Subduing in Vitality/Wound System [Archive] - Wizards Community

Subduing in Vitality/Wound System [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
thought_riot
07-12-05, 09:40 PM I'm using a vitality/wound point system in my game, basically the one from Unearthed Arcana. Now, with hit points, say if a city guard wanted to subdue a criminal, but not kill him, he would use a sap or -4 penalty on attack to deal nonlethal damage to make the character fall, but not be seriously injured. How would this work with v/w points?
DragonWatcher
07-13-05, 10:32 AM Technically, by the rules in Unearthed Arcana there is no longer a distinction between lethal and non-lethal damage in the VP/WP system. Therefore there is no taking a -4 to deal non-lethal damage. It's all the same. I didn't like the impossibility of subduing someone either, so I came up with the following houserule which has worked pretty well. Note though that it is my houserule, and by no means is it stated or implied in the VP/WP system in UA.

Non-Lethal Damage
Attacks and effects that normally deal nonlethal damage reduce vitality points, even on a critical hit. However, a critical hit with a nonlethal attack also has the chance to stun the opponent. An opponent who is critically struck with a nonlethal attack must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 5 + number of vitality points lost from the attack) or be stunned for 1d3 rounds.
During the rounds that the target is stunned, a character may opt to perform a special Coup de Grace action to knock the target unconscious. This works like a regular coup de grace, except if the character fails their save, they are knocked unconscious for 1d6 minutes (during this time, any other character can attempt a Heal check (DC 10) to revive the character. This provokes an attack of opportunity.
Finally, a combatant that is reduced to 0 vitality points, and takes any further nonlethal damage, does not take any wound points of damage. Instead, they must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15 + number of vitality points that would be lost from the attack) or be rendered unconscious for 1d6 minutes. When reduced to 0 vitality, a critical hit for nonlethal damage automatically knocks the character out.

Use it if you like it, modify or ignore it if you don't. In any case, happy gaming. :)
Temrek
07-13-05, 11:08 AM A vesion I will likely use is that attacks that deals nonlethal damage deals normal vitality damage except when they deal wound damage in which case they deal nonlethal damage, if the nonlethal damage is higher then ones wounds one falls uncouncious.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
thought_riot 07-12-05, 09:40 PM	I'm using a vitality/wound point system in my game, basically the one from Unearthed Arcana. Now, with hit points, say if a city guard wanted to subdue a criminal, but not kill him, he would use a sap or -4 penalty on attack to deal nonlethal damage to make the character fall, but not be seriously injured. How would this work with v/w points?
DragonWatcher 07-13-05, 10:32 AM	Technically, by the rules in Unearthed Arcana there is no longer a distinction between lethal and non-lethal damage in the VP/WP system. Therefore there is no taking a -4 to deal non-lethal damage. It's all the same. I didn't like the impossibility of subduing someone either, so I came up with the following houserule which has worked pretty well. Note though that it is my houserule, and by no means is it stated or implied in the VP/WP system in UA. Non-Lethal Damage Attacks and effects that normally deal nonlethal damage reduce vitality points, even on a critical hit. However, a critical hit with a nonlethal attack also has the chance to stun the opponent. An opponent who is critically struck with a nonlethal attack must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 5 + number of vitality points lost from the attack) or be stunned for 1d3 rounds. During the rounds that the target is stunned, a character may opt to perform a special Coup de Grace action to knock the target unconscious. This works like a regular coup de grace, except if the character fails their save, they are knocked unconscious for 1d6 minutes (during this time, any other character can attempt a Heal check (DC 10) to revive the character. This provokes an attack of opportunity. Finally, a combatant that is reduced to 0 vitality points, and takes any further nonlethal damage, does not take any wound points of damage. Instead, they must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15 + number of vitality points that would be lost from the attack) or be rendered unconscious for 1d6 minutes. When reduced to 0 vitality, a critical hit for nonlethal damage automatically knocks the character out. Use it if you like it, modify or ignore it if you don't. In any case, happy gaming. :)
Temrek 07-13-05, 11:08 AM	A vesion I will likely use is that attacks that deals nonlethal damage deals normal vitality damage except when they deal wound damage in which case they deal nonlethal damage, if the nonlethal damage is higher then ones wounds one falls uncouncious.