Combat Techniques

The Combat Techniques mechanic is unlocked by one of the following methods:

• Martial Arts I feat
• 1st Degree in any combat school
• Weapon Focus feat
• Armored Defense talent
• Endurance skill training

A character may only have a number of combat techniques readied for use equal to their Intelligence Modifier + Wisdom Modifier + 1 (minimum 1), plus an additional technique readied at level 7 and every 6 levels thereafter. Changing readied combat techniques can be done by practicing for five minutes.

Stances and Stance Enhancements

Stances do not count against the number of combat techniques a character can ready. A stance is a special way of standing developed by practitioners of various fighting styles to enhance the goals of that style. As long as a character is not flat-footed, he may gain the benefits of his stance, but characters that are proficient in more than one stance may not gain the benefits of multiple stances. These characters are more versatile, however, as they can change stances from round to round to gain different benefits and to throw off their opponents. Once per round, as a free action, a character may adopt or change his stance during his action. Stances remain active until you spend a swift action to change them, combat ends, or you fall unconscious.

Some stances also have Stance Enhancements which boost or alter the effects of a given combat stance. Stance Enhancements must be readied as a combat technique and activate immediately upon entering the corresponding stance.

Battle Dancer

REQUIRES: Musician or Trained in Acrobatics
While under the effect of this stance, you can move at full speed while using the Tumble aspect of the Acrobatics skill. Due to your constant movement and dodging, it's very difficult to bring any but the lightest weapons to bear, so you take a -2 penalty to any attack that isn't made with an unarmed strike or light melee weapon.

Pole Dancer

STANCE ENHANCEMENT: Battle Dancer
No, not like that, you perv. While you are in the Battle Dancer stance you can use any weapon that is your size or larger which has a shaft (spear, quarterstaff, electrostaff, electropole, static pike, force pike, shockstaff, etc) as if it was a light melee weapon.

Techniques

Techniques must be readied. Some techniques can have use frequency restrictions.

Armored Deflection

With a quick adjustment to your position, you place the maximum amount of protective gear between you and your attackers.
REQUIRES: Armor Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium) As a swift action once per encounter, you can double your equipment bonus to Fortitude defense from your armor along with any Damage Reduction you might have from species abilities, classes, or equipment. This doubling lasts until the start of your next turn.

Deceptive Attack

REQUIRES: Combat Trickery
Once per round when you attack a target that you have flat-footed via Combat Trickery, you add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll.