Engagement is a state when two or more opposing combatants are locking each one's position, so they cannot move freely out of melee combat distance. This system is intended to increase tactical value of movement and positioning in combat environments.
Engagement may only occur in melee combat, and with melee attacks.
Mechanics[ | ]
When two opposed combatants come near each other and the attacker:
- has a melee weapon equipped
- is not moving and
- is not currently at their maximum limit of engagement targets (the standard is 1),
the other character will become Engaged. When a character is first engaged, they will stop moving. Moving any significant distance away from the attacker is called Disengagement and will provoke an automatic Disengagement Attack.[1]
If the attacker switches to a non-melee weapon or performs a non-melee-based action, Engagement immediately ends. If the attacker moves away from their Engagement targets, is paralyzed, interrupted, knocked down, or otherwise prevented from maintaining a threat, Engagement will also immediately end. If the attacker has a limited number of Engagement targets (as most do) and switches his or her attack focus to a different character, Engagement immediately ends.[1]
Engagement range is only a little more than a character width (barring special circumstances)[2] and most characters can only engage one enemy at a time. If they don't have a target, it's the first enemy who enters the radius. If they do have a target, it's them. For fighters in Defender mode, it's the first three, one of which is typically someone they are attacking.[3]
Fleeing targets can be engaged, as soon as the pursuer catch up to them and stops moving, forcing them to stop as well.[4]
Incoming engagements is used to refer to opponents engaging a character, while outgoing engagements refers to that character engaging one or more opponents.
Disengagement attack[ | ]
A Disengagement Attack is a "free" automatic action with no recovery time.[5] It has an inherent Accuracy bonus, does significantly more damage than a standard attack, and will call a hit reaction animation while momentarily stopping the character's movement. When it's initiated, a Disengagement Attack automatically breaks Engagement on the target, but if the target is also the attacker's current melee target, the attacker will typically be able to re-establish Engagement before the target can move farther away.[1] By default, attackers have to wait 2.0 seconds after a disengagement attack before they can attempt to engage the same target.
By default, all disengagement attacks are given a bonus of +5 Accuracy, and do 2x damage. On story time difficulties, enemy disengagement attacks have an accuracy penalty of -25.
Influences in Pillars of Eternity[ | ]
Engagement limit[ | ]
- Abilities/talents
| Level | Class | Ability | Limit | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Fighter | Defender | +2 | Modal |
| 2 | All | Hold the Line | +1 | - |
Immunity to engagement[ | ]
The following effects provide an immunity to engagement, which prevents the character from being engaged by opponents (but do not prevent outgoing engagements). Typically all effects that provide with immunity to engagement, or make the caster untargetable or invisible will also break existing engagements (both outgoing and incoming) on the start of the effect, without provoking a disengagement attack.
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Rogue | Escape | Instant |
Defense against disengagement attacks[ | ]
The following effects provide bonus defense against disengagement attacks made by enemies on the character.
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Defense | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Barbarian | Wild Sprint | +12 | 5.0 sec |
Influences in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire[ | ]
Engagement limit[ | ]
The following effects increase the amount of opponents that the character can engage at one time (from a default of 0).
- Weapons
| Type | Item | Enchantment | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Kapana Taga | Champion's Implement | +1 | |
| Champion's Relic | +2 | |||
| Club | Shattered Vengeance | Blessed Defiance | +1 | When 2 or more enemies are nearby |
| Pollaxe | All pollaxes | Engaging Threat | +1 | Modal |
| Spear | All spears | Engaging Thrust | +1 | Modal |
| War hammer | Last Word | Threatening | +1 |
- Equipment
| Type | Item | Enchantment | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belt | Maura's Grasping Belt [FS] | Animated | +1 |
| Helm | Blackened Plate Helm | Pallid Countenance | +1 |
| Shield | All shields | Shield Engagement | +1 |
- Armor
| Type | Armor | Enchantment | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breastplate | Contender's Armor [SSS] | Contender's Composure | +1 | |
| Brigandine | Reckless Brigandine | Go Not Quietly | +1 | |
| Hide armor | The Changeling's Mantle [SSS] | Lessons of the Changeling | +1 | In boar form |
| Plate armor | Blackened Plate Armor | Usher's Beckoning | +1 | |
| Plate armor | One Dozen Stood [BW] | Hold the Bridge | +1-3 | Depending on health percentage |
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Limit | Duration | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Barbarian | Thick Skinned | +1 | - | Self |
| 4th | Barbarian | Barbaric Shout | +3 | 30.0 sec | Target |
| 9th | Barbarian | Dazing Shout | |||
| 4th | Chanter | The Silver Knights' Shields Broke Both Arrow and Blade | +1 | 10.0 sec | Friendly Aura (4m) |
| 5th | Cipher | Tactical Meld | +3 | 30.0 sec | Allied Target + Self |
| Core | Druid | Spiritshift Bear | +1 | 15.0 sec | Self |
| Core | Druid | Spiritshift Boar | +1 | 15.0 sec | Self |
| Core | Fighter | Unbroken | +1 | - | Self |
| Core | Paladin | Engagement Mastery | +1 | - | Self (while shield equipped) |
| 2nd | Fighter | Defender Stance Guardian Stance |
+3 | - | Self |
| 3rd | Fighter | Hold the Line | +1 | - | Self |
| 5th | Priest | Champion's Boon | +3 | 30.0 sec | Friendly Target |
| 2nd | Ranger | Protective Companion | +1 | - | Animal Companion |
| 4th | Rogue | Persistent Distraction | +1 | - | Self |
| 1st | Wizard | Form of the Fearsome Brute | +1 | 30.0 sec | Self |
| 7th | Wizard | Citzal's Martial Power | +1 | 30.0 sec | Self |
- Consumables
| Type | Item | Limit | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potion | Potion of the Fearsome Brute | +1 | 30.0 sec |
- Resting bonuses
| Location | Room | Cost | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| The King's Coffin | Sailor's Berth |  200 |
+1 |
| Temple of Toamowhai | The Gymnasium | 200 |
+1 |
Immunity to engagement[ | ]
The following effects provide an immunity to engagement, which prevents the character from being engaged by opponents (but do not prevent outgoing engagements). Typically all effects that provide with immunity to engagement, or make the caster untargetable or invisible will also break existing engagements (both outgoing and incoming) on the start of the effect, without provoking a disengagement attack.
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Barbarian | Wild Sprint Lion's Sprint Ram's Sprint |
6.0 sec | |
| 6th | Barbarian | Threatening Presence | - | Only applies to lower-level enemies |
| Core | Druid | Spiritshift Storm Blight | - | |
| 1st | Druid | Shifting Storm | - | |
| Core | Ranger | Antelope Companion (Ghost Heart) Bear Companion (Ghost Heart) Boar Companion (Ghost Heart) Lion Companion (Ghost Heart) Stag Companion (Ghost Heart) Wolf Companion (Ghost Heart) |
- | Ghost Heart ranger's companion |
| Core | Ranger | Bird Engagement Immunity | - | Passive on Maia's bird companion, Ishiza |
| 1st | Rogue | Defensive Roll | 2.0 sec | On critically hit |
| 1st | Rogue | Escape Shadow Step Flurry of Blades |
3.0 sec | |
| 2nd | Rogue | Smoke Veil | 5.0 sec | |
| 4th | Rogue | Shadowing Beyond | 10.0 sec | Upgraded from Escape |
| 7th | Rogue | Coordinated Positioning | Instant | Break only |
| 8th | Rogue | Enduring Shadows | 20.0 sec | Upgraded from Shadowing Beyond |
| 9th | Rogue | Vanishing Strike | 5.0 sec |
- Consumables
| Type | Item | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Potion | Potion of Invisibility | 15.0 sec |
- Weapons
| Type | Item | Enchantment | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle axe | Slayer's Claw [SSS] | Stelgaer's Lunge | Instant | Break only |
| Club | Shattered Vengeance | Coordinated Escape | - | While near 2 or more allies |
| Rapier | Seeker's Fang [SSS] | Spider's Escape | 3.0 sec | After applying a Dexterity Affliction |
| Scepter | The Eye of Wael | Obfuscation | 8.0 sec | On scoring critical hit |
- Pets
| Enchantment | Pet | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pet party effect: Misc - Grog | Grog | - |
Cannot engage[ | ]
The following effects prevent the character from being able to engage opponents (but do not prevent incoming engagements).
- Afflictions
- Abilities
| Level | Class | Ability | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Priest (Woedica) | Writ of Engagement | 15.0 sec |
| Core | Rogue | Debonaire (passive) | - |
- Pets
| Enchantment | Pet | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pet party effect: Misc - Grog | Grog | - |
Per engaged target[ | ]
The following effects are modified based on the amount opponents the character has engaged.
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Effects | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Fighter | Defender Stance Guardian Stance |
-5% Damage Taken per Engaged Target | Self |
- Weapons
| Type | Item | Enchantment | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Kapana Taga | Champion's Implement Champion's Relic |
+3% Melee Damage for each Engaged Target |
| Unblockable | +4 Melee Accuracy for each Engaged Target | ||
| War hammer | Last Word | Shortened Haft | +5% Weapon Damage per Engaged Enemy |
- Armor
| Type | Armor | Enchantment | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigandine | Reckless Brigandine | Go Not Quietly | +5% Action Speed in Melee (+3% per Engaged Target) |
Defense against disengagement attacks[ | ]
The following effects provide bonus defense against disengagement attacks made by enemies on the character.
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Defense | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | Druid | Form of the Delemgan | +20 | - | |
| 2nd | Monk | Graceful Retreat | +12 | - | |
| 2nd | Paladin | Zealous Charge | +12 | Modal | |
| 4th | Paladin | Exalted Charge | |||
| 1st | Wizard | Fleet Feet | +20 | 30.0 sec | |
| 1st | All | Fast Runner | +5 | - | Except Chanter, Cipher, Monk, Priest, Wizard |
| 4th | All | Tumbling | +20 | - | Except Druid, Paladin, Priest, Wizard |
- Equipment
| Type | Item | Enchantment | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amulet | Heart-Chime Amulet | Winged Steps | +15 (Deflection) |
| Boots | Boots of Speed | Moving Target | +15 (Deflection) |
| Cloak | The Magnificent Escape Cape | Neither Here Nor There | +10 (Deflection) |
- Weapons
| Type | Weapon | Enchantment | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spear | Kahua Hozi | Glass Walker | +25 (Deflection) |
- Armor
| Type | Armor | Enchantment | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padded armor | Gipon Prudensco | Better Part of Valor | +25 (Deflection) |
- Pets
| Pet | Enchantment | Defense | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drago [SSS] | Pet party effect: Defenses - Disengagement | +5 | Party-wide effect |
| Ooblit [FS] | Pet party effect: Defenses - Disengagement 2 | +10 | Party-wide effect |
- Consumables
| Type | Item | Defense | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | White Ynefer | +20 | Until next rest |
Modifiers to disengagement attacks[ | ]
The following effects modify disengagement attacks made by the character against opponents, or otherwise are triggered as a result of these attacks.
- Armor
| Type | Armor | Enchantment | Effects | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigandine | Nomad's Brigandine | Pull Back | -25% Damage taken from Disengagement attacks | |
| Feigned Retreat | -25% Damage taken from Disengagement attacks, 25% Chance to Reflect against Disengagement attacks | Upgraded from Pull Back | ||
| Tactical Withdraw | Immunity to Disengagement attacks | Upgraded from Pull Back | ||
| Leather armor | Miscreant's Leathers | Kidney Guard | -10% Damage taken from Disengagement and Flanking attacks | |
| Padded armor | Gipon Prudensco | Fight Another Day | Immunity to Disengagement attacks | |
| Plate armor | One Dozen Stood [BW] | Stall for Time | -40% Stride for 4.0 sec upon scoring a Hit with a disengagement attack | Foe AoE (6m) around wearer |
| Don't Let Him Through! | +15% Damage and +10 Accuracy with Disengagement attacks |
- Abilities/spells
| Level | Class | Ability | Effect | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Chanter | The Fox from the Farmer Did Run and Leap | -20 Accuracy for 10.0 sec | Foe Target |
| Core | Fighter | Unbroken (passive) | +10 Penetration | Self |
| 5th | Fighter | Guardian Stance | Disengagement attacks interrupt and knock prone | Attack Targets |
| 6th | Fighter | Overbearing Guard | +15 Accuracy, +50% Damage | Self |
Notes[ | ]
- Project Eternity's melee engagement was designed as a solution to two common problems in the Infinity Engine games: melee characters' inability to control an area and ranged characters' ability to "kite" melee characters. It fills a similar role to D&D 3E/3.5/4E/Pathfinder's attack of opportunity mechanics.[1]