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d'Bwobsling
2008-03-03, 03:59 PM
I was wondering how hard it would be to rip a randome incounter in half. Size probably comes into the facter, because I don't think there are any rules for metabelism

Nerd-o-rama
2008-03-03, 04:03 PM
The DC is "deal enough damage to kill them, and then describe the kill however you want." You can't Break creatures like you can objects/doors/etc. because it would mess up the rules.

I guess if you wanted you could assign a DC based on current hit points, for use on Helpless opponents...even then, a Coup De Grace should work fine.

AKA_Bait
2008-03-03, 04:06 PM
I was wondering how hard it would be to rip a randome incounter in half. Size probably comes into the facter, because I don't think there are any rules for metabelism

2 things:

1. There are no combat mechanics for ripping a guy in half. I would advise against doing it. If you wanted to houserule something I would think it would involve 'pinning' someone using a grapple and then a very high DC stregnth check, something like DC 35 - 45.

2. If they just want to do it out of combat, that DC would be less. Say a 25 - 30. A troll can presumably rip a person apart as it eats them.

Citizen Joe
2008-03-03, 04:13 PM
I think Bane is the DC villain that ripped people in half.

valadil
2008-03-03, 04:28 PM
I'm fairly certain that breaking a chain is a DC25 Strength check. Based on that I'd go with at least DC35 for ripping a person. You also have to take into account size differences. Not just because there's more material to rip, but can you honestly picture anyone of your size getting their hands around a huge creature? So something like DC35 + (2D)^2, where D is the difference between size categories (so Med ripping Huge would have D=2, for a DC51 check). Oh and you'd subtract D if they're smaller (so Med ripping a Tiny housecat would be DC19. Seems a little low, maybe bump up the base to 40 or 45).

Indon
2008-03-03, 04:57 PM
I think I would use something like Constitution x 5 for the break DC's of living things.

For constructs without a constitution score, I'd go with a DC of 30+(Bonus construct HP by size).

Artanis
2008-03-03, 05:01 PM
I'm with Nerd-o-Rama on this one. Grapple them, kill them with squeeze damage (or however you call it), and describe it as ripping the enemy in half.

AKA_Bait
2008-03-03, 05:08 PM
I'm with Nerd-o-Rama on this one. Grapple them, kill them with squeeze damage (or however you call it), and describe it as ripping the enemy in half.

I guess the problem I see with this is timing. One doesn't typically picture 'ripping someone in half' a something that takes 30 seconds. It's supposed to be quick and brutal. Killing something with squeeze damage would take at least 5 rounds in most games I've played.

Of course, it's probably still the best of bad 'in combat' options for this.

Person_Man
2008-03-03, 05:11 PM
I'm with Nerd and Artanis.

I'd also mention that you can get the Rend special ability several different ways. If you kill someone with Rend, you can just describe them as being pulled apart.

If you were really really committed to it as a class feature, you could be a Kensai. Enchant your unarmed strikes or natural weapons, and use the exact same mechanic as a Vorpal weapon (+5 enhancement bonus), except make it tearing an enemy in half instead of cutting of its head when you roll a natural 20. It's obviously a house rule, but given the investment and the probability of it coming up, I think its a fair one.

Roderick_BR
2008-03-03, 06:25 PM
2 things:

1. There are no combat mechanics for ripping a guy in half. I would advise against doing it. If you wanted to houserule something I would think it would involve 'pinning' someone using a grapple and then a very high DC stregnth check, something like DC 35 - 45.

2. If they just want to do it out of combat, that DC would be less. Say a 25 - 30. A troll can presumably rip a person apart as it eats them.

If you want to use pinning rules, you could use the reaping mauler's Devastating Grapple ability. You can just describe it however you want. Granted, it requires 10 levels, and takes 3 turns, but ripping someone in half should be hard.

SamTheCleric
2008-03-03, 07:01 PM
The DC is 12.

I have no evidence or source to back this up.

LibraryOgre
2008-03-03, 08:05 PM
DC=AC. You can only achieve it if you can cause enough damage in a single attack to bring them down to -10 or lower HP.

Lizardfolk Lich
2008-03-03, 08:25 PM
Keep in mind that the person will also be struggling to not be ripped in half.

Overlord
2008-03-03, 08:35 PM
I can only imagine what prompted this question. :smallamused:

I second the Reaping Mauler idea. I personally don't particularly like the style of play that would encourage players to shout "I rip the dude in half!," but if a player's willing to invest 10 levels in a PrC to do it, I'd sure let him.

Just rename the PrC to "Ripping Mauler," and you're set.

TheThan
2008-03-03, 08:55 PM
DC=AC. You can only achieve it if you can cause enough damage in a single attack to bring them down to -10 or lower HP.

touch AC, since armor is going to be useless when you're getting your legs torn off.

Apoc360
2008-03-03, 10:08 PM
Personally, I'd say a grapple followed by opposed strength checks. If he wins by 20-30, then the person gets ripped in half.

shadowdemon_lord
2008-03-03, 10:41 PM
I'd say you'd have to have a good 25-30 points of strength more then your opponents con to even try this in combat. Basically as far as normal PC playable races go, this restricts us to our cracked out bearwarriors, barbarians, Masters of many forms, druids, and of course your average sorc/wiz/cleric with the animal domain of 17th level+. This of course just proves yet again that arcane casters are in fact ridiculously broken at high levels. Then I'd probably make it a grapple check which could only be executed after you have them pinned, and you'd have to beat their grapple check by a good 30-40 points. Ripping someone apart in potentially 2 or less seconds should be hard!

Mando Knight
2008-03-03, 11:21 PM
Possibly even... an opposed Strength check, wherein the defender also gets his Fortitude Save and the attacker has to have the capability to deal enough lethal unarmed damage to bring the target to -10 HP... and a good 20-30 base Strength minimum for even attempting the move...

EvilElitest
2008-03-03, 11:30 PM
Very gruesome, what did he do to deserve it?
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