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Combat Round

by Giampaolo Agosta

The encounter round and the related actions are a bit unclear in the RC (and in BECMI as well). Jason MacInnes' errata document provide solutions to one of the main issues (is it possible to move and attack in the same round?), but IMO it does not give a satisfactory implementation.
Prompted by some questions on the Italian Classic D&D board, I've concocted the following solution (with an eye to the interpretation/evolution in Saga and 4e).

What can you do in a round?
Basically, you can take 1 movement action and 1 combat maneveur, or a full round action.

While in combat, you can be in melee or not. Being in melee affects your ability to take movement actions.
You are in melee if you are adjacent or within the weapon range of an enemy at the start of your round.

Movement Actions
The following movement actions are available:

• Shift: move 5' (or 1 square in a character-scale grid);
• Move: move your encounter speed (up to 8 squares if unencumbered); this option is not available while in melee.

Combat Maneveurs
The following combat maneveur are available:

• Attack (in melee);
• Fire/Throw;
• Stand up;
• Use Magical Item; includes drinking potions (and taking them out of wherever they were stored);
• Fighting Withdrawal: retreat 1/2 speed (up to 4 squares) and delay attack;
• Retreat: retreat full speed (up to 8 squares), but take penalties to AC;
• Any Fighter Option.

Full Round Actions
The following full round actions are available:

• Cast Spell (note: Agility Training makes this a Combat Maneveur instead);
• Charge (run plus melee attack at the end, vulnerable to set vs. charge);
• Run: move your encounter speed (up to 24 squares if unencumbered); this option is not available while in melee.

Free/Minor Actions
Other, minor actions may be free or may reduce movement by 5', at the DM's judgement. E.g., drawing a weapon.

Changes w.r.t. the RC + Errata document
The main change is that now standard encounter movement and attack are possible in the same round if the character starts his round out of melee.
This makes archers more maneuverable than in the Errata. It should therefore improve the survivability of thieves.

The other change is full round actions. Basically these were all exceptions in RC.