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Thursday, June 9, 2022

Fireball to the Face!

Last session, the PCs tried a Fireball spell to the face of a foe. That normally doesn't do more than hitting some other location.

It does seem like a flame attack to the face should have some special benefit, right?

Here is an option.

An attack to the Face with a burning attack may briefly cause blindness. Any attack that hits the face causes a Will roll to avoid flinching and closing your eyes - giving the defender a -2 against any attacks until the end of their next turn. If the attack actually causes damage, this roll is the lower of Will or HT. Only beings naturally immune to flame will ignore this - you may have Resist Fire on, but the subconcious doesn't trust easily.

I think my players will think this is a good idea, right up until a dragon breathes on them and the large-area attack means they have to blink and get momentarily blinded from the attack even after it fails to penetrate DR. Heh. But it's at least a brief idea to play around with, if it's your sort of thing.
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5 comments:

  1. Joel SammallahtiJune 10, 2022 at 1:44 AM

    Sounds reasonable, but it would be one more rule to remember. I'd just apply the -5 to Knockdown rolls on p. B399, which might be worth the hit location penalty in a pinch.

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  2. MathJune 10, 2022 at 3:12 AM

    Doesn't an attack that injures the face always trigger a roll for knockdown and stunning?

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    Replies
    1. Peter DJune 10, 2022 at 7:45 PM

      This provides a benefit on any hit, not just hits that cause injury.

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    2. evileeyoreJune 11, 2022 at 12:30 AM

      Yes but only if you suffer a Shock Penalty, which High Pain Threshold mitigates. Also this is another way to 'enforce' a realism check if that's something your group enjoys.

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  3. evileeyoreJune 10, 2022 at 12:40 PM

    I like it... and honestly any attack to the face (or location with sensitive primary sensors, if it makes sense†) should cause some sort of similar response, with Combat Reflexes giving a +1 bonus to the "Will/HT Save" as well as a Trained bonus from their highest unarmed melee skill (+1 at DX+1, +2 at DX+4 is how I roll, but I know that deviates from GURPS canon).

    It would help to increase the danger untrained people face in combat and better reflect how valuable trained responses are.


    .† Why yes, I do //see// what I did there.

    I'll see myself out.

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