How Combat Works
Combat is cyclical; everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle of rounds. Combat follows this sequence:
2. Each combatant starts out flat-footed. Once a combatant acts, he or she is no longer flat-footed.
3. Determine which characters are aware of their opponents at the start of the battle. If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds of combat begin. The combatants who are aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take one action (either a standard action or a move action) during the surprise round. Combatants who were unaware do not get to act in the surprise round. If no one or everyone starts the battle aware, there is no surprise round.
4. Combatants who have not yet rolled initiative do so. All combatants are now ready to begin their first regular round of combat.
5. Combatants act in initiative order (highest to lowest).
6. When everyone has had a turn, the combatant with the highest initiative acts again, and steps 4 and 5 repeat until combat ends.
Combat Basics
Attack Roll
Attack Bonus
Finesse
Damage
Defense
Hit Points
Damage Threshold
Severe Injury
Infection
Armor
Speed
Saving Throws
Initiative
Surprise
Attack of Opportunity
Injury and Death
Subdual Damage
Combat Modifiers
Actions in Combat
The Combat Round
Action Types
Special Attacks
Special Initiative Actions
Taking A Breather
Recovery
Resting and Sleeping
Temporary Hit Points
Armor Damage and Repair
Movement, Position, and Distance
Establish Positions
Tactical Movement
Big and Little Creatures in Combat
Cover
Concealment
Flanking
Helpless Defenders
