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Homebrew System - Vitality/Wound Point Questions
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<blockquote data-quote="genshou" data-source="post: 4664641" data-attributes="member: 13164"><p>If you attack someone point blank who is completely unaware of your presence, you should be able to coup de grace them, since they would be considered helpless (this was in SWd20 somewhere, either in the core rulebook or on the online Q&A). This requires getting to melee reach from your target prior to being detected, so you can't run up to them and attack; you have to stay hidden all the way until you are literally right on them. However, if they aren't helpless, levelling a crossbow at them has no special advantage, except that they will possibly be flat-footed when you fire. Firing a crossbow at a guy who's in melee with someone else or is firing back at you is the same as firing at a guy who's just standing there warily watching you (such as an ambushed adventurer who is parleying), except that he might not be ready for your attack and thus be unable to use above-average reflexes to avoid it altogether. There's no reason that being held at crossbow point should have special considerations.</p><p></p><p>However, if you have them grappled and pinned and have a knife at their throat or what have you, the system already has rules for attacking a pinned character. If they make no effort to fight back, they might be treated as helpless (allowing a coup de grace), but if they are kicking, biting, and otherwise generally struggling, you won't necessarily be able to pull off an attack like you planned. Remember, even when pinned a target is not helpless and can attempt to escape the pin.</p><p></p><p>Since these attacks require a solid hit on the target, you could rule they only apply when the target takes wound damage on an attack. This requires them to either receive a critical hit or be out of vitality points. Even if you let other special attacks work when only vitality damage is dealt (a vampire's slam attack that deals vitality might touch the target but not inflict significant bodily harm, but still cause energy drain), that's the best way to balance wound effects.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="genshou, post: 4664641, member: 13164"] If you attack someone point blank who is completely unaware of your presence, you should be able to coup de grace them, since they would be considered helpless (this was in SWd20 somewhere, either in the core rulebook or on the online Q&A). This requires getting to melee reach from your target prior to being detected, so you can't run up to them and attack; you have to stay hidden all the way until you are literally right on them. However, if they aren't helpless, levelling a crossbow at them has no special advantage, except that they will possibly be flat-footed when you fire. Firing a crossbow at a guy who's in melee with someone else or is firing back at you is the same as firing at a guy who's just standing there warily watching you (such as an ambushed adventurer who is parleying), except that he might not be ready for your attack and thus be unable to use above-average reflexes to avoid it altogether. There's no reason that being held at crossbow point should have special considerations. However, if you have them grappled and pinned and have a knife at their throat or what have you, the system already has rules for attacking a pinned character. If they make no effort to fight back, they might be treated as helpless (allowing a coup de grace), but if they are kicking, biting, and otherwise generally struggling, you won't necessarily be able to pull off an attack like you planned. Remember, even when pinned a target is not helpless and can attempt to escape the pin. Since these attacks require a solid hit on the target, you could rule they only apply when the target takes wound damage on an attack. This requires them to either receive a critical hit or be out of vitality points. Even if you let other special attacks work when only vitality damage is dealt (a vampire's slam attack that deals vitality might touch the target but not inflict significant bodily harm, but still cause energy drain), that's the best way to balance wound effects. [/QUOTE]
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