DwD Studios

I have been toying with the following idea, and thought I would throw it out there and see if anyone has any feedback or thoughts on it.

I am not a fan of games with freeform combat effects, or even worse, that offer a list of special effect options in combat (like Dragon Age and the new Runequest/Legend). I do like flavorful weapons and combat chaos, so here is an attempt to address these points.

In combat, when a critical attack is rolled, the effect is based on which number was doubled, which is described below based on the type of weapon being used:

Crushing Attacks
Value Effect
======================
0 Damage ignores defender's DR from Armor
1 +1D of damage, defender is also Dazed for one turn
2 +1D of damage and ignore defender's DR from Armor
3 +1D of damage, defender is knocked back one space and stunned one turn
4 x2 Damage, defender is knocked prone
5 x2 Damage, defender is Surprised one turn
6 x2 Damage, defender is Stunned 1 turn and Slowed until healed
7 x2 Damage and ignore defender's DR from Armor, defender deafened until healed
8 x2 Damage and defender is Weakened until receives healing
======================

Slashing Attacks
Value Effect
======================
0 Defender begins to Bleed
1 If Defender has shield it becomes unusuable, if not then as (2) above
2 +1D of damage, worn armor reduced by 2 DR until repaired
3 Defender's weapon is broken (if wooden or wooden hafted) Otherwise weapon is Disarmed
4 x2 Damage, defender Bleeding
5 Attacker may make an immediate free melee attack that does not count as an action
6 x2 Damage, defender's leg incapacitated: falls prone and slowed until healed
7 x2 Damage, defender dazed and has disadvantage to perception until healed
8 x2 Damage, defender's arm incapacitated: drops held item, unusable and Bleeding
======================

Piercing Attacks
Value Effect
======================
0 Defender is Impaled
1 +1D damage and defender is Bleeding
2 +1D damage and ignores defender's DR from armor
3 +1D damage, forced back 1 space and surprised 1 turn
4 x2 Damage and defender is Impaled
5 This attack does not count as an action
6 x2 Damage, defender Impaled and Slowed until healed
7 +3D damage
8 x2 Damage, defender Impaled and drops a held item
======================

I tried to use the existing defined conditions, but ended up adding 2 new ones, that are likely too strong at this point:

Bleeding:
Unless the first action each turn is used to hold wound with free hand take 1D/2 damage that ignores DR. Removed if receive healing, or bandaged up after battle. Multiple Bleed conditions stack, and must be addressed individually

Impaled:
Weapon stuck in defender. Each action the defender takes causes 1 damage (ignoring DR). An ally can remove the stuck weapon, which causes 1D of damage. Can make Will Resistance to remove it ones self the 1D of damage is suffered on both success or failure. An enemy can remove the weapon with a successful unarmed attack. Removed in this way, the removed weapon causes 2D of damage and the attacker has the weapon. The unarmed attack does no other damage.

With proper time (after battle) the weapon can be removed safely with a successful LOG check. On failure, the weapon is still removed, but causes 1D of damage as normal. Magical healing does not remove this condition. Multiple Impaled conditions stack, and must be addressed individually

Weapon Types:

S = Slashing
P = Piercing
C = Crushing

Weapon Type
=================================
Battleaxe S
Club C
Crossbow P
Dagger P
Flail C
Glaive S
Greataxe S
Halberd S
Hand Crossbow P
Handaxe S
Javelin P
Longbow P
Longsword S
Mace C
Maul C
Morningstar C
Quarterstaff C
Scimitar S
Shortbow P
Shortsword S
Sling C
Spear P
Trident P
Two-handed sword S
unarmed C
Warhammer C
Whip S
=================================

Was thinking of extending this to Fumbles as well as Spell casting, but that is for another time.