Melee Attack Modifiers

When attacking in melee combat, figure your effective skill by: 

1. Taking your base skill with the weapon or unarmed attack you are using.
(In some situations, another skill – e.g., Free Fall, Riding, or Environment Suit – will limit this skill.)

2. Applying the relevant conditional modifiers below.
Modifiers are cumulative, but combined visibility penalties cannot exceed -10 (-6, if used to blindness).
If any modifier marked with an asterisk " * " applies, adjusted skill after all modifiers cannot exceed 9. 

A roll of this number, or less, is a hit.

Attacker’s Maneuver: 

• All-Out Attack (Determined): +4

• Move and Attack: -4*

Attacker’s Posture

• Crawling or lying down: -4 (if crawling, can only make reach “C” attacks)

• Crouching, kneeling, or sitting: -2

Attacker’s Situation

• Affliction (coughing, retching, etc.)

• Bad footing: -2 or more (GM’s option)

• Grappled: -4

• Holding a large shield: -2

• Major distraction (e.g., all clothes on fire): -3 or more (GM’s option)

• Minor distraction (e.g., part of clothes on fire): -2

• Mounted, and mount attacked on its last turn: -2

• Mounted, and mount’s velocity relative to target is 7+: -1

• Shock: -HP of injury received last turn (maximum -4)

• ST below that required for weapon: -1 per point of deficit

• Wearing a shield in close combat: -DB of shield

Other Actions by Attacker

• Deceptive Attack: -2 per -1 penalty to foe’s defense

• Dual-Weapon Attack: -4/-8 with primary/off hand (-4/-4 w. Ambidexterity)

• Evaluate: +1 per turn (maximum +3)

• Off-hand attack: -4 (no penalty w. Ambidexterity)

• Rapid Strike: -6 on both attacks (-3 w. Trained By A Master or Weapon Master)

• Striking into close combat: -2

• Wild Swing: -5*

Target (choose one) Hit location: 

• 0 for torso 

• -2 for arm or leg 

• -3 for groin 

• -4 for hand or foot 

• -5 for face 

• -7 for skull 

• impaling and piercing attacks can target vitals at -3 or eyes at -9

• Hit location, through chink in armor: -8 for torso, -10 anywhere else (e.g., eyeslits)

• Weapon, to damage: -5 to hit a reach “C” weapon (e.g., knife) or pistol; 

• -4 to hit a reach 1 weapon (e.g., broadsword); 

• -3 to hit a reach 2+weapon (e.g., spear) or rifle Weapon, to disarm: as above, plus an extra -2 if not using a fencing weapon

Visibility

• Cannot see anything: -10 (-6, if used to blindness)*

• Cannot see foe: -6, or -4 if you know his location to within 1 yard*

• Partial darkness, fog, smoke, etc.: -1 to -9 (GM’s option)