Hit Location

[Velocinox]

Anyone have any speculation why hit location in tabletop RPGs have been less common in recent game systems?

 

[Dyson Logos]

Because they end up trying to simulate extra realism which in turn means you have to increase the detail of combat, which in turn actually reduces the verisimilitude of most games AND significantly increases the complexity.

We can't accurately simulate combat, because humans react so differently to combat and damage - some people take huge amounts more "damage" than others before being rendered hors-de-combat. Some people freeze up. Some keel over at the first hit, even though it was a minor wound in "reality".

Also, hit locations make helmets mandatory. And helmets are way less cool.

 

[Asmor]

Hit locations generally require looking things up on a table, and at least since 2000 (when 3rd edition came out), there's been a very anti-table current. The most common argument against things that require looking stuff up in tables is that it slows down game play.

 

[Umbran]

Generally speaking there is one reason. Time.

Combat in an RPG that doesn't use hit locations can already run slowly. Hit location becomes yet one more thing to be concerned with, one more item of bookkeeping. Add hit locations, and you then have to track, through the combat and adventure, the effects of those individual hits. The aggregate time used is significant, and I would guess that for most players having the extra details does not make the game sufficiently more fun to be worth the effort.

 

[delericho]

Additionally, many games take their cues from D&D, especially since the introduction of the OGL, and D&D has never had hit locations in the core. Indeed, it would be quite wasteful for post-3e D&D to bother with such things - beyond quite low level, melee combat is actually a relatively small part of the game, with spellcasting being a much more prevalent. Far better to save the space, and fit more spells into the PHB instead.

 

[S'mon]

My experience of Runequest is that hit location tables are intended to add realism but often give silly results in practice. The Runequest tables simulate dark age spear & shield combat with two combatants facing each other. Most hits are against limbs. But then they immediately break down when you eg attack someone from behind! I remember the GM immediately having to houserule just to let me stab someone in the back.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Time and realism - hit locations slow down games and results have to be applied for weapon types and amount of damage. This also causes issues with rule systems, how much damage can a location take, other than humaniod hit locations, what is the result, what to do when a hit location does not match with roll, saves, etc. It just is not worth the squeeze.

 

[Janx]

yup. Hit locations bad.

slows things down to look up
yields stupid results
yields unrealistic results at times
yields unheroic or fun results at times

Not that regular simple HP can't have those side-effects, but usually it can get to the same result with less time/effort.

 

[bbjore]

I agree with the other posters, that the time thing is probably the biggest problem. Also it's a huge pain in the rear to constantly track where you're hit, how bad it is, when you're healed, and what penalties such things impose.

On the other hand, it would be really neat to see a system that tried to bring it back. I imagine a character sheet with hit locations and target numbers on them replacing AC. Different parts would require different rolls to hit, and you could choose to hit any spot lower than what your to hit roll was.

It'd be good for a system that was designed to be pretty gritty, because actual injuries are only worth tracking in such a system. But it would be nice to see a modern game at least attempt it again. It kind of comes down to how detailed you want to track damage. Hit locations work well in Battletech, because the game revolves around single encounters, so it is worth it to manage hit locations in great detail. If you want to have more fights, you want to start abstracting things a little more.

 

[Razjah]

On the other hand, it would be really neat to see a system that tried to bring it back. I imagine a character sheet with hit locations and target numbers on them replacing AC. Different parts would require different rolls to hit, and you could choose to hit any spot lower than what your to hit roll was.

It'd be good for a system that was designed to be pretty gritty, because actual injuries are only worth tracking in such a system. But it would be nice to see a modern game at least attempt it again. It kind of comes down to how detailed you want to track damage. Hit locations work well in Battletech, because the game revolves around single encounters, so it is worth it to manage hit locations in great detail. If you want to have more fights, you want to start abstracting things a little more.

I would love to see something like this in more games. Burning Wheel is close with the Fight mechanic. If the attacker succeeds enough, he can declare where to strike. The defender can also declare what is open ("My legs are unguarded") which determines where the strike is going normally, then the attacker can move for the blow. It even allows piecemeal armor with real effect.