(D&D Any) Simple Hit Location Subsystem?

First, I’m throwing “(D&D Any)” to the front of this post’s title so people can easily see where it applies.  I think something like that (borrowed from several message boards) is helpful sometimes.

A couple of days ago I had an interesting idea (I hope) regarding hit points.  I’m sure there are similar subsystems out there and hopefully some of you will point them out as well as any drawbacks I don’t mention and address here.

The idea I had was to merge (or “mash up” as the kids say) Battletech’s hit location chart with D&D’s ultra-simplified hit points.  I don’t want to make things too cumbersome, but on the other hand it is kinda silly that a 6th level fighter with 60 or so total hit points can be at full fighting capacity even when he has just a few points left, then with one more hit he is dead (or bleeding, depending on your edition and house rules.)

So I propose having six hit locations: head, chest, right arm, left arm, right leg and left leg.  Each location would have a fixed number of points based on the characters’ hit dice:

  • d4 = 2 points everywhere except 3 points in the chest.
  • d6 = 3 points everywhere except 4 points in the chest.
  • d8 = 4 points everywhere except 5 points in the chest.
  • d10 = 5 points everywhere except 7 points in the chest.
  • d12 = 6 points everywhere except 8 points in the chest.

For each level, he adds the appropriate number of points to each hit location.  And these number could be adjusted for the campaign’s power level.

Constitution bonuses would work as follows:

  • +1: adds 1 point to the chest per character level.
  • +2: adds 1 point to the chest and 1 point to all other locations per character level.
  • +3: adds 2 points to the chest and 1 point to all other locations per character level.
  • +4: adds 2 points to the chest and 2 points to all other locations per character level.
  • You should see the pattern from the above points.  Constitution penalties would be similar.

Now that the number of points are worked out, lets take an example.  Our 6th level fighter mentioned above gets a d10x6, and lets say his constitution bonus is +2.  He would have 48 points in his chest ([7+1]x6) and 36 points everywhere else ([5+1]x6).

A character sheet could have a stick figure diagram with the number of points placed in the proper locations.

So when someone/something hits our fighter, the GM rolls on a hit location chart.  This can simply be a d6 where each number is one location: head, right leg, left leg, right arm, left arm and torso.  Or it might be a d8 with two extra chances for just the torso or the torso and head.  I can see an argument that opponents will aim for the torso (and head) but I can also see that those would be better protected.  Nevertheless it would be just one roll.

Then when all the points in a location are used, the following occurs:

  • Head: saving throw (specific save depends of D&D edition) to remain conscious.
  • Arm: lose use of that arm.
  • First Leg: -4 to Dexterity.
  • Second Leg: -8 to Dexterity, character may not stand/walk.
  • Torso: Death/Bleeding.
  • Optional: when torso has less than 1/5 its total points left (or 1 point if the character had few torso points): -2 to Strength and Intelligence.

Extra damage would transfer to the torso.  (In other words, if the right arm is hit for 5 points and only 2 points are left, the other 3 points go to the torso.  If the right arm is hit again, it all goes to the torso.)

Healing would affect the points as the character desires.  (If he gains 6 points, the player can direct them as desired.)

Yes, it is a bit of extra bookkeeping, but it easily addresses the issue of a character taking 90% of his hit points worth of damage and not suffering a penalty.

This also makes it a bit easier for the GM to describe the hits in the action.

What do you think, sirs?

4 Comments on “(D&D Any) Simple Hit Location Subsystem?

  1. It seems simple enough.

    I tend to find that systems like this, when applied to D&D, tend to quickly make it Not-D&D. This isn’t bad as such, but it does change the style of game.

    I also notice that your system gives character much more HP over all – roughly 6 times the number of HP. Will area effects damage all locations at once?

  2. Check out Torn Asunder from Bastion Press/Dragon Wing (and I believe Steve is coming out with an updated version for Pathfinder) it has just the chart you talked about (except in a table not a figure), plus it then has one for all the different body types, not just humanoid.

  3. Altair: That’s a good point. The intent was to prevent a single hit from a low level grunt to automatically take out a low-level fighter’s arm or leg. With 5 points in the extremities, most short sword hits wouldn’t make the arm/leg unusable. (Especially adding a point or two for high Con.) That said, it does skew it too high at higher levels. Perhaps I should amend it so at first level you get the above points (or perhaps even one more point) and at each additional level you get one less than the chart.

    Paul: I’ll see what I can find on that. Thanks for pointing me to it.

  4. Try using the system for hit locations in Runequest or BRP, but leave the rest of it D&D.