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Originally Posted by Stupid Jedi
Thanks Kromm, that is helpful to know. But, aren't the vitals just as well protected (or more) in most fighting stances?
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Sure, but the vitals are far larger than the head, and also not very mobile. Consider: the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc., make up most of the torso, and are spread over 2' across (SM -2). Given that not just any blow to the torso hits them, I won't assume any adjustment for elongated boxes or spheres. They are neutrally mobile (0); they are right at the center of mass, but the torso does twist some, so they aren't rooted in place for +1. They are highly denied (-1), being inside another body part, behind ribs, and one of the areas most protected by most fighting stances. That's -3.
Compare the torso, which is basically the same size or a little larger (but still SM -2), but which gets the +1 for being an elongated box for sure, since any hit there
does count. The torso is still neutrally mobile (0); as I said, it can twist, although not very far. It is, however, highly presented (+1), being the root of all the other body parts
and the trained default target for virtually all basic attacks. That's 0.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stupid Jedi
And, even if the hands are out in front, why would that affect hit location from ranged attacks?
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Not "out in front" so much as "presented." A hand that's out fighting, where you can see it, isn't the same as one tucked into a pocket or behind a shield. This is no less true for ranged combat.
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Hands are subject to far quicker and more unpredictable movements than the head, yet shooting a hand is easier than shooting the face.
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I'd dispute that the hands are more mobile. They might move very quickly, but once committed to a swing, thrust, or parry, they're carried in a very predictable arc until completion. This is assumed to be when the enemy will strike. Low-skill foes haven't a hope in part because they don't know this, which is why somebody with skill 10 hasn't a prayer of hitting the hands (50% -> 9.3%), while somebody with skill 18 won't find it meaningfully more difficult (98.1% -> 90.7%).