Combat Techniques: Melee
Axes and Maces
Advancement: C
Based on: Strength
This category includes everything from a simple cudgel to a masterfully forged Ravensbeak, all one-handed bludgeoning and blunt weapons with axe blade.
Brawl
Advancement: B
Based on: Agility/Strength
Brawling is one of the oldest methods of combat. This technique uses punches and kicks to damage, choke, trip, or pin the enemy.
Special feature: Unarmed combatants who parry a weapon still suffer full damage even if the parry is successful (so they probably should try to dodge instead). On the other hand, if you use a weapon to parry a brawling attack, the attacker suffers half the weapon’s damage. Combatants deal 1D6 DP when brawling, as modified by the primary attribute.
Chain weapons
Advancement: C
Based on: Strength
These weapons incorporate one or more weights attached to a handle by a chain of varying length. Chain weapons are popular because of their high damage and feared because they are unpredictable. Their use is forbidden at many knights’ tournaments. This technique primarily applies to the morningstar and the infamous ox-herd, a morningstar with three weights.
Special feature: It’s harder to defend against chain weapons. Parries against them suffer a penalty of 2. Shields use only their normal bonus against chain weapons (their PA is not doubled). Attacks with chain weapons botch on a 19 or 20. You cannot parry with chain weapons.
Daggers
Advancement: B
Based on: Agility
This technique applies to all blades shorter than a short sword. It includes both two-sided and one-sided blades as well as short stabbing weapons, so everything from simple cutlery knife to the long dagger refers to this category.
Special feature: it cannot be parried by spears & staves, two-handed axes and maces and two-handed swords.
Fencing Weapons
Advancement: C
Based on: Agility
These light and elegant weapons are especially popular in the Horasian Empire. They barely manage to pierce heavy armor, but skilled fencers can use them to attack an enemy’s vulnerable points.
Special feature: You cannot use fencing weapons to parry chain weapons, polearms, two-handed impact weapons, or two-handed swords. Defense checks against attacks by fencing weapons suffer a penalty of 1.
Lances
Advancement: B
Based on: Strength
Deadly lances are favored among armored knights of the northern Middenrealm. They’re usually used onehanded from horseback. Combatants on foot can use them with two hands as a somewhat unwieldy pike.
Polearms
Advancement: C
Based on: Agility/Strength
Spears, staves, and the many varieties of pikes used by territorial armies and mercenary companies fall within this technique. They all share a long shaft that can be used to keep opponents at a distance.
Shields
Advancement: C
Based on: Strength
Some combatants use shields to protect themselves from melee attacks and missile fire. With this technique, you can use shields made from leather, wood, metal, or wicker. You can also attack with a shield, but they’re not very well suited for offense.
Special feature: AT and PA stats of shields are calculated like any other combat technique. Parrying with a shield grants double the shield’s parry bonus and doesn’t impose a penalty for using the off hand. Ranged combat attacks and attacks from large enemies can also be parried using a shield. Using a second shield doesn’t increase the bonus. To defend against a ranged combat attack, you must parry actively with the shield. When parrying with a shield, you cannot also parry with your main weapon. You can use a shield to attack.
Swords
Advancement: C
Based on: Agility/Strength
Knights and warriors think of their swords as faithful companions. For many, the sword is a symbol of rulership. This technique includes bladed weapons wielded with one hand, of short sword length and longer (with the exception of light fencing weapons). The blade can be straight or curved, and single-edged or double-edged.
Two-handed Axes and Maces
Advancement: C
Based on: Strength
Examples of two-handed impact weapons include warhammers and dwarven rock-cleavers. These unbalanced, two-handed weapons are preferred especially by primitive cultures because they often combine an intimidating aspect with a deadly impact.
Two-handed Swords
Advancement: C
Based on: Strength
This technique includes all bladed weapons wielded with two hands, from bastard swords and classic great swords to double khunchomers.