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Combat Options

This page provides new action options for combat. These are principally adapted from the 5.0e Dungeon Master's Guide, pp.271-273; with the exceptions of the Charge rules which were adapted from 3rd ed., and the Threaten rules which were adapted from Pathfinder 2.

  • Charge: Move up to 2× speed in a straight line and attack once with advantage.
  • Climb On Top: Climb onto the back of a foe 2+ sizes larger than you.
  • Disarm: Make an attack roll to knock a weapon from a foe's hand.
  • Morale: When things look bad for the enemy, a foe may fail a Wisdom save and run away.
  • Overrun: Make an Athletics check to move through a foe's space, advantage if larger than them.
  • Shove Aside: Make a shove attempt to move a foe to a space of your choosing.
  • Threaten: Make an Intimidation check to induce a foe's morale to break.
  • Tumble: Make an Acrobatics check to move through a foe's space, advantage if smaller than them.
Charge

When you make a charge, you take a move action in a straight line towards a foe, moving at least 20 ft and at most twice your speed. At the end, as an attack action, you make a single attack against the foe. You have advantage on the attack roll. Afterwards, you cannot move any further or make any more attacks on your turn.

You must have a clear path to the target, and you must end the movement in the closest space from which you can attack. You can't charge through difficult terrain, other creatures, or obstacles that block movement. If your movement is reduced, you can't charge.

Climb On Top

In combat, a foe that's two or more size categories larger than a creature can be climbed on by that creature. The climber uses its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If it wins the contest, the climber successfully moves into the foe's space and clings to its body. While in the target's space, the climber moves with the target and has advantage on attack rolls against it.

The climber can move around within the foe's space, treating the space as difficult terrain. The foe's ability to attack the climber depends on the climber's location and the foe's flexibility and the range of motion of its limbs. A giant has few options for shaking someone off its back, while a tendriculos may have little trouble wrapping a tentacle around them. The foe can dislodge the climber as an action— knocking it off, scraping it against a wall, or grabbing and throwing it— by making a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the climber's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The climber chooses which skill to use.

Disarm

To disarm a foe, a creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a foe's grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item.

The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands; they have advantage if they're wielding a two-handed weapon. The target has advantage on its ability check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller.

Morale

Some combatants might run away when a fight turns against them― such as when they're reduced to half HP, or if they see the enemy leader felled, etc. at the DM's discretion― as given by these rules.

The DC for the Morale save is 10 + the proficiency bonus for the party's encounter level. The foe or foes make(s) a Wisdom saving throw against this DC. On a failure, they react as though turned:

A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 ft of you. It also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature cowers in place by using the Dodge action.

Overrun

When a creature tries to move through a foe's space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the foe. As an action or a bonus action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the foe's Strength (Athletics) check. The mover has advantage on this check if it is larger than the foe, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover wins the contest, it can move through the foe's space once this turn. The foe may react by being shoved aside or knocked prone in its space, at the DM's discretion.

Shove Aside

With this option, a creature uses the special shove attack from the Player's Handbook to force a target to the side, rather than away. The attacker has disadvantage on its Strength (Athletics) check when it does so. If that check is successful, the attacker moves the target 5 ft to a different space within its reach.

Threaten

A creature can force a foe to make a morale save by making an Intimidation check as a bonus action. The foe must be able to see and hear the challenger. If the foe and challenger do not share a language, the challenger makes the check with disadvantage— unless the challenger attempts something equally threatening despite the language barrier. The challenger makes an Intimidation check against a DC equal to 10 + the foe's Wisdom saving throw modifier. On a success, the foe must immediately make a morale save. If they fail, as a reaction, they take an action consistent with being turned.

Tumble

A creature can try to tumble through a foe's space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an action or a bonus action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the foe's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The tumbler has advantage on this check if it is smaller than the foe, or disadvantage if it is larger. If the tumbler wins the contest, it can move through the foe's space once this turn.