"weak spot" on a dragon

[BOZ]

we're converting a dragon (formerly known as the "great wyrm" - http://65.127.163.19/showthread.php?t=66479&goto=lastpost ) and have come across a vulnerability we want to preserve, but need a little help to work out.

so far, we think the extra damage should come as either an increase in the normal crit type, or as a bonus similar to sneak attack.

Because great wyrms are so old, each one has at least one especially vulnerable spot upon its body. The dragon’s scaly hide will have been damaged by disease, combat, or by general wear and tear at these points, and nervous ganglia tend to gather there. During physical combat, a person striking at a great wyrm with a sharp-edged weapon (including arrows and hurled hand axes and daggers) has a 1% chance of accidentally hitting such a vulnerable spot. The blow will strike the dragon as if against AC 4, and the blow will do double damage to the wyrm. The wyrm will immediately retreat if struck in such a spot, and will attempt to find safety and recover from the wound. Magical attacks, even magic missiles, will not affect the wyrm in this way. If a vulnerable spot is located and recognized, attackers may strike at the spot further unless the wyrm covers the spot or moves it out of reach of weapons.

thoughts?

(remind anyone of Smaug?)

 

[Fieari]

Hm. I don't think a Great Wyrm would have this problem. The Draconomicon says that Great Wyrms are just as healthy as young dragons, and devestatingly more powerful. However, a Dragon in twilight... on the other hand....

Yeah, I think a Dragon in twilight would be a suitable target for this kind of rule.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

What's wrong with double damage?

AR

 

[Epametheus]

What's wrong with double damage?

Characters seem to hit much, much harder nowadays..

I have no real idea what timeframe #94 would be written in; is it first edition?

 

[Caliban]

we're converting a dragon (formerly known as the "great wyrm" - http://65.127.163.19/showthread.php?t=66479&goto=lastpost ) and have come across a vulnerability we want to preserve, but need a little help to work out.

so far, we think the extra damage should come as either an increase in the normal crit type, or as a bonus similar to sneak attack.



thoughts?

(remind anyone of Smaug?)

Weak Spot (Ex): If you roll a natural 20 when attacking with any Slashing or Piercing weapon (regardles of weapon's actual crit range), you have hit the weak spot. The attack does double damage if you don't confirm the crit, and if you do confirm the crit, the critical multiplier is increased by one step (x2 becomes x3, etc).

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Weak Spot (Ex): If you roll a natural 20 when attacking with any Slashing or Piercing weapon (regardles of weapon's actual crit range), you have hit the weak spot. The attack does double damage if you don't confirm the crit, and if you do confirm the crit, the critical multiplier is increased by one step (x2 becomes x3, etc).

It should be noted: this write-up would increase the vulnerability from 1% of hits to 5% of hits.

 

[Greatwyrm]

Strange, I don't recall having any "weak spots". I'm not that good with cooking pasta dishes, but I hardly think that counts.

On a mechanical note, how about this. Characters can take a standard action to actively look for a dragon's weak spot. A Spot check with all the normal modifiers + BAB vs. a DC = the dragon's AC + CON bonus. Skilled fighters have an easier time finding it, while tougher dragon's make it harder to find.

On a successful spot check, the character can use an attack in the next 3 rounds that is treated as a confirmed crit if it hits. If the character doesn't hit, it has to take another round to look for the spot.

The dragon should also make a Will save DC = 10 + damage dealt or be shaken until it can regroup or heal.

After one successful attack, the dragon covers up the weak spot to protect it. It loses a claw or wing attack, but can no longer be hit in it's weak spot.

If you want to make it easier to hit a weak spot, I'd only add 2d6 damage, as if it were a Bane: Dragons attack.

 

[James McMurray]

Have the weak spot only be hit on a twenty followed by a confirmed crit, and you've probably gotten the percentage closer to 1% (dependign on attack bonus vs. AC of course). Otherwise you could just roll percentile alongside each attack.

 

[Victim]

Or you could say that attacks beating 40 natural armor are almost by definition hitting a weak point.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I believe that in 1E there was not a critical hit system? Isn't this replaced by the crit system? If not, you could say that after a confirmed crit on a dragon, make another confirmation roll, and dealing double damage if you succeed.