Combat Sequence

A. Before Initiative is rolled players must declare if they are using a fighting withdrawal or retreat.
Spellcasters must inform the DM that spells are being cast and which spells will be cast before the initiative
dice are rolled. If a caster loses the Initiative and takes damage or fails a saving throw, the spell is
interrupted and lost. The caster can do nothing else in the round a spell is cast.
B. Initiative: each side roll 1d6; highest wins initiative.
C. The side that wins initiative acts first:
1. Morale checks:
i. Check morale after a side’s 1st death
ii. Check morale when ½ of the side is incapacitated
iii. Roll 2d6; adjustments of -2 to +2 can be made according to situation (winning battle +1;
losing battle -1)
iv. If the result is greater than the monsters' morale score, the monsters will try to retreat or
use a fighting withdrawal. If the result is less than or equal to the morale score, the
monsters will continue to fight.
v. monsters that successfully check morale twice will fight to the death
2. Movement/Round:
i. Combat movement speed cannot be kept up for more than 60 rounds. To find the
movement rate of creatures during a round, divide the base movement rate by 3 (for
example, a character who moves at 60'/turn would move at 20'/round). For the DM's
convenience, the movement rate (per round) of monsters has been calculated and
included in the monster descriptions, and is given in parentheses ( ) after the base
movement rate.
ii. Attacked opponents may only move defensively (fighting withdrawal or retreat)
1. Fighting Withdrawal: A fighting withdrawal may be used in combat if the
defender wishes to back up slowly while trading blows with an opponent.
Movement backwards is limited to 1/2 the normal movement rate per round (or
less). There must be enough room to back up. In crowded situations, characters
or monsters behind a creature attempting to use a fighting withdrawal will prevent
this form of defensive movement.
2. Retreat: Any movement backwards at more than 1/2 the normal movement rate
is a retreat. If a creature tries to retreat, the opponent may add + 2 to all "to hit"
rolls, and the defender is not allowed to make a return attack. In addition to the
bonus on "to hit" rolls, the attacks are further adjusted by using the defender’s
Armor Class without a shield. Any attacks from behind are adjusted in the same
manner.
iii. Spellcasters cannot move and cast spells.
3. Missile Fire Combat:
i. Choose targets
ii. Roll d20 + Dexterity adjustments, Missile Range adjustments, Cover1, magic bonuses
from weapons.
iii. Roll for damage
4. Magic Spells (roll saving throws as needed).
5. Melee:
i. Choose opponents
ii. Roll d20 + Strength adjustments and magic bonuses from weapons
iii. Roll for damage
D. Side with the next highest initiative acts next, until all sides have completed one round of melee.
E. DM handles surrenders, retreats, etc.
F. Repeat Combat Sequence until melee is ended.

1
COVER: "To hit" rolls for missile fire may be adjusted by the amount of cover a target has. A creature may hide
behind any large object (a wall, tree, barrel, and so forth) to be "under cover". A target with "complete cover"
cannot be hit (for example, a target around a corner). When a target has some cover but not "complete cover,” the
DM should make adjustments to missile fire to account for amount of cover. (Note that a shield is not considered
as cover!) In general, the adjustments should be from -1 to -4. EXAMPLE: A character attacking a goblin partially
hidden behind a small table would attack with a penalty of -1 on "to hit" rolls, while a character shooting at a bear
in a thick woods might have a penalty of -4 on the "to hit" rolls.
 Combat Sequence
Missile Fire Ranges

RANGES (in feet):

Weapon Type Short (+ 1) Medium (0) Long (-1)

Crossbow 5-80 81-160 161-240
Longbow 5-70 71-140 141-210
Short Bow 5-50 51-100 101-150
Sling 5-40 41-80 81-161
Spear* 5-20 21-40 41-60
Oil* or Holy Water* 5-10 11-30 31-50
Axe * or Dagger * 5-10 11-20 21-30
* thrown weapons

Damage Weapon Type

1-4 (1d4) Torch
1-4 (1d4) Dagger
1-4 (1d4) Sling stone Hits on charging creatures by spears or
1-4 (1d4) Javelin (short throwing spear)
pole arms braced against the ground will
1-4 (1d4) Club
1-4 (1d4) Staff* do double damage.
1-6 (1d6) Arrow
1-6 (1d6) Hand Axe
1-6 (1d6) Lance
1-6 (1d6) Mace
1-6 (1d6) Quarrel* (Crossbow Bolt)2
1-6 (1d6) Short Sword
1-6 (1d6) Spear
1-6 (1d6) War Hammer
1-8 (1d8) Battle Axe*
1-8 (1d8) Sword
1-10 (1d10) Pole Arm*
1-10 (1d10) Two-handed Sword *
*Two-handed weapon

Two-handed weapons
Whenever a two-handed weapon is used (including pole arms), the attacker cannot use a shield (this may reduce the
Armor Class of the attacker) and will always lose the initiative, whatever the roll. Heavy two-handed weapons (flail,
battle axe, pole arms, etc.) may strike once per round, but strike last in the round, regardless of Initiative.

Unarmed Combat
Characters who engage in combat without a weapon (for whatever reason) will do 1-2 points of damage plus any
strength adjustments for a successful attack. All normal rules regarding combat apply to unarmed combat.

Oil (which is carried in small bottles called flasks) may be thrown as a missile weapon. It may also be spread on the
floor of a dungeon and then lit. Burning oil will do 1-8 (1d8) points of damage to any creature in the flames (or who
attempts to cross a pool of burning oil). Flaming oil will not harm a monster which normally uses a fire weapon (such
as a red dragon). Fire will damage some undead monsters. These include mummies, skeletons, zombies, ghouls,
and wights (though wights will only take 1/2 damage). A flask of oil contains enough oil to make a pool 3' in diameter.
A pool of burning oil will burn out in 1 turn. Oil which strikes a creature will drip off it, burning the creature for only 2
rounds. The oil must be set afire for it to cause any damage; otherwise, it will only be slippery. The chance of oil
catching fire depends on the situation, and is left for the DM to figure out. Touching the oil with a flaming torch should
almost certainly cause the oil to light. Other methods may have less chance of success.

Holy Water must be kept in small, specially-prepared glass bottles (known as vials) for it to remain holy. For Holy
Water to cause damage, it must be thrown (as a missile weapon) and successfully hit the target. The effect of a vial
of Holy Water on an undead creature is the same as that of a flask of burning oil: 1-8 points of damage for two
rounds.

2
Optional Rule: Crossbows may be fired once every two rounds, taking one round to load and one to fire.