Publication:Grim-N-Gritty/Special Attacks

Special Attacks
The GnG combat system adds a few new special attacks and makes some slight changes to old ones.

Note: The firearm-related special attacks assume that firearms are Simple Weapons. If you have the Simple Weapon Proficiency feat, you are capable of using firearms in a competent manner, at least on the level of a modern hunter. The Martial Weapons Proficiency (firearms) feat represents military or paramilitary understanding of firearms.

Accelerated Pair (Double Tap)
When you fire an accelerated pair, you fire two shots, in rapid succession, at a single target.

To perform an accelerated pair, you must use a firearm or energy weapon capable of single shot fire. You must have at least two rounds of ammunition or charges in the weapon, because you fire two shots.

For your two shots, you make a single attack roll as a standard action, with a -4 penalty. If the attack hits, your first shot hits your target. If your Relative Degree is 5 or more, the second shot hits as well.

You apply damage bonuses for Relative Degree, specialization, and the like to your first shot, only. The second inflicts only normal damage.

Point Blank: If you fire an accelerated pair at a target within 5 feet, both shots automatically hit.

Special: The feat, Improved Accelerated Pair, negates the -4 penalty to your attack roll.

Target Size (optional): The size of your target can influence the Relative Degree you need for extra shots to hit it. It also affects your “point blank” range, at which both shots automatically hit. Use the following table:

To hit a tiny target with your second shot, you would need a Relative Degree of nine or higher. To hit a gargantuan target with the second shot requires a Relative Degree of only one or higher.

Automatic Fire (Bursts)
Certain weapons have a rapid, automatic rate of fire, meaning that they fire several shots or a burst with a single pull of the trigger or activation stud using a full-round action. You can direct this burst against a single target or multiple targets.

Only weapons capable of fully automatic fire may perform bursts. When you perform a single target burst, you direct all of your shots at one target.
 * Single Target Burst

To perform a single target burst, you weapon must have at least three rounds of ammunition or charges.

When you fire the burst, roll 2d6. This is the amount of shots fired at your target. If your weapon does not contain enough ammunition or charges to fire all of these shots, then it fires enough shots to empty your weapon. (If you have only four shots remaining in your firearm, you would only fire four shots at your target, even if you roll “11” on the 2d6.)

You then make your attack roll. If your attack hits, multiple shots may strike your target. For every 5 points you beat your opponent’s defense roll, one additional shot hits your target and inflict damage. You apply damage bonuses for Relative Degree, chosen enemy, and the like to the first shot that hits your target, not to any additional shots.

For example, if you rolled 11 points higher than your opponent, three shots hit your target. The first shot hits because you made the attack roll. (You apply Relative Degree to that shot.) Your second shot hits because you rolled 5 points higher than your target, and your third shot because you rolled 10 points higher.

You cannot hit a target with more shots than were fired from your weapon.

Controlled Bursts: A character with the Martial Weapons Proficiency (firearms) feat can control the number of shots fired in a single target burst. If you have this feat and a base attack bonus of 5 or less, then you can choose to fire 5 or 10 shots in your burst. If you have this feat and a base attack bonus of 6 or higher, you can fire 3, 5, or 10 shot bursts. You announce the number of shots you will fire before you make the attack roll.

Some weapons allow you to preset the number of shots fired in a burst.

Point Blank Bursts: If you fire a single target burst at a target within 5 feet and your attack hits, all shots strike your target.

Target Size (optional): The size of your target affects the amount you must roll for additional shots to hit. It also affects the distance at which you consider your burst “point blank” and all shots automatically hit. Use the following table:

If you fired a single target burst at a fine sized target, an extra shot would hit your target for every 13 points you rolled higher than its defense, and you would have no “point blank” on your burst. If you fired a single target burst at a colossal target, an extra shot would hit for every single point you rolled higher than its defense. If you were within 30 feet of a colossal target, you were at point blank range and all shots from your burst would have automatically hit.

When you perform a multiple target burst, you hose down an area with your shots.
 * Multiple Target Burst

You do not aim at a particular target, but try to hit several targets at the same time. Because of this, you do not apply Relative Degree to the damage of your attack, nor do you gain chosen enemy, specialization, and similar skill-based damage bonuses. Furthermore, you “Take 10” on your attack roll (whether you desire to do so or not), meaning that you consider yourself to have rolled a “10” on the d20.

There are two types of multiple target burst: linear and strafing.

Linear Burst: A linear burst affects an aisle, 5-feet wide, out to your weapon’s maximum range. You must “Take 10” on an attack roll against every target in that aisle. In addition, your attack roll suffers a -4 penalty. (Do not forget to apply range penalties to your attack roll.) If the attack hits, one shot strikes the target and inflicts normal damage. You may not apply Relative Degree and skill-based damage modifiers, nor can you make a critical hit.

To perform a linear burst, you must have at least ten rounds or charges of ammunition in your weapon. When you fire, your weapon releases 2d10 + 10 shots. If your weapon does not contain enough ammunition or charges to fire all of these shots, then it fires enough shots to empty your weapon. (If you have only twelve shots remaining in your firearm, you would only fire twelve shots at your target area, even if you roll “21” on the 2d10 + 10.)

You may only hit a number of targets equal to the shots fired in your burst. If you fire only 10 shots, you hit (at most) only 10 targets.

You may not select the targets hit by your burst. The hail of shots strike friend and foe alike. You strike the targets nearest you first (and they may provide cover for targets behind them).

Strafing Burst: A strafing burst affects a cone. The length of the cone equals your weapon’s first range increment or 30 feet, whichever is larger. The maximum width of the cone equals half its length.

You must “Take 10” on an attack roll against every target in that aisle. In addition, your attack roll suffers a -8 penalty. If the attack hits, one shot strikes the target and inflicts normal damage. You may not apply Relative Degree and skill-based damage modifiers.

To perform a strafing burst, you must have at least twenty rounds or charges of ammunition in your weapon. When you fire, your weapon releases 2d10 + 20 shots. If your weapon does not contain enough ammunition or charges to fire all of these shots, then it fires enough shots to empty your weapon. (If you have only twenty-one shots remaining in your firearm, you would only fire 21 shots at your target area, even if you roll “36” on the 2d10 + 20.)

You may only hit a number of targets equal to the shots fired in your burst. If you fire only 20 shots, you hit (at most) only 20 targets.

You may not select the targets hit by your burst. You strike the targets nearest you first (and they may provide cover for targets behind them).

Controlled Bursts: A character with the Martial Weapons Proficiency (firearms) feat can control the number of shots fired in a single target burst. If you have this feat, then you can choose to fire 10 or 20 shots in your linear burst and 20 or 40 shots in a strafing burst. You announce the number of shots you will fire before you make the attack roll. If you do not choose to limit the number of shots fired, then you roll the dice.

Target Size (optional): The bigger your target, the more times it might suffer hits from a multiple target burst. The Table: Multiple Target Bursts and Target Size shows how many times a target must make defense rolls against your burst attack, based on its size.

For example, if you fired a Multiple Target Burst at a gargantuan target, it would have to make four defense rolls, meaning it might suffer four hits from your burst. A colossal target might suffer five hits. If you gain multiple attacks per round due to a high base attack bonus or other special abilities, you may perform multiple bursts, as a full attack action.
 * Multiple Attacks and Bursts

Continuous Beam Fire
Certain energy weapons fire a continuous stream of energy as a full-round action. In effect, this creates a lance of pure energy from the muzzle of your weapon to its maximum range. With a flick of the wrist, this blazing sword cuts swathes through your opponents.

Weapons capable of continuous beam fire grant a +4 bonus to your attack roll. (This does not stack with the +2 bonus inherent to energy weapons.)

The attack bonus is not a beam weapon’s greatest benefit.

When you hold the beam on a single target for an extended period, you pour a tremendous amount of energy into your target. This overwhelms his protective shielding and armor.

To simulate this, when you perform an accelerated pair or single target burst with a beam weapon, you total the damage from all shots that hit your target before applying energy resistance, Protection, or hardness.

For example, you perform a 5-shot single target burst with a particle beam rifle. Your attack hits with a Relative Degree of 16, so four shots hit the target. Each shot inflicts 3d8 damage. Normally, you would separately apply the damage from each shot to your opponent’s Protection. However, since this is a continuous beam, you total all of the dice (12d8), add Relative Degree, and apply your target’s Protection only once. (Assuming you rolled average results on the dice, you would have inflicted 80 points of damage!)

As you can see, continuous beam fire can slice almost any opponent in half or burn tremendous holes in a target.

Grappling
The GnG combat system adds a few new features to the standard grappling rules. The Relative Degree of your grapple check affects the damage you inflict while grappling. You may grapple using weapons. Finally, there are some new grappling actions available to characters with advanced training: Choke, Lock, Throw, and Wrench.

The rules for a grapple check remain the same. However, the Relative Degree of your grapple check applies to the damage you inflict while grappling, not the Relative Degree of your melee touch attack to grab your target. If you have the Improved Grapple feat, you may use any weapon with which you are proficient to grapple an opponent. You may use even edged and piercing weapons to grapple.
 * Grapple Checks
 * Grappling with Weapons

When you grapple using a weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to your grapple check if it is a one-handed weapon and a +4 bonus for a two-handed weapon. You gain no bonus for tiny weapons. If you use an edged or piercing weapon, you gain an additional +2 bonus to your grapple check. (Most opponents submit more readily when cut and stabbed.)

When you inflict damage while grappling with weapon, you use the weapon’s damage or your unarmed damage, whichever is higher. If you possess the feat, Advanced Grapple, you may perform the following actions while grappling. All of these actions take the place of an attack (rather than being a standard action or a move action). If your base attack bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these actions in place of each of your attacks, but at successively lower base attack bonuses.
 * Advanced Grappling

Choke: Performing a choke imposes a -4 penalty to your Grapple check. You grab your opponent in such a way as to restrain the flow of blood within the body. (You do not necessarily have to strangle your opponent’s throat.) If you win the grapple check, you damage your opponent and force your enemy to make a Fortitude save against DC 10 + one-half of your base attack bonus + your Strength modifier. If he fails the save, he is stunned for one round and dazed for 1d4 rounds after that.

You must inflict at least 1 HP damage to stun and daze your opponent.

Opponents with no Constitution score are immune to chokes, as are enemies whose anatomy does not rely on blood-flow.

Lock: A lock is a superior form of pin. To initiate a lock, you make an opposed grapple check with a -4 penalty to your roll. If you win the check, your opponent is locked (see below), and you hold him immobile for one round. You have the same actions available to you as if you were grappling, not pinning.

Throw: You can throw an opponent prone while grappling. Make an opposed grapple check with a -4 penalty to your roll. If you win the grapple check, your opponent falls prone and suffers damage, as normal for your unarmed strike (even if using a weapon to grapple). For every five points you beat your opponent’s roll, you can choose to throw him 5 feet away from you.

If you do choose to throw your opponent away from you, you automatically end the grapple. Otherwise, you can choose to end or maintain your grapple when you throw your enemy. When an opponent has locked you, you are held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. While locked, you take a –4 penalty to your Defense against all opponents, including the one locking you. You automatically roll a “1” on your defense roll, and lose any Dexterity, dodge, class, and similar bonuses to Defense. Unlike a pin, you may still speak while locked.
 * Locked

On your turn, you can try to escape the lock by making an opposed grapple check in place of an attack. You can make an Escape Artist check in place of your grapple check if you want, but this requires a standard action. If you win, you escape the lock, but you are still grappling.

Multiple Barrel Fire
Some weapons have more than one barrel, such as the double-barreled shotgun. You may fire these multiple barrels simultaneously, at a single target.

When you perform multiple-barrel fire, you make a single attack roll as a standard action and apply its result to each barrel fired at a target.

For example, if you fired a double-barreled shotgun at an opponent, you make a single attack roll. If you hit with a Relative Degree of 11, then both barrels hit with that Relative Degree.

Apply your opponent’s energy resistance, Protection, and the like to the damage of each barrel, separately.

Accelerated Pairs and Single Target Bursts: When you perform an accelerated pair or single target burst with a multiple barrel weapon, a single attack roll determines how many shots hit for each barrel. For example, if you made a 3-round single target burst with a double-barreled firearm and rolled a Relative Degree of 6, two shots from each barrel hit your target—a total of four shots.

Each barrel consumes its own amount of ammunition. If you fired a 3-round burst from a double-barreled weapon, you consume six rounds of ammunition: 3 for each barrel.

Multiple Target Bursts: Multiple target bursts with a multiple barrel weapon can obliterate a large area. Each target in the burst area makes a defense roll against a shot from each barrel of your weapon. If you used a quad-barreled cannon, your targets would have to make four defense rolls. (They might suffer four hits each!)

Each barrel consumes its own amount of ammunition. If you fired a 20-round burst from a quadruple-barreled cannon, you consume 80 rounds of ammunition: 20 for each barrel.

Continuous Beam Fire: When you perform an accelerated pair or single-target burst with a continuous beam weapon, you do not add the damage dice of separate barrels into one massive sum. Treat each barrel separately when lump summing the dice from multiple beam hits.

For example, if you fired a 5-round single target burst from a quad-barreled particle beam cannon and rolled a Relative Degree of 7, two shots from each barrel strike the target. You would not have a single, massive hit that inflicts 24d8+7 damage. You would have four separate hits of 6d8+7 damage, each.

Scattershot
The modern shotgun is an example of a scattershot weapon.

With a single shot, a scattershot attack releases several small projectiles in a tight group. As the clump travels from the muzzle of the weapon, it scatters along the path of travel.

The expansion of the shot makes it easy to hit a target at long ranges. It may even be possible to strike a handful of small, adjacent targets as the area affected by the scattershot blast widens.

All scattershot weapons have a maximum effective range of five range increments. They have a base damage die listed in their description. The base damage inflicted by the weapon (not including bonuses from enhancements or abilities) and area affected by the scattershot depends on the range increment of the attack.
 * One Increment: At one range increment, a scattershot attack forms a clump of projectiles about the size of a human fist. It can hit only a single target and inflicts quadruple damage.
 * Two Increments: The cloud of projectiles expands further, roughly the size of a human head. At this range, you can still hit only a single target. The weapon inflicts triple damage.
 * Three Increments: Now the clump of projectiles widens to about the size of a human torso. You can hit two adjacent targets with the blast, but this imposes a -4 penalty on your attack roll. (Both targets make a separate defense roll.) The weapon causes double damage on a successful hit.
 * Four Increments: At this range, the cloud of shot has spread to the size of a human body. You can hit two adjacent targets with no penalty to your attack roll. (Both targets make a defense roll.) The weapon inflicts normal damage.
 * Five Increments: At maximum range, the shot scatters to affect an aisle 5-feet wide. You make a single attack roll. Every defender in that aisle makes a defense roll to avoid a hit. The weapon only inflicts 1d damage at this range.

Scattershot weapons do not suffer range penalties to their attack rolls.

Suppressing Fire
When you shoot your weapons at the enemy in order to break up his movement or force him to seek cover, you perform suppressing fire. Your immediate goal is not to hit your opponent, but harass him and keep him pinned down.

Suppressing fire is a full-round action. You must have the Martial Weapons Proficiency (firearms) feat to perform it. You must wield a self-loading weapon capable of single shot or fully automatic fire.

To begin suppressing fire, you select the area you will cover. This can be either an aisle (5-feet wide out to your weapon’s maximum range) or 20-feet-by-20-feet square.

During the round, you fire 1d10 + 10 shots into that area. These shots hit nothing. In effect, you waste these shots, as you tear up the target area and claim it as your own.

Should any target enter your area of effect or perform a move or standard action in your target area, it must make a Reflex save against DC 10 + one-half your base attack bonus + your Dexterity score. If the save succeeds, the target can choose to cease movement and drop prone or under cover, suffering no damage. That target becomes suppressed. If the target chooses to keep standing or moving, or fails the save, you get to perform a free ranged attack against that target with a -8 penalty on your roll (since you are not specifically aiming at that target). You expend two shots on this attack, even though only one shot will hit the target. Your target can Dive for Cover to avoid damage from your attack, but if he does so, he automatically becomes suppressed.

After you have made your free shot (hit or miss), your target can choose to become suppressed.

Every time a target moves 5 feet within your target area, it must make the Reflex save. This may give you several free shots at an enemy who chooses to charge forward under the hail of your fire.

Becoming suppressed is your target’s choice. He can choose to be shot or elect to cease movement and seek cover. A foolhardy or determined enemy may choose to rush through your suppressed area, even though he evades a hail of bullets.

If you run out of ammunition, you cease suppressing your target area.

Suppressed: A suppressed character falls prone, unless he is behind improved cover. He cannot take actions for one round. Suppressing attackers may not direct free shots at a suppressed character.

Fully Automatic Fire: Fully automatic weapons are the best tools for suppressing fire.

With a fully automatic weapon, you waste 2d10 + 20 shots “claiming” the target area. When you get to perform a free ranged attack against an unsuppressed opponent, you suffer only a -4 penalty on the roll, but you expend four shots, even though only one counts for the hit.