Maintaining and Breaking Pins

A pinned creature can make unarmed or natural attacks with its free limbs or can attack with a size S weapon. The pinned character’s original facing does not affect these attacks; all the characters involved are entangled in a random dogpile and the defender is assumed to be facing all the attackers simultaneously—this is one disadvantage to overbearing attacks. If the defender inflicts a critical hit with a weapon or natural attack, he can opt to inflict double damage (or roll for a special effect according to the rules presented in Chapter Six) or force the attacker who is struck to release her. If the defender scores a knockdown with a pummeling or weapon attack, the attacker who is struck must release the defender.

The attacker cannot directly counter the pin, she must wait until the attackers try to maintain the pin.

Attackers who have pinned a defender must make an opposed Strength roll each round to maintain the pin. If a pinned defender wins the opposed Strength roll, she breaks the pin and can spend a half move or an attack to stand up. She is still grappled, however. If the defender wins the next opposed Strength roll, she breaks free. If the defender wins initiative, she can force the roll herself on her attack phase; this is the only time a defender can initiate the opposed roll, which can be either an attack or a Strength roll, at the defender’s option. If the defender loses or there is a tie, the defender remains grappled and the attackers can skip the attack roll and go directly to the opposed Strength roll on their next action phase. If the defender wins, she breaks free and can finish the round normally.

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