Combat-Modifiers

Combat Modifiers

The following modifiers apply situationally in combat.¹

Situation	AC Penalty	Attack Modifier
Flank Attack	No shield	-
Flank (Rear) Attack	No shield No dexterity bonus	-
Rear Attack	No shield No dexterity bonus	+2
Encumbered or off-balance	No dexterity bonus	+2
Stunned, Prone or Motionless Opponents	No shield No dexterity bonus	+4
Fleeing Opponent (see )	No shield No dexterity bonus	+4
Magically Sleeping or Held Opponents (in melee)	Auto hit	x2 attack routines Max damage
Magically Sleeping or Held Opponents (no melee)	Auto hit	Killed or bound Rate of 1/round **
Invisible Opponents	Special*	-4
* Cannot be attacked unless attacking or detected somehow
** Applies to essentially helpless foes 2

Special “To Hit” Bonuses

The following modifiers are elaborations on those listed in the table above.¹

Situation	Modifier
Opponent encumbered, held by one leg, off-balance	+2
Opponent stunned, held by both legs, slowed, partially bound	+4
Opponent magically asleep, held, paralyzed, totally immobile	automatic*
* Per DMG, 67:

References

• DMG, 67 “Special ‘To Hit’ Bonuses” and “MELEE, Magically Sleeping or Held Opponents”
• DMG, 70 “Special Types Of Attacks”

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Footnotes

Footnotes

1. Combat Modifiers: Modifiers appear in two spots in the DMG, on page 67 and 70. These modifiers overlaps somewhat, but not entirely. I have tried to combine everything into this table, but I have also included the modifiers from page 67 below as elaboration. ↩ ↩²

2. Helpless foes — Regarding “magically sleeping or held opponents” per DMG, 67: “In totally immobilized and powerless situations, the opponent can be fully trussed, slain, or whatever in 1 round, so no bonus need be given.” I believe the above qualification in the DMG is situational. I magically sleeping medium or close-sized humanoid can be killed in one round. This might not apply to a giant, dragon, demon, etc. ↩