I thought I'd share the following tips that I've collected from reading a few sources, about combat mechanics:
Moving, attacking, etc:
- When standing still, all characters get a 4 attack chain combo. The 3rd and 4th attack get a massive to-hit bonus (+5 and +10 respectively). When moving, you only get a two attack chain, AND you get a -4 to hit on each attack (if you get Spring Attack as a fighter, you don't get the penalty, but you still only get two attack chain so NO BONUS).
- When active blocking, you get +2 to your AC, plus some extra damage-reduction (shields increase DR apparently) 180° in front of you vs melee (you get less protection vs ranged, but that counts from any direction, a 360° circle). Tumbling counts as blocking, so you apparently get that +2 AC when doing it. The higher your Tumble skill, the fastest you tumble, and really high (32+) gives you cartwheels and crap. Mobility seems to increase the bonus to +4 WHILE TUMBLING only (I don't know if it stacks with the original +2, probably not).
- When Tumbling, you DO NOT interrupt your attack chain. This means you can swing twice, Tumble, then get the 3rd and 4th attacks with the BIG BONUSES. Walking resets your attack chain.
- Flanking gives you an additional +2 to hit. I assume this means trying to hit from behind, or sideways. Not sure what frontal arc doesn't count as flanking (180°? 90°?).
Dual wielding and Two-handed weapons:
- There are 3 dual-wielding feats: Two Weapon Fighting, Improved TWF, and Greater TWF. When using two weapons, you get an additional off-hand attack on your 2nd and 4th attack in the chain. TWF only reduces the to-hit penalty when using two weapons. ITWF gives you an additional off-hand attack on your third attack. GTWF gives you an off-hand attack in your first one, effectively making you swing both weapons four times.
EDIT: The Ranger Tempest III enhancement grants you an extra off-hand attack, so you could effectively have 3 weapon swings on your fourth attack in the chain. (one main hand plus 2 off-hand attacks).
- The two-handed feats are: Two Hand Fighting, Improved THF, and Greater THF. They do something called a glancing blow that I can't be arsed to find out what it does.
EDIT: Ok, a glancing blow is like an area of effect when wielding a two-hander, so additionaly to the foe you hit, you get a -5 to hit all the foes in a small arc and do a % of the damage you rolled, that depends on your feat and stuff. Each feat reduces the penalty (and eventually gives a bonus, apparently) and/or gives an additional glancing blow - normally you get two glancing in the 4 attack chain, I think with GTHF you get three instead.
There are other feats for ranged combat but they're a bit easier to figure out.