Dynamic Combat Movement

ruleset designed to make movement a part

A
of the narrative during combat on a grid,
while increasing tactical flexibility for Straight Advance
players and the GM alike. These rules apply
to all attacks classified as melee attacks,
including weapons, magic, and unarmed.
Forced Movement
All movement that occurs due to an advance or slip is
counted as forced movement and does not provoke
opportunity attacks, or use any of your movement.
The Advance
When you hit with a melee attack, you may choose to
advance on the attacked opponent, moving them to any
of the three spaces to their immediate rear. When you
choose to advance, you must move to another space,
and the opponent must be within your weapon reach at
the conclusion of all movement.
You cannot advance if this is not possible due to Diagonal Advance
physical obstructions, or other effects that limit your or
your opponent’s movement.
If the opponent dies or is knocked unconscious as
part of your attack, you may step forward as though
you were advancing against a live opponent, moving
their unconcious or dead body as with a normal
advance.
Partially diagonal attacks made at reach can result in
strange alignments where how to define rear spaces
is ambiguous. Treat all diagonal advances the same,
as seen in the two images to the right.
Halt the Advance
If an opponent is one size larger than you, they may
make a STR or DEX save at DC 10 to halt your
advance. You cannot advance on an opponent two or
more sizes larger than you.
An opponent with a shield may make a STR or DEX Partially Diagonal Advance
save at DC 10 to halt your advance.

If an opponent’s advance pushes you into an obstacle

such as a wall or a creature 2 or more sizes larger than
you, make a STR or DEX save at DC 10 or be knocked
prone.
If an opponent’s advance would force you off a ledge,
make a STR or DEX save at DC 10 or be knocked off
the edge. On a success, you catch the ledge and halt the
advance. If the save is failed, we hope you find ropes to
be tangled in, or a spell ready to go.

All artwork created by Brett Hodgin 1

 The Slip
If an opponent misses you with a melee attack, you may Slip
choose to slip and move to any adjacent space other
than the space that was, or will be, occupied by the
attacker. The attacker must then attempt to step into, or
towards, your previous space, or move one space
directly toward your previous space if the attack was
made at reach.
If the opponent is unable to step towards or into your
previous space, you may still complete your movement
from the slip.
If you take the dodge action and are missed by an
opponent, you may slip as stated above. If you take the
dodge action and are hit, the opponent may choose to
advance, but you select which of your rear spaces you
are moved to.
Partially diagonal attacks made at reach can result in
strange alignments where the attacker has multiple Diagonal Slip
spaces that could be considered toward your
previous space. The attacker should treat all
diagonal slips the same, as seen in the two images to
the right.
Optional Rules
Magic and Ranged Weapons
When you are missed by a ranged attack, weapon or
spell, you may move to an adjacent space.
(Untested, could have a large impact on encounter
balance.)

Familiars
When you cast a spell through a familiar, advance as
per the sizing rules of the caster, rather than your
familiar. Shocking grasp through your spider familiar,
anyone? Partially Diagonal Slip
(Untested, could have large shenanigans potential.)

Flanking
As the flanking rule is optional, we have not included it
in the base rules. However, DCM corrects the strange
checkerboard formations that often occur when using
flanking without DCM, and when used together, creates
fun tactical choices, wherein you and the enemy are
constantly maneuvering in and out of flanking positions,
both purposely and unintentionally.
(Tested, recommended.)

2 All artwork created by Brett Hodgin

Advanced Tactics
Reach Maneuver
Maneuvering with Reach
Using a reach weapon while attacking within 5 feet,
you can advance the opponent 5 feet away, then
complete your move by stepping to an adjacent space
that is now 10 feet from your opponent. See the
Reach Maneuver image to the right for an example.
If you do not have a reach weapon and you are
missed by an attack at 10ft, you can slip closer to
them. This allows you to come within striking
distance if you yourself do not have reach.
Since you can always complete the slip movement,
even if the opponent cannot step forward, you can
use this to get a free disengage from opponents by
using objects that block the attackers movement,
such another creature, a low wall, or perhaps a
chasm. See the Slip Disengage image to the right.
Shove Attacks
Normally, shove attacks are rarely used outside of very
specific character builds because it is generally more
efficient to just hit the enemy for damage. DCM actually
offers a small buff to shove attacks. Since a shove attack
is a melee attack, it is eligible for the effects of advance
and can be combined to push an opponent 10ft with a
single attack, or push the oppenent 5ft and knock them
prone.
Touch Spells Slip Disengage
As DCM affects all melee attacks, consider how this
might be used to give your caster a bit more versatility.
Fighter & Monk
Both fighters and monks have something in common,
that being the number of attacks they can make.
Imagine how a monk or fighter might control the
battlefield, weaving and attacking throughout, using
each advance to place themselves within striking
distance of another opponent.
Or perhaps you might use those attacks to
relentlessly drive an opponent away from their allies, or
to the edge of a precipice.
Consider too, combining advances or slips with with
the maneuevers of a particular fighter subclass or the ki
techniques of a monk.
Spells & Forced Movement
Remember that advances and slips in DCM are
considered forced movement. This means that certain
spells may or may not allow someone being forced into
the AOE to actually take damage. Some spells may also
be difficult terrain, meaning that you will not be able to
advance or slip without something else giving you
additional movement such as a push attack.

All artwork created by Brett Hodgin 3

 How DCM Came to Be Credit and Support
In 2017, I began work on a new TTRPG system, based First off, I have to thank Jesse Kangas, who not only
mainly on some of the less satisfying aspects of combat tolerated me badgering him about half baked ideas like
in everyone’s favorite RPG. My co-designer, Jesse, this, but actively added ingredients until we had
preferred to continue refining the system we could something worth cooking.
actually play. (Which, considering this PDF, might be Next, I would like to thank our gaming group, who
telling as to who is the smarter between us…) deserve even more praise for letting Jesse and I test out
Fortunately, the two paths are not mutually exclusive. all the crazy home rules with quite a bit of patience,
We were playing a lot at the time, and common helpful critiques, and a minimal of eye rolling.
themes kept popping up. Lack of tactical choice, I must, of course, also express thanks to the company
dissonance between grid and theater of the mind, and a that has provided us with our favorite TTRPG that these
feel of stagnacy during combat encounters. Of course, rules apply to.
these were things I wanted to avoid while working on I also have to express profound gratitude to
my system. https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/ for providing the
One of the ideas I came up with was a method where tool needed to turn an ugly little text file into a gorgeous
you would roll a die after each attack and then you PDF.
moved to the space it rolled. I brought this up to Jesse, Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Charlene. I’m
and he quickly pointed out some issues, a ton of extra sorry I keep waking you up at 2 a.m. tapping away at
time spent rolling dice being one of them. So, I took it pen and paper rules on my phone.
back to the drawing board, and came back with a
different version. This process then repeated for quite a Contact Us
while. If you have any questions or comments regarding
Eventually, I had settled on something that felt good Dynamic Combat Movement or other projects we are
enough that I could shelve it and work on something working on, you can contact us at
else. So while procrastinating on my system, it occurred raventearproductions@gmail.com
to me, why couldn’t we do that in D&D? So, at some
ungodly hour in the middle of the night, I slapped
together a (very) rough version, and a basic battle on the
VTT we used, and messaged Jesse asking him to help
me test it out.
The first test took place on a pirate ship, eight
lizardmen lined up against 5 low level barbarians. Not
particularly balanced, but good enough to test. Halfway
through the encounter we had a barbarian and
lizardman overboard, a brawl going below deck, a fight
on the far end of the middeck, and a duel on the
observation deck. Even better not one character had
used any movement. It went…rather swimmingly, all
things considered. Keep in mind, in a normal encounter,
no one would have even left the center of the deck
where the fight started.
After that, we jumped in whole hog, refined the heck
out of it, and we’ve been playing it for years, with quite a
few different groups. Finally, we decided it was good
enough, and tested enough, to throw out to everyone
else.
Eventually we hope to put out some more high quality
homebrews as well, so check back every now and then
for that.
We hope you like it, and try not to put your back to
any cliffs.
-Brett