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 CML is treated as if they've 50 ranks, while a character that mastered the skill via their guild will be treated as if they've 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 (IE, Precision or Specialization).

The skills below can be trained in using CMAN points. A character earns 1 CMAN point for every rank he trains 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 to master a skill. There are exceptions. For example, Shadow Mastery requires 35 points to master, while Precision requires only 10 points to master.

A character may not devote more than 1 CMAN point per level to a single skill.

For semis, CMAN skills require 150% more points to train in, while pures have to spend 200% more than a square.

Combat Maneuver Factors

• The biggest factor is the attacker's and defender's bonus in Combat Maneuvers.
• 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 +15 to defend against that maneuver.
• A stunned target has -10 to defend against any maneuver, which appears as a bonus for the attacker.

List of available Combat Maneuvers

• W/M 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).
• W/P Bull Rush - Charge an opponent in an attempt to knock them to the ground.
• M Burst of Swiftness - Increases Agility and Dexterity bonuses.
• W/B/M/P 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.
• W/Ro/Ra/B/M/P 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.
• W/Ro Combat Mobility - If prone, instantly stand when attacked, unless you're immobilized.
• All Combat Movement - Increase DS by +2 per rank (+10 at mastery).
• W/Ro/M/P Combat Toughness - Increase your HP by 5 + 10 per rank (+35 total, at mastery).
• W/Ro Coup de Grace - Instantly kills a disabled and weakened victim and gives a slight AS bonus.
• W/P/Ro 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.
• Ro/M Duck and Weave - A 30 second boost to evade chance
• Ro Dust Shroud - Kick up a cloud of dust to aid in hiding.
• W/Ro/M Evade Mastery - Passive skill that adds a percentage to evasion.
• All Feint - Reduces an opponent's stance with a faked attack.
• B/Ra/Ro/M Garrote - Choke a victim with a wire, will cause death after a period of time.
• M Grapple Mastery - Increases proficiency with unarmed combat grapple attacks.
• Ro Groin Kick - Causes a caster to forget a readied spell. Causes a good deal of pain in men.
• W/Ra/Ro/B Hamstring - Cut the back of the leg, knocking a victim prone.
• W Haymaker - Daze an opponent with a punch to the head.
• W/M 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 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.
• M Punch Mastery - Increases proficiency with unarmed combat punch attacks.
• W/Ro/M Quickstrike - Make a single attack at a significantly reduced amount of roundtime, at the cost of a reduced AS.
• Ra/Ro Shadow Mastery - Temporarily increases effective training in Stalking and Hiding and reduces the roundtime associated with this skill.
• W/Ra/Ro/B/P Shield Bash - Using your shield, bash an opponent. Does little damage, but can reduce the stance of, stun, and knock down an opponent
• W/P 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.
• W/Ro/P Specialization I - Increases the effective use of a specific weapon type. +10 to AS at mastery, and works with skills that use your weapon.
• W/Ro/P Specialization II - See above, but for a different weapon type.
• W/Ro/P Specialization III - See above, but for yet another weapon type.
• W/Ro/B/M 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 Stance of the Mongoose - Instead of a parry, automatically counter with a jab.
• W/Ro/M 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.
• W/Ro/P 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.
• All Trip - Using a long pole (polearm, quarterstaff, or runestaff), knock the feet out from under an opponent.
• W/Ro/P 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.
• W Weapon Bonding - Similar to weapon specialization, except for a single weapon, and there are much more benefits. A must for any warrior.
• 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.

Additional Info

• List of combat maneuvers by profession
• List of combat maneuvers available to monks
• List of combat maneuvers available to warriors

Saved posts

• Combat Maneuver List Review: As of April 6, 2007
• Combat maneuvers (saved post):Factors, 4/3/07
• New CMAN: Cunning Defense (saved post):4/6/10
• Combat Movement and Combat Focus (saved post)‎:4/6/10
• Divert (saved post): Proposed rogue CMAN, 2/29/10
• Cman charge testing (saved post)

External Links

• http://www.play.net/gs4/info/maneuvers/