An attack roll represents your attempt to strike an opponent, usually with some type of offensive ability or with a weapon. Attacking is broken up into two categories, the type of attack which is broken up into range, spell, or melee attacks, and the application of the attack which is what the attack targets, targeting either normal AC or Touch AC, for more information on AC see the Armor Class rules. In addition attacking is broken up into multiple different attack actions that allow you to attack in different ways.
Making an Attack
When you attempts to make an attack you typically roll a d20 and add your Attack Bonus to the result. If the result of your attack is equal to or higher than the targets AC or Touch AC, whichever you are targeting, the attack hits unless influenced in some way.
Automatic Hits and Misses
When making an attack roll a natural 1 on the d20 roll is an automatic miss and a natural 20 is an automatic hit regardless of the target’s AC. In addition these may also have critical effects, for more information see the Critical Hits and Fumbles rules.
Attack Bonuses
The bonuses that an attack receives to hit depends on the type of attack being performed and any other modifiers you have, such as Traits, Talents, Items, or other abilities. At base every type of attack receives a bonus from an Attribute Modifier to hit.
- Melee Attacks: Melee attacks use your Strength modifier to hit by default.
- Ranged Attacks: Ranged attacks use your Dexterity modifier to hit by default.
- Spell Attacks: Spell attacks use either your Strength or Dexterity modifier based on whether the spell attack is melee or ranged. For more information see the Unbound Magic rules.
Situational Bonuses
There are various situational bonuses that you may be affected by depending on different variables. The most common that effects attacks are Flanking, High Ground, and Charging. In addition to those some Items, Traits, Talents, and other abilities may provide situational bonuses which will be detailed inside such abilities.
- Charge: When you takes the charge action when making a melee attack you gain Advantage on your attack roll. For more information see the Charge rules.
- Flanking: When two creatures Flank a hostile creature, they gain a +2 Tactical bonus to hit at base. For more information see the Reach and Threatened Area rules.
- High Ground: When you attack down on enemies from 5 feet or more above them you gain a +1 Tactical bonus to hit at base. Likewise if you are attacking up at a hostile creature with a melee attack that is 5 feet or more above them, you take a -1 Tactical bonus to hit at base. In addition ranged attacks ignore the vertical distance between them and the target when firing from High Ground.
- Implaced Weapons: Certain weapons such as Firearms and Crossbows gain bonuses when implaced or when the wielder uses them while Prone. You can brace one of these weapons against something that gives you at least Partial Cover as a Basic Action. While braced or firing from Prone you gain Advantage on attack rolls made with these weapons.
Multiple Attacks
By default, you are only able to make a single attack per action. You may gain additional attacks depending on your skill rank with the weapon or other abilities that you possess. Any attack past the first is known as an Iterative Attack and Iterative Attacks are broken up into different stages.
A first stage attack is the first attack in a string and is made at no penalty. Every stage past the first gives a stacking -3 penalty to hit, for example a Stage 2 would be at -3, a Stage 3 would be at -6. You are able to have multiple attacks at the same stage, such as having two Stage 2 attacks which would both be made at a -3.
By default, you can make a Stage 2 Iterative on an All-Out Attack whenever you would achieve Professional rank in the Martial skill they are using and a Stage 3 whenever you would reach Grandmaster rank in that skill.
Two Weapon Fighting
You may choose to wield a one-handed weapon in both your main and off hands which allows you to make an attack with your off-handed weapon, whenever you make a Stage 1 attack with you main hand during an attack action that allows Iterative attacks. When an attack is made with both your main hand and off-hand, both attacks take a -5 penalty. This penalty can be reduced through talents and various weapon properties and you can gain additional off-handed attacks through talents.
The penalties of two weapon fighting may be lowered by 1 if either the main hand or off-hand has the Light property and an additional 1 if both the main and off-hand have the Light property. Other effects such as the Two-Weapon Fighting talent or Matching weapon Quality also reduce the penalty of two weapon fighting by 1. The penalty from two weapon fighting applies each time you would make an off-hand attack in addition to your main hand, stacking the penalties as appropriate.
For example, if you were to make an attack with your first Basic Action, making an attack with both your main and off-handed weapons, the penalty would apply once; however, if you then use the Push the Attack option to make an additional attack using both your main and off-handed weapons, this penalty would apply a second time, stacking with the first iteration of the penalty.
Shield Bash
You may choose to replace any attack made as part of an attack action with a Shield Bash. Shields typically count as Close Weapons for whcih skill is used when making a Shield Bash. If you choose to attack with a shield you lose all bonuses from that shield until the start of your next turn. Shields have a weapon profile based on the type of shield unless specifically made to be a weapon.
Shield Weapon Profiles
- Buckler – 2d6 (B) 20×2
- Targe – 2d6 (B) 20×2
- Kite – 2d8 (B) 20×2
- Heater – 2d8 (B) 20×2
- Tower – 2d10 (B) 20×2 – Free Bull Rush attempt on attack
Ranged Attacks
Ranged attacks can be made with the same actions as any other weapon attacks. However, they have situational modifiers and penalties that are unique to them.
- Provoking: At base all range attacks provoke an AoO while you are Threatened.
- Range Increments: All ranged attacks have a base Range Increment depending on the weapon and the abilities of the attacker. Ranged attacks can be made at no penalty within their first Range Increment. However every Range Increment past the first applies a stacking -2 penalty to attack. At base thrown weapons have a maximum number of 5 range increments, while other wielded weapons such as bows and crossbows have a maximum number of 10 range increments. The penalty from Range Increment and number of range increments a weapon has can be changed by certain Items, Talents, and abilities.
- Shooting into Melee: When making a Ranged Attack that is targeting a hostile creature threatened by a friendly creature in melee, you take a -4 penalty on the attack. This penalty can be negated by certain items and talents, such as Precise Shot.
Attack Actions
Most attack actions require a single Basic Action to perform and may have limits or modifiers on how they are performed. In addition some abilities may require a special attack action to perform, the details of those will be listed in the specific ability. If you perform an attack action on your turn, you are unable to perform the Spellcasting action in the same turn, likewise if you use the Spellcasting action, you are unable to take an attack action in the same turn, unless you have an ability that allows you to bypass this.
Attack of Opportunity
Attacks of Opportunity are a reaction that allows you to make a single melee attack against a target that provokes within your Threatened Area. These attacks do not take Iterative attack penalties unless you take multiple Attacks of Opportunity against the same target in the same turn, these penalties are only applied to individual targets. For more information on Attacks of Opportunity see the Reach and Threatened Area rules.
All Out Attack
The All-Out Attack action requires a single Basic Action to perform and may only be used once per turn. This action allows you to attack with all available attacks such as Iteratives from abilities or martial skill.
Push the Attack
The push the attack action requires a single Basic Action to perform and may be taken as long as you have an action available.
By default, this action allows you to make a single attack whose Iterative stage is equal to the last attack that you made that turn that required an Action be spent + 1.
For example, if you made the All-Out Attack action and performed a Stage 1 attack, your Push the Attack action would be a Stage 2 Iterative, and thus have a -3 penalty to hit.
Snipe
The snipe action requies a multiaction, taking both of your Basic Actions to perform. This action allows you to make a single Ranged Attack against an unaware target and then make a Stealth check at a -20 penalty to remain hidden. If the target and any other nearby creatures who noticed the attack fail their Perception check to identify your location, you remain hidden as per the Stealth rules.
Special Attacks
Special Attack actions are used to perform attacks from abilities such as throwing a bomb from the Bomber talent. These abilities will list what type of action is required to perform the special attack. In addition many of these special attacks may only be performed once per turn and do not gain Iterative attacks unless otherwise noted.
Spell Attacks
Some spells or magic abilities may require an attack to apply their effects. Unless otherwise noted these attacks are typically Free Actions taken as part of the Spell casting Action or whatever special action the ability required. For more information see the Unbound Magic rules.
Wild Attack
The Wild Attack action is a modifier that can be added to any attack action before the action is taken and once applied remains active until the start of your next turn. The target of your Wild Attack suffers a -2 penalty to AC and Parry checks made against these attacks, with an additional -1 penalty for each attack made that round, including the first attack. However, you also take a penalty to AC equal to half of the highest penalty applied by a Wild Attack until the start of their next turn.
Natural Attacks
Natural Attacks work slightly differently than normal attack actions due to the fact that you may potentially have access to multiple different natural weapons. Typically natural attacks are broken up into two categories, Primary and Secondary Natural Attacks.
Primary Natural Attacks
If you have only one natural weapon, it is most likely a Primary Natural Attack. This natural attack may be used when attacking with the All Out Attack and Push the Attack actions; however it does not gain Iterative attacks unless you have an ability that says otherwise. In addition if you are wielding another weapon that is not a natural weapon and choose to attack with that weapon your natural weapon is treated as a Secondary natural weapon.
Secondary Natural Attacks
If you have multiple natural weapons or wield manufactured weapons in addition to your natural weapon, you may treat your natural weapon as a secondary natural attack. In these cases, the secondary natural weapon is treated as having an Iterative stage one higher than the highest stage Iterative of your primary attacks.
For example, if you perform a stage 2 Iterative with a sword, you may also use your Bite attack after as a stage 3 iterative. If you have multiple Secondary Natural Attacks, they are all made at the same Iterative stage.
These Secondary Natural Attacks may be taken whenever you are allowed to make Iterative attacks such as during the All-Out Attack action or other actions from abilities and talents.
Multiple Attacks and Paired Natural Weapons
Natural Attacks take all the normal multiple attack penalties as appropriate with one exception. Some natural attacks come in pairs, for example some claws. These paired natural weapons typically both attack at the same time when taking the attack action and as such they are treated as one attack for the purposes of multiple attack penalties. What this means is that when you attack with a pair of claw attacks by taking an attack action, you attack with both claws, the ‘second’ claw does not take the penalty from attacking multiple times.