Nerfherder's page

Here is a start to my own Parry house rule, lemme know what you think. I know this adds another roll to the game and may bog down combat and may eventually lead to its doom but I am going to twist my players arms into at least trying it for a bit. I think it balances out Improved Shield Bash feat, relegating the shield to more of a weapon which happens to be a good piece of equipment for turning attacks aside.

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Parry:

Any creature may parry one melee attack per round as an Immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. In order to parry a creature must not be flat-footed and must have a readied weapon or shield that they are proficient with. After a creature is successfully hit but before damage dice are rolled the defending player may declare a parry, with the DC equal to the total to hit roll that hit. Calculating your parry bonus is basically the same as calculating C.M.B., that is Base to hit plus strength modifier plus size modifier. Also shield bonuses to AC no longer apply to AC they now apply thier perspective bonus to the parry roll. Thus a large steel shield would add +2 to the parry roll or a tower shield +4. Any other bonuses that add or modify a defending creatures CMB modify this roll, so feats such as Defensive combat training will add a bonus equal to the full HD of the defender to the parry roll. A successful parry negates the hit (as a miss).

Rule of 1's:

Or course since this roll involves some danger the rule of a natural "1" is an auto failure to the parry regardless of bonuses. As well an attack roll of natural "20" can only be parried by a parry roll of natural "20". This is the only case where a nat "20" does not hit.

Feats:

Improved Parry:
Pre-requisites: Combat Expertise

You are more adept at parrying. You can choose to take a -1 penelty to attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 Parry bonus to parry rolls . When your base attack bonus reaches +4 and every +4 thereafter, the penelty increases by -1 and the parry bonus increases by +2. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that are making an attack or full attack action with a melee weapon or shield equipped. The effect of this feat last until your next turn.

Defensive Reflexes:

You may make a number of additional parrys per round equal to your dexterity bonus. This feat also qualifies for any other feat or Prestige class that requires Combat Reflexes as a pre-requisite.

Or course any feat or ability that adds a shield bonus, such as Two-Weapon Defense or Shield focus adds to your parry roll.

Unarmed attacks and Parry:

Creatures that use natural attacks or slam attacks can still parry but must have a natural armour class bonus of at least +5. This represents size, toughness, horns, or natural armour plating that can be used to parry incoming attacks. Players with Improved unarmed attack feat or using spiked gauntlets, cestii etc. although you are unarmed attacks are lethal and you are considered armed you cannot parry effectively without injury. Only when a Monk reaches level 4 and gains his ki pool can he parry attacks with his bare hands (or any other class that gains a ki pool or similar mechanic).

Shield Spells:

Mages can effectively parry with a Shield spell as if they are proficient and gain the effective shield bonus (+4) to parry rolls.

Total Defense:

In addition to the bonuses granted by Total Defense action you can make one parry attempt against all successful incoming attacks for the round. Parrying still takes up your immediate action.

Parry while grappled:

While 2 opponents are grappled they may make parry attempts agaisnt each other with only light weapons, or bucklers and light shields. Grapplers may also parry with bare hands, the exception to the rule above as this represents the close quarters fighting that allows defenders to grab wrists, or deflect arms as opposed to parrying the actual weapon.

Magic Items:

Weapon Defending property, adds the transferred portion to AC to parry attempts as well.