Wrestling

If opponents grapple each other in combat (or, for example, collide and fall), they can wrestle. The rules for wrestling apply both to characters and to monsters able to strangle (some snakes, octopuses).

Grabbing the opponent

One way to start wrestling is to grab the opponent. All it takes is a successful hit with the grab maneuver:

accuracy - 2

The attacker rolls a normal attack (with a hand, tentacle) with a -2 penalty, and if he succeeds, he has caught the victim and can start strangling or wrestling it. The Grab opponent maneuver causes no damage.

Other start

Apart from the case when both opponents want to wrestle, wrestling may be started, for example, by a collision or a fall together.

Course of wrestling

The attack is always resolved at the end of the round. Each attacker can choose whom to attack. Everyone rolls for defense once; it counts the same against all attacks.

In the first round only the character who started the wrestling attacks (except when both characters wanted to fight).

Attack (for monsters, separately for each tentacle):

If the attack is higher than the defense, the attacker succeeded and the defender is wounded for the difference between attack and defense. We apply it to everyone at the same time (at the very end of the round).

The final damage is further reduced by a quarter of the armor (if the character has a helmet, then by half of the AC).

Predatory animals

For animals, wrestling is second nature and they are very well equipped for it. They always cause real damage (teeth, claws, talons, beak) and it is 1 higher.

Falling to the ground

Wrestling characters usually tumble to the ground. They remain standing only if at least one of them wants to, takes a -2 penalty to wrestling (attack and defense), and defends successfully.

Load and Armor Penalties

In wrestling the same armor penalties apply as for other combat skills (see the chapter „Carrying capacity and Load“). So do not forget to add penalties for encumbrance (stiffness).

Maneuvers in wrestling

Breaking free

If one of the opponents wants to break free from wrestling (strangling), he rolls only for defense and cannot attack. If he rolls at least 2 more than the opponent, he succeeds and breaks free from the strangling. In the next round he is no longer wrestling and can fight normally.

Otherwise he is wounded for double damage.

Immobilizing the opponent

You do not have to wound your opponent, you can just immobilize him. However, you must roll 5 more on the attack:

Against an already immobilized opponent you have a +5 bonus to wrestling, and moreover he cannot attack.

An immobilized opponent can no longer break free or perform other maneuvers.

Stunning an immobilized opponent

If you have immobilized an opponent, you can stun him. If you roll 5 more on the attack, your opponent must roll for knockout with a -5 penalty.

Each further attempt in an uninterrupted row gives the victim another -5 penalty for knockout to the vitality roll.

Targeted attack

Even in wrestling you can aim the attack at a more sensitive spot. The targeting penalties are the same as in combat, but for example when twisting an arm (attack on the elbow) the opponent does not count his AC.

Using a weapon in wrestling

In wrestling you can use only knives and daggers. With a weapon you also attack only once; the rules are almost the same:

Weapon in wrestling

The attacker has a - 2 penalty to the attack. In case of

success, the difference increases by 5.

The difference between attack and defense

is multiplied x2

If a wrestling participant has another weapon, he must drop it (it is enough to announce it, it costs him nothing more). If he wants to keep it (for example in case he breaks free), he will have a -2 penalty to wrestling for each hand with which he tries to hold the weapon.

Drawing a weapon

If you want to draw a weapon during wrestling, you must roll 2 more on the attack (any modifiers are set by the GM) than your opponent on defense. With this maneuver you do not wound your opponent.

Blocking / taking a weapon

If you see that your opponent has got a weapon, you can try to block him or try to take his weapon (with this maneuver you do not wound him):

— If you roll 5 more on the attack, you take the opponent's weapon.

— If you roll more, your opponent cannot attack.

— If you roll less, the maneuver failed.

Wrestling and combat

A situation often arises where someone attacks the wrestling characters, or conversely a wrestling character wants to do something else:

Active wrestling

Wrestling characters have a -5 penalty to speed, defend only passively and usually have a penalty for lying down (wrestling characters usually tumble to the ground).

They cannot attack anyone else.

Passive wrestling

If you would rather fight and pay less attention to wrestling, you can. You get a -5 penalty to wrestling and do not attack in it (you only defend). You cannot attack the one who is wrestling with you (because he blocks your blows).

For you, wrestling is resolved at the beginning of the round, because they may block your arm or knock you out completely.

If you get through the wrestling phase, you have a -2 penalty to accuracy and defense for each opposing attacker in the wrestling, and you also cannot move in combat.

Attacking wrestling characters

If someone attacks the wrestlers, there is a chance that he hits someone other than whom he wants to hit:

Special Event

Even in wrestling a special event can occur if one side rolls 10 more:

In attack

Stun

You hit the opponent in a sensitive spot. He must roll for shock (if your attack would cause shock by itself, your opponent has a -5 penalty to the roll).

Lock

Your opponent is immobilized.

Disarming

If the opponent has a weapon, it falls out of his hand.

Critical blow

Your blow bypassed the armor (the opponent does not subtract his armor from the damage).

Change of position

In the wrestling you got into a better position. You have grabbed your opponent from behind.

In defense

Breaking free

You can break free from wrestling with the given attacker. If you fight several opponents at once, the attacker will be out of the wrestling in the next round as well. If you fight only one, you can end the wrestling (and, for example, try to run away in the next round).

Change of position

If the opponent was holding you from behind or with a chain, you get into a better position (i.e. you cancel the hold from behind or with a chain).

Momentary advantage

You gain an advantage for a moment. In the next round the opponent cannot attack you and does not count toward the number of fighting characters (if you have several opponents, you have no penalty for him).