Called shots

[iwatt]

why should rogues be the low armored high damage class? Or the trap finding/disabling class?

Just to keep bugging you

Seriously, the rogue is actually the most flexible of all classes, in the sense that it supports the most non-magical archetypes: the assasin, the infiltrator, the diplomat, the thief, the aristocrat, the lightly amored skirmisher, the ranged fighter etc..

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I'd just allow the same mechanic (- to hit trade for + to damage). Seems good enough for me when using an abstract hitpoint sytem liek DnD uses.

What I'd recommend is making the Power Attack mechanic the extension of the Called Shot mechanic in the same way that Combat Expertise is the extension of the Fighting Defensively mechanic.

To whit:

Anyone has the ability to take a -4 penalty to attacks in order to gain a +2 Dodge bonus to AC. 5 Ranks in Tumble can increase that to a -4 / +3 ratio.

A character can take the Combat Expertise feat, which allows them to trade penalties to attack and bonuses to AC at a 1-to-1 ratio, up to a limit of their BAB or -/+ 5, whichever is less.

The two may be used together.

For review:

Anyone has the ability to take a -4 penalty to attacks in order to gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls. This is a "Called Shot."

A character can take the Power Attack feat, which allows them to trade penalties to attack and bonuses to damage at a 1-to-1 ration, up to a limit of their BAB.

The two may be used together.

I'd also reimplement the 3.0 rule that Power Attack may be used with any weapon. I'd also likely include the 3.5 doubling of PA for two-handed weapons, because I don't see a need to change it for these purposes.

 

[iwatt]

What I'd recommend is making the Power Attack mechanic the extension of the Called Shot mechanic in the same way that Combat Expertise is the extension of the Fighting Defensively mechanic.

Oh, I agree with the idea. It's just that if I'd house rule to this level I'd go full hog and just simply allow the -5/+5 for defense and for attack (within 30' for ranged attacks) to everybody (simple math always get's me).
I'd then allow a Power Attack feat for THF to get the -1/+2 and remove the -5 cap.

I'd allow Combat Expertise to remove the -5 cap as well as allow sword and boarder to get -1/+2 to AC (I'd also allow parryng daggers to work like this as well). I'd create a feat called Aimed Shot that would remove the - 5 cap and increase the range at which you can use this ability (within all ranged increments).

 

[atom crash]

Called shots as a way to bypass the hit point mechanic is probably a bad idea, no matter how you work it.

Agreed.

The problem with every called shot system I've seen proposed -- those that include fatal called shots to instant-kill areas such as the throat, eye, heart, etc -- is that they would allow a spell like true strike to bypass the hit point system and become a 1st-level instant death spell. In my opinion, that's a dangerous door to open, because the PCs will absolutely use that option. No more challenge.

Need to kill a balor? Easy, cast true strike and shoot for the eye. You'll wind up with a decent chance to kill it with a single arrow.

If a DM chose to do this against the PCs, the game would be decidely un-fun for them. Any one hit could kill them. Even worse, one hit could make them blind or deaf or mute or unable to use an arm or leg, and now they're stuck with a character that has a permanent disability. That's going to suck to play.

The mere title of 'called shot' doesn't even make sense. For it to make sense means that every other attack in the game is not a called shot, meaning that they are not aimed. That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

So true. All the 'called shot' systems I've seen proposed are not so much seeking a mechanic for making 'called shots' as they are seeking a way to kill things in one hit.

 

[Tarangil]

So true. All the 'called shot' systems I've seen proposed are not so much seeking a mechanic for making 'called shots' as they are seeking a way to kill things in one hit.

The system I've used doesn't do one hit kills, THAT I don't believe in.

All it would do if the hit is made with an extra -8 to hit is:

Max damage (no die roll needed)

and IF the hit is successful within the weapons critical threat range, there's just no reroll to see if it's critical. In that case though damage is rolled normally.

eyes,ears fingers and other various small bodily targets I don't bother with.

 

[Infiniti2000]

eyes,ears fingers and other various small bodily targets I don't bother with.

So, what shot are you 'calling' if you don't actually call a shot? You're just proposing a max damage mechanic. It's not much different than Patryn's idea except much more open to abuse because the penalty is limit to -8, but the damage is not. You're also allowing auto-confirm, which is arguably an additional huge advantage.

 

[Tarangil]

So, what shot are you 'calling' if you don't actually call a shot? You're just proposing a max damage mechanic. It's not much different than Patryn's idea except much more open to abuse because the penalty is limit to -8, but the damage is not. You're also allowing auto-confirm, which is arguably an additional huge advantage.

I've just simplified it a bit. arm/leg/torso/neck/head seems fair enough. I just add -2 penalties similar to the specific injury part in the DMG.

As far as a max damage mechanic goes it's no worse than a power attack. It's only noticeable when you're using big weapons like a greatsword or something like that.

As far as the auto confirm goes. The damage is still being rolled. Much to the charign of some players I've seen them roll a 1 on the critical multiplying it to 3 when if they missed the crit but still hit they could've scored 8 hp. It is to laugh but the advantage isn't that huge.

Again though, I haven't been able to implement it with high level characters to see how it ticks, but that's why I asked the question in the first place is to see if anyone in the 3.5 edition world has come to a conclusion when dealing with critical hits.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Quick point: You do realize that you don't multiple critical hits; you roll them multiple times, right?

 

[Tarangil]

Quick point: You do realize that you don't multiple critical hits; you roll them multiple times, right?

Oops. Well what could I say? 3E is still new to me and I'm still stuck in the 2E mindset.

I like the roll multiple times though, I may have to use that now.

 

[werk]

Quick point: You do realize that you don't multiple critical hits; you roll them multiple times, right?

He wouldn't need to, he's doing max damage, so double max.

I have no problem with transferring attack bonus to damage bonus. I much prefer a ranged power attack mechanic, or whatever we're calling this, as opposed to a true 'called shot' mechanic that allows insta-kills, blindness, dex/str penalties, etc.