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Old 08-06-2018, 11:56 PM   #11
evileeyore
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

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Originally Posted by Rasputin View Post
You're reading this wrong.
Nope.



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Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post
I think what he's saying is that the SM of the tree is applied to the first hit, after that, it's only the SM of the wound that matters, though of course misses will strike the tree more frequently
Exactly.

In other words, yes, the first hit will be easier because the tree is large. However the wound channel is not suddenly and dramatically increased in size because you're attacking a larger creature (imagine for a moment a fight with multiple Treemen, all different sizes from sapling to ancient). However Doug makes an excellent point I skipped: Any misses of the wound channel that fall withing the variance of the SM should probably still hit the Treeman, just not get the ablated DR. Just like a miss of 'chinks in armor' still hits.

Of course this makes a new wound channel and eventually with enough misses...
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Old 08-07-2018, 12:30 AM   #12
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

See, this is why you bring flamethrowers to a treeman fight.
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Old 08-07-2018, 02:06 AM   #13
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

Buloke and Lignum Vitae treemen?

https://www.ravensnpennies.com/the-h...tough-is-wood/
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Old 08-07-2018, 09:07 AM   #14
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

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Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post
I think what he's saying is that the SM of the tree is applied to the first hit, after that, it's only the SM of the wound that matters, though of course misses will strike the tree more frequently.
Sounds like annoying bookkeeping. It also sounds like applying a modifier to the wound equal to that of the Hand or Neck seems a little large for the hit.
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Old 08-07-2018, 12:51 PM   #15
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

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I think what he's saying is that the SM of the tree is applied to the first hit, after that, it's only the SM of the wound that matters
I'm not sure that the SM of the tree should be applied to even the first hit. A lumberjack isn't going to start cutting just by planting an axe somewhere in a tree-sized area, but in a defined area that's, at most, man-sized, most likely appreciably smaller (as Pursuivant noted, the ultimate aim is to create a wedge that results in the tree falling in a predictable path). Calculating the size of the initial target area is pretty straightforward, although I forget the typical angle of the wedge that's removed (maybe 15 degrees?).

Now, if the aim is to cut down an immobile but hostile animated tree, then I could see making the initial target area larger, up to something about the size of the trunk.
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Old 08-07-2018, 01:05 PM   #16
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

While the OP's question isn't really about normal lumberjack work, it should be noted if we're going to talk about that that a lumberjack isn't using Melee Weapon (Axe). And while their skill probably does offer a default to Melee Weapon (Axe) it might reasonably perform better than an equal level of Melee Weapon (Axe) for the specific task of striking a non-motile upright tree in locations suitable for felling.

Which weakens any constraint on the level of attack penalty that one might try to derive from the viability of moderately skilled woodcutters.
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Old 08-07-2018, 01:20 PM   #17
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

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Which weakens any constraint on the level of attack penalty that one might try to derive from the viability of moderately skilled woodcutters.
True. They probably also get ye olde "+10 for not being in combat". I wasn't really taking that into consideration.

So a larger* Hit Location penalty would be entirely appropriate.


* Larger than -4 or -5. Possible up to -8.
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Old 08-07-2018, 01:30 PM   #18
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

For what it's worth, I assumed the context, perhaps narcissistically, was that of the vaknatre (awakened trees) from Hall of Judgment, or ents.

Where you'd be in combat with one, facing substantial DR due to the bark. A reasonable person might try and strike the same place more than once, either because they've grappled you or a friend and you're looking to lop off limbs, or simply to try and cause injury. The premise being that once you get past the bark perhaps you're facing less DR.

Handling "hitting the same spot" as aiming for chinks in armor is probably not wrong. The effect would be about right (bypasses DR or half DR, depending on the tree-creature's internal makeup), and the speed of resolution gained by not worrying about the precise nature and size of a wound, nor inventing an extra rule, has value.
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Old 08-07-2018, 01:53 PM   #19
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Default Re: Chopping down a tree

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For what it's worth, I assumed the context, perhaps narcissistically, was that of the vaknatre (awakened trees) from Hall of Judgment, or ents.
Close. I have a lot of trees.

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Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post
Handling "hitting the same spot" as aiming for chinks in armor is probably not wrong. The effect would be about right (bypasses DR or half DR, depending on the tree-creature's internal makeup), and the speed of resolution gained by not worrying about the precise nature and size of a wound, nor inventing an extra rule, has value.
So I am barking up the right tree (so to speak) when I think of Wounded and its -7.
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