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CLOSE-COMBAT OPTIONS
These expanded rules apply mainly in close combat – that
is, for melee combat at ranges under a
yard (reach C). For more information,
see Close Combat (p. B391).
All-Out and Committed
Attacks When Grappling
All-Out and Committed Attacks
compromise your defenses against
grapples as well as against strikes. They
also make it easier for an opponent to
follow up his grapple with a takedown,
pin, or other close-combat move.
If you make an All-Out Attack, you’re
truly defenseless. You automatically lose
any Contest to avoid a close-combat
attack following a grapple. This includes
all takedowns, pins, throws from
locks, and grappling techniques that
“attack” using a Quick Contest (e.g.,
Handcuffing). You still get a ST or HT
roll to resist injury from strangling, Arm
Lock, Neck Snap, Wrench Limb, etc.
If you make a Committed Attack, the
-2 to active defenses also applies to your
rolls to avoid takedowns, pins, etc.
Otherwise, you function normally
against actions that follow a grapple.
Neither All-Out Attack nor
Makhila
Committed Attack prevents you from rolling to keep someone
you’ve grappled from breaking free, though, or gives a penalty
to such a roll. That isn’t a defense roll!
Your actions after grappling or being grappled – including
your own attempts to break free – require you to choose an
Attack, All-Out Attack, or Committed Attack maneuver. They
aren’t compatible with Defensive Attack and aren’t free
actions. If you make an All-Out Attack (AOA) or Committed
Attack (CA), you’re subject to the effects above and use the following
special rules:
Determined: You may use this option to get +2 (CA) or +4
(AOA) to a DX-based roll (DX or a DX-based skill or technique)
for the purpose of a takedown, lock, or hold. You cannot apply
this bonus to a ST-based roll – but see the Strong option,
below.
Double: You may use AOA (Double) to try two grappling
moves, subject to the restrictions under Grappling and
Multiple Attacks (p. 128).
Feint: You may use AOA (Feint) to make a feint or a Beat
against a grappled foe before trying Arm Lock, Judo Throw, or
another grappling attack that allows an active defense. You
can also use AOA (Feint) on the turn after you parry to make
a feint or a Beat and then attempt such an attack, if it’s one that
can follow a parry. AOA (Feint) is pointless if no active defense
is involved; e.g., with break free, strangle, or pin.
Long: AOA (Long) isn’t an option in close combat.
Strong: You may use this option to get +1 (CA) or +2 (AOA)
to a ST-based roll (ST or a ST-based technique) for a takedown
114 COMBAT
or pin, to strangle or otherwise injure a foe, or to break free. For
techniques that base injury on thrust or swing damage as
opposed to on a margin of victory, apply the bonus directly to
damage.
See Actions After a Grapple (p. B370) and Actions After Being
Grappled (p. B371) for further details.
Close Combat and Body Morphology
The combat rules in the Basic Set, while generic, occasionally
assume an upright humanoid with two arms, hands, legs,
and feet (or equivalent body parts). Traits that alter your body
away from this norm change how certain rules work – especially
for grapples, pins, and close-combat techniques!
Below are notes on the combat effects of selected physiological
traits. Anything not mentioned here either has no appreciable
effect or uses the rules for the traits it includes (e.g.,
Quadriplegic combines Lame and No Fine Manipulators). In
general, if a body part is missing, you can’t use techniques that
require it and are immune to enemy techniques that target it.
Extra Arms
see p. B53
If you can bring more than two arms to bear on a foe, each
arm after the second gives +2 to hit with a grapple (but not with
follow-up techniques), to prevent your victim from breaking
free (of grapples, pins, locks, etc.), and to break free yourself.
Each hand after the first two gives +2 ST to choke or strangle,
too. If you have more arms than your opponent – the exact
number is irrelevant – you get +3 to pin him or resist his pin
attempts. You only receive these bonuses for arms of regular
length or better.
Special modifiers can give additional effects:
Extra-Flexible: Such arms are immune to injury from Arm
Lock (which only counts as an ordinary grapple) but not
Wrench Arm. They also get +2 on the DX roll required to ready
a weapon in close combat (p. B391).
Foot Manipulators: You can use these limbs to meet the
requirements of any rule that calls for arms or legs – but you
can never use a limb as both an arm and a leg at the same time.
Decide how you’re using it at the start of your turn.
No Physical Attack: In addition to being unable to strike,
these arms cannot grapple, pin, choke, etc., and don’t give the
close-combat bonuses above. They’re still valid targets for
enemy techniques that target arms!
Short: These arms never give the close-combat bonuses
above. If you use only Short arms for a close-combat task, all
rolls are at -2 regardless of how many arms you have.
Weapon Mount: As No Physical Attack, except that Arm
Lock is ineffective against the limb – it only counts as an ordinary
grapple. Wrench Arm works normally.
Extra Legs
see p. B54
The number of legs a foe must grapple to keep you from
walking, kicking, etc., equals the number of crippled legs
needed to make you fall. If he restrains fewer legs and you
have more than twice his ST, you can walk – just lower Move
by the usual amount for a small number of crippled legs.