Post/Author/DateTime	Post
miyoshi 09-20-06, 10:48 AM	I'm running a little D&D dueling as a side thing from my campaign. During one of the battles, my opponent decided it would be a good idea to rip my wings of with his bare hands. We had no idea how to go about this so, to keep things fair, we didn't go through with it. The thing I'm trying to get at is what would one need to do in order to sunder someones limb from their body, either by strength or by weapons.
True Cavalier 09-20-06, 01:55 PM	Aside from spells (Wither Limb) I don't think there is any other way by the rules. Of course you can houserule called shots but they're hideous for many reasons, balance mostly. I'd let him do Strength checks to rip wings off (high DC, hm, at the 35-40 range) once the target is helpless. Or just deal enough damage with a slashing weapon, less dramatic, more realistic.
Jerks 09-20-06, 05:20 PM	Yeah, specific injuries have a way of taking over the game. Starting at level 1 1st round -True Strike 2nd round -I shoot an arrow into his eye.
rydi123 09-20-06, 06:40 PM	Well, generally i run called shots something like +2 difficulty/damage pt, or pt of impairement (more or less depending on what is being impaired). But for wings i make a special exception: they are -5/-10 AC (depending on the size) and after 20% of the targets hp in damage is done to them, they fall off (IHATEWINGS!!!). I also like to burn them.
058 09-20-06, 09:28 PM	I'd been thinking about Called Shots, and since I can't seem to find a section specifically about them in the Player's Handbook, I came up with my own system: For a basic called shot(I'm going to aim at his leg), you add the target's AC+2 to determine the DC of the Called Shot. For a more difficult called shot(I'm going to aim at his hamstring), you add the target's AC+4 to determine the DC of the Called Shot. For an incredibly difficult shot(I'm going to cut off his foot at the ankle; I'm going to stab him in the right eye; I'm going to cut off his nose), you add the target's AC+8 to determine the DC of the Called Shot. Considering True Strike, I'd probably also make it a rule that True Strike doesn't affect Called Shots. For something like the pulling off of wings, I'd go for a high-DC Strength Check exposing you to Attacks of Opportunity, and for something like slicing off wings, I'd go for +10 or more to the target's AC to determine the DC and requiring a sufficient amount of damage to be incurred. For something like a duel(the image of two fencers comes to mind), then perhaps you could "sunder" a limb without permanently(barring magical intervention) removing it by breaking the bone with a successful Called Shot, or simply cutting it badly enough to remove it as a factor from the fight.
True Cavalier 09-21-06, 02:22 PM	It's not only true strike. It's high attack bonuses in general, and they are very easy to stack and tend to get out of hand... High level fighters would have no reason to NOT call every shot, at least their first attacks in a round. Mages that might hit only with a natural twenty would also have no reason to NOT call every shot since they have the same chance of scoring a normal attack (threat) as a called shot. Just limit called shots to special attacks (caltrops), special monsters (sundering hydra heads), special spells (wither limb), and traps (bam, you got a rock on the head).
Xeviat-DM 09-21-06, 05:31 PM	I have finished writing a simple Called Shot mechanic, which will be appearing in the free E-zine published by the Campaign Builders' Guild. The magazine is the CBGuide; we're already published our first issue, and the second should be coming out some time next month. You can find the Campaign Builders' Guild at: www.thecbg.org