Main / Movement

Chapter 4

Movement

There are several types of movement possibilities that a character might have available including:

In each of these cases there will be Normal Movement rate and an Adjusted Movement rate that is based on the Race of the character.

In a combat round, a character can move up to 10 times its adjusted movement rating in feet. So a character has a movement rating of 9 can move up to 90 feet in a round. However, the types of moves a character can make during combat are somewhat limited.

Movement in Melee

The basic move is to get closer for combat i.e., move close enough to an enemy to attack. This is neither a blind rush nor a casual stroll. Instead, the character approaches quickly but with caution. When closing for combat, a character can move up to half his allowed adjusted movement and still make a melee attack.

Movement and Missile Combat

Rather than slug it out toe to toe with an opponent, a character can move up to one-half his adjusted movement rate and engage in missile fire at half his normal rate of fire. Thus a man capable of moving 120 feet and armed with a long bow (two shots per round, under normal circumstances) could move 60 feet and still fire one shot. The same man, armed with a heavy crossbow (one shot every other round) would be able to shoot only once every four rounds while on the move.

Charging an Opponent

A character can also charge a foe. A charge increases the character's adjusted movement rate by 50% and enables the character to make an attack at the end of his movement. A charging character also gains a +2 bonus to his attack roll, mainly from momentum. Certain weapons (such as a lance) inflict double the rolled damage in a charge.

However, charging gives opponents several advantages. First, they gain a -2 bonus to their initiative rolls. Second, charging characters gain no Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class, and they suffer an AC penalty of 1. Finally, if the defender is using a spear or pole arm weapon and sets it against the charge (bracing the butt against a stone or his foot), he inflicts double damage on a successful hit.

Retreat

To get out of a combat, characters can make a careful withdrawal or they can simply flee.

Withdrawing: When making a withdrawal, a character carefully backs away from his opponent, who can choose to follow. The character moves up to 1/3 his adjusted movement rate.

If two characters are fighting a single opponent and one of them decides to withdraw, the remaining character can block the advance of the opponent. This is a useful method for getting a seriously injured man out of a combat.

Fleeing: To flee from combat, a character simply turns and runs up to his full adjusted movement rate. However, the fleeing character drops his defenses and turns his back to his opponent.

The enemy is allowed a free attack or multiple attacks if the creature has several attacks per round at the rear of the fleeing character. This attack is made the instant the character flees. It doesn't count against the number of attacks that opponent is allowed during the round, and initiative is irrelevant. The fleeing character can be pursued, unless a companion blocks the advance of the enemy.

Combat Actions and Movement

A character's choice of combat action governs how far he can move in a given combat round. For example, a wizard certainly can't move a considerable distance, picking his way through swinging weapons and uneven footing, while attempting to cast a spell, which requires great concentration and precision. Likewise, a warrior cannot safely withdraw from a fight merely by turning and walking away at normal speed. Certain kinds of actions naturally preclude movement, while other choices are actually more effective when larger distances are crossed. Some choices allow for a range of movement options.

The various combat actions fit into three basic movement categories. These categories include no-move actions, half-move actions, and full-move actions. Some of the combat actions listed above may fit into only one category, while others may function with two or even all three types of movement.

No-Move Actions

No-move actions are just that—the character performs some sort of action during her proper action phase, whether it is fighting an opponent or using a wand, without moving significantly during the round. Even if a character chooses any one of the no-move actions, however, she can still adjust her position during her action phase. She can move one square in any direction and choose any facing as a free adjustment to her position. If the character is threatened, she can adjust her position without provoking an attack of opportunity by making sure that her adjustment does not take her out of the enemy's front squares or turn her back to him. No-move actions include:

Half-Move Actions

Half-move actions allow a character to move up to half his normal movement rate and still perform some other action, such as attacking with a weapon or firing missiles. There are, however, limits to what can be done or how far a character can move and still accomplish these actions. Half-move actions include:

Full-move Actions

Full-move actions involve a character moving his full normal movement rate (or even more, in some cases) before attempting other actions. Full-Move actions include: