Combat Maneuvers

Combat Maneuvers is a skill with multiple facets and applications, include attack, defense and utility. Training grants access to the list of combat maneuver skills (also known as CMAN or CMLIST skills), boosts melee attack strength and provides defense versus most maneuver-type attacks.

Type	Square			Semi			Pure
Profession	Rogue	Warrior	Monk	Bard	Paladin	Ranger	Cleric	Empath	Savant	Sorcerer	Wizard
Max Ranks Per Level	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	1	-	1	1
Training Point Cost	4/4	4/3	5/3	8/4	5/4	6/4	10/6	12/8	-	12/8	12/8

Combat Maneuvers boosts physical attack strength (AS) by +1 for every 2 ranks of training. This bonus does not apply to attack spells which generate AS through the Spell Aiming skill.

Training in this skill also boosts effectiveness of various guild skills and combat maneuvers from the list below. Training in the skill also helps defend from the skill, which is why many pures will pick up Disarm Weapon to prevent them from losing their runestaves or other defensive weapon. One rank in a skill trained in via the CM list below counts as 10 ranks in the skill, for the purposes of guild skill training. Therefore, a character that masters a skill via the CMAN system is treated as if they have 50 ranks, while a character that mastered the skill via their guild will be treated as if they have 63 ranks in the skill. There are many more skills available on the list below than those that are available as guild skills, and many skills do not even follow a progression like that listed above (i.e., Precision or Specialization).

The skills below can be trained in using CMAN points. A character earns 1 CMAN point for every rank they train in Combat Maneuvers, so a character with 150 ranks of Combat Maneuvers will have 150 CMAN points. Typically, it takes 20 or 30 CMAN points for a square to master a skill, but there are some exceptions. Enhancives do not provide CMAN points and a character may not devote more than 1 CMAN point per level to a single skill. For semis, CMAN skills require 50% more points to train in, while pures have to spend 100% more than a square.

Combat Maneuver Factors

• The biggest factor is the attacker's and defender's bonus in Combat Maneuvers.
• Level difference plays a factor, and a difference of more than 10 levels has a major effect on the outcome.
• Many injuries or even scars penalize a maneuver attempt. Limb wounds and scars are especially penalizing.
• Encumbrance provides a penalty to any combat maneuver attempt.
• Almost every maneuver takes the attacker's stance into account, and most also take the defender's stance into account.
• Many maneuvers take the relative height and/or size of the attacker and defender into account. Some, like Bull Rush, are easier if the attacker is larger than the defender; others, like Hamstring, are easier for smaller characters to use against larger opponents.
• Each rank of a given maneuver gives a character up to +15 to defend against that maneuver.
• A stunned target has -10 to defend against any maneuver, which appears as a bonus for the attacker.

Encumbrance Penalty Formula

There is a one point penalty per one percent encumbered body weight.

Penalty = round up(encumbrance weight ÷ Body weight) × 100

Example

Character body weight = 200 lbs
Encumbrance weight = 23 lbs

Penalty: round up (23 ÷ 200) × 100 = 12

Armor Penalty

Heavier armor will negatively impact your ability to perform and dodge CMANs. The effects are highlighted in the following table based on Armor Sub Group (ASG)

ASG	1	2	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
CMAN Penalty	0	0	0	0	2	2	3	3	3	4	4	4	5	5	6	7	8	10

Additionally, There is also an additional penalty of 20 for each second of untrained RT Adder which stacks with the AP penalty. With 0 armor ranks the full plate RT Adder penalty is 240 (12 sec untrained RT) plus the action penalty of 10 for a total penalty of 250.

List of available Combat Maneuvers

Hold cursor over CM name to see what it does. Click on arrows to sort by profession/category. +=Passive, Yes*=Exclusive

Combat Maneuver	Warrior	Rogue	Monk	Ranger	Bard	Paladin	Wizard	Sorcerer	Empath	Cleric	Savant	ALL	Martial Stance	Armor Flares
Acrobat's Leap+ (LEAP)	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Armor Spike Focus+ (SPIKEFOCUS)	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bearhug (BEARHUG)	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Yes
Berserk (BERSERK)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Block Mastery+ (BMASTERY)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bull Rush (BULLRUSH)	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Burst of Swiftness (BURST)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Charge (CHARGE)	Yes	-	Yes	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cheapshots (CHEAPSHOTS)	-	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Combat Focus+ (FOCUS)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Combat Mastery (CMASTERY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Combat Mobility (MOBILITY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Combat Movement+ (CMOVEMENT)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Combat Toughness+ (TOUGHNESS)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Coup de Grace (COUPDEGRACE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Crowd Press (CPRESS)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cunning Defense+ (CDEFENSE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Cutthroat (CUTTHROAT)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirtkick (DIRTKICK)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Disarm Weapon (DISARM)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Dislodge (DISLODGE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Divert (DIVERT)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Duck and Weave (WEAVE)	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dust Shroud (SHROUD)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Evade Mastery+ (EMASTERY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Executioner's Stance (EXECUTIONER)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Feint (FEINT)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Flurry of Blows (FLURRY)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Garrote (GARROTE)	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Grapple Mastery+ (GMASTERY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Griffin's Voice (GRIFFIN)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Groin Kick (GKICK)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	(Leg)
Hamstring (HAMSTRING)	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Haymaker (HAYMAKER)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	(Arm)
Headbutt (HEADBUTT)	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	(Head)
Inner Harmony (IHARMONY)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Internal Power (IPOWER)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ki Focus (KIFOCUS)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Kick Mastery+ (KMASTERY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mighty Blow (MBLOW)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mystic Strike (MYSTICSTRIKE)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Parry Mastery+ (PMASTERY)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Perfect Self+ (PERFECTSELF)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Precision+ (PRECISION)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Predator's Eye (PREDATOR)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Punch Mastery+ (PUNCHMASTERY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Quickstrike (QSTRIKE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rolling Krynch Stance (KRYNCH)	-	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Shadow Dance (SDANCE)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shadow Mastery (SMASTERY)	-	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shield Bash (SBASH)	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shield Charge (SCHARGE)	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Side by Side+ (SIDEBYSIDE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Silent Strike (SILENTSTRIKE)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Slippery Mind (SLIPPERYMIND)	-	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Specialization I+ (WSPEC1)	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Specialization II+ (WSPEC2)	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Specialization III+ (WSPEC3)	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spell Cleave (SCLEAVE)	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spell Parry+ (SPARRY)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spell Thieve (THIEVE)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Spin Attack (SATTACK)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Staggering Blow (SBLOW)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Stance of the Mongoose (MONGOOSE)	Yes	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Striking Asp Stance (ASP)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-
Stun Maneuvers (STUNMAN)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Subdual Strike (SSTRIKE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Subdue (SUBDUE)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sucker Punch (SPUNCH)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	(Arm)
Sunder Shield (SUNDER)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Surge of Strength (SURGE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sweep (SWEEP)	-	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Tackle (TACKLE)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Tainted Bond (TAINTED)	Yes	-	-	-	-	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Trip (TRIP)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
True Strike (TRUESTRIKE)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Twin Hammerfists (TWINHAMM)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	(Arm)
Unarmed Specialist+ (UNARMEDSPEC)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-
Vanish (VANISH)	-	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Weapon Bonding+ (BOND)	Yes*	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Whirling Dervish (DERVISH)	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Martial Stance	-

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The Old-Formatted List

Legend: B=Bard, M=Monk, P=Paladin, Ra=Ranger, Ro=Rogue, W=Warrior, All=Available to all professions.

• P/Ro/W Armor Spike Focus
• M/W Bearhug - Hold an opponent for a long period of time, squeezing the life out of them. Upon completion, the defender will be prone and in an offensive stance.
• W Berserk - Go into a blind berserker rage. Can break immobilizations, such as web, bind, or stuns, and provides a boost to AS.
• W Block Mastery - Increase the chance of blocking with a shield by 5% per rank (15% at mastery).
• P/W Bull Rush - Charge an opponent in an attempt to knock them to the ground.
• M Burst of Swiftness - Increases Agility and Dexterity bonuses.
• B/M/P/W Charge - Setting a polearm and charge with it at an opponent.
• B/M/Ro Cheapshots - Employs various "cheap" tactics, such as a nosetweak, eyepoke, etc.
• B/M/P/Ra/Ro/W Combat Focus - Add +2 generic TD (+10 at mastery).
• All Combat Mastery - Normally, you're limited to 20% stance changes. This allows 10% (1 rank) or 5% (2 ranks) stance changes.
• M/Ro/W Combat Mobility - If prone, instantly stand when attacked, unless you're immobilized.
• All Combat Movement - Increase DS by +2 per rank (+10 at mastery).
• M/P/Ro/W Combat Toughness - Increase your HP by 5 + 10 per rank (+35 total, at mastery).
• M/Ro/W Coup de Grace - Instantly kills a disabled and weakened victim and gives a slight AS bonus.
• M/P/Ro/W Crowd Press - Increases the effectiveness of short weapons, decreases the effectiveness of long weapons.
• All Cunning Defense - Imposes a +3 penalty on an opponent using a CML maneuver; acts as a full rank at mastery.
• Ro Cutthroat - Silences the victim until the throat wound is cured. Does not cause instant death.
• All Dirtkick - Kick a clump of dirt in an opponent's face. Reduces their perception.
• All Disarm Weapon - Remove a weapon from an opponent's grasp.
• Ro Divert - From hiding, you attempt to divert your foe's attention, luring them to an adjacent room.
• M/Ro Duck and Weave - A 30 second boost to evade chance
• Ro Dust Shroud - Kick up a cloud of dust to aid in hiding.
• M/Ro/W Evade Mastery - Passive skill that adds a percentage to evasion.
• W Executioner's Stance
• All Feint - Reduces an opponent's stance with a faked attack.
• M Flurry of Blows - Martial Stance. JAB multiple foes in area with no additional RT.
• B/M/Ra/Ro Garrote - Choke a victim with a wire, will cause death after a period of time.
• M/R/W Grapple Mastery - Increases proficiency with unarmed combat grapple attacks.
• W Griffin's Voice
• Ro Groin Kick - Causes a caster to forget a readied spell. Causes a good deal of pain in men.
• B/Ra/Ro/W Hamstring - Cut the back of the leg, knocking a victim prone.
• W Haymaker - Daze an opponent with a punch to the head.
• M/W Headbutt - Stun an opponent by putting your head into theirs.
• M Inner Harmony - This is a martial stance that provides the ability to shake off negative spell effects.
• M Internal Power - Each use of this maneuver will heal up to (15 + (5 * Rank)) Health Points (HP).
• M Ki Focus - Increases the AS bonus of the next melee: rank 1(+15), rank 2(+25, rank 3 (+35).
• M/R/W Kick Mastery - Increases proficiency with unarmed combat kick attacks.
• W Mighty Blow - Reduces the opponent's stance with this single attack. Extra roundtime for the attacker.
• All Multi-Fire - String multiple arrows on a single pull and fire.
• M Mystic Strike - ?
• W Parry Mastery - Parry an attack more often. An extra 5% chance per rank (15% at mastery).
• All Precision - Allows you to chose if your weapon does piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage. 75% effective at 1 rank, 100% effective at 2 ranks.
• M Perfect Self - Permanently enhances all ten stats by 2 per rank. Requires Surge of Strength (Rank 3) and Burst of Swiftness (Rank 3).
• Ro Predator's Eye - Martial Stance, increase aim success chance
• M/R/W Punch Mastery - Increases proficiency with unarmed combat punch attacks.
• M/Ro/W Quickstrike - Make a single attack at a significantly reduced amount of roundtime, at the cost of a reduced AS.
• M Rolling Krynch Stance - Martial Stance. Momentum from an unarmed strike against one foe to your next.
• Ra/Ro Shadow Mastery - Temporarily increases effective training in Stalking and Hiding and reduces the roundtime associated with this skill.
• B/Ra/Ro/P/W Shield Bash - Using your shield, bash an opponent. Does little damage, but can reduce the stance of, stun, and knock down an opponent
• P/W Shield Charge - Similar to above, but can be much more devastating -- for the attacker and the defender.
• All Side by Side - A passive skill that increases AS and DS when grouped with others that have the same skill.
• Ro Silent Strike - Attack an opponent from hiding without revealing your position -- or identity.
• M/Ro Slippery Mind - Martial Stance. Chance to outright avoid mind and soul warding spells.
• P/Ro/W Specialization I - Increases the effective use of a specific weapon type. +10 to AS at mastery, and works with skills that use your weapon.
• P/Ro/W Specialization II - See above, but for a different weapon type.
• P/Ro/W Specialization III - See above, but for yet another weapon type.
• M/W Spell Cleaving
• M/Ro/W Spell Parry
• Ro Spell Thieve
• B/M/Ro/W Spin Attack - Increases attack strength and dodge skill for a single attack.
• W Staggering Blow - Attack an opponent, and place them in roundtime. May knock opponents into an adjacent room.
• M/W Stance of the Mongoose - Instead of a parry, automatically counter with a jab.
• M/Ro/W Striking Asp Stance - Perform discounted cost QUICKSTRIKE attacks.
• M/Ro/W Stun Maneuvers - Perform certain actions while stunned.
• All Subdual Strike - Similar to Subdue, except you don't hide first.
• Ro Subdue - Attack a foe from hiding, with the intention of knocking them out.
• Ro Sucker Punch - Disables, reduces stance, and does a small amount of damage to a target.
• W Sunder Shield - Attempt to break or disarm an opponent's shield.
• M/P/Ro/W Surge of Strength - Temporarily increases one's strength bonus. Adds +8 at rank 1, +16 at rank 5.
• B/M/Ra/Ro Sweep - Using your legs, drop to the ground and knock the feet out from under an opponent.
• W Tackle - Similar to sweep, except one uses his entire body, and with less finesse. Although, potentially more devastating.
• P/W Tainted Bond
• All Trip - Using a long pole (polearm, quarterstaff, or runestaff), knock the feet out from under an opponent.
• P/Ro/W Truehand - Increases the effective die roll of an attack. IE, a master will always roll 61-100 on a d100 attack with this maneuver. Also reduces E/B/P by the opponent,
• W Twin Hammerfists - Using both fists, smash an opponent. May knockdown and/or stun an opponent.
• All Unarmed Specialist
• W Weapon Bonding - Similar to weapon specialization, except for a single weapon, and there are much more benefits. A must for any warrior.
• Ro/W Whirling Dervish
• Ro Vanish - Allows a rogue to slip into the shadows without roundtime, and at higher ranks while in roundtime.

Legend: B=Bard, M=Monk, P=Paladin, Ra=Ranger, Ro=Rogue, W=Warrior, All=Available to all professions.

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Resources

• Combat maneuvers (saved posts)
• Cman charge testing (saved post): Player testing circa 2008
• http://www.play.net/gs4/info/maneuvers/
• Officials folder