Breaking Free

A defender who begins an action phase in another character’s grasp cannot move. The only combat actions he can take is an attack with a size S or natural weapon, pummeling, or wrestling. These attacks must be directed at the opponent grappling the character. Attacks with size S weapons and pummeling attacks suffer a –2 attack penalty. Natural and armed attacks are not possible if the character’s original facing would not allow them. For example, a fighter who makes a wrestling attack from one of a lion’s rear squares could not be subjected to the lion’s claw attacks, though the lion could turn its head to bite.

If the defender scores a critical hit with a weapon or natural attack, he can opt to inflict double damage (and perhaps roll for a special effect according to the rules presented in Chapter Six) or force the attacker to release him. If the defender scores a knockdown with a pummeling or weapon attack, he breaks free.

If the defender makes a wrestling attack, conduct an opposed attack roll as described above. If both attacks fail, there is no change in the combatants’ status—they remain grappled or locked and no damage is inflicted. If the defender wins, the attacker suffers 1d2 points of damage (plus Strength bonus) and the defender’s position improves one place. Locked defenders become grappled, and grappled characters break free. If the defender wins with a roll good enough to score a critical hit, the defender immediately scores a lock on the attacker and can choose a lock result from the table below. The defender now controls the wrestling sequence and is treated as the attacker in subsequent action phases. If the attacker wins the opposed roll, there is no change in the defender’s status. If the attacker wins with a roll good enough to score a critical hit, the attacker automatically achieves a lock.

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