D&D General Groin punch/kick?
- Thread starter abe ray
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Paul Farquhar
Legend
Most armour, even leather, provides extra protection for vulnerable areas.
I have an example where a PC critted on a groin shot.
I ran the Throne of Deceit adventure out the Spellbound boxed set. Travelling through Thesk the party come upon the strict and stern Lord Simgarde clad in +1 plate armor. He quickly recognizes the PCs as adventurers and gives them a quick warning not to cause trouble in the war torn area. After he walks away and is conversing with another member of his group one of the offended PCs picks up a good sized rock and throws it at his nuts and rolls a natural 20 on a called shot. Even with the codpiece I ruled that it dented it and stunned him enough to drop him to his knees for at least a round. In quick succession of the crotch shot, another PC who was wearing a ring of lightning blasted him with a lightning bolt. Needless to say, after that 1-2 punch Lorde Simgarde thought better to outright attack them and it was better off to keep his eye on them. So the groin shot didn't do actual damage in this case other than us laughing extremely hard.
I think any groin shot would be a called shot and non-lethal damage (maybe 1d3 thru 1d6) on a successful hit. Seeing as that is a sensitive area for both males and females, if they are expecting it and in melee I'd assume that a hit would be guarded against enough to only apply normal damage. If the person were unaware and caught off guard or hit with a crit I'd have them take double/max damage and stunned/prone (maybe allow a save) or something thereof.
DammitVictor
Druid of the Invisible Hand
It's a good way to describe a critical hit with an unarmed strike. Otherwise, no extra damage, no stunning effects, none of that-- it's a difficult strike to land on a wary opponent, and opponents that are accustomed to pain are going to be able to fight through it.
Nobody talks about making called shots for punching people in the liver, and that's something trained fighters are trained to do to other trained figthers.
Nobody talks about making called shots for punching people in the liver, and that's something trained fighters are trained to do to other trained figthers.
D&D doesn't really support called shots.
You may figure that a particularly high damage roll in unarmed combat could be narrated as a groin shot, or a hit to another vulnerable spot.
Once you are working with weapons that rend flesh, I expect it is a rather moot point.
You may figure that a particularly high damage roll in unarmed combat could be narrated as a groin shot, or a hit to another vulnerable spot.
Once you are working with weapons that rend flesh, I expect it is a rather moot point.
The liver? That's not sitting near the body surface, and is partially protected by the rib cage, so that sounds weird for an unarmed combat shot. The kidneys, though, are vulnerable, which is why you aren't supposed to use such a hit in professional boxing.
I can speak from experience, getting kicked square in the nuts hurts really bad, and also stuns you if not outright drops you. In a street fight, if you get hit there there is a good chance that the other person is going to get the upper hand. So I would say that the effects of being prone or stunned in this situation outweigh any damage. Of course theres some sick and twisted folk out there who like the old Rochambeau.
the Jester
Legend
No. No free damage for a called shot. Instead of "I hit them in the groin to do extra damage!", think of it this way- "I hit, I do good damage, must have been somewhere tender!"
The way Id work it a called shots typically cost a full attack action at hefty penalties, so on a successful hit the player should be rewarded for taking the chance, and more if they roll a nat 20. No right or wrong answer just my opinion.
jgsugden
Legend
I've allowed PCs to deliver a groin shot.
The groin shot was delivered at disadvantage and dealt half damage (rounded down). It forced a DC 10 Con save or the target was sickened (like poisoned, but not subject to poison resistance). It can repeat a saving throw at the *start*of each of its turns to end the effect.
Generally not worth it, but you might do it for storytelling reasons.
The groin shot was delivered at disadvantage and dealt half damage (rounded down). It forced a DC 10 Con save or the target was sickened (like poisoned, but not subject to poison resistance). It can repeat a saving throw at the *start*of each of its turns to end the effect.
Generally not worth it, but you might do it for storytelling reasons.
GMMichael
Guide of Modos
If you prick us, do we not bleed? Or, something less cryptic from the 5e basic rules:
"You can play a male or female character without gaining any special benefits or hindrances."
This. Kick me in the balls all you want - just keep your war axe away from me!
Well that's a new spin on the rogue ability. I think a weapon is still better than a punch or kick, though. Like this:
Theo R Cwithin
I cast "Baconstorm!"
That's funny, because it just reminded me that when my brothers and I were all kids, we referred to the stomach-churning sensation of getting hit in the groin as "poisoned". So now I'm envisioning some poor Little Leaguer who got pummeled in the jewels by a line-drive, writhing on the ground in the fetal position surrounded by a big green condition ring that reads "POISONED!!"
DammitVictor
Druid of the Invisible Hand
I don't have any kind of valid statistical evidence about the percentage of TKOs... but I was taught that right to the body targeted the solar plexus and left to the body was for the liver. I'm a southpaw, so I spent a lot more time practicing the latter.
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