Hold your attack and unleash a flurry of reactive strikes the moment enemies enter your melee range or attack you from melee range - forcing them to either stay back or get hit.
Whirlwind is used instead of attack bonus on the weapon table against opponents that either step into melee range or attack you from melee range.
No roll when used — Whirlwind is a prepared defensive action where attacks only costs 1 action point (besides the 1 AP it costs to activate whirlwind).
Attack automatically triggers when an opponent steps into melee range or attacks you from melee range
Attacks are made with your ability in Whirlwind instead of your skill in weapons. However, the skill used cannot be higher than that of the weapon you are using.
Attacks made with whirlwind cannot deal critical hits.
You must give up your main attack that round to prepare Whirlwind
Attacks made with whirlwind cannot be critical hits.
You can move with whirlwind activated, but the cost to move is doubled from 1 AP to 2 AP per combat movement.
Each attack triggered only costs 1 AP.
Chokepoint Defense
You ready Whirlwind in front of a narrow corridor and spend 1 AP to do so.
→ Two enemies step into range.
→ You spend 2 additional AP and make two separate attacks.
Whirlwind is a proactive combat skill that lets a character abandon their standard offensive action in favor of controlling their surroundings. It simulates wide sweeping strikes, maintained pressure, and a strong defensive stance that punishes any foe stepping into your threatened zone.
Ideal for warriors with reach weapons, tanks defending doorways, or fighters controlling a tight battlefield space.
While simple in setup, it requires good anticipation and timing. Since you're forgoing your main attack and committing to reactionary behavior, the risk is that enemies might stay out of your range, or use skills like Sliding Attack to bypass your threat area. Further, due to the hectical nature of whirlwind, you lose out on critical hits.
However, when correctly positioned and supported, Whirlwind can dominate an entire zone—especially against aggressive melee opponents.
Sequence with Defensive Matrix Stabilizer for a strong defensive combo.
Closing skills, lunging attack and sliding attack.