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* ''Go back to the [[Epic Path]] page.'' | * ''Go back to the [[Epic Path]] page.'' | ||
==What is combat?== | |||
Combat is the process of getting into a fight with bad guys, and resolving how that fight turns out. | Combat is the process of getting into a fight with bad guys, and resolving how that fight turns out. | ||
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So how does it work? | So how does it work? | ||
==How Basic Combat Works== | |||
Combat in Epic Path, and indeed in all D20 system games, is taken one person at a time in a step-wise fashion. At the beginning of the combat, each person rolls an initiative number by rolling a D20 and adding their initiative modifier. The person (or monster) with the highest initiative number goes first, then the person with the next highest number goes next, etc. This process repeats until every person and monster and other creature in a given conflict has had a turn. (It is HIGHLY recommended to have a whiteboard, display monitor, or even a plain old sheet of paper where all the initiative numbers for each creature can be kept track of. | Combat in Epic Path, and indeed in all D20 system games, is taken one person at a time in a step-wise fashion. At the beginning of the combat, each person rolls an initiative number by rolling a D20 and adding their initiative modifier. The person (or monster) with the highest initiative number goes first, then the person with the next highest number goes next, etc. This process repeats until every person and monster and other creature in a given conflict has had a turn. (It is HIGHLY recommended to have a whiteboard, display monitor, or even a plain old sheet of paper where all the initiative numbers for each creature can be kept track of. | ||
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And that's it! The basic process of combat in a D20 game is very simple and fast moving...in its basic form. Of course, as you gain experience with the game and the game master adds more complex challenges, things get much more complicated. | And that's it! The basic process of combat in a D20 game is very simple and fast moving...in its basic form. Of course, as you gain experience with the game and the game master adds more complex challenges, things get much more complicated. | ||
===Maximum Encounter Length=== | |||
In Epic Path, classic encounters begin when the referee ask the players to make a surprise roll, which is usually a Perception check against a target. Those who fail are surprised, and there is then a surprise round. Once any surprise round is resolved, initiative is rolled and proper combat begins. If any combat ever manages to last ten rounds in a row, combat automatically ends. if by some miracle 9or really dull battle layout) there are still hostile foes, you may re-roll initiative at that point. No combat in Epic Path ever lasts more than ten rounds in a row. This little break serves two important tasks: it gives the players another action point, which they can hopefully use to end this drawn out mess, and it serves as a reminder to the GM to not let things drag. If conflict starts back up again, all survivors re-roll initiative. | In Epic Path, classic encounters begin when the referee ask the players to make a surprise roll, which is usually a Perception check against a target. Those who fail are surprised, and there is then a surprise round. Once any surprise round is resolved, initiative is rolled and proper combat begins. If any combat ever manages to last ten rounds in a row, combat automatically ends. if by some miracle 9or really dull battle layout) there are still hostile foes, you may re-roll initiative at that point. No combat in Epic Path ever lasts more than ten rounds in a row. This little break serves two important tasks: it gives the players another action point, which they can hopefully use to end this drawn out mess, and it serves as a reminder to the GM to not let things drag. If conflict starts back up again, all survivors re-roll initiative. | ||
==Moving around in Combat== | |||
When it is your turn in the fight, it is very common to want to move around. Almost all characters have a base speed, modified by your armor and how much stuff you're carrying, written down in feet. A very common starting number is thirty feet. Since the game is played (if you're using figures) on a square grid, each square is assumed to be five feet across. So, thirty feet is six squares. | When it is your turn in the fight, it is very common to want to move around. Almost all characters have a base speed, modified by your armor and how much stuff you're carrying, written down in feet. A very common starting number is thirty feet. Since the game is played (if you're using figures) on a square grid, each square is assumed to be five feet across. So, thirty feet is six squares. | ||
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There is also a special 'miscellaneous' movement type that happens a lot, and that is called a Five Foot Step. If you have not used a Move action this round to actually move your figure, you may move your figure one square 'in between' the other actions you take. This indicates the natural footwork you're character is using in the battle. You may not be an expert melee combatant, but your character sure is! | There is also a special 'miscellaneous' movement type that happens a lot, and that is called a Five Foot Step. If you have not used a Move action this round to actually move your figure, you may move your figure one square 'in between' the other actions you take. This indicates the natural footwork you're character is using in the battle. You may not be an expert melee combatant, but your character sure is! | ||
==Attacks of Opportunity== | |||
Now, moving around in a furious melee is not easy or safe. To represent the fact that moving in a combat is more than a little dangerous, there is the attack of opportunity. | Now, moving around in a furious melee is not easy or safe. To represent the fact that moving in a combat is more than a little dangerous, there is the attack of opportunity. | ||
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Now, that said, having lots of attacks of opportunity is still very good: If you have a reach weapon in a crowded combat, you will have lots of opportunities to swing on bad guys as they move around. So the more the merrier! | Now, that said, having lots of attacks of opportunity is still very good: If you have a reach weapon in a crowded combat, you will have lots of opportunities to swing on bad guys as they move around. So the more the merrier! | ||
==How to Hit Things== | |||
When it is your turn in a combat, you have to be able to reach an enemy. Most melee weapons (like a sword) can only attack figures you are right next to, or maybe one square away from if you have a weapon with reach. Most ranged weapons, either thrown weapons (like a spear) or projectile weapons (like a bow) have a range number listed. You can attack enemies far away with a ranged weapon, but the further you are, the harder it is to hit. Every time you count out a number of squares equal to the range number listed, you take a cumulative minus 2 to your to-hit roll. Melee weapons never take this minus to-hit for range, even if they have a lot of reach. | When it is your turn in a combat, you have to be able to reach an enemy. Most melee weapons (like a sword) can only attack figures you are right next to, or maybe one square away from if you have a weapon with reach. Most ranged weapons, either thrown weapons (like a spear) or projectile weapons (like a bow) have a range number listed. You can attack enemies far away with a ranged weapon, but the further you are, the harder it is to hit. Every time you count out a number of squares equal to the range number listed, you take a cumulative minus 2 to your to-hit roll. Melee weapons never take this minus to-hit for range, even if they have a lot of reach. | ||
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The way you attack is you roll a D20, add in ALL your modifiers both positive and negative, and get an attack roll. | The way you attack is you roll a D20, add in ALL your modifiers both positive and negative, and get an attack roll. | ||
IMPORTANT: That attack roll must EQUAL or BE LARGER THAN the Armor Class of the enemy you are attacking in order to successfully hit them. | IMPORTANT: That attack roll must EQUAL or BE LARGER THAN the Armor Class of the enemy you are attacking in order to successfully hit them. | ||
Note that there are many, many modifiers to this roll, such as flanking bonuses, bonuses and penalties due to spells and other buffs, bonuses and penalties due to status conditions, bonuses and penalties due to terrain, etc, etc, etc. Do not worry, you will get the hang of it soon. The important thing is to add it all up, both positive and negative, then roll the die to see what your final number is. Bigger is always better! | Note that there are many, many modifiers to this roll, such as flanking bonuses, bonuses and penalties due to spells and other buffs, bonuses and penalties due to status conditions, bonuses and penalties due to terrain, etc, etc, etc. Do not worry, you will get the hang of it soon. The important thing is to add it all up, both positive and negative, then roll the die to see what your final number is. Bigger is always better! | ||
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If your attack roll is equal to or higher than the armor class you are attacking, you have scored a hit, and it's time to resolve your damage. | If your attack roll is equal to or higher than the armor class you are attacking, you have scored a hit, and it's time to resolve your damage. | ||
==Resolving Damage== | |||
All attacks do some random amount of damage. The amount is the weapon damage dice, plus any bonuses and penalties. This is all added together, then applied to the monster. Players and enemies alike can have resistance to this damage, either physical damage reduction or energy damage reduction. Each type of damage reduction is applied to damage in its own way. | All attacks do some random amount of damage. The amount is the weapon damage dice, plus any bonuses and penalties. This is all added together, then applied to the monster. Players and enemies alike can have resistance to this damage, either physical damage reduction or energy damage reduction. Each type of damage reduction is applied to damage in its own way. | ||
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===Time Taken=== | ===Time Taken=== | ||
The amount of time that passes in a combat doesn't really matter in most cases, but it can be of importance for things like burning fuses, ticking death machines, spell duration, and the like. As a rule of thumb, each round of a combat takes six seconds. | The amount of time that passes in a combat doesn't really matter in most cases, but it can be of importance for things like burning fuses, ticking death machines, spell duration, and the like. As a rule of thumb, each round of a combat takes six seconds. | ||
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===Surprise!=== | ===Surprise!=== | ||
To begin many combats, the game master will ask the players to roll a perception check. This is to check for surprise. Surprise happens when you do not realize a fight is about to start until the blades and claws start swinging. | To begin many combats, the game master will ask the players to roll a perception check. This is to check for surprise. Surprise happens when you do not realize a fight is about to start until the blades and claws start swinging. | ||
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If you have Readied an Action and the initiative count reaches your turn in the order again without the trigger condition being satisfied, then you have lost your Readied action. Note that Readying an Action does NOT change your initiative number, and thus is very different than Holding your action. Note further that you can meet your trigger conditions even in a different round than when you Readied, and still take you normal action that turn. This is not a violation of the 'only one action per round' rule, because technically, when you Ready and Action, you are taking your entire turn immediately to set up the triggered action. The only time yo lose the readied action is if your initiative comes up again before the trigger is met. | If you have Readied an Action and the initiative count reaches your turn in the order again without the trigger condition being satisfied, then you have lost your Readied action. Note that Readying an Action does NOT change your initiative number, and thus is very different than Holding your action. Note further that you can meet your trigger conditions even in a different round than when you Readied, and still take you normal action that turn. This is not a violation of the 'only one action per round' rule, because technically, when you Ready and Action, you are taking your entire turn immediately to set up the triggered action. The only time yo lose the readied action is if your initiative comes up again before the trigger is met. | ||
===Performing a Coup-De-Grace=== | ===Performing a Coup-De-Grace=== | ||
When you have a foe completely at your mercy, you can choose to show it the cruelest mercy of all, namely, by killing it. | When you have a foe completely at your mercy, you can choose to show it the cruelest mercy of all, namely, by killing it. | ||
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Note: It is possible that the simple damage alone will kill them, in which case, they still must make a Fortitude save. Why? Because the murderous intent of the coup de grace makes it more difficult to raise a coup-de grace'd foe back to life. The exact details of such things are left to the GM, but it certainly makes for great plot hooks, and explains why, in a magical world, public executions of terrible people gain importance. | Note: It is possible that the simple damage alone will kill them, in which case, they still must make a Fortitude save. Why? Because the murderous intent of the coup de grace makes it more difficult to raise a coup-de grace'd foe back to life. The exact details of such things are left to the GM, but it certainly makes for great plot hooks, and explains why, in a magical world, public executions of terrible people gain importance. | ||
===Cover=== | |||
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC). | |||
When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from any corner of your square to the target's square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks. | |||
====Low Obstacles and Cover==== | |||
A low obstacle (such as a wall no higher than half your height) provides cover, but only to creatures within 30 feet (6 squares) of it. The attacker can ignore the cover if he's closer to the obstacle than his target. | |||
====Cover and Attacks of Opportunity==== | |||
You can't execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with cover relative to you. | |||
====Cover and Reflex Saves==== | |||
Cover grants you a +2 bonus on Reflex saves against attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the other side of the cover from you. Note that spread effects can extend around corners and thus negate this cover bonus. | |||
====Cover and Stealth Checks==== | |||
You can use cover to make a Stealth check. Without cover, you usually need concealment (see below) to make a Stealth check. | |||
====Soft Cover==== | |||
Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft cover allow you to make a Stealth check. | |||
====Big Creatures and Cover==== | |||
Any creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has cover against you. | |||
====Partial Cover==== | |||
If a creature has cover, but more than half the creature is visible, its cover bonus is reduced to a +2 to AC and a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws. This partial cover is subject to the GM's discretion. | |||
====Total Cover==== | |||
If you don't have line of effect to your target (that is, you cannot draw any line from your square to your target's square without crossing a solid barrier), he is considered to have total cover from you. You can't make an attack against a target that has total cover. | |||
====Improved Cover==== | |||
In some cases, such as attacking a target hiding behind an arrowslit, cover may provide a greater bonus to AC and Reflex saves. In such situations, the normal cover bonuses to AC and Reflex saves can be doubled (to +8 and +4, respectively). A creature with this improved cover effectively gains improved evasion against any attack to which the Reflex save bonus applies. Furthermore, improved cover provides a +10 bonus on Stealth checks. | |||
==Concealment== | |||
To determine whether your target has concealment from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that provides concealment, the target has concealment. | |||
When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has concealment if his space is entirely within an effect that grants concealment. When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you, use the rules for determining concealment from ranged attacks. | |||
In addition, some magical effects provide concealment against all attacks, regardless of whether any intervening concealment exists. | |||
Concealment Miss Chance | |||
Concealment gives the subject of a successful attack a 20% chance that the attacker missed because of the concealment. Make the attack normallyif the attacker hits, the defender must make a miss chance d% roll to avoid being struck. Multiple concealment conditions do not stack. | |||
Concealment and Stealth Checks | |||
You can use concealment to make a Stealth check. Without concealment, you usually need cover to make a Stealth check. | |||
Total Concealment | |||
If you have line of effect to a target but not line of sight, he is considered to have total concealment from you. You can't attack an opponent that has total concealment, though you can attack into a square that you think he occupies. A successful attack into a square occupied by an enemy with total concealment has a 50% miss chance (instead of the normal 20% miss chance for an opponent with concealment). | |||
You can't execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with total concealment, even if you know what square or squares the opponent occupies. | |||
Ignoring Concealment | |||
Concealment isn't always effective. An area of dim lighting or darkness doesn't provide any concealment against an opponent with darkvision. Characters with low-light vision can see clearly for a greater distance than other characters with the same light source. Although invisibility provides total concealment, sighted opponents may still make Perception checks to notice the location of an invisible character. An invisible character gains a +20 bonus on Stealth checks if moving, or a +40 bonus on Stealth checks when not moving (even though opponents can't see you, they might be able to figure out where you are from other visual or auditory clues). | |||
Varying Degrees of Concealment | |||
Certain situations may provide more or less than typical concealment, and modify the miss chance accordingly. | |||