tricky_bob
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Pathfinder Combat Manoeuvre Bonus (CMB)
Special Combat Actions
Combat Manoeuvres
During combat, you can attempt to perform a number of manoeuvres that can hinder or even cripple your foe, including bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, sunder, and trip. Although these manoeuvres have vastly different results, they all use a similar mechanic to determine the degree of success.
Combat Manoeuvre Bonus: Each character and creature has a combat manoeuvre bonus (or CMB) that represents its skill at performing and resisting combat manoeuvres. A creature’s CMB is determined using the following formula:
** You can substitute your Strength modifier with your Dexterity modifier with the Feat Agile Manoeuvres, when attacking with one of these Special Combat Actions. You may use either when you are the target of [defending] a Special Combat Actions.
The special size modifier for a creature’s combat manoeuvre bonus is as follows:
Fine –16
Diminutive –8
Tiny –4
Small –2
Medium +0
Large +2
Huge +4
Gargantuan +8
Some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMB when performing specific manoeuvres.
Performing a Combat Manoeuvre: When performing a combat manoeuvre, you must use an action appropriate to the Manoeuvre you are attempting to perform. While most combat manoeuvres can be performed as part of an attack action (in place of a melee attack), others require specific actions. When you perform a combat manoeuvre, make an attack roll adding your CMB to the result plus any bonuses you might have due to specific feats or abilities. The DC to successfully perform the manoeuvre is determined using the following formula:
Note: You can use either your Strength or Dexterity Modifier when defending against a Special Combat Action.
Determine Results: If your attack roll exceeds the DC of the target, your manoeuvre is a success and has the listed effect [Grapple has varying levels of success depending on how much your result exceeds the DC]. These attack rolls are subject to Criticals and Fumbles, see text.
Feats: All the Improved XX Feats give a +4 bonus.
We Use the Critical Hit/Fumble Decks
Bull Rush
You can make a bull rush as a standard action or as part of a charge. A bull rush attempts to push an opponent straight back without doing any harm. If you do not have the Improved Bull Rush Feat, or a similar ability, initiating a bull rush provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre.
If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 10 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds the DC you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target. If you fumbled your attack you fall prone in the square in front of your target, if you confirmed a Critical, draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Disarm
You can attempt to disarm your opponent as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack. If you do not have the Improved Disarm feat, or a similar ability, attempting to disarm a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. Attempting to disarm a foe while unarmed imposes a –4 penalty on the attack.
If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice.
If you successfully disarm your opponent without using a weapon, you automatically pick up the item dropped.
If you fumble your attack you drop your own weapon [draw a card], if you confirm a critical, draw a card and use the result appropriate for your weapon.
Trip
You can attempt to trip an opponent as a melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than you or smaller. If you do not have the Improved Trip Feat, or a similar ability, initiating a trip provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre.
If your attack is successful, the target is knocked prone.
If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat manoeuvre attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures, such as oozes without legs and flying creatures, cannot be tripped.
If you fumble, you fall prone, if you confirmed a critical draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Overrun
As a standard action taken during your move, or as part of a charge, you can attempt to overrun your target, moving through its square. You can only overrun an opponent who is one size category larger than you or smaller. If you do not have the Improved Overrun Feat, or a similar ability, initiating an overrun provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. When you attempt to overrun a target, it can choose to avoid you, allowing you to pass through its square without requiring an attack. If your target does not avoid you, make a combat manoeuvre attack roll as normal. If your attack is successful, you move through the target’s space. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat manoeuvre attack roll for each additional leg it has.
If you fumbled your attack you fall prone in the square in front of your target, if you confirmed a Critical, draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Grapple
As a standard action, you can attempt to grapple a foe, hindering their combat options. If you do not have Improved Grapple, improved grab, or a similar ability, attempting to grapple a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. Attempting to grapple a foe without two free hands imposes a –4 penalty on the attack. If you grapple an opponent, you must continue to make a check each round to maintain the hold. If the target does not break the grapple, you get a cumulative +5 circumstance bonus on grapple checks made against the same target in subsequent rounds, to a maximum bonus of +15. A successful grapple check has the following results, depending on how much the roll exceeds the DC.
Held (DC): If your attack is successful, your target cannot move to a space that is not adjacent without first breaking the grapple, but is otherwise unaffected.
Grabbed (DC +5): If your attack exceeds the DC by 5 or more, your target cannot move at all without first breaking the grapple, and can only take actions that require one free hand. For example, your target could make an attack against you with a one-handed weapon or cast a spell, but could not attack you with a two-handed weapon. The target cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities without succeeding on a Spellcraft check.
Grappled (DC +10): If your attack exceeds the DC by 10 or more, your target cannot move at all without first breaking the grapple, and can only take actions that do not require free hands to perform, such as casting a still spell, making an unarmed attack with a knee, or activating a held or worn magic item. The target cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities without succeeding on a Spellcraft check (and then, only if the spell does not have any somatic components).
Pinned (DC +15): If your attack exceeds the DC by 15 or more, the target is pinned and can take no actions except to attempt to break the grapple or actions that require only speech or thought (such as casting a spell with only verbal components). The target cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities without succeeding on a Spellcraft check. The target takes a –5 penalty on checks made to break the grapple.
If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat manoeuvre roll or Escape Artist check (DC 10 + opponent’s CMB). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Grappling creatures take a –2 penalty to their Dexterity unless involved in a pin. Pinned creatures (both the grappler and the target) are considered flat-footed. Grappling creatures do not enter each other’s squares.
If you fumbled your attack you fall prone unless you had your opponent Pinned, in which case your foe is now Held. If you confirm a critical draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Sunder
You can attempt to sunder an item held or worn by your opponent as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack. If you do not have the Improved Sunder Feat, or a similar ability, attempting to sunder an item provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. You must be wielding a weapon to attempt a sunder. If your attack is successful, you deal damage to the item normally. If the damage you deal exceeds the object’s hardness, the object gains the damage condition. If the damage you deal exceeds the object’s hardness and hit points, you can choose to destroy it [broken]. If you do not choose to destroy it, the object is left with only 1 hit point. To destroy an item, the attacking weapon must have a magic enhancement bonus at least equal to that of the item you are trying to Sunder [non-numerical enhancement bonuses like Frost, Flaming or Holy do not count for this purpose], the only exception are weapons made from Adamantine which can destroy an item with an enhancement bonus equal to double that of the adamantine weapons enhancement bonus [thus a +2 adamantine weapon could destroy any item with an enhancement bonus up to +4].
Each +1 enhancement bonus adds 5 Hardness and 10 Hit points to the items base Hardness and Hit Points [special materials may alter these values].
If you fumble your attack, your weapon is damaged, if you confirm a critical, draw a card and use the results appropriate for your weapon.
Damaged Condition
Items that have taken damage gain the damage condition, and are affected as follows:
If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deals ×2 damage.
If the item is a suit of armour or a shield, its AC is halved, and its armour check penalty is doubled.
If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when it is used.
If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the damaged condition has no effect on its use. Items with the damaged condition are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item and then, only if the spell eliminates all of the damage the object has taken. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill [DC 20 requires 1 hour/ point of damage] at a cost of 1/10 the items total cost.
Destroyed items can be repaired [with suitable materials costing ½ the creation cost] with a mending [mends 1d4] or make whole [mends 1d6/lev] spell [caster level at least twice that of the item, providing it eliminates all of the damage].
Special Combat Actions
Combat Manoeuvres
During combat, you can attempt to perform a number of manoeuvres that can hinder or even cripple your foe, including bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, sunder, and trip. Although these manoeuvres have vastly different results, they all use a similar mechanic to determine the degree of success.
Combat Manoeuvre Bonus: Each character and creature has a combat manoeuvre bonus (or CMB) that represents its skill at performing and resisting combat manoeuvres. A creature’s CMB is determined using the following formula:
CMB = Base attack bonus + Strength modifier** + special size modifier
** You can substitute your Strength modifier with your Dexterity modifier with the Feat Agile Manoeuvres, when attacking with one of these Special Combat Actions. You may use either when you are the target of [defending] a Special Combat Actions.
The special size modifier for a creature’s combat manoeuvre bonus is as follows:
Fine –16
Diminutive –8
Tiny –4
Small –2
Medium +0
Large +2
Huge +4
Gargantuan +8
Some feats and abilities grant a bonus to your CMB when performing specific manoeuvres.
Performing a Combat Manoeuvre: When performing a combat manoeuvre, you must use an action appropriate to the Manoeuvre you are attempting to perform. While most combat manoeuvres can be performed as part of an attack action (in place of a melee attack), others require specific actions. When you perform a combat manoeuvre, make an attack roll adding your CMB to the result plus any bonuses you might have due to specific feats or abilities. The DC to successfully perform the manoeuvre is determined using the following formula:
DC = 15 + the target’s CMB
Note: You can use either your Strength or Dexterity Modifier when defending against a Special Combat Action.
Determine Results: If your attack roll exceeds the DC of the target, your manoeuvre is a success and has the listed effect [Grapple has varying levels of success depending on how much your result exceeds the DC]. These attack rolls are subject to Criticals and Fumbles, see text.
Feats: All the Improved XX Feats give a +4 bonus.
We Use the Critical Hit/Fumble Decks
Bull Rush
You can make a bull rush as a standard action or as part of a charge. A bull rush attempts to push an opponent straight back without doing any harm. If you do not have the Improved Bull Rush Feat, or a similar ability, initiating a bull rush provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre.
If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 10 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds the DC you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target. If you fumbled your attack you fall prone in the square in front of your target, if you confirmed a Critical, draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Disarm
You can attempt to disarm your opponent as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack. If you do not have the Improved Disarm feat, or a similar ability, attempting to disarm a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. Attempting to disarm a foe while unarmed imposes a –4 penalty on the attack.
If your attack is successful, your target drops one item it is carrying of your choice.
If you successfully disarm your opponent without using a weapon, you automatically pick up the item dropped.
If you fumble your attack you drop your own weapon [draw a card], if you confirm a critical, draw a card and use the result appropriate for your weapon.
Trip
You can attempt to trip an opponent as a melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than you or smaller. If you do not have the Improved Trip Feat, or a similar ability, initiating a trip provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre.
If your attack is successful, the target is knocked prone.
If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat manoeuvre attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures, such as oozes without legs and flying creatures, cannot be tripped.
If you fumble, you fall prone, if you confirmed a critical draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Overrun
As a standard action taken during your move, or as part of a charge, you can attempt to overrun your target, moving through its square. You can only overrun an opponent who is one size category larger than you or smaller. If you do not have the Improved Overrun Feat, or a similar ability, initiating an overrun provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. When you attempt to overrun a target, it can choose to avoid you, allowing you to pass through its square without requiring an attack. If your target does not avoid you, make a combat manoeuvre attack roll as normal. If your attack is successful, you move through the target’s space. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat manoeuvre attack roll for each additional leg it has.
If you fumbled your attack you fall prone in the square in front of your target, if you confirmed a Critical, draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Grapple
As a standard action, you can attempt to grapple a foe, hindering their combat options. If you do not have Improved Grapple, improved grab, or a similar ability, attempting to grapple a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. Attempting to grapple a foe without two free hands imposes a –4 penalty on the attack. If you grapple an opponent, you must continue to make a check each round to maintain the hold. If the target does not break the grapple, you get a cumulative +5 circumstance bonus on grapple checks made against the same target in subsequent rounds, to a maximum bonus of +15. A successful grapple check has the following results, depending on how much the roll exceeds the DC.
Held (DC): If your attack is successful, your target cannot move to a space that is not adjacent without first breaking the grapple, but is otherwise unaffected.
Grabbed (DC +5): If your attack exceeds the DC by 5 or more, your target cannot move at all without first breaking the grapple, and can only take actions that require one free hand. For example, your target could make an attack against you with a one-handed weapon or cast a spell, but could not attack you with a two-handed weapon. The target cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities without succeeding on a Spellcraft check.
Grappled (DC +10): If your attack exceeds the DC by 10 or more, your target cannot move at all without first breaking the grapple, and can only take actions that do not require free hands to perform, such as casting a still spell, making an unarmed attack with a knee, or activating a held or worn magic item. The target cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities without succeeding on a Spellcraft check (and then, only if the spell does not have any somatic components).
Pinned (DC +15): If your attack exceeds the DC by 15 or more, the target is pinned and can take no actions except to attempt to break the grapple or actions that require only speech or thought (such as casting a spell with only verbal components). The target cannot cast spells or use spell-like abilities without succeeding on a Spellcraft check. The target takes a –5 penalty on checks made to break the grapple.
If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat manoeuvre roll or Escape Artist check (DC 10 + opponent’s CMB). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Grappling creatures take a –2 penalty to their Dexterity unless involved in a pin. Pinned creatures (both the grappler and the target) are considered flat-footed. Grappling creatures do not enter each other’s squares.
If you fumbled your attack you fall prone unless you had your opponent Pinned, in which case your foe is now Held. If you confirm a critical draw a card and use the bludgeoning results [unarmed].
Sunder
You can attempt to sunder an item held or worn by your opponent as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack. If you do not have the Improved Sunder Feat, or a similar ability, attempting to sunder an item provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your manoeuvre. You must be wielding a weapon to attempt a sunder. If your attack is successful, you deal damage to the item normally. If the damage you deal exceeds the object’s hardness, the object gains the damage condition. If the damage you deal exceeds the object’s hardness and hit points, you can choose to destroy it [broken]. If you do not choose to destroy it, the object is left with only 1 hit point. To destroy an item, the attacking weapon must have a magic enhancement bonus at least equal to that of the item you are trying to Sunder [non-numerical enhancement bonuses like Frost, Flaming or Holy do not count for this purpose], the only exception are weapons made from Adamantine which can destroy an item with an enhancement bonus equal to double that of the adamantine weapons enhancement bonus [thus a +2 adamantine weapon could destroy any item with an enhancement bonus up to +4].
Each +1 enhancement bonus adds 5 Hardness and 10 Hit points to the items base Hardness and Hit Points [special materials may alter these values].
If you fumble your attack, your weapon is damaged, if you confirm a critical, draw a card and use the results appropriate for your weapon.
Damaged Condition
Items that have taken damage gain the damage condition, and are affected as follows:
If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –4 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deals ×2 damage.
If the item is a suit of armour or a shield, its AC is halved, and its armour check penalty is doubled.
If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when it is used.
If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the damaged condition has no effect on its use. Items with the damaged condition are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item and then, only if the spell eliminates all of the damage the object has taken. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill [DC 20 requires 1 hour/ point of damage] at a cost of 1/10 the items total cost.
Destroyed items can be repaired [with suitable materials costing ½ the creation cost] with a mending [mends 1d4] or make whole [mends 1d6/lev] spell [caster level at least twice that of the item, providing it eliminates all of the damage].
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