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 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
Training Point Cost | 4/4 | 4/3 | - | 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. A rank 1 minor on a limb provides a 7 point penalty, while a body minor provides no penalty.
- 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.
Location | Rank | Injury Penalty | Scar Penalty |
Limb | Rank 1 | -7 | ? |
Limb | Rank 2 | -27 | ? |
Limb | Rank 3 | ? | ? |
Body | Rank 1 | 0 | 0 |
Body | Rank 2 | ? | ? |
Body | Rank 3 | ? | ? |
List of available Combat Maneuvers
- 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.
- Berserk - Go into a blind berserker rage. Can break immobilizations, such as web, bind, or stuns, and provides a boost to AS.
- Block Mastery - Increase the chance of blocking with a shield by 5% per rank (15% at mastery).
- Bull Rush - Charge an opponent in an attempt to knock them to the ground.
- Charge - Setting a polearm and charge with it at an opponent.
- Cheapshots - Employs various "cheap" tactics, such as a nosetweak, eyepoke, etc.
- Combat Focus - Add +2 generic TD (+10 at mastery).
- Combat Mastery - Normally, you're limited to 20% stance changes. This allows 10% (1 rank) or 5% (2 ranks) stance changes.
- Combat Mobility - If prone, instantly stand when attacked, unless you're immobilized.
- Combat Movement - Increase DS by +2 per rank (+10 at mastery).
- Combat Toughness - Increase your HP by 5 + 10 per rank (+35 total, at mastery).
- Coup de Grace - Instantly kills a disabled and weakened victim and gives a slight AS bonus.
- Crowd Press - Increases the effectiveness of short weapons, decreases the effectiveness of long weapons.
- Cunning Defense - Imposes a +3 penalty on an opponent using a CML maneuver; acts as a full rank at mastery.
- Cutthroat - Silences the victim until the throat wound is cured. Does not cause instant death.
- Dirtkick - Kick a clump of dirt in an opponent's face. Reduces their perception.
- Disarm Weapon - Remove a weapon from an opponent's grasp.
- Divert - From hiding, you attempt to divert your foe's attention, luring them to an adjacent room.
- Dust Shroud - Kick up a cloud of dust to aid in hiding.
- Evade Mastery - Passive skill that adds a percentage to evasion.
- Feint - Reduces an opponent's stance with a faked attack.
- Garrote - Choke a victim with a wire, will cause death after a period of time.
- Groin Kick - Causes a caster to forget a readied spell. Causes a good deal of pain in men.
- Hamstring - Cut the back of the leg, knocking a victim prone.
- Haymaker - Daze an opponent with a punch to the head.
- Headbutt - Stun an opponent by putting your head into theirs.
- Mighty Blow - Reduces the opponent's stance with this single attack. Extra roundtime for the attacker.
- Multi-Fire - String multiple arrows on a single pull and fire.
- Parry Mastery - Parry an attack more often. An extra 5% chance per rank (15% at mastery).
- Precision - Allows you to chose if your weapon does piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage. 75% effective at 1 rank, 100% effective at 2 ranks.
- Quickstrike - Make a single attack at a significantly reduced amount of roundtime, at the cost of a reduced AS.
- Shadow Mastery - Temporarily increases effective training in Stalking and Hiding and reduces the roundtime associated with this skill.
- Shield Bash - Using your shield, bash an opponent. Does little damage, but can reduce the stance of, stun, and knock down an opponent
- Shield Charge - Similar to above, but can be much more devastating -- for the attacker and the defender.
- Side by Side - A passive skill that increases AS and DS when grouped with others that have the same skill.
- Silent Strike - Attack an opponent from hiding without revealing your position -- or identity.
- Specialization I - Increases the effective use of a specific weapon type. +10 to AS at mastery, and works with skills that use your weapon.
- Specialization II - See above, but for a different weapon type.
- Specialization III - See above, but for yet another weapon type.
- Spin Attack - Increases attack strength and dodge skill for a single attack.
- Staggering Blow - Attack an opponent, and place them in roundtime. May knock opponents into an adjacent room.
- Stun Maneuvers - Perform certain actions while stunned.
- Subdual Strike - Similar to Subdue, except you don't hide first.
- Subdue - Attack a foe from hiding, with the intention of knocking them out.
- Sucker Punch - Disables, reduces stance, and does a small amount of damage to a target.
- Sunder Shield - Attempt to break or disarm an opponent's shield.
- Surge of Strength - Temporarily increases one's strength bonus. Adds +8 at rank 1, +16 at rank 5.
- Sweep - Using your legs, drop to the ground and knock the feet out from under an opponent.
- Tackle - Similar to sweep, except one uses his entire body, and with less finesse. Although, potentially more devastating.
- Trip - Using a long pole (polearm, quarterstaff, or runestaff), knock the feet out from under an opponent.
- 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,
- Twin Hammerfists - Using both fists, smash an opponent. May knockdown and/or stun an opponent.
- Weapon Bonding - Similar to weapon specialization, except for a single weapon, and there are much more benefits. A must for any warrior.
- Vanish - Allows a rogue to slip into the shadows without roundtime, and at higher ranks while in roundtime.
Additional Info
- 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)