Keep at bay attempts to keep opponent out of melee range, making it harder for the enemy to use closing maneuvers or straight out attacking them if they move into your melee range.
You can attack using this skill as an attack if target tries to move into your melee range.
Opposed roll if target is using closing, tumbling or similar skill to move into your melee range. If you are successul, you can choose to use this skill as an attack.
If successful, you can choose to attack using this skill as Attack Bonus for only 1 Action Point (instead of your standard attack).
When calling this skill, you spend 1 AP. Subsequent attacks against those that step into your melee range, you can attack them with this skill by spending only 1 AP per attack. You cannot use this skill to attack those that are already in your melee range.
Standard combat modifiers apply (including penalty for re-using skill)
The use of this skill to attack also counts as an attack in terms of penalties to multiple attacks.
Light-footed rogue attempts to tumble into range
You roll Keep at Bay: 94 + 35 = 129
They roll Tumbling: 112 + 25 = 137 → Fail
They slip past your guard, no attack allowed.
Keep at Bay is a defensive melee technique that utilizes positioning, weapon reach, and psychological pressure to hold your ground and deny enemy movement. Especially effective in chokepoints, narrow corridors, or while guarding allies, this skill makes it dangerous for enemies to advance unchecked.
Using a long weapon or disciplined stance, the character creates a defensive zone that enemies must contest to breach. It can interrupt Closing, Charging, and Flanking Maneuvers, creating opportunities to control the battlefield and punish over-aggressive enemies with an attack if they misstep.
This is often combined with Disengage to form a retreat-and-hold tactic or used as part of a frontline anchor role in group tactics.
Sequence this with disengage for a powerful defensive move.
Closing, tumbling, lunging attack, flanking maneuver etc.