These options are available to most player characters and combatants. They can combine with attacks or movement where the combination makes sense.
Unless stated otherwise, bonuses and penalties last until the beginning of your next initiative.
Most combat options are strenuous and cause fatigue as normal, or more if the option says so.
General Combat Options
| Option | Cost | Effect |
| Give Ground | Usually part of defence/movement | You take -1 to your attacks, and opponents take -1 to attack you until your next initiative. You must move 1 square away from your attacker. |
| Charge | Move + Primary | +2 melee damage. Attacks against you gain +1 to hit until your next initiative, and you are -2 on deflect attempts. If you charge more than 20 feet with a melee piercing weapon, increase damage by 2 steps. Counts as sprint. |
| Aggressive | Attack option | +2 to hit. All attacks against you are at +4 to hit. |
| Defensive | Attack option | You take -4 to hit. All attacks against you are at -2. |
| Full Defence | Primary + half movement | +2 on deflect checks for the round; all attacks against you are at -2. |
| Evade | Primary + Move | All attacks against you are at -3. You gain +3 on AGL checks for the round. No other action is possible except 1 square of movement. You must be able to move at least 2 squares and cannot be impaired. |
| Consider Options | Primary | Skip your turn with no movement or actions. Gain +2 on one roll next round. Not cumulative. |
| Aim | Move + Primary | Gain +3 on your next ranged attack. If firing into a messy melee, this removes the chance to hit allies. Stacks with Studied Attack. |
| Trigger Action | Primary | Declare a specific trigger. Your action resolves immediately when it occurs, before normal threat. If the trigger does not occur, the primary action is wasted. Gain +1 on the triggered action. |
Shooting Into Melee
Shooting includes ranged weapons and ranged spells that require an attack roll.
If you do not have clear line of sight, firing into melee is at -3 to hit unless you have an ability such as Sureshot rank 2.
If you miss by 1-3, an allied target engaged with the enemy must make an AGL check or be hit by your attack.
Missile weapons are affected by wind, weather, and magic that disrupts the air.
Deflect Options
Deflect is used to block, parry, or brush aside a successful attack.
| Deflect Type | Effect |
| Shield Block | Use a shield to block melee or missile attacks. Shields are especially effective against missiles. |
| Weapon Parry | Use a weapon to parry melee attacks. If attempting to deflect a missile weapon with a melee weapon, halve your bonuses, rounded down, unless the weapon says otherwise. |
| Unarmed Parry | Use a hand, arm, or other extremity. On success, take half damage. Avowed and some creatures may deflect unarmed without taking damage. You cannot unarmed parry a target 2 sizes larger than you. |
Roll With the Hit
Roll with the Hit uses a reaction and must be announced as part of another action.
It is a generic defensive option, usually used when other defences are exhausted. The attacker gets -1 damage.
Two-Weapon Fighting
When fighting with two weapons, you make two attacks:
- primary attack at -4
- secondary attack at -6
Attacking with both weapons provokes threat. You may not attack and deflect with the offhand weapon.
The second attack deals 1 damage step less. You cannot crit or strike telling blows with the offhand.
Masteries apply to one hand; offhand mastery must be selected separately unless a rule says otherwise.
Attacking with only your offhand is normally -3 to hit.
Bodyguard
Bodyguard costs action + reaction.
You spend your action waiting, then use your reaction to dive in front of an attack. You must be adjacent to the attacked ally and the attack must be a non-interrupt attack.
On a success roll, you become the target. The attacker gets +2 to hit, but -1 damage because the attack is disrupted.
Two bodyguards cannot stack on the same attack. If one bodyguard activates, a second adjacent character cannot bodyguard that same attack again, though they may bodyguard a different attack.
Heedless Attack
As part of an attack, you throw your defence away.
- You cannot deflect, dodge, or use your reaction except to brace for impact.
- Your attack gains +1 to hit and +2 damage steps.
- Any adjacent enemy may spend a reaction to attack you immediately after your attack resolves.
Timed Attack
You wait for your opponent to create a gap in their defence.
Your attack becomes a reaction as part of the opponent's turn. You gain +2 to hit after the opponent attacks, or +3 if the opponent attacks heedlessly.
If both combatants choose timed attack, both wait and neither attacks.
Desperate Evasion
Desperate Evasion is an interrupt and special emergency defence.
The attacker takes -2 to hit and -1 damage, but you cannot take a primary action on your next turn. Attacks against you on the next phase are at +2 to hit because you are off balance.
Receive Charge
As primary + move, set yourself to receive a charge.
If your weapon is longer than the charging opponent's weapon, you strike first at +2 damage steps and gain +1 to hit because they are charging.
If your weapon is shorter, you still gain the bonuses, but the charger attacks first.
Special Manoeuvres
Brawl
Punch, kick, or strike unarmed for D3 damage.
If the opponent is wearing armour, reduce your damage by 1 before AR is applied. If the opponent is armed, the attack provokes threat. It may also provoke against skilled unarmed combatants.
Disarm
As a primary action, attack at -4. The target may deflect. If not deflected, the target makes an SDF save or is disarmed.
If the defender fails the save by 1-3, you choose where the weapon lands. If the defender rolls 1-3 on the save die, they choose where it lands.
If the defender saves exactly, they may use a reaction to make a disarm attack against the attacker.
Lock gauntlets and lanyards are visible. A lanyard can keep the weapon hanging unless you critically hit and sever or unloop it.
Force Back
As move + primary, attack at -4. The target may deflect. If not deflected, the target makes an SDF save or is pushed back 5 feet per 5 they failed by, or part thereof.
This costs you 2 squares of movement for each square pushed.
Each size difference gives a 4 bonus or penalty to the save.
If the opponent saves, you lose your remaining movement for the round.
If forced over an edge, the target may attempt to grab the opponent, provoking a free attack, or grab the ledge with an AGL check, SDF save, or success roll at the victim's discretion.
Incapacitate
As a primary action, attack at -4. If you hit, deal non-lethal damage. If you miss by 1-3, you deal lethal damage instead.
Knockdown
As a primary action, attack at -4. The target may deflect. If not deflected, the target makes an SDF save or falls prone.
Melee attacks against prone opponents are at +4. Attacking from prone is at -2, and movement is reduced to 1/4.
Overrun
As a primary action, attempt to move through an opponent without fighting.
Attack at -4. The target may deflect, then makes an SDF save. If the target successfully deflects, the overrun provokes threat and the target may attack you.
Each size difference gives a 4 modifier to the SDF save.
If the target succeeds on the SDF save, they may block your movement and take damage from your held melee weapon.
Overruns may continue until you run out of movement or someone successfully blocks you.
Sunder
As a primary action, attack at -4, or -6 against a staff, spear, or polearm. The target may deflect. If not deflected, the item makes an SDF save.
Save modifiers:
- daggers, swords, and shields: +4
- armour: +6
- spears, staves, and polearms: -4
- magic weapons: +1 per magic property, or more if specified
Grapple
As a primary action, attack at -4. The target may deflect. If not deflected, the target makes an SDF save.
If the attacker has no proficiency, the grapple provokes a free attack from the target and counts as a square of movement to adjacent creatures, provoking threat.
Size gives a 4 modifier to the SDF save.
If the target fails, they are held. The attacker can automatically hit next round with brawl, force back, knockdown, or overrun, though the target still gets the normal SDF save.
Other combatants are at +2 to hit wrestlers because they are impaired.
Break Hold
If grappled, use your primary action to break the hold. Make an attack roll at -4. If you succeed, your opponent may deflect. If they do not deflect, the hold is broken.
You may attack with a weapon already in hand or in easy reach. The hold prevents access to less accessible weapons.
If you attack normally, the hold is only broken if you hit and the target fails an SDF save to retain it.
Mounted Combat
A trained or domesticated creature can be mounted with a move action.
On the first round, you can spend your action to spur the mount forward, but it can only move half speed unless an ability such as Trick Rider allows full movement.
If you charge on a mount:
- the mount can make overrun attacks
- the rider may make a melee attack
- mount and rider are both at +2 to hit
- opponents get +2 to hit both mount and rider
Spears, lances, and some polearms do double damage on a charge. A creature on the ground may set the same weapons and deal double damage against the charger.
You must have a straight 20-foot path to charge.
If you take damage while mounted, make an SDF save or fall.
If either rider or mount is reduced to 0 HP, the rider falls and takes D4 damage.
If the mount takes 50% damage, it makes a morale check.
Advanced or Conditional Options
These require prerequisites, class features, or GM permission.
| Option | Notes |
| Swoop | Functions as charge while flying. Attacks from 50 feet deal double damage. Requires flight. |
| Assist Ally Attack | Roll to hit against the target. If you miss, add +2 to ally attack; if you hit, add +4; if you crit, add +6. No damage. |
| Assist Ally Defence | Attempt to deflect with a shield against an attack on an adjacent ally. |
| Cut and Run | On a successful attack, move full movement without provoking from the target. |
| Distract | Target takes -1 to hit and -1 to deflect. You are at -1 damage. |
| Complex Feint | You take -2 to hit; target takes -2 to hit and deflect against your attacks only. |
| Precision Over Damage | +2 to hit, but roll damage twice and take the lower result. |
| All In | +1 to attack and roll damage twice, taking the higher result. You cannot deflect, attacks against you gain +1 to hit, and crit threat ranges against you are doubled. |
| Feint | Attack at -2; opponent gets +2 to deflect. Your next attack is at +2 and treats the opponent as open. |
| Stunning Blow | Bludgeoning only. Attack at -4; target makes CON save or is stunned next round, losing primary action. |
| Slashing Blow | Slashing only. On damage, target makes AGL/REF-style save or bleeds 1 HP per round until bandaged or healed. |