Theatre of War

Combat Options & Maneuvers

T
heatre of War is a compilation of homebrew You can avoid provoking an opportunity attack by taking
rules meant to give combat encounters a more the Disengage action. You also don't provoke an opportunity
cinematic flair by providing players and DMs attack when you teleport or when someone or something
with a rich tapestry of flavorful mechanics. The moves you without using your movement, action, or reaction.
hope is that by providing players with
compelling alternatives to standard attack Flanking
actions, we can break the monotony of "roll to When a creature and at least one of its allies are adjacent to
hit" gameplay. an enemy and on the opposite side’s or corners of the
Many of the rules provided by this supplement are inspired enemies space, they flank that enemy and each of them
by the books and movies that thrill us and inspire our games, receives +2 to Melee Attack rolls against that enemy.
and our humble hope is to help bring that feeling to Flanking a creature on both axis' grants a +5 Melee Attack
everyone's table. Of course, these are all options to be used, rolls.
discarded and modified to your heart's content. You can’t flank an enemy that it can’t see and all allied
And while we aspire to bring more dramatic action to your creatures flanking the enemy must be able to attack
tables, the primary goal as always is to have fun. Hope you unimpeded (stunned, prone, blind or incapacitated allies do
enjoy it. not count towards flanking).
-DM Mars*
Cleave
Melee Attacks If a melee attack reduces an undamaged creature to 0 hit
points, any excess damage from that attack can carry over to
Mark another creature within reach. If the original attack roll can
When creature makes a melee attack, it can also mark its hit it any remaining damage applies to it. If that creature was
target. Until the end of the attacker's next turn, any undamaged and is likewise reduced to 0 hit points, repeat
opportunity attack it makes against the marked target has this process, until there are no valid targets, or until it fails to
advantage. The opportunity attack doesn't expend the reduce an undamaged creature to 0 hit points.
attacker's reaction. The attacker is limited to one opportunity
attack per turn. Parry
As a reaction, when a creature attacks you with a weapon,
Short Draw you can choose to parry one melee weapon attack against you
As an attack, you may draw a sheathed one-handed sword and add 2 to your AC against one melee attack that would hit
and make an attack roll to strike the enemy with its pommel, you. To do so, you must see the attacker and be wielding a
leaving the target gasping for breath. This attack deals no melee weapon.
damage, however, the next attack roll made against the target
has advantage. You must have at least one hand free to take Sap
this action. Using a bludgeoning weapon, a creature may make a single
attack roll with this weapon against an unaware, surprised
Opportunity Attacks (Expanded) target. If the attack hits, it does no damage, but the target
In a fight, everyone is constantly watching for a chance to must make a Constitution save with a DC of 8 + the weapon
strike an enemy who is fleeing, distracted, or passing by. Such attack bonus, or be stunned until the beginning of its next
a strike is called an opportunity attack. turn. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target is knocked
To make the opportunity attack, you use your reaction to unconscious.
make one melee attack against the provoking creature in two
scenarios: Sundering
Heavy melee weapons can be used to overpower an enemy's
Moving. You can make an opportunity attack when a weapon. As an action, make an attack roll with your weapon
hostile creature that you can see moves out of your reach. against a creature wielding a weapon. If the attack hits, the
The attack occurs right before the creature leaves your target is thrown off balance and any attacks rolls made with
reach. that weapon have a disadvantage until their next turn. If the
Rising from a Prone Position. A hostile creature who is attack is a critical hit, the weapon is damaged, and all attacks
getting up from a prone position within your reach will made with this weapon have disadvantage until it is repaired.
incur an opportunity attack before it can. Magical weapons cannot be permanently damaged.
Use an Object. Using an object while in a hostile
creature’s reach will provoke an attack of opportunity as
that action diverts attention away from threats in their
immediate vicinity.

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Contests in Combat The smaller creature can move around within the larger
creature's space, treating the space as difficult terrain. The
Overrun larger creature's ability to attack the smaller creature
When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature's depends on the smaller creature's location, and is left to your
space, the mover can try to force its way through by discretion. The larger creature can dislodge the smaller
overrunning the hostile creature. As an action the mover creature as an action- knocking it off, scraping it against a
makes a Strength (Athletics) roll against the opposing wall, or grabbing and throwing it- by making a Strength
creature's AC. The creature attempting the overrun has (Athletics) check contested by the smaller creature's
advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The
creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover passes, smaller creature chooses which ability to use.
it can move through the hostile creature's space once this Disarming
turn. If it fails, it can move no further that turn and falls prone Using the Attack action, you can choose to target a creature's
in front of the creature if failing by 5 or more. weapon, effectively disarming it.
Tumble The target must be no more than one size larger than you
A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature's and must be within your reach. Make a standard attack roll
space. As an action (or a bonus action if using Cunning contested by the target's own attack roll. If you win the
Action or something similar), the tumbler makes a Dexterity contest, you disarm the target sending the weapon 5ft away
(Acrobatics) against the opposing creature's AC. If the from the enemy.
tumbler passes, it can move through the hostile creature's The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target
space once this turn. If it fails, it can move no further that is holding the item with two or more hands. The target has
turn and falls prone if failing by 5 or more. advantage on its ability check if it is larger than the attacking
creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller.
Shoving Rolling a 1 will cause you to be disarmed instead.
Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack
to shove a creature and push it away from you (Shove). If
you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action,
this attack replaces one of them.
The target must be no more than one size larger than you
and must be within your reach. Instead of making an attack
roll, you make a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the
target's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you win the
contest, you push the target 5 feet away from you.
Tripping
You can choose to knock a creature off its feat and leave it
prone, as long as no more than one size larger than you and
must be within reach. Using an Attack action, make a
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target's
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the Blade Lock
target chooses the ability to use). If you win the contest, the When wielding a melee weapon, as an Attack action you can
target is knocked prone. choose to lock blades with an enemy creature holding a
Alternatively, a weapon can be used to trip an opponent melee weapon by making contested attack rolls against the
instead and knock them prone. To do simply make an attack target. If you win, the enemy creature's weapon is "blade
roll against the target's contested by the target's Strength locked" by yours. If they make an attack with that weapon or
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target perform an action that causes them to drop that weapon, they
chooses the ability to use). If you win the contest, you knock incur an opportunity attack from you. Furthermore, any
the target prone. actions other actions they attempt with their offhand are
Climb onto a Bigger Creature performed at disadvantage.
Instead of grappling, a suitably large opponent can be treated As an action at the start of their next turn, the blade locked
as terrain for the purpose of jumping onto its back or clinging creature can attempt to wrest control of the blade lock and
to a limb. After making any ability checks necessary to get turn it to their advantage. They may also choose to use the
into position and onto the larger creature, the smaller disengage action to leave the blade lock without incurring the
creature uses its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or opportunity attack.
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target's The target of a blade lock advantage on its contested check
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If it wins the contest, the if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it
smaller creature successfully moves into the target creature's is smaller. Creatures have advantage on blade lock checks
space and clings to its body. While in the target's space, the when wielding a versatile or two-handed melee weapon, or if
smaller creature moves with the target and has advantage on they use both dual wielded weapons during the lock.
attack rolls against it.

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 Grappling Chokehold
As an action, you seize a target by the throat by making a
When you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, you can Athletics check contested by the target's Athletics or
use an action to make initiate a grapple. If you're able to Acrobatics check. The target of your chokehold must be no
make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack more than one size larger than you and within your reach.
replaces one of them. While performing a chokehold you have a disadvantage on
The target of your grapple must be no more than one size Dexterity saves.
larger than you and must be within your reach. Using at least If the target fails they take bludgeoning damage equal the
one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple attacker's Strength Bonus, have disadvantage on Dexterity
check instead of an attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check saves, their movement is halved and they are Silenced.
contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity At the end of their next turn, the target must then make a
(Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). Constitution Save with a of DC 8 + the attacker's Strength
If you succeed, you subject the target to the grappled Bonus. If the target fails the save by 5 or more, they are
condition (see below). The condition specifies the things that rendered unconscious for 1d4 minutes. Every subsequent
end it, and you can release the target whenever you like (no round that a choke continues increases the DC by 1.
action required). If the target is larger than you, the roll is A choked creature can us an action to escape a chokehold
made at a disadvantage. by making a Athletics or Acrobatics check contested by your
Athletics check.
Revised Grappled Condition
A grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t
benefit from any bonus to its speed.

All creatures in the grapple have a disadvantage on

Dexterity Saving Throws and their Attack rolls have
disadvantage unless they are using a melee with the light
property or make an unarmed attack.

Creatures in a grapple cannot cast spells that require

somatic components.

The condition ends if the Grappler is incapacitated (see the

condition)

If an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach

of the Grappler or Grappling effect, they can attempt to
escape the grapple at an advantage.

Escaping a Grapple
A grappled creature can use its action to escape. To do so, it
must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics)
check.
Moving a Grappled Creature
When you move, you can drag or carry the grappled creature
with you, but your speed is halved, unless the creature is two
or more sizes smaller than you.
Overbearing
Sometimes, it's not how strong you are but how many friends
you have. For each additional allied creature involved in a
grapple, receive a +1 bonus (to a maximum of +5).

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Ranged Attacks Cover
Walls, trees, creatures, and other obstacles can provide cover
Trick Shot during combat, making a target more difficult to harm. A
As an standard action (not an attack action), make a single target can benefit from cover only when an attack or other
stylish ranged attack with disadvantage. If the lower roll effect originates on the opposite side of the cover.
would also hit the target, you automatically score a critical There are three degrees of cover. If a target is behind
hit. multiple sources of cover, only the most protective degree of
Pinning
cover applies; the degrees aren't added together. For example,
if a target is behind a creature that gives half cover and a tree
When you make a ranged attack with a piercing weapon, you trunk that gives three-quarters cover, the target has three-
may attempt to pin a Large, or smaller creaure to a wall or quarters cover.
surface. Make an attack roll, if the attack hits, the target must
make Strength save with a DC of 8 + your weapon attack A target with half cover has a +2 bonus to AC and
bonus. On a failure, the target's speed is reduced to 0 until Dexterity saving throws. A target has half cover if an
the weapon is removed. The target can make another obstacle blocks at least half of its body. The obstacle might
Strength Saving throw at the beginning of its next turn or be a low wall, a large piece of furniture, a narrow tree
spend an action to remove itself. trunk, or a creature, whether that creature is an enemy or
a friend.
Long Shot
You meticulously aim at a target by compensating for target with three-quarters cover has a +5 bonus to AC and
distance, wind, and other variables allowing you to fire Dexterity saving throws. A target has three-quarters cover
beyond your optimal range. As an action in a turn that you if about three-quarters of it is covered by an obstacle. The
have not moved, make a single ranged up to your maximum obstacle might be a portcullis, an arrow slit, or a thick tree
distance without incurring penalties. trunk.
Cover Fire target with total cover can't be targeted directly by an
As an action, make a single ranged attack. You intentionally attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a
miss your target but leave them distracted. Until the target by including it in an area of effect. A target has total
beginning of its following turn, the target's next attack roll is cover if it is completely concealed by an obstacle.
made at a disadvantage. Hitting Cover
High Ground When a ranged attack misses a target that has cover, you can
Controlling the high ground allows you a better vantage point use this optional rule to determine whether the cover was
on your opponent, allowing you to fire on them at a better struck by the attack.
angle, including over cover. When targeting a creature with First, determine whether the attack roll would have hit the
ranged weapon from an elevation of 10ft or higher, you can protected target without the cover. If the attack roll falls
make the attack with an advantage. If the target has gone within a range low enough to miss the target but high enough
prone, however, the attack is still at a disadvantage. to strike the target if there had been no cover, the object used
for cover is struck. If a creature is providing cover for the
missed creature and the attack roll exceeds the AC of the
covering creature, the covering creature is hit.

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 Meaningful Damage
Impactful Crits Force
Force is pure magical energy focused into a damaging form.
Nothing is more underwhelming than a low critical damage Most effects that deal force damage are spells,
roll. To counteract this, instead of doubling the damage dice, including magic missile and spiritual weapon.
simply add the maximum value from the attack’s normal Pushed - the target is pushed back back 10ft by telekinetic
damage dice, then roll the additional critical dice and add any energies.
damage bonuses.
Lightning
Critical Armor Damage A lightning bolt spell and a blue dragon’s breath deal
Everything breaks, especially the objects that take the lightning damage.
greatest beating in an adventure...armor. Shocked - The target is shocked by the attack can’t take
Whenever an enemy creature scores a critical hit, as a reactions until the end of its next turn.
reaction a you may choose to sacrifice your armor to bear the
brunt of the hit. Doing so cancels out the additional damage Necrotic
at the cost of a -1 penalty to AC for each damage source Necrotic damage, dealt by certain undead and a spell such
negated (weapon, magical, poison, smite, etc.) as chill touch, withers matter and even the soul.
Once the armor loses all of its bonuses it is completely Withered - The target is overcome with death and decay
destroyed and is unusable. This option cannot be used and can't regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
against a sneak attack. Magical armor can ignore one critical
damage source per magical armor bonus. Piercing
Puncturing and impaling attacks, including spears and
Alternative Damage Effects monsters’ bites, deal piercing damage.
With the exception of how they interact with damage Pinned - The attack pins the target, and it suffers
resistances and vulnerabilities, damage types are often disadvantage on dexterity saving throws until the end of its
mechanically identical, offering no tactical difference between next turn or until the weapon is removed.
one another. Under this optional rule, before rolling damage Poison
after an attack, spell or ability, a player can instead opt to use Venomous stings and the toxic gas of a green dragon’s breath
the 'alternative effect' for that damage type based on the list deal poison damage.
below: Weakened - The attack strikes right at the vein, and must
Acid make their next poison save at a disadvantage.
The corrosive spray of a black dragon’s breath and the Psychic
dissolving enzymes secreted by a black pudding deal acid Mental abilities such as a mind flayer’s psionic blast deal
damage. psychic damage.
Consumed - Acid eats away at the targets’s defenses, Dumbfounded - The target’s mind is overwhelmed and it
reducing AC by -1 until they can repair the damage. has disadvantage on ability checks until the end of its next
Bludgeoning turn.
Blunt force attacks—hammers, falling, constriction, and the Radiant
like—deal bludgeoning damage. Radiant damage, dealt by a cleric’s flame strike spell or an
Pummeled - The attack overwhelms the creature, angel’s smiting weapon, sears the flesh like fire and overloads
knocking it prone. the spirit with power.
Cold Dazzled - An intense flash temporarily blinds the target
The infernal chill radiating from an ice devil’s spear and the granting advantage on next attack against them.
frigid blast of a white dragon’s breath deal cold damage. Slashing
Frostbitten - Cold creeps into the creature's muscles and Swords, axes, and monsters’ claws deal slashing damage.
its movement is slowed by 10ft for until the end of its next Hamstrung - The attack at a tendon, rendering their next
turn.
attack ineffective and at a disadvantage.
Fire
Thunder
Just as red dragons breathe fire, many spells conjure flames A concussive burst of sound, such as the effect of
to deal fire damage. the Thunderwave spell, deals thunder damage.
Set Ablaze - The target catches fire and takes additional Disoriented - The sudden boom of sound throws the target
burning damage (1d6) at the start of the next turn unless it
uses an action to put itself out. Flammable objects may also off balance and deafens them until the end of them next turn.
be destroyed.

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Rest & Recovery

I
n roleplaying games, your characters life is measured Short Rest
using Hit Points (or HP). A character's HP is an
abstraction of their health, endurance, experience A short rest is a period of downtime, at least 10 minutes long,
and what can sometimes be described as "plot during which a character does nothing more strenuous than
armor". eating, drinking, reading, and tending to wounds.
The options below seek to capitalize on that armor A character can spend one or more Hit Dice at the end of a
by giving it narrative weight and making them feel short rest, up to the character’s maximum number of Hit
less like empty numbers. After all, what is a knife wound Dice, which is equal to the character’s level. Each Hit Die
when one can just "sleep it off". spent in this way takes 10 minutes to use, so a character who
spends 3 hit dice will stop and take 30 minutes to treat their
Long Rest wounds.
Once every 24-hour period, a character may take long rest. Skilled Care
During this 8-hour downtime, a character sleeps or performs
light activity: reading, talking, eating, or standing watch for no If a character is healed by someone with a proficiency in the
more than 2 hours. If the rest is interrupted by a period of Medicine skill and expends a use of a healer's kit, they receive
strenuous activity the characters must begin the rest again to a bonus equal to healer’s Medicine Bonus for each hit die
gain any benefit from it. healed this way. If there are no healer’s kits available, then
While long rests do not automatically heal your character, the healer may attempt to heal the injured character after a
they can spend Hit Dice to heal at the end of a long rest, just DC 15 Medicine check, giving them a bonus of half the
as with a short rest. healer's Medicine Bonus (rounded down).
At the end of a long rest a character regains spent abilities Battle Fatigue
and spell slots. They also recover hit dice depending on the
conditions they are resting in: In standard Dungeons and Dragons when dropped to zero
hitpoints, characters can quickly get back to their feet with a
Dangerous Terrirotory simple level 1 spell. The battle fatigue option changes that.
Sleeping in an area surrounded by enemies, even in the When a creature drops to 0 hit points and is healed back to
relative safety of a locked room or a tiny hut spell, does not consciousness, they suffer a level of exhaustion to reflect the
help characters recover hit dice. The stress of the situation injuries they've sustained and the shock of being forced back
makes it too difficult to get any rest. up. This level of exhaustion can also stack, making falling
unconscious more perilous to the character.
Camping
Setting up a decent camp with a warm fire, food, tents and no Living Enemies
immediate threats will help your character recover half of Player Characters have a key advantage over enemy
their maximum hit dice (at a minimum of one). creatures: death saves. Death saves allow PCs to (under most
Comfortable Lodgings circumstances) return from the dead - they get knocked down
A comfortable bed, a decent meal, and safe environment go a to 0 HP and have 3 chances to come back to life. The living
long way to making someone feel rested. A character who enemies mechanism gives the same general consideration to
that spends a long rest in an inn, home, or other lodging of at enemy creatures.
least “modest” level regains all hit dice at the end of an 8 Simply put, this rule assumes that enemies who are
hour period. dropped down to 0 HP are not killed outright. The creatures
are instead rendered Unconscious unless they take additional
Medical Facilities damage, or are resuscitated by another creature.
Characters who spend their long rest at a healing center like Characters who wish to slay enemy creatures must use an
a clinic, hospital, or healer's den regain all of their hitpoints at additional attack action after the creature has been downed
the end of their long rest. in order to kill it. This adds narrative and moral weight to
The facilities must contain ample medical or healing combat by making a distinction between the act of defeating
equipment and the character must be attended to during an enemy versus taking effort to murder them. It also
their rest. There is usually a steep fee associated with the "murder hoboism" less incidental and more deliberate.
service as it is labor intensive. There are, however, circumstances that lead to the
immediate death of a creature. If the last attack on a creature
is a critical hit, or if the amount of damage of the final attack
is at least twice their total HP, they die.
If you combine this rule with something like 'Lingering
Injuries' and you could have narrative situations where a
downed enemy can survive, and re-emerge with battle scars
from their last encounter with the party. Whether they are
back for revenge or grateful for the mercy is entirely up to the
DM...
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Hit Dice Redux Flashback Examples
If hit points are a reflection of your character’s health,
resolve, wellbeing and importance to the plot, then Hit Dice “I want to have a flashback to earlier that night,
should be the font from which those things are recharged.
This means making hit dice a commodity for more than just where I sneak into the stables and feed fireweed
healing, and turning them into stack of your character’s inner to all their goats so they’ll go berserk and create
reserves, that they can call on in a pinch. a distraction for our infiltration.”
The following are suggested ways in which you can choose
to expend hit dice:
Healing. As usual, characters can expend their remaining
hit dice during a short or long rest to recover hit points. “Ha! Nice. Okay, that’s seems a bit tricky,
Spell Slots. Spellcasters can summon up the magical dealing with ornery goats and all... 1 stress.”
forces within them to cast spells when they are out of
spells slots. Spell slots used this way cost 1HD per spell
slot level. So in order to cast a 4th level spell using HD, a
character would have to expend 4 hit dice for that spell. “Should I roll Prowl to sneak in and plant it?”
Special abilities and powers. Class/Racial abilities or
feats with a set number of expenditures can called upon
again by expending 2 hit dice per use. Examples of this
include Ki Points, Bardic Inspiration dice, Wild Shapes, “Nah. Their goat stable security amounts to a
and Superiority Dice.
stable boy who is usually asleep anyway. You can
Paying for flashbacks. Whenever you invoke a flashback easily avoid their notice.”
(below), the GM sets a “stress cost” in the form of a Hit
Dice expenditure.
Flashbacks
“So it just works?”
Inspired by Blades in the Dark, a flashback is a roll for an
action in the past that would impact your current situation.
When you invoke a flashback you essentially interrupt the
story, giving a character an opportunity to approach a
challenge from a different position, or change their “Eh... not so fast. When you want the distraction
circumstances by suggesting that something they had done in to hit, let’s make an animal handling check to
the past that could help now. see if the goat acts as you had anticipated.”
Bear in mind that a flashback is not time travel. It can’t
“undo” something that just occurred in the present moment,
it can just add to what has happened.
HD Cost
Whenever you invoke a flashback, the GM sets a "stress cost"
in the form of a Hit Dice Expenditure:
1 Stress --- An ordinary action for which you had an easy
opportunity
2 Stress --- A complex action or unlikely opportunity
3+ Stress--- An elaborate action that involved special
opportunities and/or contingencies
After the stress cost is paid, a flashback action is handled
just like any other action. Many times a flashback won’t call
for a roll at all because the character has already paid the
stress cost to accomplish it. However, sometimes it will
involve a Skill Check, because there’s some danger or trouble
involved. Or it could involve some other kind of roll (attack,
saving throw, or simple ability check) because we just need to
find out how well (or how much, or how long, etc.) it went.

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