Optional System: Called Shots

When making an attack with a melee or ranged weapon (but not spells, even if they require an attack roll), characters can attempt a "called shot" to target certain parts of the enemy, allowing them to apply penalties to the target, inflict more damage, or even kill the target outright.

 

Making a called shot can be done as a standard action, including in conjunction with the combat feats Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Vital Strike, or Spring Attack.  It cannot be done while charging or when using Cleave or Great Cleave.  Once per round, you can make a called shot as part of an attack of opportunity, but doing so requires intense concentration and imposes a -2 penalty on the attack roll.

 

Depending on the area you are aiming for, the target's AC improves and certain other criteria may have to be satisfied.  This bonus to armor class is applied even if the target is flatfooted or otherwise denied their dexterity bonus to their AC; it is even applied if the character is immobilized or helpless.

 

There are three categories of target: large, medium, and small.

 

Large targets are those that take up a significant portion of the creature's anatomy, such as arms, legs, tails, and wings.  Targeting these limbs gives the creature a +4 circumstance bonus to their AC against the called shot.

 

Medium targets are smaller areas, but still not insignificant, including hands, feet, horns or antlers, and certain special organs (such a beholder's central eye).  Targeting these areas gives the creature a +8 circumstance bonus to their AC against the called shot.

 

Finally, small targets are the smallest areas of a creature that can be specifically targeted, often being the most critical or physically weakest, including the eyes, throat, and organs such as the heart, lungs, or liver.  Targeting these vulnerable spots gives the creature a +16 circumstance to their AC against the called shot.  Many of these areas are also blocked by armor, scales, hide, or some other protection.  When attacking the protected area, it receives a DR bonus against successful attacks equal to the hardness of whatever material is protecting the area.  The attack must inflict at least 1 point of damage to be considered successful.

 

If you attempt a called shot and it fails, then the attack is treated as if it had missed normally.  Abilities that allow missed attacks to be rerolled are made against the target as a normal attack, rather than as another called shot.  Abilities that still affect the target despite a miss do so normally, with no additional benefits for the original attack having been a called shot.  You cannot use abilities that allow attacks to automatically succeed in conjunction with a called shot, nor can you use abilities that let you make a touch attack with a weapon that normally does not allow it.

 

Called shots do not automatically succeed on a natural 20.  Instead, if the player rolls a natural 20, but the result would still not be enough to exceed the target's modified AC, then they miss the called shot but can treat the attack as a normal attack roll instead (including rolling to confirm their critical threat).

 

The effects of called shots (and the enhanced effects of a successful critical) for the most common anatomical areas are listed in the chart below.  GMs are encouraged to come up with their own ideas for effects on unconventional anatomies or even adjust the effects based on the circumstances and weapons a character is using; after all, a blow to the eyes from a lance on a charge is likely to be very different from one with a whip or a sledgehammer.

 

Creatures that have no discernable anatomy or are otherwise immune to critical hits do not suffer any of the effects associated with a called shot.

 

Area Size Effect¹ Critical Effect¹ Notes
Arm Large

Target suffers a -2 penalty to any attacks, skill checks, or ability checks involving the arm.

 Arm broken; cannot be used to wield items or attack. —
Leg Large

Target movement speed is reduced by 10 feet (up to ½ speed) and can only run up to x3 their movement speed.

 Leg broken; fall prone.  Target speed reduced to 10 feet and requires an Acrobatics check to balance (DC 20) to stand on remaining leg. —
Wing Large Target fly speed is reduced by 10 feet (up to ½ speed) and must make a Fly check (DC = damage inflicted) or begin falling. Wing broken; cannot fly. —
Tail Large Target suffers a -2 penalty to any tail slam attack. Tail broken; cannot be used to wield items or attack. —
Hand/Elbow Medium Target drops anything held in hand of affected limb.  Also suffers penalties for called shot against arm. Hand severed or elbow shattered; useless until regenerated.² —
Foot/Knee Medium Target drops prone, reduced to ½ speed, and cannot run. Foot severed or knee shattered; useless until regenerated.  Target speed reduced to 5 feet and requires an Acrobatics check to balance (DC 30) to stand on remaining leg.² —
Horn/Antler Medium Target suffers a -2 penalty to any horn/antler attack and it gains the Fragile weapon quality. Horn/Antler shattered; useless until regenerated.² —
Nose Small Target dazed for 1 round, then shaken; cannot use Scent ability. Nose broken; attack inflicts +50% damage.  Cannot use Scent until regenerated.² Armored target (helm)³
Eye Small Target blinded. Eye burst; attack inflicts +50% damage.  Blind until regenerated.² —
Throat Small Target stunned for 1 round, then shaken; rendered mute. Throat crushed; target begins to make Constitution checks as if suffocating until healed.  Mute until regenerated.² Armored target (gorget)³
Heart Small Attack inflicts maximum damage and target is shaken. Heart pierced; attack treated as coup de grace against target.² Armored target³
Lung Small Attack inflicts +50% damage and target is fatigued. Lungs pierced; target begins to make Constitution checks as if suffocating until healed.  Exhausted until regenerated.² Armored target³
Liver Small Attack inflicts +50% damage and target gains Bleed equal to attackers BAB/4 (minimum 1). Liver pierced; attack inflicts maximum damage.  Target suffers Bleed damage equal to attacker's BAB.² Armored target³
¹ - Unless otherwise stated, the effects of a called shot last until the target receives the effects of magical healing, naturally recovers all the damage inflicted by the attack, or receives a Heal check.  The Heal DC is equal to 15 (for Large areas), 20 (for Medium areas), or 25 (for small areas) and increases by +5 if the attack was a confirmed critical.
² - The effects of some called shots are too severe to be overcome simply with natural healing, first aid, or cure spells.  In these instances, even if the hit point damage is restored, the side effects remain until the target has received a regenerate spell, recovers the damage inflicted by the attack with the regeneration special ability, or has their body physically reconstructed, such as with the polymorph any object spell.
³ - If a target is wearing any sort of armor or has a natural armor bonus to their AC of +1 or higher, these targets are considered "armored" and that armor must be pierced before the target is successful.  In essence, this means that the target has DR equal to either the material of the armor in question (2 for leather or hide, 10 for iron or steel, 15 for mithral, and 20 for adamantine) or to their natural armor bonus.  Targets that have both armor and natural armor combine these DRs.  If the called shot does not inflict at least 1 point of damage, then it does not have the listed effect.