Dealing With Wizards

[Thondor]

Yes well, I've never heard of anybody cutting someones tounge in combat. Your toungue tends to stay in your mouth. Toungue slashing seems impossible to me. Makes no sense. When someones helpless it's a completely different thing, but I wouldn't allow that kind of action in combat, A coup de Grace is much, much easier to deliver. You have to drag the persons jaw open, if there not already unconcious you probably need someone to hold their mouth open and then you need to grab the toungue to cut it.
Eye gouging for all it's historical accuracy should only (maybe) be allowed in a grapple and could only be allowed with bare hands. Which would cause the subject of the attack to become temporarily blinded ( 1d4 rounds maybe 2d4). All this because the likelyhood of someone dying from a weapon in the eye ( and then brain) is so huge. Besides which it's the most basic intinct to dodge anything coming at our eyes.
Besides which target specific shots in D&D combat system are bad. Especially if they are anything more specific then arm, leg, torso, head. Head generally shouldn't be allowed due to the frequent amount of death people succumb to from head injures. (Although 12 HP to the head wouldn't be as solid a hit as 12HP to an arm so it can still work.)

What is a GURP anyway? a specific example may help, thanks

 

[moritheil]

What is a GURP anyway? a specific example may help, thanks

GURPS is a "universal" ruleset put out by Steve Jackson Games.

Getting back to the topic, the problem I have with called shots is that for a mere -4, they are far too powerful. Called shots rely on a kind of "intuitive logic" to bypass the hit point system. For example:

- I make a called shot to someone's eye with my mighty composite longbow. I have dealt serious damage to his eye, more than enough to penetrate beyond it; he now has an arrow going into his brain. He should be dead! (DM-player argument ensues)

- I make a called shot to ruin someone's elbow. He shouldn't be able to wield a weapon with that arm now, as I just destroyed his joint! (DM-player argument ensues)

- I make a called shot to shatter someone's kneecap. He shouldn't be able to move at all, and how is he standing? (DM-player argument ensues)

 

[Thondor]

Well if you are going to institute called shots you need to be fairly simple about it. there should only be 4 options, Torso, Head, Left arm, Right arm, Legs

Torso: Now no ones going to attack the torso specificly. You shouldn't be penalized if you do
Left Arm: Suggested penalty -4 to attack. If succesful foe suffers -1 on attacks with that weapon or -1 to AC with a heavy or Tower shield.
Right arm: same as left arm
Legs: Suggested penalty -4 on attack. Your opponent movement is inhibited by 5 feet. Your opponent also suffers a -2 on balance, Tumble, Jump checks.
Head: suggested penalty -4 on attack. Your opponent is dazed for two rounds suffering a -2 on all attack rolls and skill checks.

Damage to the target must be at least 2HP for every HD the creature has. Otherwise the damage is not sever enough. Multiple attacks to the same limb do not stack.
A critical hit to these locations indicates that a double penalty is suffered (natural 20 only) and damage must still exceed the 2HP per HD requirement. A critical hit to the head means 4 rounds dazed not -4 for two rounds.
A DC 10 heal check removes the penalty or 1 point of magical healing.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Well if you are going to institute called shots you need to be fairly simple about it. there should only be 4 options, Torso, Head, Left arm, Right arm, Legs

Torso: Now no ones going to attack the torso specificly. You shouldn't be penalized if you do
Left Arm: Suggested penalty -4 to attack. If succesful foe suffers -1 on attacks with that weapon or -1 to AC with a heavy or Tower shield.
Right arm: same as left arm
Legs: Suggested penalty -4 on attack. Your opponent movement is inhibited by 5 feet. Your opponent also suffers a -2 on balance, Tumble, Jump checks.
Head: suggested penalty -4 on attack. Your opponent is dazed for two rounds suffering a -2 on all attack rolls and skill checks.

Damage to the target must be at least 2HP for every HD the creature has. Otherwise the damage is not sever enough. Multiple attacks to the same limb do not stack.
A critical hit to these locations indicates that a double penalty is suffered (natural 20 only) and damage must still exceed the 2HP per HD requirement. A critical hit to the head means 4 rounds dazed not -4 for two rounds.
A DC 10 heal check removes the penalty or 1 point of magical healing.

Except that fighters who routinly use power attack for around that margin are now going to skip the power attack and go for the head. "Nyah, nyah, nyah...you can't do anything for 2 whole turns! Now watch me power attack a full attack without fear of reprisal!" Especially the greatsword-weilding high str fighter who can do 2d6+6 damage at first level. Add magic, an eregy type, bane or holy, and specialization/greater specialization and the base damage goes up, up, up. Especially since nothing's immune to daze effects. (seriously, check it out)
Bad, bad, bad.

 

[General Barron]

I'm just starting DnD again from a long absense, and so I'm coming from 2nd ed rules.

In 2nd edition, called shots to the head or any other small area were made at -8, which made them almost never used. I guess their main use was supposed to be against someone in full plate armor who wasn't wearing a helmet (in which case they had no AC on their head, but you still had the -8 to hit penalty).

There wasn't ever any system of specific effects that a called shot would do, however. Any such system would have to be very carefully balanced so that called shots would NOT be better than a standard attack, on average. The system given by Thondor seems pretty balanced to me, although only playtesting would prove it.

Called shots can and should add flavor to combat, but shouldn't really be replacements for standard attacks.