Combat Maneuvers are special actions you may attempt to perform to hinder or even cripple your foe, including Choke, Disarm, Dirty Trick, Grab (Crush & Strike), *Grapple* *(Choke Hold, Drag, Pin, Slam, Submission Hold, Throw, & Tie Up)*, Overrun, Shove, *Steal*, Sunder, Tackle and *Trip*. Although these maneuvers have vastly different results, they all use the Combat Maneuver mechanic to determine success.
- Actions marked with *asterisks* cannot be used without the Advanced Combat Maneuver feat.
Combat Maneuver Attack Bonus
Each character has a Combat Maneuver Attack Bonus (or CMAB) that represents their skill at performing combat maneuvers. A character's CMAB is determined using the following formula: CMAB = Base Attack Bonus + Strength modifier + Size modifier* + Miscellaneous CMAB bonuses (some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMAB when performing specific maneuvers).
Combat Maneuver Defense
Each character has a Combat Maneuver Defense (or CMD) that represents their skill to resist combat maneuvers. A character's CMD is determined using the following formula: CMD = 10 + (your CMAB) + Dexterity modifier + Miscellaneous CMD bonuses (some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMD when defending against specific maneuvers). A flat-footed character does not add its Dexterity bonus to its CMD.
*Size Modifier*
Creatures that are size Tiny or smaller use their Dexterity modifier in place of their Strength modifier to determine their CMAB. The size modifier for a creature’s Combat Maneuver Modifier is as follows: Fine –10, Diminutive –5, Tiny –3, Small –1, Medium +0, Large +1, Huge +3, Gargantuan +5, Colossal +10.
Performing a Combat Maneuver
When performing a combat maneuver, you must use an action appropriate to the maneuver you are attempting to perform. While many combat maneuvers can be performed as a Standard Action, some may be used during an Attack of Opportunity (with a feat or talent), while others require a specific combat condition. If your target is immobilized, unconscious, or otherwise helpless, your maneuver automatically succeeds (treat as if you rolled a natural 20 on the attack roll). If your target is stunned, you receive a +10 bonus on your attack roll to perform a combat maneuver against it.
When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMAB in place of your normal attack bonus. The Target of this maneuver uses their CMD to attempt to block the maneuver. Combat maneuvers are still considered attack rolls for the purpose of any bonuses granted by allies or penalties incurred that would normally apply to an attack roll.
Determine Success
If your attack roll equals or exceeds the CMD of the target, your maneuver is a success and the listed effect takes place. Some maneuvers, such as Shove, have varying levels of success depending on how much your attack roll exceeds the target’s CMD. Rolling a natural 20 while attempting a combat maneuver is always a success while rolling a natural 1 is always a failure. If your combat maneuver fails the maneuver is ineffective and the target may make an Attack of Opportunity against you.
List of Combat Maneuvers
Choke (Strength)
You may attempt to choke your opponent in place of a melee attack as a Standard Action. Attempting to choke a target while totally unarmed grants a +5 bonus to the maneuver.
If your attack is successful, you inflict the Choking state on your opponent.
Disarm (Dexterity/Strength)
You can attempt to disarm your opponent in place of a melee attack as a standard action. Attempting to disarm a foe while unarmed grants a +5 bonus to the maneuver.
If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice (even if the item is wielded with two hands). If your attack exceeds the CMD of the target by 10 or more, the target drops all items they are carrying in both hands. If your attack fails by 10 or more, you drop the weapon that you were using to attempt the disarm. If you successfully disarm your opponent without using a weapon, you may automatically pick up the item dropped.
Dirty Trick (Dexterity)
You can attempt to hinder a foe in melee as a standard action. This maneuver covers any sort of situational cheap shot that imposes a penalty on a foe for a short period of time. Examples include kicking sand into an opponent’s face to blind them for 1 round, pulling down an enemy’s pants to halve their speed, or hitting a foe in a sensitive spot to make them sickened for a round. The immediate situation is the arbiter of what can be accomplished with this maneuver, but it cannot be used to impose a permanent penalty, and the results can be undone if the target spends a standard action. If your attack is successful, the target takes a penalty. The penalty is limited to one of the following states: blinded, dazzled, deafened, entangled, shaken, or sickened.
This state lasts for 1 round. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, the penalty lasts 1 additional round. This penalty can usually be removed if the target spends a standard action.
Grab (Strength)
As a standard action, you can attempt to grab a foe, hindering their combat options. Humanoid characters without two free hands attempting to grapple a foe take a –5 penalty on their CMAB. If successful, both you and the target gain the grappled state. If you successfully grapple a character that is not adjacent to you, move that character to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails). Although both characters have the grappled state, you can, as the character that initiated the grapple, release the grapple as a free action, removing the state from both you and the target. If you do not release the grapple, you must continue to make a new CMAB check each round, as a move action, to maintain the hold. If your target does not break the grapple, you get a +5 circumstance bonus on grapple checks made against the same target in subsequent rounds, this bonus does not stack. Once you are grappling an opponent, a successful check, as a Standard Action, against them allows you to continue grappling the foe.
Crush
If you successfully maintained a Grab/Grapple on a target, you may, as a standard action, deal Unstoppable Damage to them equal to one-half your Unarmed damage. If your CMAB roll surpasses the target's CMD by 10 or more, you may deal your full Unarmed Damage.
Strike
If you successfully maintained a Grab/Grapple on a target, as a standard action, you may make an attack against your target with an unarmed strike, a natural attack, armor spikes, or a small-sized one-handed weapon. This damage can be either lethal or nonlethal. This attack roll is compared to the target's Flat-Footed General Defense.
Grapple* (Strength)
If you make a successful grab and have the Advanced Combat Maneuver feat you may attempt to make any of the following maneuvers each turn you continue to have the target trapped in the grappled state.
Choke Hold
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target, you may attempt to put your opponent in a Choke Hold with a follow-up Grapple check as a move action afterward. Attempting to Choke Hold a target while totally unarmed grants a +5 bonus to the maneuver.
If your attack is successful, you inflict the Choking state on your opponent. While maintaining your Choke Hold you gain a +5 to your Combat Maneuver Defense against all attempts your opponent makes to escape.
Drag
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target, as a standard action, you may drag a foe in a given direction. You can only drag an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
If your attack is successful, both you and your target may move 1/2 your movement (rounded down). If your roll exceeds your target's CMD by 10 or more, you can move your target your full movement. You must be able to move with the target to perform this maneuver. If you do not have enough movement, the drag goes to the maximum amount of movement available to you and ends. At the end of your movement, you can place your target in any square adjacent to you. If you attempt to place your foe in a hazardous location, such as in a wall of fire or over a pit, the target receives a free attempt to break your grapple with a +4 bonus. You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle. If there is another creature in the way of your movement, the drag ends adjacent to that creature.
- Special: Characters may 'Drag' others without access to this Combat Maneuver. To 'Drag' an opponent without this maneuver you must make a Combat Maneuver check for a Grab, after a successful check you must spend a Swift Action making a Strength check opposed by your opponent's Fortitude Defense, if that check is successful you may then spend a Move Action to move your target 1/4 your total movement speed.
Pin
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target, as a swift action, you may attempt to trap your target with the pinned state with a CMAB roll against their Flat-Footed CMD. Despite pinning your opponent, you still only have the grappled state, but you are Flat-Footed as well.
Slam
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target, you may spend the remaining actions on your turn, to immediately make another CMAB roll with a -5, and if it is successful you may pick up and slam your target prone on the ground of the square you grabbed them from. This slam attack deals bludgeoning damage equal to the grappler's unarmed damage +1d6 for each point in the grappler's strength modifier. For each multiple of 5 your second CMAB roll surpasses their CMD by you can increase the damage die used for the slam damage by one step.
Submission Hold
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target, you may, as a standard action, immediately make another CMAB roll. If your roll surpasses the target's CMD, you may choose one of your target's limbs to put in a submission hold. If your CMAB roll surpasses their Damage Threshold their limb moves -1 on its Condition. At the end of each of your turns, if you still have your opponent's limb in a submission hold, they take damage equal to your Strength and Dexterity modifier. At the start of each turns, if you wish to maintain your Submission Hold you must make another CMAB roll, with a -2 penalty for each consecutive round you've kept the hold.
Throw
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target, as a swift action, you may move your target to any open square adjacent to you. For each multiple of 5 your CMAB roll surpassed their CMD, you may move them an additional square.
Tie Up
If you successfully maintained a Grapple on a target or are Pinning a target, using the remaining actions on your turn, you may use any rope-type item to Bound your Target with a successful CMAB roll with a -5 penalty. A bound character gains the Helpless state.
Overrun (Strength)
As a standard action, taken during your move or as part of a charge, you can attempt to overrun your target, moving through its square. You can only overrun an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. If your overrun attempt fails, you stop in the space directly in front of the opponent, or the nearest open space in front of the creature if there are other creatures occupying that space.
When you attempt to overrun a target, it can choose to avoid you, allowing you to pass through its square without requiring an attack. If your target does not avoid you, make a combat maneuver check as normal. If your maneuver is successful, you move through the target’s space and they take an unarmed attack from you. If your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD by 5 or more, you move through the target’s space, the target is knocked prone, and your unarmed attack deals an additional damage die. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has.
Shove (Strength)
You can attempt a shove as a standard action or as part of a charge, in place of the melee attack. You can only shove an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. A shove attempts to push an opponent straight back without emphasis on harm.
If your attack is successful, your target takes half of your unarmed damage and the target is pushed back 1 square. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, you can push the target back an additional square. You may move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement left in your turn to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.
You can shove a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle, on a successful attack they take your full unarmed damage and are considered Pinned against the object or obstacle until the start of their Turn.
If there is another character in the way of your shove, you must immediately make a combat maneuver check to shove that creature as well. You take a –5 penalty on this check for each creature being pushed beyond the first. If you are successful, you can continue to push the creatures a distance equal to the lesser result. For example, if a soldier shoves a stormtrooper for a total of 15 feet, but there is another stormtrooper 5 feet behind the first, the soldier must make another combat maneuver check against the second stormtrooper after having pushed the first 5 feet. If the soldier's check reveals that they can push the second stormtrooper a total of 20 feet, due to his CMAB roll greatly surpassing the second target's CMD, they can continue to push both stormtroopers another 10 feet (since the first stormtrooper will have moved a total of 15 feet).
Steal* (Dexterity)
You can attempt to take an item from a foe as a standard action. This maneuver can be used in melee to take any item that is not hidden in a bag or pack. You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to attempt this maneuver. You must select the item to be taken before the check is made. Items that are simply tucked into a waistband or toolbelt, or loosely attached are the easiest to take. Items fastened to their person or in pockets are more difficult to take, and give the opponent a +5 bonus (or greater) to their CMD. Items that are closely worn (such as armor, backpacks, boots, clothing, or accessories) cannot be taken with this maneuver. Items held in the hands (such as wielded weapons or equipment in use) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead.
Although this maneuver can only be performed if the target is within your reach, you can use a whip to steal an object from a target within range with a –5 penalty on the attack roll. If your attack is successful, you may take one item from your opponent. You must be able to reach the item to be taken. Your enemy is immediately aware of this theft unless you make a Stealth check against their Perception check.
Tackle (Strength)
You can attempt a tackle as a standard action or as part of a charge, in place of the melee attack. You can only tackle an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. A tackle deals your Unarmed Damage + (the number of squares traveled during your charge) & leaves you and your opponent prone. A tackle can benefit from a natural 20 on the check to do it, this acts as a critical hit, doubling the damage dealt and leaving your opponent shaken for 1 round.
Trip* (Dexterity/Strength)
You can attempt to trip your opponent in place of a melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you.
If your attack exceeds the target’s CMD, the target is knocked prone. If your attack fails by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures—such as oozes, creatures without legs, and flying creatures—cannot be tripped.
Grappling FAQ
Grappling does not deny you, the grappler, your Dexterity bonus to General Defense, but a grappled creature can still attack, as a Full-Round Attack & with Disadvantage on their Attack Roll.
Pinning a target leaves both you and your target Flat-Footed. When a creature is pinned, it gains a more severe version of the grappled state, and the two states do not stack. While this means that you do not take both the penalties for both the grapple and the pin, this also means that pinned supersedes the grapple state; it does not compound it. For this reason, the target only needs to succeed in one combat maneuver, or an Acrobatics check, to escape either a grapple or a pin.
If You Are Grappled
If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent’s CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity) or Acrobatics check (with a DC equal to your opponent’s CMD). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Alternatively, if you succeed, you can become the grappler, grappling the other creature (meaning that the other creature cannot freely release the grapple without making a combat maneuver check, while you can). Instead of attempting to break or reverse the grapple, you can take any action that doesn’t require two hands to perform, such as using a Skill or making an Attack as full-attack with an unarmed attack or small-sized one-handed weapon against any character within your reach, including the character that is grappling you. See the grappled
Character States for additional details. If you are pinned, your actions are very limited. See the pinned state in the Character States for additional details.
Multiple characters
Multiple characters can attempt to grapple one target. The character that first initiates the grapple is the only one that makes a check, with a +2 bonus for each creature that assists in the grapple (using the Aid Another action). Multiple characters can also assist another creature in breaking free from a grapple, with each creature that assists (using the Aid Another action) granting a +2 bonus on the grappled creature’s combat maneuver check.
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