Newbie Question

[combatdroid113]

New to the game but an experienced roleplayer. One question, when you roll for the hit location can this be adjusted by the success fo the hit? For example in Pinnacle's Deadlands the weird west when you hit a target, the success of the hit turns it either into a groin (nasty killing area) or Head shot. Is there provsions for this in the game?

 

[Chardros The Reaper]

The answer is no. The degree of success has no bearing on the location hit. That is determined randomly by rolling a d20. Of course, you could always alter that rule if you wish...wouldn't be too hard to whip up a table based on percentages that correlate to body parts. However, that would limit what locations could be hit by low-skilled combatants.

 

[combatdroid113]

true but a experienced fencer is not going to randomly hit someone. just a thought really, see if anyone else has come up with anything first.

 

[Exubae]

true but a experienced fencer is not going to randomly hit someone

I see what you mean, but you've also got to consider that the target is not going to be sitting still to take the hit, the resulting location hit could be the result of a poor dodge or parry deflecting the weapon.

I have toyed with the idea of allowing players to choose between random rolling for hit locations or striking the chest of target (or largest body area) at no precision penalty.
Problem is if you default to one area combat becomes lethal.

 

[simonh]

One question, when you roll for the hit location can this be adjusted by the success fo the hit?

You can decide beforehand to aim for a specific location, at a -40% penalty. This is one of the Precise Attack options.

 

[Halfbat]

true but a experienced fencer is not going to randomly hit someone. just a thought really, see if anyone else has come up with anything first.

An 'experienced fencer' can take the Precise Attack penalty to either aim for a specific location or to bypass armour wherever he gets the opportunity. The -40% penalty is to model this in-game.

An experienced combatant may try to work towards a specific location (using Precise Attack) but is just as likely to hit wherever he gets an opening (the d20 roll).

Be careful if you stray away from this: as Exubae says, if you allow for free hit location selection then combat is going to be _really_ deadly and the PCs will find themselves down very quickly unless the scenarios are heavily biased in their favour.