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View Full Version : A system for damage/severing of specific areas or limbs [WIP]



Teapot Salty
2016-02-10, 01:55 AM
Hey guys, so I wanted to have a slightly more realistic combat system, where a player could have specific targets in mind, while still staying true to good ol' D&D hit points, so I came up with this. (Keep in mind, this was designed for 5e, but I don't see why it can't be used for other systems)

It's actually really simple, each target is defined as one of three categories: arms, legs, and center mass. Each body part has it's own unique amount of hit points. Center mass uses your classes normal hit dice, and uses your "normal" hit points. For example, a first level fighter with 12 constitution has a center mass with 11 hit points. The legs use one dice smaller as their hit dice, so the same fighters legs would have 9 hp (1d8+1), and the arms use two size levels down, so this same fighters arms have 7 hp (1d6+1). Different extremities such as tentacles or wings are up to the dm in charge.

Each individual arm or leg tracks it's damage separately, so damage dealt to the left arm doesn't affect the right arm and the same vice versa.

If an arm would be reduced to 0 hit points, it is considered incapacitated, and all d20 rolls involving that arm are made at disadvantage, and a player can't use items held in that arm and doesn't gain benefits from wielding a shield in that arm. If an arm is incapacitated and is dealt damage greater than it's maximum hit points from a single blow, or if it receives damage equal to twice it's maximum hit points from a single blow while not incapacitated, the arm is severed, or is otherwise mangled beyond repair.

If a leg is reduced to 0 hit points, it is considered incapacitated, and it's owners movement speed is halved, if both legs are incapacitated, it's movement speed is reduced to 0. Same rules as arms apply for severances.

Center mass uses a characters base hp score, and attacks to center mass reduce hit points from the characters hp as normal.

The armor class for arms is 10+natural armor+dexterity+4+armor (if the armor covers the arms)

The armor class for legs is 10+natural armor+dexterity+2+armor (if the armor covers the legs)

If a player receives healing, whether magical or non-magical, it is applied to all three pools of hit points.

If a limb is incapacitated, it remains incapacitated until it's hit points are brought above 0.

So, thoughts?

Zireael
2016-02-10, 07:18 AM
I like it!

I was thinking of using something similar in my d20 sessions, but I couldn't decide how to determine areas/limbs hp. AC and effects are fairly easy to work out.

Zireael
2016-03-08, 01:02 PM
Anyone got ideas for limbs' hp?