d p a l a d i n s o f l e v e l
s
1 - 6 , r a n g e r s o f l e v
e l s 1 - 7 , a n d b a r b a r i a
n s
a n d c a v a l i e r s o f l e
v e l s 1 - 5 ) .
T h r e e p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k s
m a y b e m a d e
p e r r o u n d b y f i g h t e
r s a n d p a l a d i n s o f
l e v e l s
7 - 1 2 , r a n g e r s o f l e
v e l s 8 - 1 4 , a n d b a r b a r
i a n s
a n d c a v a l i e r s o f l e
v e l s 6 - 1 0 .
F o u r a t t a c k s p e r r o
u n d m a y b e m a d e
b y
f i g h t e r s a n d p a l a d i n s
o f l e v e l 1 3 o r h
i g h e r ,
r a n g e r s o f l e v e l 1 5
o r h i g h e r , a n d b a r b a r
i a n s
a n d c a v a l i e r s o f l e
v e l 1 1 o r h i g h e r .
A n y a t t a c k e r m u s t h
a v e a t l e a s t o n e
h a n d
f r e e t o p u m m e l .
2 . T h e a t t a c k e r
m a k e s a n o r m a l r o l l
t o
h i t a g a i n s t t h e o p p
o n e n t , a p p l y i n g s t r e n g t h
t o h i t f o r a f
i s t o r o p e n h a n d
a g a i n s t t h e
b o n u s e s a s w e l l a s
a r m o r c l a s s a d j u s t m e n t s
a r m o r t y p e t h e o p p o
n e n t i s w e a r i n g ( f o r
t h e s e , s e e t h i s a r t
i c l e's a p p e n d i x ) . T h e <>
o p p o n e n t g e t s a r m o r
c l a s s a d j u s t m e n t s f o r
h i g h o r l o w d e x t e r i
t y a s u s u a l .
A d d a f u r t h e r + 1
t o h i t i f t h e a t
t a c k e r i s
u s i n g a d a g g e r p o m m
e l t o s t r i k e w i t h ,
o r + 2
t o h i t f o r a n
a t t a c k e r u s i n g m e t a l
g a u n t l e t s
o r c e s t i . ( T h e s e t w
o b o n u s e s a r e n o t
c u m u l a t i v e . ) T h e a t t a c k e r
m a y a l s o b e e l i g i b l e
f o r
t h e s e b o n u s e s t o h i
t : + 2 v s . a n e n c
u m b e r e d
o p p o n e n t , o r o n a n
a t t a c k f r o m b e h i n d ( b
u t
t h i e v e s a n d a s s a s s i n s ,
o f c o u r s e , s t r i k e f r o
m
b e h i n d a t + 4 ) ; o r ,
+ 4 a g a i n s t o p p o n e n t s
w h o
a r e p r o n e , slowed, partially bound,
or
stunned. Any pummeling attack automatically hits an opponent who is
immobile
(e.g., asleep, held, or paralyzed).
If the attacker is charging, the first pummeling attack
is made at +2 to hit, but no
other unarmed attack during the melee
receives the same bonus. Also, note the
penalties to armor class for a charging
attacker, as outlined in the Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 66.
3. If a hit is scored, determine damage
according to this table:
| Attacker
strength |
"To hit" modifier | Pummel damage | Chance to stun |
| 3 | -3 | 1 | 0 % |
| 4-5 | -2 | 1 | 0% |
| 6-7 | -1 | 1-2 | 0 % |
| 8-9 | +0 | 1-2 | 01% |
| 10-11 | +0 | 1-2 | 02% |
| 12-13 | +0 | 1-2 | 04% |
| 14-15 | +0 | 1-2 | 07% |
| 16 | +0 | 1-3 | 10% |
| 17 | +1 | 1-3 | 13% |
| 18 | +1 | 1-4 | 16% |
| 18/01-50 | +1 | 2-5 | 20% |
| 18/51-75 | +2 | 2-5 | 25% |
| 18/76-90 | +2 | 3-6 | 30% |
| 18/91-99 | +2 | 4-7 | 35% |
| 18/00 | +3 | 5-8 | 40% |
| 19 | + 3 | 6-9 | 50% |
| 20 | + 3 | 7-10 | 60% |
| 21 | +4 | 8-11 | 70% |
| 22 | +4 | 9-12 | 80% |
| 23 | + 5 | 10-13 | 90% |
| 24 | +6 | 11-14 | 100% |
Bonuses to damage: +1 for pummeling with a dagger
pommel, or +2
for pummeling while wearing metal
gauntlets or cesti.
Note: Strengths higher than 18/00
are given for characters using magical
potions or effects to increase their
strength to giant levels (see girdle
of giant strength, DMG p. 145)
The chance of stunning an opponent with
a given blow is equal to one?s chance to
bend bars/lift gates. A stunned combatant is
disoriented for the remainder of the current
round and all of the following round, during which time his attacks
are made at -1 to
hit, and he loses the benefit of any dexterity
bonuses to armor class. In addition, any
character attacking a stunned opponent
does so with a +4 bonus to hit ? unless the
attacker is also stunned, in which case the -1
penalty to hit applies instead.
T h e e f f e c t o f c o n s e
c u t i v e o r c l o s e - t o g e t h e r
s t u n n i n g b l o w s i s n
o t c u m u l a t i v e ; a c o m b
a t a n t c a n n o t b e s t u n n
e d w h e n h e i s a l
r e a d y i n
t h a t c o n d i t i o n . H o w e v e r ,
i t i s p o s s i b l e f o r
a n a t t a c k e r t o ( i n
e f f e c t ) k e e p a n o p p o n
e n t
c o n t i n u a l l y s t u n n e d b y
w i n n i n g t h e i n i t i a t i v e
i n e v e r y o d d - n u m b e r e d
r o u n d a n d
l a n d i n g a s t u n n i n g
b l o w o n t h e f i r s t
p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k t h a t
f o l l o w s i n t h a t r o u n d
.
M o n k s a r e i m m u n e t o
t h i s s t u n n i n g e f f e c t ,
a s a r e a l l t i g h t e r -
c l a s s c h a r a c t e r s ( i n c l u d i n
g
p a l a d i n s , r a n g e r s , e t c . )
w h o a r e h i g h
e n o u g h i n l e v e l t o
g e t t h r e e o r m o r e
p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k s p e r
r o u n d .
P u m m e l i n g d a m a g e i s
c o n s i d e r e d ? r e a l ?
d a m a g e , a n d m a y b e
h e a l e d t h e s a m e a s
a n y o t h e r s o r t o f
d a m a g e ( b y t h e u s e
o f
s p e l l s o r p o t i o n s ,
b y r e s t i n g , e t c . ) . W h
e n a
v i c t i m t a k e s e n o u g h
d a m a g e f r o m a p a r t i c u
l a r p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k
t o b r i n g t h a t c h a r a c t
e r t o z e r o h i t p
o i n t s , t h e v i c t i m f a l
l s
u n c o n s c i o u s f o r 1 - 4
t u r n s . H e i s l e f t
w i t h
z e r o h i t p o i n t s d u r
i n g t h i s t i m e ; p o i n t s
o f
d a m a g e t h a t w o u l d h
a v e b r o u g h t h i s h i t
p o i n t t o t a l t o l e s s
t h a n z e r o a r e s i m p l y
d r o p p e d . T h i s a l l o w s
c a p t i v e s t o b e t a k e n ,
a n d r e f l e c t s t h e g e
n e r a l l y n o n - l e t h a l n a t u r e
a n d i n t e n t o f w e a p o
n l e s s c o m b a t . H o w e v e r ,
damage taken from a monk?s open-hand
a t t a c k i s t r e a t e d l
i k e a n y o t h e r a t t a c k
d a m a g e , a n d c a n k i l l
o p p o n e n t s .
4 . I f a n a t t a c k e r
i s u s i n g t h e p o m m e l
o f a
m a g i c a l d a g g e r , t h e
? t o h i t ? a n d d a m a g e
b o n u s e s o f t h e d a g g
e r m a y b e a p p l i e d
t o
p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k s a s
w e l l .
5 . H a r d a r m o r ( A
C 5 o r b e t t e r ) i
s b a d
n e w s f o r b a r e - h a n d e d
a t t a c k s . A c h a r a c t e r
w h o a t t e m p t s t o p u m
m e l s o m e o n e w e a r i n g
h a r d a r m o r w i l l t a k
e 1 p o i n t o f d a m
a g e
h i m s e l f o n e v e r y s t
r i k e . U s i n g a d a g g e r
p o m m e l o r a r o c k ,
o r w e a r i n g m e t a l g a u n
t l e t s o r c e s t i , w i l l
p r e v e n t t h i s d a m a g e .
6 . A l l o f t h e
p l a y e r c h a r a c t e r r a c e s
?
h u m a n s , d w a r v e s , e l v e s ,
h a l f - e l v e s , h a l f o r c s , g n o m
e s , a n d h a l f l i n g s ?
m a y m a k e
p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k s . M o n s t
e r s o f m a n - l i k e
s h a p e a n d s i z e ( u p
t o t h e h e i g h t o f
a n o g r e )
m a y a l s o m a k e p u m m e
l i n g a t t a c k s . N o t e
t h a t s o m e m o n s t e r s ,
l i k e q u a g g o t h a n d
t r o l l s , d o n o t p u m m
e l b e c a u s e t h e y h a v e
e f f e c t i v e c l a w a t t a c k s
i n s t e a d .
I f t h e s t r e n g t h o f
a p u m m e l i n g c o m b a t a n t
i s n o t k n o w n , u s e
t h e f o l l o w i n g l i s t a s
a
g u i d e l i n e t o t h e a v
e r a g e s t r e n g t h f o r a
m e m b e r o f t h e c h a r a
c t e r o r c r e a t u r e ? s r a
c e :
8 -- h
a l f l i n g *
9 -- k o b o l d ,
s k u l k , t a s l o i , x v a r t
10 -- gnome*, goblin, human*
1 1 -- f r o s t
m a n , g i b b e r l i n g , h a l f - e l f *
,
s p r i g g a n ( s m a l l ) , s v i r f n
e b l i n
1 2 -- d e r r o ,
d u e r g a r , e l f * , h a l f - o r c * ,
h a l f - e l f * , o r c
1 4 -- d w a r f * ,
n o r k e r
1 5 -- g r i m l o c k ,
h o b g o b l i n , q u l l a n
1 6 -- g n o l l ,
h a l f - o g r e *
1 7 -- b u g b e a r ,
f l i n d
1 8 -- c y c l o p s k i
n , o g r e
( n o p e r c e n t i l e
r o l l )
1 8 / 0 1 -- o g r i l l
o n
* ? average NPC value
Leader types and chieftains of these races
will be somewhat stronger than average, as
a rule, and females will generally be some-
what weaker. Ogrillons are exceptional in
two ways: their tough fists and high
strength enable them to deal 2-7 points of
damage on a pummeling attack (the only
way an ogrillon fights), and, unlike ?nor-
mal? pummeling attacks, damage from
ogrillon blows can kill.
1. Members of the fighter class (or one
of its subclasses) may attack by kicking
twice per round. All other characters and
creatures can attack by kicking once per
round. To make even a single kicking attack, both feet must be unchained
or otherwise unencumbered and free to move.
2. A kicking attempt is resolved by making a normal ?to hit?
roll (including
strength bonus or penalty, if any), but incorporating the adjustments
for armor class
as if the attacker was using a club. Barefoot
kicking is done at -1 ?to hit,? but the attacker takes no damage from
kicking hard
armor, unlike pummeling. Bonuses apply to
the chance to hit against opponents hampered in some way, as per the
pummeling
rules. The attacker gets +2 ?to hit? when
making a charge, but only one kick can be
made in the first melee round immediately
following the charge.
3. If a hit is scored, use the pummeling
table to determine a base figure for damage
according to strength. A kick attack gets a
+2 bonus to damage if the attacker is wearing hard or metallic boots,
or +1 to damage
if the attacker is wearing soft boots or is
barefoot. Also, a kick made at the end of a
charging run is +2 to damage over and
above these standard bonuses.
The chance to stun an opponent by kicking is the same as for a pummeling
attack,
dependent on strength. Damage taken from
kicking is treated the same as any other
damage; unlike pummeling damage, kicking damage can kill by reducing
the victim?s
hit points to below zero.
4. Monsters will use kicking attacks only
in the rarest circumstances, such as when
the monster is cornered and has no other
way to attack. But even in those cases, the
monster will generally attempt to pummel
before trying to kick.
1. No character or monster can make
more than one grappling attack per round.
The attacker must have both hands free and
cannot be holding something in one or both
of them.
2. A character or monster attempts a
grappling attack by making a normal ?to
hit? roll and incorporating adjustments for
hampered opponents and for charging, as
given in the pummeling rules. No armor
class adjustments are used, unlike pummeling and kicking. However,
each type of
grappling attack carries a penalty ?to hit?
according to its difficulty and complexity.
Likewise, damage varies from one attack
form to another. The following list gives
each attack form, its ?to hit? penalty in
parentheses, and notes on damage and
other details.
A: Pin one arm and hold (-2) causes
1
point of damage when the pin is applied
and another 1 point for each round the hold
is maintained. The opponent can break the
pin immediately (but not negate the initial 1
point of damage) by making a successful
roll to open doors in the same round. If the
pin is not broken, it can be maintained
from round to round if the attacker continues making the required roll
?to hit? and
if the opponent continues to fail his roll to
b r e a k t h e h o l d . A n
o p p o n e n t p i n n e d i n t h
i s
w a y c a n s t i l l m a k e
a p u m m e l i n g a t t a c k w i
t h
h i s f r e e h a n d , o r
k i c k , o r s t r i k e ( a t
- 2 ? t o
h i t ? ) w i t h a w e a p o n
b e i n g h e l d i n t h e
u n p i n n e d h a n d . T h i s a
t t a c k f o r m c a n b e
t u r n e d i n t o a p i n
o f b o t h a r m s ( a t t a c k
f o r m
B ) i f t h e a t t a c k e r
m a k e s a s e c o n d r o l l
? t o
h i t ? f o r a t t a c k f o r
m A i n a s u b s e q u
e n t
r o u n d ; h o w e v e r , t h e
h o l d i s b r o k e n e n t i r e
l y
i f t h e s e c o n d a t t a c
k f a i l s .
B : P i n b o t h a r
m s a n d h o l d (-4) causes 1-2
points of damage initially and another 1-2
points for each round in which the hold is
maintained. As above for attack form A, the
opponent must make an ?open doors? roll
to free one arm from the pin. He is entitled
to two separate rolls in the same round to
try to break the hold entirely; if the opponent succeeds in freeing
only one arm, the
attack is then treated as a one-arm pin
(attack form A), for as long as the one-arm
hold is maintained. An opponent with both
arms pinned may try to kick, throw (attack
form F), or knock flat (attack form D) his
attacker, but cannot effectively use any
other attack method. The attacker may turn
this hold into a bear hug (attack form C) in
a subsequent round by simply doing so; no
roll ?to hit? is required in this case.
C : B e a r h u g /
c r u s h (-2) does 1-4 points
of damage, plus the attacker?s strength
bonus or penalty, for each round the hold is
maintained. Since this hold is applied only
to the torso, the opponent has his arms and
hands free; he may strike back with a
weapon (at -2 ?to hit?) or by pummeling or
kicking, or by trying to throw his attacker
or knock him flat. If either of the latter two
attacks succeeds, the attacker?s hold is broken. Otherwise, the hold
may be maintained until the defender does 3 points of
damage or more in a single counterattack,
or until the attacker loses half of the hit
points he had when the hold was begun.
D : K n o c k f l a t
a n d h o l d d o w n /
o v e r b e a r
(-4) does 1-6 points of damage, plus
strength bonus or penalty, per round. The
opponent can try to ?shake off? the attacker
and get back to his feet, at a chance equal to
twice the character?s percentage roll for
bending bars/lifting gates. Or, the opponent
can try to pummel or kick, or may attack
with a weapon (if possible) at -4 ?to hit.?
The attacker can maintain his superior
position, and keep dealing damage to the
opponent, as long as desired or until the
opponent causes 3 points of damage or
more in a single counterattack, or until the
attacker is reduced to half of the hit points
he had when the overbearing attack was
made.
E : C h o k e h o l d
(-4) does 1-6 points of
damage, plus strength bonus or penalty, per
round. The opponent makes all strikes
against the attacker at -2 ?to hit,? including
unarmed attacks ? except for an attempt to
throw the attacker (attack form F), which is
still done at the normal chance, using only
the standard -6 penalty ?to hit.?
F : T h r o w / flip
(-6) does 1-10 points of
damage, plus strength bonus or penalty,
only in the round the throw is accomplished
(also see Rule 3 below). In addition, the
opponent is automatically stunned (as per
the pummeling rules) and automatically
loses his next initiative roll.
G: Trip (-2) does 1-2 points of damage in
the round it is accomplished, if the opponent fails to roll his dexterity
score or less
on 3d6. The opponent is able to get back to
his feet, if desired, for the start of the next
round, but any item or weapon being held
may have been dropped (50% chance) in
the fall; if so, the opponent automatically
loses initiative for the next round if he
wants to retrieve the object immediately.
An unarmed attacker may use only one
grappling attack form per round, but may
switch attack modes from round to round.
All damage suffered from grappling attacks
is treated the same as damage from pummeling attacks; opponents taken
to zero hit
points or less will fall unconscious with zero
hit points and will remain in that condition
(unless slain) for 1-4 turns, after which time
they will regain consciousness with 1 hit
point. The remainder of damage is recovered by normal means (rest or
magic).
3. An attacker receives +2 ?to hit? when
attempting to grapple an opponent less than
one-half of the attacker?s height, and a +2 to
damage on any hit with attack form F
(Throw/flip).
An attacker suffers a -2 penalty ?to hit?
when attempting to grapple an opponent
who is more than 1½ times the attacker?s
height, and against such opponents attack
form F (Throw/flip) cannot be? used.
Appendix: Armor class adjustments ?to hit? for pummeling and kicking
Armor class
| - | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Fist or open hand | -7 | -5 | -3 | -1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 0 | +4 |
| Bare foot (as club) | -5 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | +1 |
OUT ON A LIMB
-
Monks and wimps
-
Dear Editor:
I have a question about "How to finish fights
faster" (issue #83). On the kicking table, it
says
that fighters can kick twice per round and other
classes can kick once. My question is, what about
monks? Since monks have trained themselves to
use their body as a weapon (their hand attacks),
wouldn't they get multiple attacks with kicks?
Kenneth Guge
Shell Beach, Calif.
(Dragon #85)
Dear Folks:
My DM and I welcome the unarmed combat
rules in issue #83; however, there is one aspect
which I believe to be an unintentional advantage
for weaker characters. Under the kicking rules, a
Knockdown occurs "any time the maximum
possible damage is rolled on an attack." This
means that an attacker with strength 3-5 who
kicks will always roll maximum damage (1 point,
with possible additions) and an attacker with
strength 18-24 who kicks will only roll maximum
damage 25% of the time (on a d4). There are
several ways to deal with the situation (such as
always using a d4 for knockdown chance), but it
seemed appropriate to write this letter in the
public interest of characters with 18+ strength who
don't like their faces kicked in the sand by
wimps.
Wayland B. Augur
Chico, Calif.
(Dragon #85)
Show me a set of rules that aren't in need of
some fine tuning after publication, and I'll show
you a set of rules that haven't been published yet.
Roger Moore, who designed the unarmed combat
system described in the article, offers these
comments and alterations.
On the monk question: "I've usually assumed
that monks could interchange hand and foot
attacks. Maybe they can divide up to half their
weaponless attacks per round for foot attacks; add
+1 to damage for kick attacks. Monks don't get a
-1 penalty to hit for barefoot kicks, but must use
armor class modifiers like everyone else."
And, try this for a new, improved knockdown
rule: "A character with strength of 18 or above
will automatically knock down an opponent if
maximum damage is scored on a kicking attack.
A character with strength 16 or 17 has a 50%
chance of making a knockdown on a maximumdamage
(3 hp) kick attack. A character with
strength of 6 through 15 has a 25% chance of
making a knockdown on a maximum-damage (2
hp) kick attack, and a character with strength of
less than 6 cannot score a knockdown."
-
A show of strength
-
Dear Editor:
I noticed what appears to be a typographical
error in "How to finish fights faster" (#83),
in the
list that gave the average racial strengths. Half-elves
were placed under the strength of 11 and
12. I assume the former is correct, because it's
midway between elf and human. Also, I would
like to know why strengths for other humanoid-type
creatures weren't added. Is it just that
characters don't very often "duke it out" with
things like vegepygmies?
Jon Kohl
Foxboro, Mass.
(Dragon #88)
Half-elves should have been listed under the 11
strength category only; that was a correct assumption,
Jon. And your suspicion about why
other creatures weren’t included is also correct;
some limits had to be set on what creatures could
be included, based on who was or wasn’t likely to
“duke it out” with player characters. Of course,
DMs can come up with their own statistics for
creature types not on the list.
— RM
(Dragon #88)