Melee Maneuvers

Strike and counter-strike, strike and counter-strike; That's the formula for dull, mechanical combat, and it's no way to run the sort of swashbuckling. action packed combat which should be the backbone of your AD&D game adventures.

So here, we'll be describing all sorts of different combat maneuvers which your characters can perform in combat.

These maneuvers aren't limited to warrior-classes alone. Anyone can perform any of these maneuvers, provided he has the right weapon or equipment. Any priest with a shield can perform a Shield-Punch or Shield-Rush; any rogue or mage with a good attack can Disarm a foe. But warriors wtll be performing these maneuvers most often.

Each of these maneuvers, when used in combat, constitutes one attack. Characters with multiple attacks per round can mix and match their maneuvers. A character with two attacks per round could perform one Strike and one Parry, for example, one Called Shot and one Disarm, one Pin and one Grab, two Strikes, two Parries, or whatever combination he wanted.

Called Shots
Disarm
Grab
Hold Attack
Parrying
Pins
Pulling and Tripping
Sap
Shield-Punch
Shield-Rush
Strike/Thrust
Surprise And Flash Maneuvers
Non-Lethal Combat
Barehanded Maneuvers