In the 1^st edition Palladium RPG, every warrior OCC had their own hand to hand form. Whilst the standardisation of the Palladium RPG to confirm with the "Megaverse" system has many benefits, I do not think the loss of these individual forms is a good thing.

The old forms made each warrior class unique, rather than the bland Basic, Expert and Martial Art forms that all 2^nd edition characters may choose. This optional set of rules allows the 1^st edition forms to be used in 2^nd edition games.

Combat is not an easy thing. Unless you are skilled or incredibly lucky, getting into a fight with an experienced warrior can be a fatal experience.

All characters, PC and NPC start with only one attack per melee round. Only trained warriors get the Auto-Parry skill. Men of Magic and those with the "Non-Man-At-Arms" Hand to hand skill do not.

First edition hand to hand skills still apply. So a 1^st level Mercenary will only have 1 attack and a +1 damage bonus.

Additional hand to hand skill can be added to the basic hand to hand skills. There are four levels of this extra training: Basic, Expert, Master and Assassin. (There is no "Martial Art" skill level - this has been replaced with the "Master" skill.)

Heroes, champions and those that are a step up from "the norm" get extra hand to hand skill. This can be due to natural aptitude, luck or skill - they get Basic Training for free. Other characters must pay one "Other" skill for this extra training.

Expert, Master (not Martial Arts) and Assassin may be gained at cost of 1, 2 and 2 "Other" skills, or according to OCC (whatever is the greater). Even OCCs with advanced HtH skills must pay to gain any skill over their basic HtH skill and basic training. Assassin Training is not available to good characters. Training level is listed after the hand to hand skill in brackets.

Example one - A Paladin player character starts with Hand to Hand Paladin (Basic). Even though his OCC lists Martial Art skill level, the player must spend 2 "Other" skills to get Master rating - HtH: Paladin (Master)

Example two - Daroy the Black starts with HtH: Longbowman (Basic), but gets training from the Assassin’s guild (for 2 "Other" skills and a lot of money) to end up with HtH: Longbowman (Assassin).

Training may be upgraded (eg. Basic to Expert) after 1^st level by paying the skill cost.

Second edition combat does present many new options to warriors in the way of combat manoeuvres, such as the ability to Disarm, Hold, Choke and make Leap Attacks.

At various levels, depending upon the hand to hand training level, manoeuvres are gained. So a 4^th level, a person trained to the Basic level can choose a manoeuvre. Several of the advanced manoeuvres can not be selected until a preceding skill is taken. E.g. The Hold skill can not be taken until Entangle is known.

Manoeuvres can be attempted without the required skill, but this will take all of a warriors actions for a round. E.g. a Mercenary with 3 attack attempts to Choke his assailant. After the attack is made, no other actions can be made that round.

Selecting one manoeuvre a second time gives a bonus of +2 on any rolls (such as disarm). Third and subsequent specialisation will give a further bonus of +1 per selection.

"+1 Crit" reduces the number required for a critical strike by one.

Throw & Trip

Block & Tackle

Entangle

Hold (requires Entangle or Block & Tackle)

Choke (requires Hold)

Pained Weapons

Blind Fighting

Reverse Blow

Subdue

Mighty Blow

Feint

Disarm

Riposte (requires Feint or Disarm)

Auto Parry (Not available to Basic. requires Feint or Disarm)

Parry - Thrown (requires Auto Parry)

Parry - Missile (requires Parry - Thrown)

Parry - Spell Bolt (requires Parry - Missile)

Maintain Balance

Back flip

Auto Dodge - Melee (requires Maintain Balance or Back Flip)

Multiple Dodge (requires Auto Dodge)

Auto Dodge - Thrown (requires Auto Dodge)

Auto Dodge - Missile (requires Auto Dodge - Thrown)

Auto Dodge - Spell Bolt (requires Auto Dodge - Spell Bolt)

Back Stab (Assassin Only)

Unarmed Combat (D6 Punch, 2D4 Kick)

Advanced Unarmed Combat - 2 Punches & Kicks (requires Unarmed Combat)

Jump Kick & Leap Attack (requires Advanced unarmed Combat)

Kata - An extra 2 Punches or Kicks (requires Advanced Unarmed Combat)

A successful throw or trip will put the opponent off balance, costing them one action and initiative the next round. Trips and throws may be made with weapons or by hooking legs and snaring clothing or equipment.

A successful block or tackle will put the opponent off balance, costing them one action and initiative the next round. Blocks and throws require an unarmed attack, that may damage the attacker if the opponent is spiked or immolated due to the close contact.

An attempt may be made instead of a parry for 1 action. If successful, the victim may free their weapon or limb with a dodge roll over the entangle roll (1 action, per attempt) or discard the caught weapon. (Drawing a new weapon costs 1 action). A caught weapon may not be used to attack or defend. Must be made unarmed, with an appropriate weapon (flail) or flanged blade.

May only be attempted the round after an entangle is made and held. Holder rolls with PP and PS bonuses, defender only PP or PS. For each size class difference, (dwarf, human, ogre, troll, giant) the bigger gains +2. Once a hold has been gained, it requires all actions to keep hold. Hold is mainlined for 1 round per difference in rolls.

Once a hold has been established, you may choke the victim. This will do 1D6 points of damage accumulatively per round, plus damage modifiers. (1D6 first round, 2D6 second, etc.) until the hold is broken. This damage is direct to HP!

In one specific pair of weapons.

Halves penalties for blindness.

The warrior may strike at known opponents to their rear without turning to face them (1 action) without penalty.

Allows a warrior to knock an opponent out without killing or seriously injuring them. Subdued blows will reduce an opponents SDC and HP as normal, but only ¼ of the damage is real. The rest will heal within one hour.

For an additional action, a blow may be leaned in to. This will increase the damage by one die. If the blow misses, (or dodged) the aggressor is off balance - lose one additional action and initiative next round.

A dummy attack. Gives a bonus of +2 Strike for the next attack if opponent doesn’t make a perception roll equal or greater than the dummy strike’s.

A disarm attempt must be declared as an attack, or before a parry is attempted. If attempted with a parry, the parry must be successful to attempt the disarm. Attempting a disarm requires one action, even if unsuccessful.

Roll a D20 to disarm opponent: a natural 19 or 20 is required. The opponent may automatically attempt a parry against this. If they fail, they are disarmed. Their weapon will land 1’ away per point failed by. A fumbled attack disarms the attacker, the weapon flying a distance equal to twice the opponent’s parry bonus.

For example. Jerrard, wielding a long sword, whilst attacking Aventri, wielding a pair of daggers, attempts to disarm him. He rolls to strike, adding, getting a total of 13. The attempt fails. He tries again, rolling a 19. Aventri makes a parry against the disarm, getting a total of 14. One of his daggers lands (19 minus 14) 5 feet away. Aventri decides to return the favour, and attempts to disarm Jerrard on his next attack. Jerrard attacks, and Jerrard successfully parries. Aventri then attempts to disarm him, rolling a natural 20. Jerrard gets an automatic parry against this, and luckily gets a total of 24. The disarm attempt was unsuccessful, and Aventri has lost one action.

Chances to disarm may be improved by flanges on a blade. +1 50 gp. +2 150 gp. Adds 1lb or 2lb to weapon weight. Add 50% cost and weight for great swords.

After successfully parrying an attack, the defender may expend one action and immediately strike back at the attacker out of the normal initiative sequence, once with the parrying weapon.

Not available to Basic training. Allows Non-men at arms to auto-parry.

Allows the warrior to parry thrown weapons without a shield, for 1 action.

Allows the warrior to parry missile weapons without a shield, for 1 action.

Allows the warrior to parry bolt type spells without a shield, for 1 action. Requires an enchanted blade.

If a warrior fails to parry or dodge a block, trip, block or throw, maintain balance allows a further dodge roll to keep one’s footing.

By making a back-flip (in light armour only), multiple attacks may be dodged simultaneously, for one action. A fumbled roll will looses the tumbler one additional action and initiative next round.

Auto Dodge allows a defender to automatically dodge attacks that they are aware of. Can not be used in conjunction with paired weapons.

Multiple attacks may be dodged simultaneously. A fumbled roll will looses the tumbler one additional action and initiative next round. Requires Back-flip.

Only those with assassin training may select backstab (Critical Strike from Behind). May be upgraded, as long as a the damage level does not exceed the HtH: Assassin backstab attack.

Skill in brawling, natural weapons and higher ‘martial arts’. Note that racial damage is reduced by one stage until skill in unarmed combat (or a kick attack, or WP: Fist) is gained.

Additional manoeuvres after Leap attack will teach an extra 2 kicks or punches.