Combat Maneuvers

This house rule ensures that characters untrained in combat behave as such. It elaborates on an optional rule for "Untrained Fighters" given in GURPS Martial Arts 4th edition p. 113. To that end, some combat maneuvers now have a combat skill prerequisite. Note that it is only necessary to have a single combat skill at the requisite level to use a maneuver--melee or unarmed for melee combat maneuvers, ranged weapon for ranged combat maneuvers. E.g. if you have Brawling at DX level, then you can use all of the melee combat maneuvers that require DX skill level, even if you're using a sword at default and your sword skill is only 5. An exception is for PCs that have zero points in melee or ranged combat skills: they must have the requisite skill level in whatever skill they're attempting to use (at default) at the time. See the table below (which is a modification of the Quick Reference Table of Combat).

Having at least one melee/unarmed and one ranged weapon skill at DX level means you have access to all possible combat maneuvers, making this house rule moot for such a character.

Combat Maneuvers

Choose one maneuver on your turn. A character who is Stunned must choose the Do Nothing maneuver.

Action	Description	Movement	Defense	Skill Level
Attacks	Extra Attack, Feint, Deceptive or Telegraphed Attack, Dual-Weapon Attack, or Rapid Strike are options
Attack	Make 1 attack	1 step	Any Active Defense	DX-5
All-Out Attack	Make two melee attacks; or 1 melee attack at +4 to hit; or 1 melee attack at +2 damage; or gain 1 hex reach on a melee attack; or make 1 ranged attack at +1; or Feint and make a Ranged Attack ; or use Suppression Fire	1/2 Move forward; must be before attack	No Active Defenses	DX-4
Committed Attack	Make 1 melee attack at +2 to hit; or 1 attack at +1 damage	1 step; 2 steps at -2 to attack	Cannot defend with limb used to attack and any other Active Defense is at -2; cannot retreat	DX
Defensive Attack	Make 1 melee attack at -2 damage	1 step	Any Active Defense; +1 to Parry or Block; or Parry with a U weapon	DX
All-Out Defense	Do not attack at all	1 step; or 1/2 move if +2 Dodge	Any Active Defense; +2 to Dodge or Parry or Block; or use two Active Defenses against a single attack	DX-4
Attacks while moving	Extra Attack, Deceptive or Telegraphed Attack, or Dual-Weapon Attack are options
Move and Attack (Melee)	While moving, attack at -4 with a maximum skill of 9	Full move; may attack at any time	Block or Dodge; Cannot Retreat	DX-5
Move and Attack (Ranged)	Move and make a ranged attack with weapon's Bulk as a penalty	Full move; may attack at any time	Block or Dodge; Cannot Retreat	DX-5
Move and Attack (Slam)	Move and knock down a target by rolling under DX, Brawling, Shield, or Sumo Wrestling	Full move and attack at end	Block or Dodge; Cannot Retreat	DX-4
Move and All-Out Attack (Slam)	Move and knock down a target by rolling under DX, Brawling, Shield, or Sumo Wrestling; get a +4 bonus or Feint and knock down or get +2 damage bonus	Full move and attack at end	No Active Defenses	DX-4
Movement
Move	Move and do not attack	Full move	Any Active Defense	n/a
Change Posture	Switch from standing to sitting, kneeling, crawling, lying prone, or lying face up or switch from crawling, kneeling, or sitting to standing or lying down or switch from lying down to crawling, kneeling, or sitting	None	Any Active Defense	n/a
Preparations
Ready	Prepare a weapon or item to be used	Step	Any Active Defense	DX-6
Aim	Get a cumulative +2 bonus to hit a specific target with a ranged weapon per aim maneuver, up a maximum of Acc + 6.	Step	Any Active Defense, but lose Aim bonus	DX-5
Evaluate	Get a cumulative +2 bonus to a hit a specific target with a melee weapon per evaluate maneuver, up to a maximum of +6 (not cumulative with Telegraphed attack)	Step	Any Active Defense, at +1 against specific target's attacks	DX-5
Concentrate	Prepare a spell or special power for use	Step	Any Active Defense, but potentially lose concentration	n/a
Specials
Do Nothing	Don't do anything	None	Any Active Defense	n/a
Wait	Wait for something to happen and then take an All-Out Attack (Melee), Committed Attack, Attack, Defensive Attack, or All-Out Attack (Ranged) maneuver	as per triggered maneuver	as per triggered maneuver	n/a

Attack Options

These effects may be combined if the maneuver allows them, except for Rapid Strike and Dual-Weapon Attack are mutually exclusive. Weapon Masters and Trained by a Master halves the penalty for Rapid Strike and Dual-Weapon Attack.

Attack Options	Effect	Skill Level
Feint	Give up an attack to make a contest of Weapon skills: your Margin of Success is a penalty on opponent's Active Defense against your next attack; or give up an attack to make a contest of Weapon skills: your Margin of Success is a penalty on opponent's next Attack against you	DX
Deceptive Attack	Take -2 to attack per -1 on any of opponent's Active Defenses against that melee attack; or take -2 to attack per -1 to a target's Dodge against a ranged attack	DX
Telegraphed Attack	Take a +4 to attack and give opponent a +2 on all Active Defenses against that melee attack	DX-6
Rapid Strike	Once per turn, give up an attack to attack with a melee weapon to attack twice at -6	DX
Dual-Weapon Strike	give up an attack with a melee weapon or pistol to attack with a weapon in each hand at -4	DX-5
Extra Attack	Take an extra attack. You must have a specific advantage to do this.	n/a

Active Defenses

Normally, only 1 Active Defense can be attempted against a single attack. Some maneuvers prevent a defender from using certain Active Defenses. All Active Defense are at a -4 penalty while Stunned. Multiple uses of the same Active Defense in a turn accumulate penalties that are zeroed at the start of character's turn.

Weapon Masters and Trained by a Master halve multiple parry/block penalties. Fencing weapons, long two-handed weapons, or mobile unarmed skills (Boxing, Karate, or Judo) also halve multiple parry penalties. Effects are cumulative (-1 penalty for multiple parries).

Active Defenses	Effect	Skill Level
Parry	One per arm. Can only cancel melee attacks or thrown weapons. Additional parries are -4 per arm repeated.	DX-6
Cross parry	Requires a weapon in each hand, and can not make any further Active Defenses with those limbs. Make a parry at +2	DX-5
Supported parry	Support a weapon parry with an empty hand. Cannot make any further Active Defenses with those limbs. Make a parry at +1	DX-5
Block	One per arm with a shield. Can cancel any attack. Additional blocks are at -5 each.	DX-6
Dodge	Can cancel any attack. No penalties for additional dodges.	DX-6
Acrobatic Dodge	Can cancel any attack. Only one attempt per turn. Roll Acrobatics; success gives Dodge +2 and failure gives Dodge -2.	DX-6

Retreat Options

No character can retreat more than once per turn. Some maneuvers or postures do not allow retreats. It is never legal to retreat into obstructed terrain.

Retreat Options	Movement	Effect	Skill Level
Retreat	1 step directly away from opponent	+3 to Dodge, Fencing Parry, or Mobile Unarmed Parry against melee attacks or +1 to Block or Parry against melee attacks	DX-6
Dive or Drop	Go prone in current space	+3 to Dodge against ranged attacks or +2 to Dodge, Fencing Parry, or Mobile Unarmed Parry against melee attacks or +0 to Block or Parry against melee attacks	DX-6
Sideslip	1 step in any direction except directly toward or away from opponent	+2 to Dodge, Fencing Parry, or Mobile Unarmed Parry against melee attacks or +0 to Block or Parry against melee attacks	DX-5
Slip	1 step directly toward opponent	+1 to Dodge, Fencing Parry, or Mobile Unarmed Parry against melee attacks or -1 to Block or Parry against melee attacks	DX-5
Sacrificial Dodge	1 step between an ally and a foe	Roll a Dodge. Success means attack meant for ally hits you instead.	DX-6
Low Line Parry	No movement	Counts a parry for maneuvers that limit parries and requires at least 2 functional legs. Roll a parry against an attack below the waist.	DX-5

Grappling

Grapples are initiated by any attack maneuver at Close Combat range. Any Active Defense will cancel a Grapple attempt. The following actions are attack options after a Grapple has been started.

Action	Effect	Skill Level
Break Free	After being grappled, initiate a Quick Contest of ST. On a win, the grapple ends and you may Step in any direction.	n/a
Arm Lock	After a Judo parry or grappling an arm, attack with Judo or Wrestle. If successful, victim's arm is pinned. On subsequent turns, initiate contest of Judo/Wrestle vs Judo/Wrestle or ST as a free action and do Margin of Success crushing damage to victim's arm.	DX-2
Judo Throw	After a Judo parry or a grapple, attack with Judo. If successful, opponent is prone and must roll HT or be stunned. Roll at -1 to do thrust/crushing damage to victim. If the opponent is in a lock, do swing/crushing damage to the body part in the lock.	DX-2
Choke	After grappling the neck, initiate a Quick contest of ST vs ST or HT. Do Margin of Success crushing damage to victim's neck and suffocate him (1 FP/turn)	n/a
Choke Hold	Grapple the neck from behind. On subsequent turns, initiate a Quick Contest of ST+3 vs ST or HT. Do Margin of Success crushing or fatigue damage to opponent's neck. Using a weapon gives a +1 or more on the Quick Contest (and swords can doing cutting damage).	DX-5
Neck Snap or Wrench Limb	After grappling a foe's limb or neck, initiate a Quick Contest of ST-4 versus ST or HT. If you win, do swing/crushing damage to the limb or neck.	n/a
Takedown	After grappling a standing foe, initiate a Quick Contest of ST, DX, or Grappling skill vs ST, DX, or Grappling skill. Loser falls prone and loses any grapple.	n/a
Pin	After grappling a prone opponent's torso, initiate a Regular Contest of ST. If you win, your opponent is pinned and helpless. Nothing happens on a lose or tie.	n/a

See Also

2d Damage optional | Detect Lies | Interrogation | Meditation | Stealth | Tactics

STA main page