(c) Dr Paul Kinsler. [Acknowledgements & Feedback]

This material is intended to augment or improve the on the rules in the official manuals, which you will need to make sense of it; although I suppose you might find some of the ideas interesting anyway.

COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Weapons and Specialisation. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The first proficiency slot allocated to a weapon gives the character proficiency with that weapon, so they can use it without suffering the non-proficiency penalty. If another proficiency slot is allocated to that same weapon, then the character gains _either_ +1 to-hit, or +1 to damage when using that weapon, but not to both. If a further slot is allocated (ie a total of three), then the character can have +2 to-hit; or +1 to-hit and +1 damage; or +2 damage. Each extra slot used to further specialise in a weapon gives the character a further +1 on either to-hit or damage. However, once the character has decided where to take the specialisation "pluses", they cannot be changed. OPTIONAL RULE: Specialisation allows the character to gain extra attacks. Each extra slot gives the fighter a nominal bonus of three levels when determining the number of attacks per round from table 15 in the PHB. Example: Bongo has a proficiency in quarter-staff, and decides to specialise. He allocates a further slot to it (for a total of two), and choses to take +1 to-hit. After gaining a few levels, he decides to specialise further in quarter-staff. He now has spent three slot on this weapon in total, and he takes his extra bonus in damage. He now has a +1 to-hit, and +1 damage. If he so desired, he could have got +2 to-hit, with no damage bonus. However, he could _not_ have got +2 damage, since he had chosen to take +1 to-hit when he first specialised. COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Shield. (1 slot) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Each slot allocated to a shield proficiency must be for a particular type of shield. Extra slots allocated to the same shield proficiency improve the characters armour class by a further 1 against those attacks covered by the shield. COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Parrying. (2 slots) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A parrying proficiency improves the characters armour class by 1 against one attack. Extra slots give an additional bonus of 1 against one attack per extra slot. A character with three slots in parry could get a AC bonus of 2 versus one attacker, or a bonus of one each versus 2 attackers. When compared to the shield proficiency, it initially costs two slots instead of one. This is to balance the fact that the character does not need to carry a shield. COMBAT PROFICIENCY'S: Called shots. (1 slot) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The ability to use called shots requires a proficiency. Fighters get this automatically; for thieves, monks, and priests this requires one slot; and other classes need to spend two. However, the number of different types of called shots is initially small, and only increases with training. The number of types of called shots depends on character class and on level. It is: Fighter --- 2 + 1 per two levels (ie 2 at 1st level, 3 at 3rd, 4 at 5th, etc). Rogues -+ Priests -|- 1 + 1 per three levels (1 at 1st, 2 at 4th, etc). Monks -+ Others --- 1 + 1 per four levels (1 at 1st, 2 at 5th, etc). Each hit location listed in the DMG is a type of called shot. Aiming at the left and right arms count as the same type of called shot, the same is true of the left and right legs, and of the eyes. Non-humanoid monsters, with wings, or horns, etc may require their own types of called shot. In general, however, a called shot against the arms will be effective against a monster with tentacles that function as arms. A called shot versus a weapon is a disarming attempt. Carving your initials in someone is a type of called shot, as are "stapling" and other out of the ordinary effects. The DM may give some types of called shots bonuses or penalties different to the standard -4 if they see fit. For example, the use of a weapon designed to disarm opponents might only have only a -2 called shot penalty. Soft targets (people, monsters, etc): If a called shot is successful, the strike does _half_ damage, but that limb (or whatever) is affected in some way or it becomes numb or non functional in some way. The target make a saves vs poison to recover. They can continue attacking but they suffer a +4 initiative and -4 to-hit penalties. After the round when they are hit, the target gets one save at the end of each round, after all attacks have been resolved. If the first save the target makes is fumbled (by rolling a 1), then the hit location may be wounded in some way - an eye might be destroyed, a hand cut off, etc, but usually the location will just be disabled until it has healed. Hard targets (weapons and equipment): The character carrying the weapon or equipment must make a save vs poison to avoid losing their grip on a weapon, or to stop the piece of equipment flying off. Well attached equipment (such as a strapped on shield) will give bonuses to this save. In addition, the weapon or piece of equipment must make a save versus crushing blow or break. Two handed weapons give the target two saves - and only if they both fail do they lose their grip on the weapon. A dropped weapon will land 1d6 feet away. Characters may attempt called shots of a different type to that they have chosen. In this case the non proficiency penalty is deducted from their to-hit roll. Eg: Bongo the fighter, at first level is automatically given this proficiency. He choses to be able to make aimed strikes against the head, shots, and against horns (since his homelands are being overrun by horned orcs). When he reaches third level, he elects to make his new called shot type an aimed shot at the legs. COMBAT PROFICIENCIESS: Combat acrobatics. (1 slot) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Prerequisite: Tumbling proficiency This skill enables a character to make amazing leaps and jumps in combat. On each new day, it can be attempted until the first failure. Thief-acrobat or monk characters can fail twice per day before stopping, and get an additional +1 modifier. It is a difficult task (17+), and armour and equipment reduce the chance of success: there is a negative modifier equal to 10 minus the AC type of the character. Medium sized carried items incur a -1 per item, large ones -2. Thus Thorkel, a DEX 15 monk character with no armour (AC type 10) must roll 17 -(+1 monk) -(+1 DEX) +(10-10 ACtype) = 15 or greater to succeed. If he were carrying a 6ft spear (-2) and wearing a light backpack (-1), he would need 18+. If the attempt suceeds, the character can jump anywhere within their jump range, and attack an adjacent opponent with a +4 to hit modifier. If they have multiple attacks then only the first strike gets this modifier. This +4 is not cumulative with the +4 back attack modifier. Alternatively, they can improve their AC by versus one attack that round. If the attempt fails, but by less than 10, the character can jump anywhere within jump range, but gains no to hit bonus, and in addition loses combat initiative. For example, if the roll require to suceed is 17, then any dice roll between 7 and 16 would be in this category. If the attempt fails by more than 10, the character has stumbled and fails to jump anywhere. In addition they lose the initiative, and one of their opponents gets a +4 to hit on their first attack.

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Date=20040523 Author=P.Kinsler Created=1992-ish

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