Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ransolot 02-02-08, 04:42 PM	Hello everyone. Im just looking for a bit of feedback on a house rule of ours for called shots. Well, one of em anyhow. We have different ones, but this is the one used most: Called shot to the head: -10 to attack roll. Full round action. If you hit and take 50% of remaining hitpoints, creature dies. Does this sound good or does anyone see flaws in this? Thanks for any feedback :D
LeeAlucard 02-02-08, 04:56 PM	Sounds needlessly complicated. I mean, that's why we have critical hits. It indicates that you're hitting a weak spot/sensitive area on the opponent.
Exposed_Wires 02-02-08, 05:15 PM	There is a reason called shots got removed. A wizard with true strike can take out a dragon.
1red13 02-02-08, 06:11 PM	You're certainly free to do what you want but in my experience critical hit/funble tables along with called shot are, like others said, needlesly complicated. HP isn't necesarily a hard density of flesh or level of life force. I think a good many people view it as an expertise in combat that as you get more skilled you are able to avoid the most deadly portion of an attack as well as inherent hardiness. Targeting an opponents extremities or sensitive spots is certainly a justifiable tactic but it doesn't blend well in d&d. This is not to say it is entirely incompatible, just not how the system was designed.
Ransolot 02-02-08, 10:10 PM	Ok, I agree and understand with what you are saying here. Im thinking now that it may be much more wise to bring back the 'ol crit table. Makes sense. We were just trying to put down a heafty negative to try and compensate for the "Called shot". The only thing for me is when a player says this: "Ok, I want to take a swing at his leg to try and disable him." Or, "I want to try and sever off his arm". So, with that said, what would be a good way to go about having this happen? I really enjoy when my players think in this way because it takes away from the "Roll dice, roll damage, move on to the next". My guys really get into the fighting and want to be deverse. So, if anyone knows of a good way to overcome (but never deny them thier right to choose what thier character does) those type of player-questions, please post back and let me know. Thanks all!!! :D :D :D
Lord_Varos 02-03-08, 12:14 AM	I believe that the call for a "called shot" system stems from a lack of understanding about the basic metaphor of the combat system. Saying, "I attack," is not the same as saying, "I attack the torso." The character attacking can be assumed to be attacking the spot on his opponent with the greatest vulnerability-to-protection ratio. A critical hit doesn't mean that you randomly hit the guy's head by accident. It can mean that some combination of your attacks and his dodging put too much stress on his defense and forced him to leave an opening for a head shot. The difficulty of getting an opponent to open his defenses so is represented by the small chance of scoring a threat, and the skill it takes to make use of this opportunity is represented by the threat roll. Basically, in the furious, inch-by-inch maneuvering of blades in close combat, an attacker takes what he can get. If he's lucky, he might see his opponent's head stand still for a second, or he might not. And there's already rules for attacking characters' legs and arms and necks to deal damage and inhibit their fighting. It's called HP damage. Every "leg shot" you put in is one that will bring you another step closer to an easy kill later. But that's just one rationale. Honestly, if you try this system and it improves your game, then anything we say here is null and void. You win. What's good for your game supercedes any of our notions of what is "right" in D&D.