House Rules

Parrying

In combat, characters parry and dodge aside from weapons, spells and worse all the time. If necessary, such parrying and dodging can be the focus of a character's actions during a round.

There are three forms or varieties of parrying:

1. Full-Round Parry

2. Individual Attack Parry

3. Limited Full-Round Parry

Regardless of what form of parry is chosen, there are certain rules to parrying that apply to all parries. Parries can only be applied to forward and logical flanking attacks; parrying can provide no protection against rear attacks. Parries can be applied to missile attacks, per the DM's approval. Parrying bonuses do not apply to any saving throws rolled. Weapon bonuses, whether from being well-crafted or magical, or from high strength or specialization, do not apply to parries.

1. Full-Round Parries

As described as an optional rule in the Player's Handbook, a full-round parry provides the maximum amount of protection a character can give himself during a given round. A full-round parry must be declared at the beginning of a round; although other forms of parrying are available mid-round, the benefits of a full-round parry can only be taken if announced at the beginning of a round.

If the character makes no other actions besides self-defense, a full-round parry is achieved. No other actions such as drinking potions is possible during this round. No matter how many attacks come his way, the character enjoys the armor class bonus throughout the round.

The benefit of a full-round parry is an AC bonus equal to half the character's level. A 5th level wizard for instance would gain an AC bonus of -2 for the round, for any fraction is ignored. A warrior gains a +1 to this bonus. A 6th level ranger, for example, would have an AC bonus of -4 throughout the round. Although fractions are ignored, regardless of the level, any given character always receives at least a -1 AC bonus during a full-round parry.

2. Individual Attack Parry

A character may decide that a full-round parry is not necessary, and may instead elect to parry in a more circumspect manner, which involves the sacrifice of at least one attack to be redirected as a parry.

Individual attack parries need not be announced at the beginning of the round. Instead, an individual attack parry must be announced before a single specific oncoming attack, and it must be announced before the roll for that specific attack is made. In making the announcement, the defender forfeits one remaining attack he has for the round.

When an individual attack parry is utilized, the fully parry bonus for that character applies to the defender's armor class against that specific attack only.

Example: Kharn, a 13th level gladiator, is fighting Ktandeo, an 18th level gladiator. Both characters are specialized, and therefore have two or three attacks each round. In the course of a round in which both characters have three attacks and Kharn has the initiative, Ktandeo is critically hit with a 20 by Kharn's first attack, and thereafter only has one hit point remaining. As Kharn is about to make his second attack, Ktandeo decides to parry that specific attack, deciding that he must protect himself. The DM rolls Kharn's attack roll. Kharn rolls well, and normally would have hit, but since Ktandeo is parrying the attack and has thereby lowered his AC by -10, Kharn fails to successfully hit Ktandeo with that attack. Normally, Ktandeo would immediately follow Kharn's attack with his own second attack for the round, but since Ktandeo has just sacrificed an attack for a parry, Kharn may immediately follow and take his third attack for the round. Once again, before the DM rolls for Kharn's attack, Ktandeo's player decides to defend with an individual attack parry by sacrificing his third attack, and thereby again improves Ktandeo's AC by -10. Luckily for Ktandeo, Kharn rolls a 1 and then a 10%, achieving a catastrophic fumble, taking him out of combat for the rest of the round and the following round as well. Seeing his chance, Ktandeo attacks Kharn next round with two attacks while Kharn fumbles. Ktandeo rolls a 20 for a critical hit on his first attack, and thus slays his rival.

Dual-Wielding and Parrying

Dual-wielding theoretically can give a character a significant advantage if he is using an individual attack parry. For example, a character could wield a short sword in his off hand and always dedicate that weapon's attack as an individual attack parry. The would seem to give a dual-wielder a significant advantage in any individual attack parry strategy, and although this can theoretically be true, there are certain disadvantages as well.

Any parry from a dual-wielder is still subject to the -2 primary hand and -4 off-hand penalties for dual-wielding, which also applies to any AC bonus gained through parrying. In the example above, in which Ktandeo fights Kharn, were Ktandeo to attempt to gain an extra attack or parry by dual-wielding, Ktandeo's parrying AC bonus would weaken from -10, to -8 with his primary hand weapon and -6 to his off-hand weapon.

Reaction adjustments from very high (or very low) dexterity can mitigate or modify the -2/-4 penalty. For example, an character with an 18 dexterity has a reaction adjustment bonus of +2, which would lower the penalty to the off-hand weapon parry to -2 and negative the primary hand weapon parry penalty altogether. However, such dexterous parrying displays while dual-wielding detracts from the character's general defense adjustment, as he is focusing a great deal of his attention on manipulating his weapons rather than his entire body. This detraction is calculated by subtracting the reaction adjustment value from the character's defensive adjustment. A character with an 18 dexterity has a reaction adjustment of +2 and a defensive adjustment bonus of -4. Thus, while dual-wield parrying, a character with an 18 dexterity would only have an AC defensive adjustment bonus of -2.

Example: Zvain the Cruel is 16th level drow elf fighter with a 19 dexterity. Aside from his dexterity, Zvain's only other defensive adjustments are due to his drow elfin chain +5, which provides him with an AC of 0. With his dexterity's defensive adjustment, Zvain's total AC would normally be -4. Zvain normally wields a long sword (with which he is specialized) in his primary hand and a short sword in his off-hand. He thus receives the standard -2/-4 penalties to dual-wielding

3. Limited Full-Round Parry

Sometimes a character may be faced with multiple attacks from multiple opponents, and may desire as his strategy to improve his armor class throughout the round with a limited or partial parry. He can do this by sacrificing at least one of his attacks.

To make a limited full-round parry, the character in question must declare his intent to do so, and must declare before any pertinent attack rolls from his assailants are made. The parrying character must also decide