Animals have styles of fighting which give them certain advantages. If the character(s) are fighting giant snakes, huge birds, large fish, or four-legged animals, use the information below to resolve combat.

Dogs, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Chimera etc. –

These animals can utilize two tactics – Perimeter attacks or Pounces.

Perimeter Attacks – Choice of 1 bite, 1 claw, or claw/claw

Pounce – The animal will rush in, attacking with a bite and two claw attacks (3 attacks total). If all score hits and do actual damage, the opponent is pounced and down. Long weapons are useless (anything longer than a shortsword), and the pounced person only gets ½ of their normal attacks, each of which does only ½ normal damage. The animal, on the other hand, gets a bite attack and two claw attacks each quint. To escape, the opponent must avoid all attacks in a given quint (the opponent gets normal defense rolls), or inflict sufficient damage to get the animal to back off.

Perimeter Attack- One bite. If the snake is a large constrictor and scores a bite that does actual damage, it gets an additional attack for attempted constriction. The opponent gets a normal defense roll to avoid the attack.

If constricted, a character will suffer no damage on the first quint. If the character makes a defense roll, he or she can attempt a single attack with any weapon.

On the second quint, automatic constriction damage of 2 damage points will be suffered. Again, if the character rolls their defense, they can have a single attack.

On the third quint and up, the automatic damage points suffered are doubled each time (4, 8, 16, etc.). Each time the character also gets a chance for a single attack if they can first roll their defense. Most serpents will release their prey if any significant damage is suffered.

Birds can utilize Swooping strikes or Impact strikes.

Swoops – The bird gets two claw attacks, and each opponent gets but a single strike at the bird. The bird must then regain altitude and cannot swoop for at least two more quints.

Impact – The bird will strike for two claw attacks. If both score actual damage, an equivalent amount of damage will be suffered by the character automatically because of the bird’s claw’s impact. The bird will also, in the same quint, get a beak attack. A bird who has scored an impact hit will then be considered under the same guidelines as a Pounce attack unless they once again take flight.

Fish- All fish, sharks, etc. get a single perimeter attack each quint.

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