Specific Effects of Called Shots

You may be asking yourself, "Figuring out what a useless arm is all about is pretty easy; but what do they mean when your head is useless?"

Avoiding the normal wisecracks that would result from such a straight line, let's talk about the actual effects of this "uselessness" for each of the hit locations.

Torso: The torso doesn't become useless; the "Numbed" and "Useless" numbers have no bearing on it.

Head: When a character takes a Numbed or Useless result to his head, one of the following effects can take place. The DM, not the player, chooses which one. He can random-roll on 1d6, or just choose the one that he fancies most.

(1) Blindness: The character is blinded (from the pain, not injury to his eyes) until the Numbness or Uselessness ends. When a character is blind but still trying to defend himself, anyone attacking him gets a bonus of +4 to attack rolls. (If, for some reason, he is also kneeling, sitting or flat on his back, the bonuses to attack rolls are cumulative).

(2) Deafness: The character hears ringing in his ears until the Numbness or Uselessness ends. The character suffers no combat penalty, but cannot hear orders or warnings shouted at him.

(3) Dizziness: The character is concussed and dizzy. He performs any Dexterity ability rolls with a penalty of –4 until the Numbness or Uselessness ends. Anytime he is hit in combat for more than 2 points of damage, he must make a Dexterity ability check to avoid falling down.

(4) Knockdown: The character is knocked flat on his backside by the blow, but does not suffer any additional ill effect. His head is not really Numbed or Useless; as soon as he stands up again, the disadvantage for the Knockdown goes away.

(5) Blindness and Deafness.

(6) Dizziness and Knockdown.

Arms (2): A Numbed or Useless arm cannot hold a weapon; the character immediately drops the weapon. The character will not drop a shield strapped to the arm, but does not get the AC benefit of the shield until his arm recovers.

Legs (2): When a character's leg is Numbed or Useless, he must immediately make a 1d20 roll against his Dexterity. If he rolls his Dexterity or less, he remains standing (on one foot); otherwise, he flops to the ground (and is considered sitting for purposes of striking at him). His movement drops to a fourth of what it should be until he recovers. Every time he is hit for more than 2 points of damage, he has to make that same 1d20 roll against Dexterity, and will fall down if he fails it. A Shield-Rush attack will automatically knock this character to the ground.

Stun-Points: When a character has taken a "Numbed" or "Useless" attack result to a stun-point, he has the wind knocked out of him and has a hard time defending himself. His movement drops to half of what it should be until he recovers; and his attackers are at a +2 to attack rolls him until he recovers. (This bonus is cumulative with other attacker bonuses for blindness or bad position.)

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