AdvancedPungeons&cPragons*FOR PLAYERSFundamentals

Player's HandbookThe complete set of basic rules for everyAD&D8 game player appears in thisupdated volume, with special rules formore detailed play. Fantasy races, char-acter classes, skills, equipment, mappingtips, combat and movement tables, andhundreds of spells fill these pages, mak-ing it a requirement for every gamer.

Character Record SheetsEach offers the player a handy place tonote a character's vital statistics, posses-sions, and treasure for easy referenceduring play.

Handbooks

Player's Handbook SupplementsGo beyond the basics with these infor-mative volumes, each offering newrules to further customize and developgame characters. New character kits,personalities, weapons, spells, and tipsfor better play are offered for playersand DMs alike.

Complete Fighter's HandbookComplete Priest's HandbookComplete Wizard's HandbookComplete Thief's HandbookComplete Psionics HandbookComplete Bard's HandbookComplete Ranger's HandbookComplete Paladin's HandbookComplete Druid's HandbookComplete Barbarian's HandbookComplete Ninja's HandbookComplete Book of DwarvesComplete Book of ElvesComplete Book of Gnomesand HalflingsComplete Book of Humanoids

FOR PLAYERS AND DUNGEON MASTERSGaming Tools Accessories

DUNGEON MASTER DECKS'9 Accessor iesAll the information you need most is now at yourfingertips! Hundreds of cards come with each deck,each card summing up the game statistics for aspell, magical item, psionic power, or fantasyencounter—with symbols for fast identification.

Deck of Priest SpellsDeck of Magical ItemsDeck of Psionic PowersDeck of Encounters, Set One (DM's Accessory)Deck of Encounters, Set Two (DM's Accessory)

DUNGEON MASTER Option High-Level HandbookThe highest peaks of character development are reached in this volume, which pre-sents not only special powers that high-level characters can achieve but also guide-lines for DMs on running complex and thrilling adventures for the most powerful ofall heroes.

Tome of MagicOver 200 new spells for wizards and priests, plus a host of new magical items andnew schools and spheres of magic—what more can you ask for? No DM or playershould be without this tome for long!

PLAYER'S OPTION™ RulebooksThe outer limits of the AD&D game are explored in these books, which present avast array of optional rules for experienced DMs and players. Expanded systems forcombat, magic use, and character creation make this series invaluable to seriousgamers.• PLAYER'S OPTION Rulebook: Combat & Tactics• PLAYER'S OPTION Rulebook: Skills & Powers

ENCYCLOPEDIA MAGICA" SeriesEvery magical item ever created for the AD&D game in the last 20 years is here inthis comprehensive encyclopedia! Updated to 2nd Edition game standards, thesedevices span the range from minor trinkets to super-powered artifacts. This assort-ment of treasure is without parallel in any game system!

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Advanced• ^ Aavancea -̂> ̂ -^Dungeons&Dragons'

Accessories

Player's ScreensAt last—gaming screens for players, too! Thegame information most often used by players isall here. Important charts and tables are givenon a fold-up cardboard screen for quick refer-ence, and spell lists, kits, and combat detailsappear on sheets that can be dropped into anycharacter folder.• Fighter's Screen• Priest's Screen• Wizard's Screen• Thief's Screen

Player PacksPlayers will find each of these the ideal all-in-onepackage: a slick carrying case filled with minia-tures, player screen, painting guides, characterrecord sheets, instructions, and more, with roomfor extra books and papers!• Fighter's Player Pack• Priest's Player Pack• Wizard's PJayer Pack• Thief's Player Pack

AdventuresONE-ON-ONE' Adventure SeriesThese adventures are aimed at the small-est of gaming groups, one player and oneDM. Perfect for giving low-level charac-ters more experience, these balance skillsat problem-solving and combat to offerhigh excitement at a low price.• Fighter's Challenge II• Wizard's Challenge II• Thief's Challenge II• Cleric's Challenge II

FOR DUNGEON MASTERSFundamentalsDUNGEON MASTER" G u i d eThe single most important reference for any DM, this vol-ume gives you the lovvdown on how to create and runyour own AD&D game campaign. From world-makingto treasure-sorting, from role-playing to adventure gener-ation, the DMG has it all.

MONSTROUS MANUAL AccessoryWhere else can you find over 600 monsters of every sort,each with full game statistics and a full-color illustrationof the beast in action? This is a fundamental reference forevery DM.

DUNGEON MASTER' Screen & Master IndexThis self-standing cardboard screen puts vital combatand encounter tables right before your eyes. It also hidesyour secret maps, die rolls, and adventure informationfrom players.

AdventuresThe ultimate DMs' fantasies have been put together inthese deluxe adventures, which can be set in any cam-paign world against almost any type of heroic group.• DRAGON MOUNTAIN Adventure• Night Below: The Underdark Campaign• Temple, Tower, & Tomb• The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga• Labyrinth of Madness

COUNCIL OF WYRMS AdventureUnique among all of TSR's adventures, this boxed setallows players to gain dra^oiif as characters! A wholeworld has been created for these most powerful and awe-some creatures, with complete guidelines for runningcampaigns and adventures where dragons rule.

AccessoriesBook of ArtifactsThis coveted collection of phenomenal devices features long-buried favorites from the original AD&D game tomes, as wellas many new relics and devices native to certain TSR cam-paign worlds, all greatly expanded for AD&D 2nd Editiongame players. You'll even learn how to create artifacts andother magical devices for your own campaign!

DUNGEON MASTER' Guide SupplementsAdd depth to your fantasy campaign and bring your adven-tures to greater life with these vital and comprehensive hand-books!• Arms and Equipment Guide (handy for players, too!)• Monster Mythology (nonhuman deities)• The Complete Book of Villains (the best Nl'C book ever!)• The Complete Book of Necromancers

(the ultimate bad guys)

MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM AnnualsOne manual of monsters is not enough! Each year, a newcompendium of bizarre horrors and startling creations isassembled, guaranteed to astonish the players, enliven thecampaign, and please the DM.

*nd ™ designate trademarks owned by TSR. Inc.

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«v Advanced r% w±Duirceons&DraeonsW O R L D S O F A D V E N T U R E Rulebook

PLAYER'S OPTION-Combat & Tactics

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ForewordWay back in issue #39 of DRAGON® Magazine, I found agreat article called Good Hits and Bad Misses. Myfriends and I had been playing the AD&D® game for acouple of years, and we took one look and adopted thearticle's critical hit and fumble system. We ignored everypiece of advice about responsible use of the system andbegan using the critical tables in our next game.

Our epic battles turned into bloodbaths. Our group ofadventurers left a trail of dismemberment and suckingchest wounds in our wake. I distinctly recall one battle inwhich my character, a dwarven fighter named Hendel,had the unbelievable misfortune of losing one leg, anarm, and the other leg at the ankle. He still had 30 hitpoints left, so Hendel kept on battling, swinging his axewith great war-cries as he crawled along after his ene-mies. Talk about your suspended disbelief!

Now it occurs to me that maybe, just maybe, evenConan (or Godzilla!) would have been incapacitated bythese injuries. In fact, maybe Hendel, if role-played well,would have curled up into a ball and cried for hismother when he lost that first leg. I sure would have.But we had a great time with it, even when fumbles ledto friendly-fire decapitations and other such incidents.

The point to all this is that any fantasy role-playinggame has a pretty tough job in creating fast but semi-realistic combat rules, and the AD&D game, even withvariant rules like the critical hit system we ran amok with,is basically an abstract game. The Combat & Tacticsbook is a compromise that adds some detail to combat—not to make it more realistic, but to make combatmore believable. There are darn good reasons whypeople stop fighting after they lose a couple of limbs,why 12th-level fighters don't turn their backs on guyswith knives in their hands, and why people ought to bepolite to angry folks pointing loaded crossbows at them.

If you're one of those players who thinks, "Hey, it'sonly 1 d4 points of damage, what do I care?" (and whohasn't, once in a while?) you'll find that this book's goingto make you think twice. I can't think of a single ex-ample in all of fantasy literature where a character was-n't concerned about someone trying to put a knife orarrow in him; why should your character be any differ-ent? Combat & Tactics rewards common sense andquick thinking. Taking needless risks and making baddecisions can get a person killed in a fight. Don't youthink your character would see things the same way?

Rich BakerNovember, 1994

Before anyone ever thought about creating a role-playing game, there was a little set of rules called theCHAINMAIL game. With that slim booklet in hand, onecould use miniature figures to conduct medievalbattles, from sweeping conflicts in which huge armiesof steel-clad men fought for honor and booty, to smallbands of heroes storming formidable castles, to forcesof elves taking up their bows against fearsomedragons.

The CHAINMAIL rules were hardly the last word in his-torical accuracy, but they were easy to learn and easy toplay. They also did a great job of conveying what itmight have been like to see a medieval battle unfoldingbefore you. The CHAINMAIL game eventually gave rise tothe first fantasy campaigns, but a set of miniatures rulesis not a role-playing game, and it wasn't long before theD&D® game, and later the AD&D game, came along toreplace it. Nevertheless, the CHAINMAIL rules for tabletopcombat remain at the root of the AD&D game.

The AD&D game is about more than combat, butwhat fantasy adventure is complete without at leastone pitched battle where the heroes prevail by thestrength of their sword arms and the sharpness of theirwits? The Combat & Tactics book is for anyone whoseheart races (as mine does) at the thought of clashingarms; not just hack 'n slash, but heroic battles withswirling action, ringing steel, and eldritch flashes ofmagic. You won't find 20 pages of tables telling youexactly where a sword blow lands in this book, but youwill find plenty of ways to make combat more than adice-rolling contest or an exercise in subtracting hitpoints from your character's total. If along the way youlearn to stay away from fights unless you're sure yourparty can win them, that's even better.

Skip WilliamsNovember, 1994

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Table of ContentsChapter One:PLAYER'S OPTION™ Combat System 6

Does This Belong in My Campaign? 6The Battle Map 7

Figures and Facing 7Scale 8

Melee Scale 8Range 8

Weapons 8Monsters 8

Missile Scale 9Switching Scale 10Combined Scale 10

The Combat Round 10Combat Rounds andGame Time 10Spell Durations 10

Combat Status 10Clear 11Threatened 11

Unusual Monstersand Threatening 12

Grappled 12Attacks of Opportunity 13

Movement 13Base Movement 13Exceptional Abilitiesand Movement 14

Strength 14

Dexterity 14Encumbrance 14

Simplified Encumbrance 15Opening the Battle 15

Surprise 15Encounter Distance 16Set-up 16

The Five Basic Stepsof Every Combat Round 16

Step One: Monster ActionDetermination 17Step Two:Player Action Declaration 17Step Three: Initiative 17Step Four: Resolution of Actions . . . .17Step Five:End of Round Resolution 17

Initiative 17The Initiative Roll 17Base Initiative 18Weapon Speeds 18Critical Events 18

Combat Actions 19Combat Actions and Movement . . . .20

No-Move Actions 20Half-Move Actions 20Full-move Actions 20

Movement and Initiative 21Combat Movementon the Battle Map 22

Moving Through Other Figuresin Combat 22

Overruns 22Choosing an Action 23The Actions 24

Attack 24Cast a Spell 24Charge 24Cover 25Fire/Throw Missiles 25Guard 26Move 26Parry 27Run 27Sprint 27Unarmed Combat 27Use A Magical Item 27Withdraw 27

Ending the Combat Round 28Retreats 28Fatigue 28

Keeping Track of Fatigue 28Effects of Fatigue 28Recovering from Fatigue 28Effects of Force Marchingon Fatigue 29

Morale 29Informal Morale Checks 29Formal Morale Checks 29Failing a Morale Check 29

CreditsDesign: L Richard Baker III & Skip Williams

Editing: Thomas M. ReidProject Coordinator: Steve WinterArt Coordinator: Peggy CooperCover Illustration: Jeff Easley

Interior Illustrations: Doug Chaffee, Les Dorscheid, Larry Elmore,Ken & Charles Frank, Roger Loveless, Erik Olson, and Alan Pollack

Graphics Coordinator: Paul JaquaysGraphic Design: Dee BarnettProduction: Paul HanchetteTypography: Angelika LokotzPhotography: Charles KohlDiagrams: Paul Hanchette

Special Thanks: Dave Gross

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, D&D, DUNGEON MASTER, DRAGON STRIKE, and DRAGON are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.MONSTROUS MANUAL, PLANESCAPE, PLAYER'S OPTION, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of thematerial or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc.

Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc.Distributed to the book trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors.

0-7869-0096-2

©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

2149XXX1501 1 st Printing, May 1995.

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Table of ContentsStatus 29

Special Combat Conditions 29Standard and OptionalAD&D Rules 29

Movement and Footing 30Cover and Concealment 30Mounts 30Rear or Flank Attacks 30Sitting, Kneeling,and Lying Prone 30Damage and Dying 31Weapon Type vs. Armor Type . . . .31Firing Into a Melee 31

Additional Rules 31Higher Ground 31Knockdowns 31Critical Hits 32

The Gray Areas 32Example of Combat 32

Round One 33Round Two 35Round Three 37Round Four 37

Chapter Two:Combat Options 38

Does This Belong in My Campaign? . . .38Battle Tactics 39

Shield Wall 39Versus Missiles 39Versus Melee 39

Spear Hedges 40Mounted Charge 40Archery from Horseback 41

Attack Options 42The Opposed Roll 42

Block 42Called Shot 42Disarm 43Grab 44Overbear 44Pull/Trip 45Sap 46Shield-Punch 46Shield-Rush 46Special Weapon Maneuver 47Trap 47

Trap and Break 47Unarmed Attack 47Unhorse 49

Fighting Styles 49Single Weapon 49Two-handed Weapon 49

Size and Two-handed Weapons . .49One- or Two-handed Weapons . .49One-handed Weaponsused Two-handed 49

Weapon and Shield 50Two Weapon 50Unarmed 50

Missile or Thrown Weapon 50Multiple Loaded Weapons 50Thrown Weapons 50

Weapon-Specific Styles 50Dueling 51

What's A Duel? 51Initiative 51The Dueling Plot 51Attacking in the Right Spot 51Reading an Opponent's Move 53Moving the Figures 53Choice of Defense 53Choice of Attack 53Ending a Duel 54

Heroic Frays 54

Chapter Three: The Battlefield 56

Does This Belong in My Campaign? . . .56Battlefields 57

The Four Basic Battlefields 57Dungeons or Caves 57Town or Building 57Outside 57Castles or Fortifications 57

Battlefield Characteristics 57Encounter Range 57Lines of Fire 58Cover and Concealment 58Footing 58Obstacles 58Unusual Materials or Hazards 58

Terrain Types 58Badlands 58Caves 59Desert 59Fields or Farmland 59Forest, Heavy or Jungle 59Forest, Light 60Hills 60Marsh 60Mountains 60Plains 61Ships 61Swamp 62Taverns 62Town Streets 62

Generating a Battlefield 62Step One: Scale 63Step Two: Topography 63

Flat 64Hilly 64Broken 64

Slopes and Escarpments 64Step Three: Ground Coverand Water 64

Clear 64Thickets 64Light Woods 64Heavy Woods 64Clear 64Bog 64

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Stream 64Pond 64

Step Four: Obstacles 65Step Five: Putting It All Together 65

Fighting in Unusual Conditions 65Limited Visibility 65

Moonlight or Moderate Fogor Rain 65Starlight or Dense Fogor Heavy Rain 65Total Darkness 65

Water 65Weapon Restrictions 65Vision 65Movement 66Fighting Underwater MonstersFrom the Surface 66

Climbing 66Movement 66Fighting 66Fighting Flying Creatures 66

Aerial Combat 66Initiative 66Threatening 66Movement 66Attacks from Below 67Attacks from Above 67Unseating a Rider 67

Combat on Other Planes 67Astral Combat 67Ethereal Combat 68

The Effects of Magicon the Battlefield 68

Wizard Spells 68Priest Spells 69Magical Items 69

Chapter Four: Weapon Specialization& Mastery 70

Weapon Proficiencies 70Intelligence and Proficiencies 71Proficiencies and the 71Weapon Groups 71

Specialization andWeapon Groups 71

Character Classes and WeaponProficiencies 71

Kits and Barred Weapons 72New Weapons 72

Shield Proficiency 72Armor Proficiency 72

Weapon Mastery 72Nonproficiency 72Familiarity 73Proficiency 74Expertise 74Specialization 74

Melee Weapons 74Missile Weapons 74Bows 74Crossbows 74

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