Import Note
- This is an optional feature, and is not strictly used in the living world; however, it's concept can be used during specific fights in the living world, such as during an encounter wherein the DM at the time has written in certain aspects of this system into the fight itself. This is otherwise listed here for the use in home-games outside of the living world.
Called Shots are the precise aim and attack towards a specific location upon the target creature. In order to perform a called shot, the creature must declare the called shot attempt and location before making their attack roll. Once declared, the player suffers disadvantage on the attack roll, while the target creatures receives a bonus to its armor class based upon the location targeted. If the attack would already suffer disadvantage, it instead suffers absolute disadvantage.
Whenever you hit a creature with a called shot, the attack deals additional damage, and can cause additional effects, as indicated by the individual location targeted. Whenever a saving throw is called for a called shot, the target must make a saving throw against the attacker's called shot save DC, which is equal to 8 + the attacker's Proficiency bonus + the ability modifier used to make the attack; for example, a wizard shooting a firebolt would use Intelligence to determine the DC for a called shot with this spell.
If the attack misses due to the called shot increase to armor class, it is instead treated as a normal hit against the target creature.
Locations
Arms/Wings (+3 AC)
Arms are the manipulating limbs of a creature, including tentacles. Wings are also considered to be arms for the purposes of a called shot.
- Effect: On a hit, the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, any ability checks or attack rolls made using the wounded arm suffer disadvantage for 1d4 minutes or until the creature receives magical healing or receives a DC 15 Medicine check to repair the damage. A flying creature shot in the wing descends involuntarily if they fail their saving throw, as if they were knocked prone.
- Critical Effect: On a critical hit, if the target fails their save, the attack severs an important muscle or tendon and the arm or wing becomes useless unless healed with a lesser restoration, greater restoration, or heal spell. If the attack is an acid, force, necrotic, or slashing attack that dealt at least double the creature's Constitution score in damage, the limb is instead severed and is lost unless returned with a regeneration spell.
Chest (+2 AC)
Called shots to the chest are aimed at the well-protected center of mass of a creature.
- Effect: On a hit, the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a called shot to the chest deals no additional damage, but causes the target to suffer from the bleeding condition, with bleed damage equal to the damage dice of the attack, or one-half of the damage suffered, whichever is lower and applicable.
- Critical Effect: On a critical hit the target suffers from the Fatigued condition for 1 minute or until the creature receives magical healing or receives a DC 15 Medicine check to repair the damage. This is in addition to the standard effects of called shot in this location.
Ear (+6 AC)
Ears are the organs used to hear. Creatures without visible ears are not susceptible to called shots to that location.
- Effect: On a hit, this attack deals an additional dice worth of damage and the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a called shot to the ear deafens that ear for 1d4 minutes, and imposes disadvantage on hearing-based Perception checks. A creature that loses hearing in all ears is deafened until hearing is returned by way of the lesser restoration spell or a similar effect.
- Critical Effect: On a failed save, the target is permanently deafened, and suffers from the Fogged I condition for 1 minute. Both remain unless healed with a lesser restoration or similar spell or effect.
Eye (+6 AC)
Eyes include whatever organs a creature uses to see. At the GM’s discretion, a called shot to the eye can also target sensory organs such as antennae, potentially negating abilities like blindsense. Generally, a creature can’t be blinded until it has lost all vision in all of its eyes. Creatures with five or more eyes take no penalties from called shots to their eyes until they’re blinded in enough eyes to bring them down a single functional eye, but can still be blinded in that eye by a critical hit or debilitating blow.
- Effect: On a hit, this attack deals an additional dice worth of damage and the target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a called shot to the eye causes disadvantage on attacks and disadvantage on all sight-based Perception checks for 1d4 rounds. If the creature only has one functional eye prior to the called shot, it is blinded for 1d4 rounds instead.
- Critical Effect: On a failed save against a critical hit, the eye is lost or destroyed and they are considered permanently blind in that eye unless sight is returned with a regeneration spell.
Hand (+4 AC)
Hands include most extremities used for fine manipulation.
- Effect: On a hit, the target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, for 1d4 rounds, any attack rolls, ability checks made using the wounded hand suffer disadvantage, including attack rolls with two-handed weapons. Damage rolls do not gain any benefit from Strength or Dexterity scores. If the target is wielding a weapon or other held object, they must make a successful Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target’s choice) or drop the held object.
- Critical Effect: If the target fails their saving throw, the hand is permanently damaged and the resulting penalties also become permanent unless the target receives healing from a lesser restoration or heal spell. If the attack is an acid, force, necrotic, or slashing attack that dealt at least double the creature's Constitution score in damage, the hand is instead severed and is lost unless returned with a regeneration spell.
Head (+4 AC)
Called shots to the head are tricky, as most creatures show some skill at dodging attacks aimed at their faces. Some creatures, such as otyughs and purple worms, lack a proper head altogether. Creatures without heads are not subject to the effects of a head shot.
- Effect: On a hit, this attack deals an additional dice worth of damage and the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a called shot to the head leaves the target Nauseated for 1d4 rounds. If a creature has more than one head, it instead suffers from the condition for 1 round.
- Critical Effect: If the target fails their saving throw, they are instead stunned (or nauseated) for 1d4 rounds.
Heart (+6 AC)
A called shot to the heart represents an attempt at a killing blow. A called shot to the heart can be used for any small, likely fatal location on a creature, such as the only weakness on an unimaginably ancient red dragon.
- Effect: On a hit, this attack deals an additional dice worth of damage and the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the attack causes fatigue and bleeding. The target suffers from the Fatigue condition as well as the Bleeding condition with bleed damage equal to the base damage dice inflicted. Curing the bleed requires magical healing equal to or in excess of the bleed damage causing the bleeding condition, or a successful DC 20 Medicine check that takes 1d4 rounds to complete.
- Critical Effect: If the target fails their saving throw, they gain a level of exhaustion, suffer from the bleeding condition as above, and reduce their maximum hit points by the bleed damage they suffer each round. Maximum hit points lost in this way are restored after a long rest or receiving the benefits of a Lesser Restoration spell or similar effect.
Leg (+3 AC)
Legs are the ambulatory limbs of a creature, including feet. Called shots to the leg have no special effect on creatures with five or more legs.
- Effect: On a hit, the target creature must make a Strength or Dexterity (target's choice) saving throw. On a failed save, a called shot to a leg halves the target creature’s speed for 1d4 rounds if it has two or fewer legs, and by 10 feet if it has more than two legs. The speed penalty for hits on legs stack, but the creature’s speed cannot be reduced below 5 feet per round. Additionally, any skill or ability checks involving movement (such as Acrobatics or Athletics checks) suffer disadvantage.
- Critical Effect: On a critical hit, if the target fails their save, the attack severs an important muscle or tendon and the leg becomes useless unless healed with a lesser restoration, greater restoration, or heal spell. If the attack is an acid, force, necrotic, or slashing attack that dealt at least double the creature's Constitution score in damage, the limb is instead severed and is lost unless returned with a regeneration spell.
Neck (+5 AC)
The neck makes for a difficult but rewarding target. Injuries to the neck keep a creature from speaking easily, and if blood vessels or the windpipe are damaged, such injuries rapidly lead to death. Creatures that lack vulnerable heads generally can’t be attacked in the neck.
- Effect: On a hit, this attack deals two additional dice worth of damage and the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature suffers from the Muted condition for 1d4 rounds.
- Critical Effect: If the target fails their save, they suffer the above effects; in addition the target suffers from the bleeding condition, with bleed damage equal to the damage dice of the attack, or one-half of the damage suffered, whichever is lower and applicable. If the creature is brought to 0 hit points and the damage dealt at least double the creature's Constitution score in damage. The creature receives another Constitution saving throw, if this fails, the head of the creature is severed. If it relies on its head to survive, the creature is slain instantly.
Vitals (+3 AC)
The vitals correspond to the abdomen on a humanoid: critical organs not well-protected by bone. Attacks on the vitals can also include dastardly “low blows.” Vitals for non-humanoid creatures can include nearly any location that is relatively hard to hit, poorly protected, and debilitating if struck.
- Effect: On a hit, this attack deals an additional dice worth of damage and the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a called shot to the vitals causes the target to suffer from the Fatigued condition for 1d4 rounds. This is in addition to the effects of the Chest called shot location.
- Critical Effect: On a critical hit the target suffers from the Sickened condition; this is in addition to the standard effects of this called shot.
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