Robert Fisher

Defensive movement

(...expand on the example from the book...)

Giant scorpion v. fighter

A fighter (Move: 60(20)) encounters a giant scorpion (Move: 150(50)) at 80 yards. The giant scorpion runs towards the fighter; the fighter runs away from the monster. The monster overtakes the fighter. (80 + 60 < 150) Neither combatant can attack this round because running prevents attacking.

(Does running really prevent attacking, or did I infer that?)

In the first round, initiative is not a factor.

The next round, however, the combatants are considered engaged in melee. (Because they are within 5 feet (or yards?) of each other.) For movement, they must choose between defensive withdrawal or retreat.

(...)

Elephant v. fighter

A fighter (Move: 60(20)) encounters an enraged elephant (Move: 120(40)) at 50 yards. The elephant runs towards the fighter; the fighter runs away from the elephant. The elephant overtakes the fighter. (50 + 60 < 120) The elephant, which has the charge ability, makes his charge attack.

Normally, a combatant cannot run & attack in the same round. For monsters with the charge ability, however, this could lead to situations where they logically should be able to use their charge but a strict reading of the rules would prevent it. The simplest solution is to let allow a charge attack to be made at the end of a run.

Note that charge is not a general maneuver available to all combatants as in other editions, but a special ability of some monsters or to characters under the lance combat rule.

Initiative does not play a role in this example.

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Questions

• Can a character run & attack in the same round?
• Is the opponent of a character making a fighting withdrawal guaranteed an attack?
• Is the opponent of a character making a retreat guaranteed an attack?

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Rules

• Declarations:
  • Defensive movement--fighting withdrawal or retreat--any movement when engaged in melee--must be declared before initiative is rolled. (p.B24)
  • Spell casting (including which spell) must be declared before initiative is rolled. (p.X11)
• Move & shoot, move & fight, or cast:
  • A character may move & fire missiles in one round. (p.B25)
  • A character may move & fight hand-to-hand in one round. (p.B25)
  • A character may not retreat & attack in one round. (p.B25)
  • (If engaged in melee, a run is a retreat.)
  • (A character may run & attack in one round?)
  • A character may not attack twice in one round. (p.B25)
  • Monsters can attack multiple times in one round. (p.B26)
  • A character may not move & cast a spell in one round. (p.B24) A character may do nothing else in the round he casts a spell. (p.X11)
• Casting:
  • A caster must be able to see the creature or area the spell is being cast upon. (p.X11)
  • If a caster loses the initiative & takes damage or fails a saving throw, his spell is interrupted & lost. (p.X11)

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House rules

• Two handed weapons do not automatically lose initiative.
• Drawing a weapon means automatically losing initiative.
• If a character has a missile weapon ready at the beginning of a round & is not engaged in melee, he will always have a chance to fire his weapon at an opponent closing to melee range, even if the opponent has initiative. (Implied by the combat example in the Basic book?)
• A creature with the charge ability or a character performing a change via lance combat can run & make a charge attack in the same round. (Unnecessary if run & attack is normally allowed in one round.)

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Classic D&D

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