Critical Combats

The following changes have been made to the combat system. These rules do not replace
the normal combat rules unless specifically mentioned otherwise (e.g., you still have Hit
Points, take damage as normal, and die when you hit -10 HP). Rather, their purpose is to
make combats more horrific, and to make mundane physical trauma (like gunshots) more
dangerous to high-level characters.
Critical Wounds System
In this system, regular (non-Critical Hits) represent attacks that have been blunted or
mitigated in some way by the defender. In contrast, Critical Hits represent instances when a
character no matter how badass is unable to prevent serious physical trauma.
Hit Points represent a conflation of the defenders ability to dodge, deflect, suffer through,
and survive damage. This ability is more or less somewhat proportional to Character Level
(i.e., they scale linearly). The downside of the normal damage system is that high-level
characters are unrealistically resilient to normal weapons. These rules attempt to correct
this by making Critical Hits affect or interact with attributes that are not directly proportional
to Character Level (i.e., those that do not scale linearly) and are consequently still fairly
serious for high-level characters. So, Critical Hits no longer do more damage, but rather
cause Critical Wounds. When a character is Critically Wounded, a Status Effect is applied
immediately. This Status Effect may only be healed by a successful Fortitude save, at which
point a Lingering Effect sets in. Characters may recover from Lingering Effects
spontaneously, or they may require surgery to heal.
Critical hits
When rolling to hit, if you roll within the critical range of a weapon and the result is higher
than your targets Defense, you have scored a Critical Hit. There is no longer any need to
confirm a Critical Hit. Remember, Critical Hits do not increase damage, so simply roll
damage as usual.

Body Parts and Called Shots

When you score a Critical Hit, first roll a d10 and consult the Body Part chart below.
This will determine where the hit lands, and what type of status effect occurs. You
may attempt a Called Shot as a full attack action, nominating a target body part
before rolling to hit. If so, you take a -4 penalty to hit during this action, but any
critical hits will automatically affect the body part you are targeting. Any Called
Shot that does not result in a Critical Hit simply applies normal damage (assuming it
hits at all).
Some body parts are asymmetrical, or there are two of them. If one such body part
suffers a Critical Wound, then randomize appropriately to determine which part is
hit (e.g., 4+ hits the right hand). If the Critical Wound is the result of a Called Shot,
then the attacker may choose which body part is affected.
Resul
t
1-5

Body
Part
Torso

6-7
8-9
10

Legs
Arms
Head

Critical Wound Rolls

Once you have determined where the hit lands, roll a d20 and consult the
appropriate table (below) to determine the resulting Critical Wound. Add the Critical
Modifier, if the weapon has one (see below). Rolls against PCs will be made in
secret, to allow the GM discretion (and prevent wanton slaughter of PCs).
Status Effects
Each Critical Wound has a corresponding Status Effect, which is applied immediately
to the injured character. If any damage or ability drain is applied, it is also applied
now. Furthermore, at the beginning of the injured characters Initiative step, he
must attempt to recover by taking a Fortitude save (consult Critical Wound chart for
appropriate DC). If he fails, he the Status Effect remains in effect. If the Status
Effect applies damage, apply that damage every time a recovery attempt is failed.
Status Effect Recovery and Treating the Injured
Recovery requires a successful Fortitude save, taken every round at the beginning
of the Initiative step, until recovered or dead. A character can aid the injured with a
successful Treat Injury check (see chart for DC), adding a +5 modifier to the
Recovery roll (you can treat your own injury as a full-round action, if conscious).
Alternatively, a successful Treat Injury check (DC:15) will stabilize a character and
prevent their condition from worsening (so that they will not take additional
bleeding damage, ability damage, etc.), but will not heal them of their Status Effect.
Lingering Effects
After Status Effects are healed, Lingering Effects set in immediately. Lingering
Effects are permanent and characters may not recover spontaneously, although
they can be healed by a successful Surgery attempt. Note that some Lingering
Effects apply damage or ability drain on a daily basis. If so, such damage is applied
when the injured character attempts to rest. A successful Treat Injury check (DC:15)
will prevent this damage from occurring.
Surgery and Convalescence
To permanently cure lingering effects, a successful Surgery attempt is required.
Surgery is a special case of Treat Injury (the DC is set by the Critical Wound; consult
the chart below). A successful Surgery attempt immediately cures the Lingering
Effect. Failure inflicts 1d4 Con ability drain. Following a surgery attempt, the
injured character enters a state of Convalescence, in which they are Fatigued for
certain number of days (consult Critical Wound chart).

Surgery attempts may be aided by anyone with ranks in Treat Injury. If the
character attempting the Surgery check does not have the feat Surgery, then all
checks are taken at -4. Any character lacking Surgeons Tools takes the test at -4.
A hospital adds a +4 to the test result. Characters may take 10 on a Surgery test
(requires 10 hours), but may not take 20.

Critical Modifiers
Some weapons inflict massive Critical Hits. In this system, these weapons will have a Crit
Modifier rather than a Crit Multiplier. This modifier is applied to d20 roll on the Critical
Wound chart. When using rules for weapons that have Crit Multipliers, use the following
chart to convert Multipliers into Modifiers.

Crit
Multip
lier
x2
x3
x4
x5

Crit
Modi
fier
+0
+1
+2
+3

Summary

Attacker rolls to hit.

o If a hit is rolled, but not a Critical Hit, attacker rolls damage as normal.
o If a Critical Hit, attacker rolls damage as normal, and then proceeds to
determine what additional effects the defender suffers.
Attacker rolls a d10 and consults the Body Part chart. If the Critical Hit is the result of
a Called Shot, the attacker has hit the chosen body part.
Attacker rolls a d20 and consults the appropriate Critical Wound chart. Apply the
Critical Modifier to this roll, if the attack has one.
The Status Effect is immediately applied to the defender.
The defender must attempt a Fortitude save at the beginning of their Initiative step.
A successful Treat Injury roll will lower the DC of the save by 5.
o If she fails the save, the Status Effect remains in effect. If any damage is
applied, apply it now. A successful Treat Injury check (DC: 15) will prevent any
further damage from being applied this round.
o If she passes the save, the Status Effect ends immediately.
Once the Status Effect is cleared, the Lingering Effect is immediately applied (unless
there is no Lingering Effect corresponding to that Critical Wound).
o Lingering Effects may heal spontaneously after a set duration (consult the
chart and roll), or
o A successful Surgery check may be required to initiate the recovery process.
In these cases, Lingering Effects will heal after a set amount of time following
a successful Surgery attempt (consult the chart and roll).

Coups de grace
A successful coup de grace still automatically scores a Critical Hit, but no longer requires a
Fortitude save vs. death. Rather, it counts as successful Called Shot (attackers choice of
body part, although it must be accessible to attack) and adds a +5 to the Critical Wound
result.

Work in Progress
Please realize that these rules are untested, and as such are subject to on-the-fly
adjustments. Also, feedback is appreciated. Please check with the GM before using
any special rules that affect how Critical Hits or damage function, as such rules may
need to be tweaked to maintain balance.