Breaking Arms [Archive] - Wizards Community

Breaking Arms [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
CGdiver
06-09-06, 12:39 AM I was wondering how you guys work breaking of body parts in combat. For example a monk wants to break a fighters hands to prevent him from being able to wield a weapon and the such. Does anyone know of any systems to work with that or what? Any suggestions? Thanks!
GhostStepper
06-09-06, 01:37 AM Im sure some thrid party pblisher has rules for limb breaking in d20.

I dont know if its a good idea to implement such rules in your game however. Just think of all the rules abuse that would occur if you could break people's arms and make them useless i combat. Casters wouldnt be able to use any spells with somatic components for one thing, fighters would be totally useless and what happens when your PCs start breaking everyone's legs? Breaking a fighter's arms and legs would pretty much have the same effect as taking them below 0 hp without actually doing it, and the first thing the group would do to every single opponent is break their legs so they cant go anywhere. And if they do that it only makes sense that the NPCs would start to pick up the same tactics and then what do you have: a game full of paraplegics.

A good alternative is good old fashioned sundering. You want to prevent a fighter from attacking you with his weapon? Sunder it.
Edymnion
06-09-06, 02:10 AM I was wondering how you guys work breaking of body parts in combat. For example a monk wants to break a fighters hands to prevent him from being able to wield a weapon and the such. Does anyone know of any systems to work with that or what? Any suggestions? Thanks!My suggestion would be this.
Remind your players that anything they can do, the badguys can do to.
Remind them that if they can break the NPC's hands, then the NPC can break their hands too. And normal Cure X Wounds spells do not heal broken bones. To my knowledge, only Regenerate can do that. So basically, any rule that lets the players break bones of monsters also means that the monsters can effectively "kill" the PCs in one hit, since it would mean they couldn't adventure for several weeks or even months until they healed up naturally.

Its along the same lines as called shots.
You want called shot rules? Fine. Next encounter is going to be against 20 level 1 kobolds with crossbows and True Strike, all making called shots at your heads. Probability says that one of them will crit on your head per round. Oh, don't think called shots are such a good idea now, do ya? :D
FlameLover
06-09-06, 02:51 AM In my games I might allow someone to injure a body part for a minor penalty on some things, but it'd all be pretty tame. Stuff like -1 attack penalty for 1d4-1 rounds or -5ft movement for 1d6, etc. No permanent injuries, just little "debuffs" you can do instead of dealing damage on an attack.
Pindar
06-09-06, 03:59 AM In the game I run we use an critical table for a bit of fun.

Some of the results can break or sever limbs.

Basically one of the results is damage done gives a % chance of removing/breaking a limb depending on the weapon used.

Broken legs reduce movement and dex, broken arms render the limb useless.

Cure moderate wounds or above heals the breaks instantly.

If a limb comes of roll to see how much of it is removed.

I know this thread is about a monk wanting to to disable oponents, but the first time someone lost an arm using our crit system it was a monk.

There is nothing like the old "the monks 'armless" gags to amuse a sad DM.

But do stop fighters using weapons take the improved disarm feat.

Don't monks get that anyway?
AkaKageWarrior
06-09-06, 04:04 AM I like the critical system as it is right now.

ever played MERP or Rolemaster? look for these critical tables and try to convert it to d20. but it's simply no fun for longer running campaigns, because you have to create new characters too often...

my 2€-cts
AKW
Pindar
06-09-06, 04:16 AM I like the critical system as it is right now.

ever played MERP or Rolemaster? look for these critical tables and try to convert it to d20. but it's simply no fun for longer running campaigns, because you have to create new characters too often...

my 2€-cts
AKW

Rolemaster crit tables are brutal, although I did convert the RM soul departure rules.

We use a heavily modified RuneQuest table and after 2 years it's never done anything but add a bit of flavour.
ShinAkuma2
06-09-06, 01:13 PM I'd rule that, to break someone's arm, you have to deal HP damage equal to the opponent's HP+1. Then, when that character is KO'd, it can be flavored as whatever you want, including breakage of limbs that took him out of the fight.

No one ever said that being KO'd had anything to do with simply being pummeled into unconciousness.
DarknessEternal
06-09-06, 02:11 PM Any such system needs to be dramatically more difficult than actually damaging their opponent. Of course, it's also wholly unnecessary as D&D has plenty of "called shot" effects already built into it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
CGdiver 06-09-06, 12:39 AM	I was wondering how you guys work breaking of body parts in combat. For example a monk wants to break a fighters hands to prevent him from being able to wield a weapon and the such. Does anyone know of any systems to work with that or what? Any suggestions? Thanks!
GhostStepper 06-09-06, 01:37 AM	Im sure some thrid party pblisher has rules for limb breaking in d20. I dont know if its a good idea to implement such rules in your game however. Just think of all the rules abuse that would occur if you could break people's arms and make them useless i combat. Casters wouldnt be able to use any spells with somatic components for one thing, fighters would be totally useless and what happens when your PCs start breaking everyone's legs? Breaking a fighter's arms and legs would pretty much have the same effect as taking them below 0 hp without actually doing it, and the first thing the group would do to every single opponent is break their legs so they cant go anywhere. And if they do that it only makes sense that the NPCs would start to pick up the same tactics and then what do you have: a game full of paraplegics. A good alternative is good old fashioned sundering. You want to prevent a fighter from attacking you with his weapon? Sunder it.
Edymnion 06-09-06, 02:10 AM	I was wondering how you guys work breaking of body parts in combat. For example a monk wants to break a fighters hands to prevent him from being able to wield a weapon and the such. Does anyone know of any systems to work with that or what? Any suggestions? Thanks!My suggestion would be this. Remind your players that anything they can do, the badguys can do to. Remind them that if they can break the NPC's hands, then the NPC can break their hands too. And normal Cure X Wounds spells do not heal broken bones. To my knowledge, only Regenerate can do that. So basically, any rule that lets the players break bones of monsters also means that the monsters can effectively "kill" the PCs in one hit, since it would mean they couldn't adventure for several weeks or even months until they healed up naturally. Its along the same lines as called shots. You want called shot rules? Fine. Next encounter is going to be against 20 level 1 kobolds with crossbows and True Strike, all making called shots at your heads. Probability says that one of them will crit on your head per round. Oh, don't think called shots are such a good idea now, do ya? :D
FlameLover 06-09-06, 02:51 AM	In my games I might allow someone to injure a body part for a minor penalty on some things, but it'd all be pretty tame. Stuff like -1 attack penalty for 1d4-1 rounds or -5ft movement for 1d6, etc. No permanent injuries, just little "debuffs" you can do instead of dealing damage on an attack.
Pindar 06-09-06, 03:59 AM	In the game I run we use an critical table for a bit of fun. Some of the results can break or sever limbs. Basically one of the results is damage done gives a % chance of removing/breaking a limb depending on the weapon used. Broken legs reduce movement and dex, broken arms render the limb useless. Cure moderate wounds or above heals the breaks instantly. If a limb comes of roll to see how much of it is removed. I know this thread is about a monk wanting to to disable oponents, but the first time someone lost an arm using our crit system it was a monk. There is nothing like the old "the monks 'armless" gags to amuse a sad DM. But do stop fighters using weapons take the improved disarm feat. Don't monks get that anyway?
AkaKageWarrior 06-09-06, 04:04 AM	I like the critical system as it is right now. ever played MERP or Rolemaster? look for these critical tables and try to convert it to d20. but it's simply no fun for longer running campaigns, because you have to create new characters too often... my 2€-cts AKW
Pindar 06-09-06, 04:16 AM	I like the critical system as it is right now. ever played MERP or Rolemaster? look for these critical tables and try to convert it to d20. but it's simply no fun for longer running campaigns, because you have to create new characters too often... my 2€-cts AKW Rolemaster crit tables are brutal, although I did convert the RM soul departure rules. We use a heavily modified RuneQuest table and after 2 years it's never done anything but add a bit of flavour.
ShinAkuma2 06-09-06, 01:13 PM	I'd rule that, to break someone's arm, you have to deal HP damage equal to the opponent's HP+1. Then, when that character is KO'd, it can be flavored as whatever you want, including breakage of limbs that took him out of the fight. No one ever said that being KO'd had anything to do with simply being pummeled into unconciousness.
DarknessEternal 06-09-06, 02:11 PM	Any such system needs to be dramatically more difficult than actually damaging their opponent. Of course, it's also wholly unnecessary as D&D has plenty of "called shot" effects already built into it.