Wounding modifiers stack?

[kristov]

We just played our first game and are working our way through all of the rules..

Couple we had and did not come up with a clear answer yet:

1) Do wounding modifiers stack? So does a Javelin impaling X2 wounding modifier stack on top of the Head shot wounding modifier of X4 to cause X6 penetrating dmg for instance?

2) If i just shoot a bullet at you, and I hit with my roll - is it automatically a torso hit or do we roll on the "hit locations table" to see where you just got hit by the bullet I threw in your direction.

Thanks,

Kristov

[Lupo]

Originally Posted by kristov

1) Do wounding modifiers stack? So does a Javelin impaling X2 wounding modifier stack on top of the Head shot wounding modifier of X4 to cause X6 penetrating dmg for instance?

No, they don't; wounding modifiers are location-specific.
So Impaling is x2, or x3 at Vitals, or x1 at limbs, or x4 at Head.
Crushing is x1, or x1,5 at throat, or x4 at Head and so on.

2) If i just shoot a bullet at you, and I hit with my roll - is it automatically a torso hit or do we roll on the "hit locations table" to see where you just got hit by the bullet I threw in your direction.

I can't remember the official ruling; generally it's a matter of GM choice.
I usually consider all "generic" hits as torso hits (unless they're truly random hits).

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by kristov

2) If i just shoot a bullet at you, and I hit with my roll - is it automatically a torso hit or do we roll on the "hit locations table" to see where you just got hit by the bullet I threw in your direction.

Up to the player and the GM, really. I usually assume that an undeclared shot is targeting the center of mass, i.e. the torso, since that's what shooters tend to go for by default. But you're free to rule otherwise - it just means the players will have to specify if they want to go for the torso.

[Taellosse]

Originally Posted by kristov

2) If i just shoot a bullet at you, and I hit with my roll - is it automatically a torso hit or do we roll on the "hit locations table" to see where you just got hit by the bullet I threw in your direction.

Depends on which rules you feel like using. I'm not looking at my books right now, but as I recall, you've got, basically, 3 options. First option is as you describe it, more or less. the second option is to restrict all "generic" hits to torso hits, and reserve location-specific hits for when the attacker has made a called shot (which comes with a penalty to hit that will vary depending on the chosen location). The third option is to keep it simple, and not use hit locations at all. So it basically depends how granular you want to get. Of course, you can also mix and match, and I've also heard of people not using hit locations except on critical hits, and other sorts of house rules.

[naloth]

Originally Posted by kristov

1) Do wounding modifiers stack? So does a Javelin impaling X2 wounding modifier stack on top of the Head shot wounding modifier of X4 to cause X6 penetrating dmg for instance?

Just to second the previous answer, no. Campaigns (end with the random location chart) specifies what final modifier you get for special location.

2) If i just shoot a bullet at you, and I hit with my roll - is it automatically a torso hit or do we roll on the "hit locations table" to see where you just got hit by the bullet I threw in your direction.

It's up to your group. We've played it both ways and the random table is generally more brutal. Crippling and multiplier hits turn up more often way.

[The Wrathchild]

Originally Posted by kristov

We just played our first game and are working our way through all of the rules..

Couple we had and did not come up with a clear answer yet:

1) Do wounding modifiers stack? So does a Javelin impaling X2 wounding modifier stack on top of the Head shot wounding modifier of X4 to cause X6 penetrating dmg for instance?

As as already been said - no. The multiplier follows from the combination of aspect (ie. cut, pi, imp, cr etc.) and location. The highest multiplier possible is x4, for Skull hits (any aspect) and pi and imp Eye hits.

2) If i just shoot a bullet at you, and I hit with my roll - is it automatically a torso hit or do we roll on the "hit locations table" to see where you just got hit by the bullet I threw in your direction.

Wholly strictly (see Basic Set p. 398-400):

An undeclared attack is assumed to have been targeted at center mass.

You can choose a specific Hit Location, usually at a penalty.

But you can ALSO choose "the target that presents itself", at no penalty, and use the random hit location table to determine what the target was. It is true that in 3e the penalty of the location was then applied to the skill roll, but not so in 4e.

(edit: I have a player wo really likes this option, and who has scored some really impressive Skull hits with his Staff that way - also some fight-stopping leg and arm-cripplings. I actually think it's a nice way to model Brawn fighters that whack away relentlessly. It can be a quite scary tactic, often "better" than just going for center mass)

Last, some attacks "mandate" the use of the Random Hit Location table - Wild Swings, Suppression Fire, Fragments et. al.

[DouglasCole]

Everyone covered most everything correctly above. But, some notes:

1. For melee weapons, one can assume that all uncalled shots go center of body (torso) fairly easily. That doesn't change much, but it also will usually penalize the attacker, since any armor that is worn will be heaviest on the torso, suually.

2. A random attack (melee) that's rolled on the random locations table FIRST and then a penalty applied would be simulating what targets are open at any given moment. You could declare an attack, roll for "what's open at the moment?" and then the attacker can choose to proceed or not (you could also roll target first).

3. It would make some degree of sense to roll randomly for ranged attacks, especially for unaimed or pop-up style stuff, since waving around a gun or deviation due to wind and environment of missiles like arrows and bolts can be large.

[Pip Boy]

Not hijacking the thread, but I think it's related... And then what happens when a pc roll a "double damage" or "triple damage" on the critical success table? Lets say a 2d piercing attack against DR 1.


It's like:
2d, impaling (x2), roll 7.
-1 DR = 6.
6 x2 impaling =12.
12 x2 critical success = 24 injury.

or

2d, impaling (x2), roll 7.
7x2 critical success = 14.
-1 DR = 13.
13x2 impaling = 26 injury.


?????????????????

[Kromm]

Damage is damage; injury is injury. These are technical terms, and in no way interchangeable. The rules (pp. B377-381) are clear on this. "Double damage" or "triple damage" refers to the damage roll. "Double injury" or "triple injury" refers to whatever penetrates DR and comes off HP.