Hit Locations?

[Skjaldbakka]

Anybody mess around with hit locations much? I'm wanting to put together a chart that can be resolved with a single d12 roll, for a hit-location based armor as DR system I am working on.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Anybody mess around with hit locations much? I'm wanting to put together a chart that can be resolved with a single d12 roll, for a hit-location based armor as DR system I am working on.

I like to leave things like that purely up to my sense of theatrics and intuition.

Edit: But that's just me.

[Ceres]

I've actually created a rather intricate one. It's part of my D20 total conversion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2223721#post2223721). I havent fully added everything though, but most of my rules for DR and hit locations can be found in post three and four. I hope it will inspire you :smallsmile:

[Jeggred Von]

Yeah. I have had this discussion with Dms since before time began.

I had a hit chart in the front of my Dm's guide (with the DM opening the doors and all the monsters and gold behind him) and have treasured that book. If you're good with explanation, and enjoy to see guys shouting random numbers out because they're hoping for a head shot, or groin shot or forearm shot, then the chart is awesome.

Just remember, if you use the chart, back up the nifty hit chart with full descriptions.


I'll scan it in tonight, and post it.

[Matthew]

Once upon a time I went with:

12 = Head
11 = Neck
10 = Right Arm
09 = Left Arm
05-08 = Chest
03-04 = Abdomen
02 = Right Leg
01 = Left Leg

..but I quickly abandoned it in favour of a Called Shot System

[Hazkali]

I do not use called shots or similar. I have explained this better elsewhere but in short, it comes down to the fact that it hurts the PCs more than the monsters.

The monsters are there to die, and they'll do that with or without called shots. However if the PCs can call shots on the Monsters, the Monsters can call shots on the PCs, and before you know it, your first level Fighter is missing an arm, the Ranger is missing a leg and the Bard is missing his...:smallredface:.

Anyhow, if the Monsters had just hit them with standard ability damage, then a couple of Cure X Wounds potions (cheap and readily availiable) would have cured it in no time flat. However without that, only powerful - read expensive- magic (I forget which spells, but they are about 6th level or so) can regrow limbs, by the RAW.

So the problem is this- the PCs become more fragile. Of course, dropping the level of spells that can restore limbs is a simple fix, but I still prefer not to use called shot or the like.

[Matthew]

I have been part of those debates, but I have never found myself to be convinced of that. Called Shots can be unbalancing, but they can also be implemented successfully. The key is to make them work like Criticals [i.e. they have a Fixed Success Range, rather than a Scaling one] and for the results of the confirmation roll (whatever form that may take) to not be overpowering.

However, Skjaldbakka is not looking for Called Shots, just Randomised Hit Locations.

[Oeryn]

I use a simple chart, pretty similar to Matthew's above, but I only use it for criticals. Basically, if there's gonna be a catastrophic wound, then I want to know where it is. But if it's just your basic attack, I generally just play it by ear, and describe the wound wherever it seems appropriate (or wherever I feel like it).