he Adventurer's Companion expands on the Called Shot and Stance options found in the Adventurer's Book. I've compiled all Stance and Called Shot options here for easy reference.
Called Shots are special attacks that attempt to add an additional effect. A Called Shot MUST be a Great or Extraordinary Success, or the attack misses entirely. Note that if a Called Shot connects, Endurance damage is still done, following all normal combat rules (since you had to have rolled at least a Great Success, they will take additional Endurance damage).
Attempting Combat Options sometimes forfeits your attack and that will be noted in the descriptions.
Called shots are in BOLD, stance options are in italics.
Break Armour (Axes, Mattock)- A character armed with an axe of any type or mattock may damage the armour of an enemy with a well-aimed swing, be it the black chainmail of Orcs or the close-fitting scales of a Troll’s hide. If the called shot is successful, the target rolls one Success die less on his Protection tests for the length of the fight. (This called shot cannot affect the same adversary more than once).
Break Shield (Axes, Mattock)- The target's shield has been smashed.
Challenge Adversary (Forward Stance)- A companion may choose to single out a foe for the fullness of his ferocity, fighting recklessly in an attempt to bring that enemy down.
The hero must name one adversary they are engaged with in close combat at the beginning of a round, after choosing a forward stance. For the length of the fight, the challenging hero rolls the Feat die twice, keeping the best result, when making close combat attack rolls against the challenged creature. The challenged foe enjoys the same advantage against the challenging hero.
Disarm (Swords)- The target drops his weapon.
Enhearten Comrades (Open Stance, Forfeits Attack)- A variant of Rally Comrades, this task enables a companion to rouse their companions when the fight is wearing them out.
When it is his turn to take action, a hero may forego the chance to make an attack roll and make an Inspire or Song roll instead. If the roll is successful, all fighting companions who are not Wounded ignore the effects of being Weary for a number of rounds based on the quality of the success:
- Ordinary success: 2 rounds
- Great success: 3 rounds
- Extraordinary success: 4 rounds, or a number of rounds equal to the enheartening hero’s Valour score, whicheveris higher.
Escape Combat (Rearward, Close Combat Stances, Forfeits Attack)- A hero who spent his previous round in a Rearward stance may flee the combat zone at the beginning of a round. No roll is required to do so.
A companion fighting in a close combat stance may attempt to escape when his turn to act comes. At the end of his round, a player-hero may attempt a roll of Athletics.
The TN for the roll is equal to 10 plus the highest Attribute level among the opponents that the character is facing. On a successful roll, the companion has successfully escaped. A great or extraordinary success is needed if the hero was engaged by multiple opponents. If the escape attempt fails, the acting hero remains engaged and cannot attack when his next turn to act comes.
Full Defence (Defensive Stance)- A companion carrying a shield, or fighting with a onehanded, close combat weapon in each hand, may choose to devote their attention fully to their own defence, for example when engaged by multiple powerful enemies, or when attacked by a particularly deadly creature.
A hero fighting in Full Defence forfeits their chance to attack, in favour of raising their Parry rating by an amount equal to the Encumbrance rating of the carried shield, or of the weapon with the highest Encumbrance score among the two they are wielding. If the Encumbrance rating was modified by a Quality, use the original Encumbrance rating of a weapon or shield type.
Harry Foes (Rearward Stance)- Heroes fighting in a rearward stance and using bows (any type) may choose to pepper their enemies with arrows, not looking for carefully aimed shots, but rather to hinder their foes and make them easier targets.
Only enemies engaged with companions in a forward or open stance may be targeted by this task. The harrying player must succeed in a ranged attack roll using a bow of any type, against a difficulty equal to TN 12, plus the highest Parry rating among the potential targets. On a successful roll, a number of enemies based on the quality of the success are successfully hindered by the rain of arrows.
- Ordinary success: 2 foes
- Great success: 3 foes
- Extraordinary success: 4 foes
Ranged attacks aimed to harry foes do not inflict damage, but reduce the difficulty to hit the affected enemies for the next close combat attack aimed at them: the TN to hit them is considered to be equal o their Parry rating (the engaged companion’s stance TN is not taken into account).
Holding Back (Close Combat)- Companions fighting in close combat and not wishing to wound or kill their opponents can hold bbck and refrain from administering potentially deadly blows with their weapons.
If the called shot attempt is successful, an adversary hit by a Piercing Blow is considered to automatically pass the Protection test. (Any Endurance loss is administered normally, but the blow cannot Wound the target).
Intimidate Foe (Forward Stance, Forfeits Attack)- A hero may attempt to intimidate his foes with a display of his prowess or ferocity in battle. When it is his turn to take action, a hero may forego his chance to make an attack roll and make an Awe or Battle roll instead. The TN for the roll is 10, plus the highest Attribute level among all foes. A hero who just received a Wound or received it during the previous round cannot attempt to intimidate his foes.
On a successful roll, the enemy’s morale has been shaken, and the opponents lose a total number of Hate points (Hate points fuel special abilities for adversaries) based on the quality of the success produced by the roll:
- Ordinary success: 2 Hate points
- Great success: 3 Hate points
- Extraordinary success: 4 Hate points, or a number of points equal to the intimidating character’s Valour rating, whichever is higher.
The Loremaster divides the Hate point loss among the company’s adversaries in any way he sees fit.
Maiming Strike (Swords)- A hero wielding a sword of any type may aim to reduce the fighting capability of a foe, slashing at its arms, hands, or even jaws. The hero must choose a weapon skill or attack form to target.
If the called shot attempt is successful, the adversary rolls one Success die less on each roll made using the targeted ability for the rest of the fight. (This called shot cannot affect the same ability more than once).
Pierce (Bows, Spears)- The attack resulted in a Piercing blow, regardless of the outcome on the Feat die.
Prepare Shot (Rearward Stance, Forfeits Attack)- A hero fighting in a Rearward stance may spend an entire round preparing a ranged attack, and get a clearer shot the following round.
If the player succeeds in a ranged attack during the following round, he is considered to have successfully achieved a Called shot.
Protect Companion (Rearward Stance, must declare when stance is chosen)- A character fighting in a Defensive stance may strive
to protect another hero fighting in an Open or Forward stance. He must announce the name of the character he wants to protect right after choosing his stance for the coming turn.
When the protected character is attacked, the protecting hero may choose to spend 1 point of Hope and become the target of the attack in his place. The attack is resolved using the stance of the defending character to calculate its TN. Note that a hero who chooses this task may still attack when his turn comes.
Pummeling Attack (Close Combat)- Heroes fighting in any close combat stance may attempt a Pummelling Attack to violently throw an opponent off-balance.
If the called shot attempt is successful, the consequences of the attack are resolved normally and the adversary is additionally considered severely hindered in attack until the end of the following round (TN +4 to any attack rolls the adversary makes).
If the unbalanced foe is the only adversary facing the companion, then the hero may escape combat without the need for a roll of Athletics (see Escape Combat, page 180 of The One Ring Roleplaying Game).
A hero may try a Pummelling Attack only against creatures not greater than human-sized, unless mounted on a horse; heroes on horseback may also pummel a creature the size of a Troll, or greater (foes possessing the Great Size special ability, for example).
Rally Comrades (Open Stance, Forfeits attack)- A brave leader, standing amongst his friends, is always heedful of his surroundings, and may attempt to rally his companions when their hearts begin to fail them. When it is his turn to take action, a hero may forego his chance to make an attack roll and make an Inspire or Song roll instead.
If the roll is successful, all fighting companions who suffered a loss of Endurance during the current combat (including the rallying hero) recover a number of Endurance points based on the quality of the success:
- Ordinary success: 2 Endurance points
- Great success: 3 Endurance points
- Extraordinary success: 4 Endurance points, or a number of points equal to the rallying character’s Heart rating, whichever is higher.
Rain of Arrows (Bow)- A companion who is fighting in a rearward stance and using a bow (not a Great bow) may attempt a Rain of Arrows called shot to hit any two foes on the battlefield.
The targets must be chosen and declared before the dice roll is made. The attack roll result is compared first to the TN of the first target. If the called shot is successful, the target receives damage normally, and the roll result is compared against the TN of the second target. If the roll result matches or beats the TN again, then the second opponent is hit too and suffers damage normally. If the attack fails against the first target, it also fails against the second target.
Savage Blow (Close Combat)- A hero fighting in a close combat stance may attempt a Savage Blow called shot to inflict greater harm on the target. If the called shot attempt is successful, the player inflicts an additional loss of Endurance equal to the attacker’s
close combat Damage rating (their Attribute level for adversaries).
Seek a Mark (Rearward Stance)- A hero fighting in a rearward stance may forego their chance to make an attack to make an Awareness or Battle roll to observe the enemies, looking for the best opportunity to catch them when they lower their guard.
On a successful roll, any foe attacked by the hero with a ranged weapon is considered to be severely hindered (TN -4) against those attacks, for a number of rounds based on the quality of the success produced by the roll:
- Ordinary success: 2 rounds
- Great success: 3 rounds
- Extraordinary success: 4 rounds
Stand Ground (Defensive Stance, 2H Weapon)- Heroes wielding a two-handed weapon may profit from the superior reach of their war gear to keep multiple adversaries at bay.
When it is their turn to take action, heroes choosing to Stand Ground spend 1 point of Hope: until it is again their turn to take action, all close combat attacks targeting them roll the Feat die twice and keep the worse result.
Sudden Attack (Open Stance)- In place of their normal attack action, companions who are unengaged at the start of their turn may attempt a Sudden Attack against a foe currently engaged with another companion.
The companion must first succeed at a Stealth roll; the TN is equal to 10 plus the highest Attribute level among all enemies present.
On a success, the companion engages the enemy and attacks normally, adding to the roll a number of bonus Success dice based on the result of the Stealth roll:
- Ordinary success: 1 bonus Success die
- Great success: 2 bonus Success dice
- Extraordinary success: 3 bonus Success dice
Swift Strokes (Close Combat)- A companion who is fighting in a close combat stance and who is engaged by at least two opponents may attempt a Swift Strokes called shot to hit two foes. The targets of the attack must be declared before rolling the dice.
The attack roll result is compared first to the TN of the first target. If the called shot is successful, the target receives damage normally, and the roll result is compared against the TN of the second engaged adversary. If the roll result matches or beats the TN again, then the second opponent is also hit and suffers damage normally.
If the attack fails against the first target, it also fails against
the second target.
Two-Weapon Attack (Forward Stance)- At the start of a round, heroes wielding a close combat, one-handed weapon in each hand may declare that they will attack using both weapons. One hand must wield a primary weapon making use of the highest close combat weapon
skill of the hero, while the off-hand must hold a secondary weapon making use of his second-best close combat weapon skill. If two skills are tied, the player chooses which weapon is the primary one and which one is the secondary.
A first attack is made rolling the primary weapon skill and is resolved normally. If the attack is successful, it is followed immediately by another attack using the secondary weapon skill. This roll is also resolved normally, and must target the same adversary hit by the first attack. A Two-weapon Attack does not allow a companion to attempt a Called Shot. Moreover, for the length of the round, the TN to hit the hero is reduced by an amount equal to the sum of the Encumbrance scores of the two weapons they wield.
