Dark Sun Campaign Setting Revised[]
This proficiency gives a character who makes a successful check a +1 bonus on all attack or initiative rolls (player's choice) for the duration of a specific combat situation. It requires that the character spend one round studying his opponent's movements before making the check. A successful check made after that round indicates that the character has some idea of what his opponent is planning to do in the combat and can act accordingly (hence the bonus). If the combat situation changes in any way (an opponent is eliminated or a new opponent enters the field), the character must take another round to analyze the situation and make another check to maintain the bonus.
During the round when the character is studying his opponents, he may not make any attacks of his own. This includes using a psionic power of any type.
If a character devotes a second slot to this proficiency, he specializes in the study of one particular race in order to better understand its tendencies in combat. When using this proficiency against an opponent of that race, the character receives a +2 bonus on all attack or initiative rolls. This bonus can also be split, adding +1 to both types of rolls. A character can specialize in as many races as he wants, but the maximum bonus gained for any one of them is +2.
This proficiency doesn't give any bonuses against groups of four or more opponents unless they are all of a race in which a character has specialized. Even then, it can never be used against more than five opponents of that racial type. Furthermore, the bonus never applies to a character's companions—just to the character himself.
The Complete Gladiator's Handbook[]
The gladiator who takes the Tactics proficiency gains a +1 bonus on attack or initiative rolls (player s choice) in any given combat by taking a round to study his opponent's movements. A successful proficiency roll indicates that the gladiator has some idea of what his opponent plans in combat. When one of the combatants is eliminated, the gladiator must again step back a round to analyze the situation and make a new proficiency check if he is to keep the bonus he has gained. He may parry attacks in this round, but may not initiate any himself. This includes uses of his psionic wild talent, no matter what it may be. Nearly all his attention is focused on divining the intent of his enemies.
Furthermore, if the gladiator wishes to devote another slot to this proficiency, he may choose to study one particular race in order to better understand its tendencies. In this case, the gladiator gains a +2 bonus to attack or initiative rolls when using this proficiency. Alternatively, the gladiator may choose to split the bonus, and take +1 on attacks and +1 to initiative. The gladiator may specialize in as many races as he likes, but can gain only a maximum bonus of +2 to any particular races' tendencies.
This proficiency does not apply to groups of four or more opponents, unless the opponents' race is one the gladiator has studied extensively. In this case, the proficiency can apply to as many as five opponents, but never more than that. This proficiency does not apply to the gladiator's partners. The gladiator specializes in tactics, not in strategy.