Duels
There is no form of combat more civilized than the duel. Be it with steel or spells, duels are used to settle disputes in situations where a chaotic melee would be disruptive or even illegal. Although duels are often considered honorable, this does not necessarily make them any less deadly — they allow the true skill, power, and wit of each combatant to determine the victor.
Starting a Duel
A duel is a form of combat, but unlike ordinary combat, the participants must all agree to willingly enter the duel and abide by its rules. If either side breaks the rules, that side is considered the loser, regardless of any other outcome, and aggressive action then continues under standard combat rules. Most duels follow these conventions:
- Each participant must fight alone and can receive no help from outside sources, with the exception of bonded creatures (familiars, animal companions, etc.) that are part of the duel. If the duel involves more than one participant per side, teammates may aid each other freely.
- The types of weapons permitted are agreed upon before the duel begins — melee, ranged, unarmed, magic, or any combination. Some duels require all participants to use the same weapon type (swords, spells, or firearms). Absent any restriction, any weapon is permissible.
- The duel lasts until one combatant is knocked unconscious or otherwise prevented from continuing. Some duels go to the death; others end at first blood, first strike, or a set number of successful attacks. Spells like hold person do not end duels, but flesh to stone does (if the target fails her saving throw).
- In magic-only duels, additional rules may prohibit summoned or conjured creatures — unless the duel is fought by such creatures at the spellcasters' behest, as is common among druids and summoners.
- In warrior duels, rules typically prohibit poison and often entire attack types (ranged attacks, or requiring firearms). Most such duels also prohibit magic that affects other participants, though self-enhancing spells are sometimes allowed.
Duel Combat
A duel functions much like ordinary combat, with a few notable exceptions.
At the start of the duel, each participant makes an initiative check as normal — there is never a surprise round, because duels are always planned and expected. Alternatively, some duels begin with a tense standoff: substitute a Bluff, Intimidate, or Sense Motive check for initiative, reflecting each duelist's psychological approach.
At the beginning of each round, participants check the status of the duel. So long as all agree to continue, it goes on. If any participant withdraws, the duel immediately ends for everyone — the withdrawing side is the loser. Remaining participants may agree to resume, but that is treated as a separate duel.
Each participant acts normally on their turn, but actions must target or affect either themselves or another duel participant. A dueling archer can shoot any duel participant; a dueling wizard can cast haste on duel allies (if they include themselves) but not on bystanders. An offensive area spell like fireball must include at least one duel opponent among its targets. In addition to normal actions, each participant may use any of the special duel actions below — all are immediate actions.
Duel Actions
Each of the following is an immediate action available only to duel participants. Dueling Counter, Dodge, and Parry must be declared before the triggering attack is resolved. Dueling Resolve may be used once per duel.
When a dueling opponent begins casting a spell, the targeted spellcaster may make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level) as a free action to identify it. On success, she may attempt a dueling counter — an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
To counter, expend a spell or spell slot of equal or higher level, then make a caster level check (DC 15 + spell's caster level). Unlike a readied counterspell, even expending the exact same spell does not guarantee success — the table below lists bonuses and penalties. On success, the spell is negated and lost. On failure, the spell takes effect and the countering duelist takes a –2 penalty on saving throws against it.
Alternatively, a spellcaster may use dispel magic or greater dispel magic as a dueling counter. When doing so, identification is not required, any spell level may be countered, and the DC is only 11 + spell's caster level. Dispel magic used this way ignores the table modifiers below.
A participant can both ready a standard counterspell and make a dueling counter in the same round — useful against opponents with Quicken Spell or multiple spells per round.
| Circumstance | Check Modifier |
|---|---|
| Spell is of a different school | –2 |
| Spell is of the same school, but not the same spell | +2 |
| Spell is of a higher level than the spell being countered | +1 per level above |
| Spell is the same spell as the one being countered | +10 |
When targeted by a melee attack, ranged attack, supernatural ability, or spell/SLA from a duel participant, declare a dueling dodge before the attack is resolved.
- +4 circumstance bonus to AC and Reflex saves against the triggering attack.
- If the attack doesn't require an attack roll or Reflex save, the action is spent with no effect.
- Bonus applies to the triggering attack only — subsequent attacks in the same action resolve normally.
When targeted by a melee or ranged attack from a duel participant, declare a dueling parry before the attack is resolved. Cannot parry spell attacks or firearm ranged attacks.
Make an attack roll with your current weapon at full BAB – 5. If your result equals or beats the incoming attack roll, the attack is a miss. Only the triggering attack is parried; further attacks from the same action resolve normally.
- Additional –2 if unarmed.
- If the attack was a critical threat that you parry, it still hits — no confirmation roll, normal damage.
- If you have the parry class feature, you may use this once per round without spending an immediate action when activating it.
Failed Fortitude or Will save
Immediately attempt a second saving throw using the same bonus. On success, the spell or effect is delayed until the end of your next turn (duration begins immediately; you act normally until then). If the effect ends or you overcome it by end of turn, you are fatigued but otherwise unaffected.
Reduced to fewer than 0 hit points
You do not fall unconscious or become staggered immediately. You may act normally until the end of your next turn. At that point you become staggered or unconscious based on your current hit points. If you return to 1+ hp before then, you are fatigued but otherwise recover.
Duel Results
While duels can be treated as another form of combat, they are usually undertaken to resolve a dispute between colleagues or rivals and are not typically intended to end in death. As a result, duels are usually fought with a specific prize in mind — faculty positions, social standing, treasure, or honor.
Arcane academies sometimes construct dedicated dueling yards with enchantments that convert all damage to nonlethal and prevent instakill or permanently harmful magic. That said, accidents happen — more than one student has lost a limb or her life inside such "safe" fields.
Regardless of conditions, most duels are serious affairs. Villains may exploit every advantage, but nobler duelists see the contest as a chance to prove superiority through skill and wit alone — not numbers or luck.