Location-Based Targeting, Damage, and Appendage Removal

This homebrew ruleset introduces precise targeting, location-specific damage, and the potential for removing appendages in combat. It emphasizes tactical decision-making, risk-reward mechanics, and visceral realism.

Targeting Specific Body Parts

When attacking, players or enemies can choose to target specific body parts instead of making a standard attack. Declaring a targeted attack increases the attack's difficulty but allows for specific effects based on the location hit.

Mechanics:

1. Declare the targeted body part before rolling to attack.

2. Apply a penalty to the attack roll:

   • +2 AC for small body parts (head, hand, foot).

   • +4 AC for very small body parts (eye, finger, ear).

3. If the attack hits, roll on the appropriate damage table and apply the effect.

Body Part Damage Tables

Each body part has unique effects when damaged:

1. Head

• Effect on Hit: Roll a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt) or suffer a debilitating condition:

  • 10+ Fail: Stunned until the end of the attacker’s next turn.

  • 5+ Fail: Unconscious for 1 minute.

  • Critical Hit: Instant death if HP reduced to 0.

• Critical Effect: Remove an eye (disadvantage on Perception checks) or deal a brain injury (intelligence checks at disadvantage).

2. Torso

• Effect on Hit: Roll a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt). On failure, suffer 1 level of exhaustion.

• Critical Effect: Internal bleeding (lose 1 HP per round until healed).

3. Arms

• Effect on Hit: Disarm the target (force a Strength saving throw, DC 10 + damage, to keep hold of the weapon).

• Critical Effect: Sever the arm. The creature drops whatever it’s holding and takes ongoing damage (1 HP per round). Healing spells above 3rd level can reattach or regrow limbs.

4. Legs

• Effect on Hit: Speed is halved; roll a Dexterity saving throw (DC 10 + damage) or fall prone.

• Critical Effect: Sever the leg. The creature falls prone, speed reduced to 0. Ongoing damage (1 HP per round).

5. Hands/Feet

• Effect on Hit: Disable or cripple the limb (cannot hold objects, disadvantage on actions requiring hands/feet).

• Critical Effect: Sever the appendage. Ongoing damage (1 HP per round).

Cutting Off Appendages

Appendages can be severed through critical hits, targeted attacks, or overwhelming damage to a specific area.

Rules:

• Appendages have individual HP pools:

  • Hands/Feet: 10 HP.

  • Arms/Legs: 20 HP.

• If a limb’s HP is reduced to 0 in a single hit, it is severed.

• Regrowing or reattaching limbs requires powerful magic (e.g., Regenerate or equivalent spell).

Healing Location-Based Injuries

• Standard Healing Spells: Restore HP but don’t reattach severed limbs or heal major injuries (e.g., internal bleeding).

• Special Healing: Higher-level spells like Regenerate or Greater Restoration are required to regrow or repair appendages.

• Medicine Checks: DC 15 to stabilize a limb and stop ongoing damage (bandaging a stump or cauterizing a wound).

Optional Mechanics

1. Armor Coverage:

   • Different pieces of armor can protect specific body parts (e.g., helmet protects the head, gauntlets protect hands).

   • Attacks on armored parts deal half damage unless a critical hit.

2. Critical Fumbles:

   • If a targeted attack misses by 5 or more, the attacker suffers a penalty (e.g., leaves themselves open to opportunity attacks).

3. Status Effects for Amputation:

   • Loss of an appendage causes Shock: Roll a Constitution save (DC 15) or fall unconscious for 1 minute.

Homebrew Ruleset: Location-Based Targeting with Percentage-Based Hit Points

This revised version ties each body part's hit points (HP) to a percentage of the character's total hit points, creating a more dynamic and balanced system that scales with the character's level and constitution.

Body Part Hit Points

Each body part has a percentage of the character’s total HP. Damage to a specific body part reduces both the part's HP and the overall HP pool.

Calculating Location HP

To determine HP for each location:

1. Multiply the character’s total HP by the percentage allocated to that body part.

2. Track the HP separately for each location.

Example:

• A character with 50 total HP would have:

  • Head HP: 7.5 (rounded up to 8).

  • Torso HP: 20.

  • Each Arm HP: 7.5 (rounded up to 8).

  • Each Leg HP: 7.5 (rounded up to 8).

  • Each Hand/Foot HP: 5.

Damage Mechanics

• Dealing Damage: When a specific body part is targeted and hit, reduce the HP for that body part and the total HP by the damage dealt.

• Critical Hits: If a body part's HP is reduced to 0 in a single critical hit, apply the effects for that location (e.g., severed limb, unconsciousness).

• Healing: Healing spells restore total HP, which is then distributed across all locations proportionally. Specific body parts require direct healing to regain full functionality.

Effects by Body Part

1. Head (15%)

   • Conditions at 0 HP:

     • Constitution save (DC 10 + damage) or unconscious for 1 minute.

     • Critical hit: Instant death if total HP also falls to 0.

   • Ongoing Effects:

     • Disadvantage on Perception and Intelligence checks.

2. Torso (40%)

   • Conditions at 0 HP:

     • Internal bleeding: Lose 1 HP per round until stabilized.

   • Ongoing Effects:

     • Disadvantage on Strength and Constitution checks.

3. Arms (15% per arm)

   • Conditions at 0 HP:

     • Arm is crippled or severed; cannot wield weapons or shields.

   • Ongoing Effects:

     • Disadvantage on attack rolls and skill checks requiring two hands.

4. Legs (15% per leg)

   • Conditions at 0 HP:

     • Leg is crippled or severed; speed reduced to 0.

   • Ongoing Effects:

     • Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

5. Hands/Feet (10% per hand/foot)

   • Conditions at 0 HP:

     • Hand/foot is crippled or severed; disadvantage on actions requiring that appendage.

   • Ongoing Effects:

     • Reduced movement speed (feet) or inability to interact with objects (hands).

Targeting Rules

• Called Shots: Declare the target body part before rolling to attack. Add a penalty based on the size of the target:

  • +2 AC for medium-sized parts (arms, legs).

  • +4 AC for small parts (hands, feet, head).

• Critical Hits: Automatically apply the location-specific effect if a critical hit reduces the part’s HP to 0.

Healing and Recovery

1. Standard Healing Spells: Restore total HP, which can be redistributed to partially heal damaged body parts.

2. Advanced Healing: Magic like Regenerate fully restores severed or destroyed appendages.

3. Medicine Checks: DC 15 to stabilize a limb and prevent further damage.