Special Melee Combat Rules
Special Melee Combat Rules
These rules add additional options – and complexity – to melee attacks and defenses.
Attack from Above
Ambush from above is a good surprise tactic. Roll a Quick Contest to see if it works: your Stealth vs. the victim's Vision. A victim walking along a trail, alley, etc. is at -2 to notice someone lurking above, unless he specifically states he is looking in the trees, high windows, etc.; then he gets +2 (but -2 to notice things on his own level!). Peripheral Vision is of no spe- cial value in this situation.
If you win the Quick Contest, your victim fails to spot you. He gets no active defense against your attack! At the GM's option, a particularly unwary individual might "freeze up”; see Surprise Attacks and Initiative.
Even if you lose – or your target is warned – your victim's active defenses are at -2 against your attack. However, an alerted foe can take a Wait maneu- ver and make a "stop thrust" when you drop (see Wait).
You can drop from any height before attacking (a special kind of "step"). You have an extra -2 to hit. Regardless of the results of your attack, you take falling damage if you dropped from more than two yards – see Falling. You may attempt an Acrobatics roll to reduce this. Natural ambushers-from-above (e.g., jaguars) have Catfall.
You can opt to drop onto your vic- tim instead – animals often attack this way! Resolve damage to yourself and your target separately from your attack. Note that a victim is a soft thing to land on, unless he has DR 3+.
COMBAT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
Suppose you want to jump onto a table and strike down at a foe? Or fight your way up a staircase? If you and your foe are at different levels, the vertical distance affects combat. This rule is for melee combat. For ranged weapons, see Firing Upward and Downward (p. 407).
One foot of vertical difference, or less: Ignore it.
Up to two feet of vertical difference: Ignore it unless you are using hit loca- tions. In that case, the higher fighter has -2 to hit the feet or legs, and +1 to hit the head (skull, face, or eyes) or neck. The lower fighter has +2 to hit the feet or legs, and -2 to hit the head. These modifiers are in addition to nor- mal hit location penalties.
Up to three feet of vertical difference: As above, but the lower fighter is at -1 to any active defense, while the upper fighter is at +1 to his active defenses.
Up to four feet of vertical difference: As above, but the lower fighter is at -2 to defend, while the upper fighter is at +2. The upper fighter cannot strike at the lower fighter’s feet or legs.
Up to five feet of vertical difference: The lower fighter cannot strike at the upper fighter’s head, and the upper fighter cannot strike at the lower fight- er’s feet or legs. The lower fighter is at -3 to defend, while the upper fighter is at +3.
Up to six feet of vertical difference: The upper fighter may only strike at the lower fighter’s head. The lower fighter may only strike at the upper fighter’s feet or legs. Neither gets any special bonus or penalty to attack. The lower fighter is at -3 to defend, while the upper fighter is at +3.
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