Combat Quick Reference
A single-page reference covering the core Rolemaster combat sequence, rolls, and modifiers. All rules are from Arms Law & Claw Law (AL&CL) unless otherwise noted. Optional rules are flagged with (Optional — AL&CL p.XX).
Battle Round Sequence
One round = 10 seconds. Each combatant normally makes one attack per round (melee, missile, or spell).
| Phase | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 — Spell Action | Declare spells to cast or prepare; specify targets |
| 2 — Spell Results | Resolve all cast spells simultaneously; effects apply immediately |
| 3 — Spell Orientation | Orientation rolls for teleporters or unusual movement |
| 4 — Fire Phase (A) | Declare missile/thrown attacks; specify target |
| 5 — Fire Result (A) | Resolve Fire Phase (A) attacks simultaneously |
| 6 — Movement/Maneuver | Move up to full allowance; resolve extraordinary maneuvers |
| 7 — Fire Phase (B) (self-reloading weapons only) | Second missile attack declaration |
| 8 — Fire Result (B) | Resolve Fire Phase (B) attacks |
| 9 — Melee Phase | Declare melee attacks; announce OB/DB split |
| 10 — Melee Result | Resolve in initiative order; results apply immediately |
| 11 — Final Orientation | Orientation rolls for combatants under significant pressure |
Activity limits: Spell casters move at 25% (prepared) or 10% (casting) of normal. Drawing a weapon = 20% activity; changing weapons = 50% activity.
Who can melee? Any combatant who has not used more than 50% of their activity (i.e., has not cast/prepared a spell, fired in both fire phases, or moved more than 50%).
Attack Roll
All attack rolls are high open-ended d100.
- Roll 96–100 → add another d100; keep adding if each new roll is 96–100.
- Fumble: If the unmodified roll falls within the weapon's fumble range (printed on each attack table), consult the Fumble Table (8.2.1) — affects the attacker only.
- Net Attack Roll = Attack Roll + OB − DB (cap at 150).
- Cross-reference the net result with the defender's Armor Type (AT 1–20) on the weapon's attack table.
Reading Attack Table Results
A result such as 22EP means:
| Component | Meaning |
|---|---|
Number (e.g. 22) |
Concussion hits delivered to the defender |
First letter (e.g. E) |
Critical severity: A (least) → E (most severe); F = two criticals |
Second letter (e.g. P) |
Critical type: Slash, Puncture, Krush, Grapple, Unbalance, Tiny |
If no letter follows the number, no critical was delivered.
Concussion hits accumulate; when a character's limit is exceeded they fall unconscious (see ChL §2.4 / §3.8 for limits and death threshold).
Critical strikes: Roll d100 (not open-ended) and cross-index with severity on the appropriate critical table.
Initiative (Melee only)
Highest total goes first. Resolve attacks in sequence; apply results immediately before the next combatant swings.
| Modifier | Condition |
|---|---|
| +(1–100) | Quickness stat (base value) |
| +10 | Stronger combatant (Strength advantage) |
| +30 | Weapon already drawn and ready |
| 0 | One-handed weapon |
| −10 | Two-handed weapon |
| +40 | Pole arm — first round vs. that opponent |
| −20 | Pole arm — subsequent rounds vs. that opponent |
| +10 | Longer weapon (neither combatant charging) |
| +30 | Longer weapon (one or both charging) |
| −5 | Two-weapon combination |
| −10 | Shield |
| −40 | Surprised |
| −40 | Encumbered |
| −40 | Wounded > 50% of concussion hits |
| −(variable) | Moving — penalty = % of movement expended |
(Optional: Add 2d10 to each combatant's initiative for randomness — AL&CL §9.5, p.26)
Offensive Bonus (OB)
OB = Skill + Stat + Level + Weapon Quality + Spells/Items ± Situational
| Modifier | Condition |
|---|---|
| +15 | Flank attack |
| +20 | Rear attack |
| +20 | Surprise |
| +20 | Target is stunned |
| +30 | Target is downed |
| +50 | Target is prone |
| −10 | Wounded > 25% of concussion hits |
| −10 | Wounded > 50% of concussion hits |
| −10 | Wounded > 75% of concussion hits |
| −20 | Drawing a weapon this round |
| −50 | Changing weapons this round |
| −(variable) | Moving — penalty = % of movement expended |
| −20 | Weapon used in left hand |
| −(variable) | Parry transferred to DB |
Stat bonuses for OB:
| Weapon type | Stat used |
|---|---|
| Melee | Strength |
| Bows, Slings | Agility |
| Thrown | Strength |
Skill bonus per rank: +5 (ranks 1–10), +2 (ranks 11–20), +1 (ranks 21–30), +½ (rank 31+)
Level bonus per profession:
| Profession | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Fighter | +3/level to 20th, +1/level after |
| Thief | +2/level (max +40) |
| Rogue | +3/level (max +60) |
| Warrior Monk | +2/level (max +40) |
| Monk, Ranger, Bard | +1/level (max +20) |
| Other professions | None |
Defensive Bonus (DB)
DB = Armor Quality + (Quickness Bonus − Armor Qu. Penalty) + Adrenal Defense + Position/Cover + Spells/Items + Shield + Parry
| Cover bonus | Situation |
|---|---|
| +20 | Half "soft" cover |
| +40 | Full "soft" cover |
| +50 | Half "hard" cover |
| +100 | Full "hard" cover |
The defender gains their Quickness stat bonus to DB only if they are aware of the combat situation and free to move.
Parrying
Any portion of a combatant's OB may be switched to DB for that round (declared at the start of the Melee Phase). A combatant may only parry the same foe they attack.
- Melee parry: Transfer any amount of OB → added 1-for-1 to DB vs. that attacker.
- Missile parry: Requires a shield (not just a weapon); costs 50% activity; declared at start of Fire Phase (A); applies to one missile attack only.
- Full OB to parry: Attacker makes no attack (OB = 0) but gains the weapon's "shield" bonus to DB (see Shield-Parry Table 8.2.5).
- Two-handed weapons and pole arms may only use 50% of OB to parry one-handed opponents.
- Total OB committed across missile parry + melee parry + attack cannot exceed the character's normal OB.
Shields
Shields add to DB against one opponent's attack(s) per round.
| Shield type | vs. Melee | vs. Missile |
|---|---|---|
| Wall Shield | +30 | +40 |
| Full Shield | +25 | +25 |
| Normal Shield | +20 | +20 |
| Target Shield | +20 | +10 |
| Main Gauche | +5* | — |
| One-handed weapon (as shield)* | +5* | — |
| Two-handed weapon* | +5* | — |
| Pole arm* | +5* | — |
* Only if weapon is not used to attack, or 100% of OB is committed to parrying.
Weapons cannot parry missile attacks.
Armor Types
| Category | AT | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Cloth/Skin | 1–4 | Clothing (1), Robes (2), Light Hide (3), Heavy Hide (4) |
| Soft Leather | 5–8 | Leather Jerkin (5), Leather Coat (6), Reinforced Leather (7–8) |
| Rigid Leather | 9–12 | Leather Breastplate (9–10), Half-Hide Plate (11), Full-Hide Plate (12) |
| Chain Mail | 13–16 | Chain Shirt (13–14), Full Chain (15), Chain Hauberk (16) |
| Plate | 17–20 | Metal Breastplate (17–18), Half Plate (19), Full Plate (20) |
Heavier armor imposes maneuver penalties, missile attack penalties, and reduces the Quickness DB bonus (see Armor Table 8.2.4).
Critical Strike Effects
When a critical is indicated, roll d100 (not open-ended) and consult the appropriate critical table.
| Stun type | Effect |
|---|---|
| Must Parry # rounds | Cannot attack; may parry with half OB; movement/maneuvers at −25 |
| Stunned # rounds | Cannot attack; may parry with half OB; movement/maneuvers at −50 |
| Stunned, No Parry # rounds | Cannot attack, cannot parry (normal Qu/shield DB still applies); movement/maneuvers at −75 |
| Down/Out # rounds | No actions at all |
Multiple stun results are cumulative. Each round, total stun count decreases by 1, with the most severe type taking effect first.
Large Creatures (Trolls, Giants, Demons, Undead, etc.): Only criticals of B–E severity apply; roll on Large Creature Critical table (8.1.4) using a high open-ended roll — severity level is irrelevant beyond "B or higher".
Super-Large Creatures (Dragons, powerful Demons, etc.): Only D–E criticals apply; roll on Super-Large Critical table (8.1.5).
Weapon Combinations
| Combination | Notes |
|---|---|
| No weapon | Cannot attack or parry OB; may parry with ½ OB using improvised object |
| One-handed weapon | 1 attack/round; full parry |
| One-handed + shield | 1 attack; shield DB vs. one foe; may also parry vs. same foe |
| Two-handed weapon | 1 attack; max 50% OB to parry vs. one-handed opponent |
| Pole arm | 1 attack; max 50% OB to parry vs. non-pole-arm opponent; +40/−20 initiative modifier |
| Two one-handed weapons | 1 attack each; left-hand weapon −20 OB; both attacks must target same foe; second attack goes last in round |
| Thrown + melee (same round) | Throw at 80% of OB; melee at −20; one-handed melee weapon only |
Maneuver Rolls
Roll open-ended d100 + modifiers, then cross-reference with difficulty on the Maneuver/Movement Table (8.2.2).
| Modifier | Source |
|---|---|
| −35 to +35 | Applicable stat bonus (usually Agility) |
| −10 | Wounded > 25% of concussion hits |
| −10 | Wounded > 50% |
| −10 | Wounded > 75% |
| −(variable) | Armor maneuver penalty (see Armor Table 8.2.4) |
| +(variable) | Applicable skill bonus |
Difficulty levels: Routine · Easy · Light · Medium · Hard · Very Hard · Extremely Hard · Sheer Folly · Absurd
Optional Rules (AL&CL §9, pp. 25–27)
| Rule | Summary | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Changing Targets | Rules for switching attack target mid-round | p.25 |
| Missile Weapons in Melee | GM may allow small thrown weapons in melee; opponent attacks first; requires maneuver roll | p.26 |
| Fire While Moving | Fire Phase (B) at −50 OB while moving up to 50% normal allowance; requires maneuver roll | p.26 |
| Reloading | Reload as maneuver during Movement phase; activity % varies by weapon type | p.26 |
| Chance for Initiative | Add 2d10 (or 1d10) to initiative totals for randomness | p.26 |
| Shield Bash | Use shield as Small/Medium "B" animal attack; skill must be developed separately | p.26 |
| Weapon Bonuses for Missiles | Alternatives to averaging bow+arrow quality bonuses | p.26 |
| Optional Armor Damage | Track armor endurance; damage increases critical severity; adds significant bookkeeping | p.27 |
| Bare Hand Attacks | Untrained bare-hand attacks use MA Striking (rank 1, Unbalance crits only) or MA Sweeps (rank 1) | p.27 |
| Additional Stun Effects | Extended consequences for cumulative stun rounds | p.27 |