new called shot idea (seriously)

[evilbob]

Note: In my calculations above, I forgot about the dragon's DR - which means they'd need 2 attacks at >=42 damage each. And once again, if you have a PC who is doing over 42 damage on average a round, they could possibly drop the dragon in 6 hits anyway - so why bother to spend two rounds blinding it?

I think I like the Fort of 10 + 1/2 damage best, and changing the Greater feat back to the version where sneak attacks add 1 to the DC per die.

My next question is should rays be able to count as Called Shots? I'm guessing yes, since not doing so would basically be nerfing spellcasters. Then again, spellcasters are already powerful. Are there many ray spells that would make that unbalanced?

 

[StAlda]

Hey evilbob,

Could you edit the first post of this thread to show the changes brought up in this thread, that makes it easy for new readers to assess what you are proposing and get to constructive criticism quicker.

Thanks

PS if this fully evolves I will definitely use it. I just don't have anything to add at the time.

 

[evilbob]

variant to variant

In an effort to create a better sense of "realism" to this rule, I have revised it slightly. The main differences are that it is a full-round action (Edit: changed back to standard action) and the penalties are slightly higher - but, they are divided by the number of "parts" the creature has and they stack with themselves. If this seems like a better way to go, then I will revise the innitial post to reflect it.



Called Shot

Players may attempt a Called Shot as a standard action against a living opponent with discernable anatomy (must be subject to critical hits). This provokes an attack of opportunity. If using a ranged attack, the player must be within 30 ft. of the target. Roll an attack using the penalty from the table below and calculate damage as normal. If the attack succeeds and any damage is dealt, the target must make a Fortitude save against a DC of 10 + ½ damage dealt or be effected. (Targeting the torso or "body" area is considered a normal attack and has no additional effect.)

Body Part: Penalty to Hit: Targeted Damage Effect

Head: -6: -2 all skills checks and will and reflex saves
Arm: -4: -2 to climb and swim checks, attack rolls, and Str checks
Hand: -6: -2 to all skills involving hand use and attack rolls
Leg: -4: -2 to all skills involving movement, reflex saves, and Dex checks
Foot*: -6: -2 to all skills involving movement and reflex saves, movement rate reduced as encumbered; **cannot run
Eye*: -8: -2 to all skills involving seeing, initiative checks, ranged attacks, and reflex saves; **blinded
Ear*: -8: -2 to listen and initiative checks; **deaf

If a creature has more than one of the body part listed, numerical effects are divided by the number of that body part a creature possesses, rounded down – however, these effects stack, up to the total number of body parts a creature has. For example, a Called Shot to the hand against a creature with 4 hands would cause no effect (2 divided by 4 = ½, rounded down = 0), but a second successful Called Shot would cause –1 to all skills involving hand use and attack rolls. 2 more successful Called Shots to the hand would cause this penalty to increase to –2. Further Called Shots to the hand would do nothing. Parts marked with an * cause extra effects (marked with **) once all of the parts of that type have been damaged; i.e. once a creature with two eyes has been effected in the eye twice, he is blind. At least one point of healing will heal all targeted damage from Called Shots, whether magical or from resting.

 

[feydras]

This variant looks good. It looks like what i have been searching for. Would you mind if i copied the info over to another message board, specifically, this one... http://www.wakinglands.com/htm_files/the_combat_variant_page.htm

This board has a very good variant combat system that focuses on armor as damage reduction. I think the system is superb, but the lack of called shot and piecemeal armor rules keep it from being perfect.

Incorporating your called shot rules would be great. So, can i port over the info that way?

- feydras

 

[evilbob]

Sure, that would be fine. However, it's still a work-in-progress, and I believe it still needs some tweaking. Also, which system did you prefer: the simpler, but less "realistic" first version, or the more complex but more "realistic" second version? I'm having a hard time deciding which I prefer, and I wish I could come up with something that was both simple and more realistic when choosing how to administer the penalties.

Also, after further thought, I believe keeping Called Shots as a standard action may be better than a full-round action; if they are full-round actions that provoke AoO that also take penalties to hit AND require a save, their usefulness pretty much fades away.

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Called Shots Some Ideas

First Post, So I apologise if anything comes out wierd.

First, Concealment, to keep in line with most 3rd ed rules, you shouldn't be able to maek a called shot on anything with any degree of cover or concealment. (Note: while a creature might not have any cover or concealment, its body parts might. Many types of Great Helms would prevent called shots to the Eyes, Ears, or Throat).

Second; some creatures may have special effects when attacked with a Called Shot, even if they would not normally be affected by it. Example: a vampire's weakness to a wooden stake driven through the heart. (In this example give the attack the eye/ear penalty to hit and give the vampire a Fort save, modified by Cha, not Con to avoid the staking penalty).

Finally, read about the Sunder combat option, which is what I'm about to do. This in the existing D&D combat option most similar to a called shot. (If I can Sunder his Spiked Gauntlet, why not just Sunder the whole hand underneath).

 

[evilbob]

Thanks for the suggestions. Technically, I think concealment handles itself; you have a 20% chance to miss due to concealment, so that would naturally extend to called shots. If you didn't hit, your called shot failed. No need for additional rules.

Called shots probably shouldn't be negated by types of armor, mostly because it's hard to rule on and makes things more complex. Also, the point is not that you actually stabbed someone in the eye or broken their hand (that's more like a critical); the point is that you hit them particularly hard in the hand so that it's harder for them to attack, or in some way as to make seeing out of an eye impossible (like making a cut right above the eye, so that it bleeds into it). Hitting someone's armored hand so that the armor dents and the hand is harder to use is just as valid as hitting an unarmored hand.

Called Shot as an ability is intentionally similar to Sunder, with the main difference being that it takes a standard action. This is to reflect the necessary extra time for accuracy one must take, and for balance (since Sunder does no damage on its own).

Your idea about using called shots to do a specific action for a story's benefit is interesting, and I think this system could easily cover that sort of event. In the case of hitting a vampire's heart, a heart is probably about 2 size categories smaller than the vampire itself (about the size of the hand, right?), so you would just use the -6 penalty and make up your own effect.