Xallace
2010-05-25, 08:51 PM
Edit: This is marked simply as [d20] since it should work out for 3.0, 3.5, maybe even 4E. I'm using it for d20 Modern, personally.
HP doesn't make for the most cinematic fights. No matter how much you pound 'em, creatures just don't take any penalties from sustained damage until they drop to 0 (or less, in some cases). In an attempt to make weapon brawls a bit more interesting, I came up with this mechanism. It's pretty simple, as far as homebrew goes.
Impact
Under this variant certain powerful attacks have "impact," or a temporary effect in addition to hit point damage. Impact triggers when your weapon's base damage die turns up as its maximum possible result, not including bonus damage from enhancements or class features or the like. For example, if a longsword's base 1d8 turns up as 8 (before modifiers), impact is triggered. A critical hit automatically triggers impact, even if max damage isn't rolled. Impact triggers even if the damage is reduced in some way, such as through damage reduction.
You cannot trigger impact against a creature two or more size categories larger than you.
When impact is triggered, roll 1d6 and compare to the chart for the weapon's damage type.
Bludgeoning and Non-Lethal
{table=head]Die Result | Impact Effect
1-2 | Rattled: Target is a little rattled by the hit, but otherwise unharmed. They take a -2 penalty to Armor Class until the end of their next turn. Multiple instances of this effect stack.
3-4 | Knocked Back: As Rattled, but the target is also pushed one square away from you, and you may choose to enter the vacated square. If the target cannot be pushed (such as if there is a wall behind them), they simply drop prone.
5 | Knocked Prone: As Rattled, but the target is also knocked prone in their square.
6 | Dazed: The target is dazed until the end of their next turn.[/table]
Piercing and Slashing
{table=head]Die Result | Impact Effect
1-2 | Sliced: Target is pierced superficially by the hit, but otherwise unharmed. They take a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of their next turn. Multiple instances of this effect stack.
3-4 | Driven Back: As Sliced, but the target is also pushed one square away from you, and you may choose to enter the vacated square. If the target cannot be pushed (such as if there is a wall behind them), they simply drop prone.
5 | Bleeding: As Sliced, but the target's speed is halved until the end of their next turn.
6 | Dazed: The target is dazed until the end of their next turn.[/table]
If the target creature is immune to critical hits, instead roll on the following table:
Immune to Criticals
{table=head]Die Result | Impact Effect
1-3 | Knocked Back: The target is pushed one square away from you, and you may choose to enter the vacated square. If the target cannot be pushed (such as if there is a wall behind them), they simply drop prone.
4-5 | Knocked Prone: The target is knocked prone in their square.
6 | Staggered: The target is flat-footed until the end of its next turn.[/table]
Now, the point really isn't to "fix" weaponeers, obviously. I just want to give a small reward for particularly powerful hits, not to mention a bit of help visualizing the fight as its going on.
What do you think?
HP doesn't make for the most cinematic fights. No matter how much you pound 'em, creatures just don't take any penalties from sustained damage until they drop to 0 (or less, in some cases). In an attempt to make weapon brawls a bit more interesting, I came up with this mechanism. It's pretty simple, as far as homebrew goes.
Impact
Under this variant certain powerful attacks have "impact," or a temporary effect in addition to hit point damage. Impact triggers when your weapon's base damage die turns up as its maximum possible result, not including bonus damage from enhancements or class features or the like. For example, if a longsword's base 1d8 turns up as 8 (before modifiers), impact is triggered. A critical hit automatically triggers impact, even if max damage isn't rolled. Impact triggers even if the damage is reduced in some way, such as through damage reduction.
You cannot trigger impact against a creature two or more size categories larger than you.
When impact is triggered, roll 1d6 and compare to the chart for the weapon's damage type.
Bludgeoning and Non-Lethal
{table=head]Die Result | Impact Effect
1-2 | Rattled: Target is a little rattled by the hit, but otherwise unharmed. They take a -2 penalty to Armor Class until the end of their next turn. Multiple instances of this effect stack.
3-4 | Knocked Back: As Rattled, but the target is also pushed one square away from you, and you may choose to enter the vacated square. If the target cannot be pushed (such as if there is a wall behind them), they simply drop prone.
5 | Knocked Prone: As Rattled, but the target is also knocked prone in their square.
6 | Dazed: The target is dazed until the end of their next turn.[/table]
Piercing and Slashing
{table=head]Die Result | Impact Effect
1-2 | Sliced: Target is pierced superficially by the hit, but otherwise unharmed. They take a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of their next turn. Multiple instances of this effect stack.
3-4 | Driven Back: As Sliced, but the target is also pushed one square away from you, and you may choose to enter the vacated square. If the target cannot be pushed (such as if there is a wall behind them), they simply drop prone.
5 | Bleeding: As Sliced, but the target's speed is halved until the end of their next turn.
6 | Dazed: The target is dazed until the end of their next turn.[/table]
If the target creature is immune to critical hits, instead roll on the following table:
Immune to Criticals
{table=head]Die Result | Impact Effect
1-3 | Knocked Back: The target is pushed one square away from you, and you may choose to enter the vacated square. If the target cannot be pushed (such as if there is a wall behind them), they simply drop prone.
4-5 | Knocked Prone: The target is knocked prone in their square.
6 | Staggered: The target is flat-footed until the end of its next turn.[/table]
Now, the point really isn't to "fix" weaponeers, obviously. I just want to give a small reward for particularly powerful hits, not to mention a bit of help visualizing the fight as its going on.
What do you think?