2.1 Combat

Turns
Every battle starts by rolling initiative. That means every creature makes an intelligence check (d20 + int), the outcomes of which determine the turn order, with the highest roll getting their turn first.

Each round in combat represents about 6 seconds. Every round, each participant gets two actions and a minor action.

Actions
An action can be spent to either move up to your speed or to make an attack. They don’t have to be self-isolated: you can, for example, move half your speed, attack, then move the other half. There are many other actions you can take. Anything one could do in real life, and then some, is possible in-game, at the DM’s discretion. Some actions are full-round actions, which means they take up both of your actions for the round.

Minor actions
Simple actions that take little time and effort are minor actions. This includes drawing or sheathing a weapon, grabbing an item off the ground or handing an item to someone. If you have both hands free, you can draw or sheath two one-handed weapons (including shields) simultaneously as a single minor action, but sheathing one weapon and drawing another requires two minor actions. You can always substitute a regular action for a minor action.

Sneaky steps
If you spend your turn only making non-movement actions, such as two attacks, you may move one square for free at any point during your turn. This is called a sneaky step. Creatures with 1 speed can't take sneaky steps.

Readying actions
As an action, you can ready an action. You specify a condition and an action. If, between your current turn and the start of your next, the condition is fulfilled, you execute the action. Example: “If an enemy approaches me, I make a melee attack against them.” This allows you to act outside of your turn, but you have to give up an action in your current turn to do it. If the condition doesn’t occur, the action is wasted. If the condition occurs multiple times, you only get to act on it once, unless you spent both your actions to ready an action twice.

Basic combat
The basic framework of combat revolves around three types of rolls: attacks, combat maneuvers and saving throws.

Attacks
You can make an attack by rolling d20 and adding your dexterity. If the result equals or exceeds the target’s defence, you score a hit and deal damage according to your weapon type and strength score.

Melee attacks have a range of 1 square, unless your melee range is increased by having a large character or using a pole weapon.

Ranged attacks can be made at a distance, but suffer from certain penalties. They have two values: short range and max range. Short range is the distance at which it can attack normally. Attacking targets beyond short range causes disadvantage on the attack roll. Attacking beyond max range is impossible. Range numbers are given on the 2.1 Equipment page.

Additionally, you take disadvantage on ranged attacks if you're within the melee range of an enemy, whether they're the target of the attack or not.

Combat maneuvers
Offensive actions that don't directly deal damage are called combat maneuvers. These are resolved similar to attacks, but they target maneuver defence, and the stat that you add to your roll may vary. Below are four common maneuvers, with the first line stating what to roll for this maneuver.

Disarm D20 + dex. On success, the target drops an item they're holding. You have disadvantage if the item is held in two hands. The item falls on the ground in a chosen square adjacent to you. If you have any free hands, you can instead pick up the object as part of the disarm action.

Grapple D20 + str. On success, both you and the target gain the grappled condition. While grappling, the following actions can be taken by both participants on their own turns. (This list is not exhaustive.)

Escape: D20 + str or agi. On success, the grapple ends. Note that you can intentionally let your opponent succeed if you want the grapple to end too.

Drag: D20 + str. On success, you can move up to half your speed and can position your opponent in any empty square adjacent to your new position. This is the only way to move while grappled.

Attack: You're assumed to only have one hand free while grappling; the other is busy holding or resisting the grapple. Thus, you can't make use of dual-wielding and can't attack with a weapon two-handed. Attacking otherwise functions as normal.

Push D20 + str. On success, the target is pushed 1 square away from you. You can push the target 1 extra square for every 5 by which you surpass their man def.

Trip D20 + str or dex. On success, the target is knocked prone.

Saving throws
Sometimes the defender needs to roll instead of the attacker, usually against an ongoing effect. This is called a saving throw (or save). The DC and relevant stat of the save are always stated in the effect's description.

Saving throws are often indicated by the phrase "save ends". This means that, as long as the effect remains active, you get to attempt the saving throw at the end of each of your turns. On a fail, the effect remains active. On a success, the effect ends.

Crits and crit fails
When making an attack roll, if the die lands on a 1, the attack is an automatic miss. This is called a crit fail. If the die lands on a 20, it’s an automatic hit, and you deal double damage. This is called a crit. At the DM’s discretion, a crit or crit fail may cause additional effects.

Elements
Any damage without a stated element is physical, but fire, frost, lightning, poison, holy, unholy and psychic damage also exist. Certain creatures are vulnerable, resistant or immune to certain elements. Vulnerable creatures take 150% damage, resistant ones 50% and immune ones none at all. This multiplier is applied after applying DR.

Vital strikes
When you make an attack, you can choose to take disadvantage on the attack roll in return for adding your int score to the damage on hit. This is called a vital strike. If you use dual-wielding to make two attacks per action, each attack gains only half your int in damage.

Targeted strikes
When you make an attack, you can choose to take disadvantage on the attack roll in return for crippling a body part, in addition to dealing damage. Crippled body parts remain that way until the creature takes a rest or receives any magical healing. A single body part can’t be crippled more than once. The options are listed below.

Arm: The target must pass a con save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or have their arm crippled, causing disadvantage on attacks and checks with it.

Leg: The target must pass a con save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or have their leg crippled. Their land speed is halved and they take disadvantage on checks with the targeted leg. If all the target’s legs are crippled, their land speed becomes 1.

Cripple wing: The target must pass a con save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or have their wing crippled, halving their flying speed. If all the target’s wings are crippled, they lose the ability to fly.

Stealth and sneak attacks
You can attempt to go unseen by making a stealth check (d20 + dex). If your check surpasses the passive perception (10 + int) of the creatures you're hiding from, you succeed and the targets become unaware of your location. This check is made when you first enter stealth, and then repeated at the start of each of your turns as long as you remain in stealth. You generally need to be concealed in some way, e.g. behind an object or by darkness, otherwise your stealth check fails automatically. After the first successful stealth check, you can move out of concealment, but must begin and end your turn concealed.

Attacking an unaware creature is called a sneak attack. Sneak attacks treat the target's defence as 1. Stealth automatically ends after making an attack or maneuver.