Called Shots! Poll & Discussion

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I was just thinking about some of my most memorable moments as a DM/Player in D&D and some of them revolve around the "called shots" in the game.

I decided to start a poll and see what people thought of them, if they allowed them into the game, if they house-ruled them, and possibly start a discussion on their most memorable called shots.

I think my most memorable called shot was bitter-sweet. It was my very first D&D game back in 2E when my roommate ran me through a solo adventure. I was a level 12 half-elf ranger, I was riding my Pegasus looking for people to help and continuing my adventure when a white dragon swooped up out of nowhere to attack me. A bit of background - I killed this particular dragon's sibling a few levels prior and this dragon decided to track me down to get some revenge.

Anyhow, there ensued an epic aerial battle between me and this dragon. I was knocked off my Pegasus when the dragon killed it in mid-flight. Then as I was falling the dragon wasn't satisfied and continued the fight with me, I had a Vorpal sword at the time and as a last desperate measure called a shot to cut it's head off before I hit the ground. I rolled a natural 20 and confirmed it with another natural 20! Thus, the dragon's head was severed from it's body and a round later I splatted to the ground ending my adventure on that note. Was probably the most cinematic scene from my perspective and I wasn't even sad my character died. We started a new adventure with a new character the next night.

So, in this poll I'm putting together a few options:
1) You love them and allow them in your games RAW
2) You hate them and never allow them
3) You like them, but tweak them (house-ruled)
4) You use a table from somewhere to determine the actual "called shot"
5) "Other," in which case please explain

 

[The Shaman]

Most of the games I enjoy include called shots - in fact, every shot or blow in Flashing Blades is a called (or more properly, aimed) shot.

 

[ExploderWizard]

It depends on if the system as a whole is designed to support them. I wouldn't use them in D&D for example because the system is abstract and not wound (and thereby location) specific.

 

[Stormonu]

I was introduced to called shots in 2E (I had seen and been victim off critical effect tables, but nothing where the attacker had any kind of control). I liked the idea, but at higher levels they were too easy to use (back in 2e, a -4 penalty to hit can be sneered at by 7th level or so).

In 3E, I played with reintroducing called shots. To balance them, I gave enemies a save to negate the effect, so that a more competant enemy would be luckier or more apt to "turn aside at the last moment" and lessen the impact of the attack. I generally set the DC at 10 + 1/2 the attacker's BAB + ability modifier. I didn't run into a problem with them being overused, and the weapon-using characters loved having access to them in a pinch.

An example called shot:

Blinding: -8 to hit (fine size). On a success, deal normal damage and target must make a Fort DC 10 + 1/2 attacker's BAB + Dex modifier or be blinded until the character takes a full-round action to clear their eyes, recieves magical healing or is assisted with a successful Heal check against the save DC.

These called shots could also be used for tripping, sundering, etc.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Depends on the system. Some systems are designed to work with called shots, and in that case, I think they're great. D&D, on the other hand, was designed with a much more abstract approach to combat, and I dislike called shots in D&D. More thoughts on it here.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I can see why some systems aren't as good as others for called shots. In my recent 4E campaign I actually tweaked it with a house rule. I ruled that the players could make them but basically it was a -5 to hit the target with the actual call they made being what they called up to and including instant death of the NPC (my only caveat was that NPCs I ruled as "major" bosses couldn't be taken down with one hit, but their hit points would be halved instead).

So the rule went like this:
Sample NPC AC 20, with a called shot it's now 25.
If the player rolls a natural 20 (or 19 in the case of vorpal weapons) the call they made happens.
If the player didn't roll a 19/20, they had to roll high enough to hit the 25AC instead of the 20AC for a normal hit, otherwise it'd be a miss due to them trying to hit the specified called shot. This basically made it more difficult to hit the creature as a whole because they were focusing on trying to do something specific.

Only a few times did my players even attempt a called-shot, but they all felt it was a fair house-rule so that it didn't get out of hand or overused.

Thanks to the other posters so far for their insight, comments, and voting!

 

[Dice4Hire]

I almost always play D&D, and its abstract hp system does not work well with called shot.

I did use critical hits and fumbles from tables back in 2E, and it was kind of fun, but not a lot of fun a it caused too many odd effects.

I would not use called shots with my current systems of choice, (3.5 and 4E D&D)

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I almost always play D&D, and its abstract hp system does not work well with called shot.

I did use critical hits and fumbles from tables back in 2E, and it was kind of fun, but not a lot of fun a it caused too many odd effects.

I would not use called shots with my current systems of choice, (3.5 and 4E D&D)

Fair enough, some like them some hate them, I can see pros and cons to both sides. One of the reasons I thought this might make a fun thread to discuss it.

I actually brought the critical hits/fumbles tables into that same 4E game and the players liked it. They actually seemed to prefer that to the "called shots" that were in the same game. I guess it was the sitting on the edge of your seat thing to see what happens when you roll a 1 or 20.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I like the idea, and have used them on occassion, but I've never found a system that I cared for enough to keep.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Well, I think called shots have to be part of a broader system that acknowledges the effects of injury to different body parts. I'm just now taking my first shot at implementing such a system for CoC d20.

So I answered "other". I'd say I aspire to it.