One thing that bothers me about D&D as it stands is that there's no way for a character with a reach weapon to prevent another character from getting within that reach. At best, you get either an attack of opportunity, or a one-round respite before your opponent takes a 5 ft. step within reach. Then, your only option is to back off, which may not be a viable option.
That being the case, here's the system for a new combat option:
Warding
A character with a reach weapon has the option of readying to ward off opponents. Using this option allows the character to resist attempts by other characters to approach.
In order to pass beyond the outer edges of a character's reach, or to move closer in the case of characters with reach beyond 10 ft. (where the attacker may begin his movement within that outer edge), the character must pass on opposed check. Failure indicates that the character can move no closer to the character than his current position, or the outer edge of the defender's reach, whichever is closer.
For the purposes of this option, the stationary character with the reach weapon is the defender, while the character attempting to approach is the attacker.
In order to use this option, the defender must declare his intent to "ready to ward". Thereafter, whenever an attacker attempts to move closer to the defender than the outer edges of the defender's reach (or his current position, whichever is closer), the defender has the option to ward the character off, preventing him from approaching. Since doing so discharges the readied action, the defender may only ward off a single character each round, and so may not necessarily choose to block the first such attacker.
To resolve the ward attampt, the following sequence of events should be followed. Firstly, if the attacker's intended action would provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender, that should be resolved first. This applies regardless of the eventual success of the warding attempt.
Secondly, the attacker and defender make opposed attack rolls. If the attacker is intending to move a distance greater than 5 feet, he receives a +2 bonus on this check. If the attacker is intending to move a distance greater than his base movement, he instead receives a +4 bonus on the check. Finally, if the attacker is charging, the attacker receives a further +2 bonus; this applies in addition to whichever of the previous bonuses apply.
If the attacker wins this opposed check, he completes his action as desired. If the defender wins, the attacker's movement ends at the outer edge of the defender's reach (or his current position, whichever is closer). Ties favour the defender.
Example: Marcus is facing a dragon with reach of 15 feet. Marcus has a base movement of 20 feet (due to plate armour). He is currently standing 20 feet from the dragon. The dragon declares that it is "ready to ward". Marcus charges the dragon. (Marcus has a total bonus of +12 to attack rolls, the dragon has a total bonus of +14 with its bite.)
Firstly, the dragon receives an attack of opportunity against Marcus. This is made with the normal +14 bonus to the attack roll, and Marcus suffers the normal -2 penalty to armour class for charging. Not surprisingly, the dragon hits, but doesn't kill Marcus.
Next, Marcus and the dragon make opposed attack rolls. Here, the dragon still has a +14 bonus to the attack roll. Marcus has a total bonus of +16 (+12 base; +2 for moving more than 5 ft., but not more than 20 ft.; +2 for charging).
If the dragon wins this opposed roll, Marcus moves a total of 5 ft. closer to the dragon, placing him at the outer edge of the dragon's reach. If Marcus wins, he moves his intended 20 ft., and can immediately attack the dragon. If there's a tie, Marcus loses. (Obviously, if Marcus loses, he can't attack the dragon this round, as he doesn't have reach.)
Assuming Marcus loses, the dragon can opt to "ready to ward" again on the next round. If Marcus again charges, the same sequence of events again plays out; the dragon makes an attack of opportunity, then the two make opposed rolls, and so on.
If, instead, Marcus elects to approach the dragon more cautiously, and makes only a 5 ft. step towards the dragon, then the dragon does not get to make an attack of opportunity. However, the two still make opposed attack rolls. This time, Marcus only gets his base +12 bonus to the attack roll (as he's only moving 5 ft., and not charging). If Marcus wins, he moves 5 ft. towards the dragon. If the dragon wins, or there's a tie, Marcus does not move. Either way, Marcus cannot move more than 5 ft. closer to the dragon, nor may he now make a 5 ft. step in any other direction - he has already expended his 5 ft. step (or a move action), even though he was unable to change his position.
Assuming Marcus wins the second contest, and is now 10 ft. from the dragon, the dragon may yet again "ready to ward". On his action, Marcus chooses to approach 10 ft. and attack. The dragon again get an attack of opportunity (+14 to the attack roll; Marcus suffers no AC bonus as he's not charging). The two then make opposed attack rolls again. Here, Marcus has a +14 bonus (+12 base; +2 for 10 ft. of movement). If Marcus wins, he approaches the dragon and can attack. If the dragon wins, or there's a tie, Marcus remains where he is. He is not forced to retreat to the edge of the dragon's reach.
Consequences of Using this Option
If this option is used in the game, it makes reach weapons slightly more useful. It makes creatures with reach slightly more dangerous. However, it makes creatures with reach greater than 10 ft., or creatures with natural reach and reach weapons quite significantly more dangerous. Finally, it makes groups of creatures with reach weapons a lot more dangerous - some of the creatures can ready to ward, while others simply hold their action, then make full attacks against potential attackers who are held at bay.
That said, readying to ward is a poor choice for a single creature faced with several opponents. Such a creature will find itself rushed quite quickly, as it will have to discharge its ward against one of the attackers, and then will have no defence against the others (except any unused attacks of opportunity, of course).
It is unlikely that player characters will make extensive use of this option, as they also tend not to use reach weapons often, and tend also to lack reach greater than 10 ft., or to use group tactics as described above. However, town guards, who frequently do use reach weapons, and such group tactics, will benefit greatly from this option; and this can be considered a good thing in games where the PCs get just a bit too blase about their foes' capabilities.
Archived comment by Johannes:
ReplyDeleteI like that idea. I noticed that when I was playing Artax. It was always a bit annoying to have to back off after you just charged into someone because he is going your direction and you can't use your weapon against him.
One thing I first thought about though. You have seen often enough in films or read in books (Gemmell's characters use this option very often, e.g. Shadak killing Collan in first chronicles of Druss the legend) that people take a hit into account to get within reach of the opponent to give a fatal blow. I don't know in how far that can be used in DnD since the system is not exactly very realistic at times. But that would perhaps give characters who just can't get near someone another option.