Adding more + to P++

[Ubiquitous]

I don't want this to sound like an argument for adding more pluses to triple or quadruple damage but hear me out.

If I make a shotgun slug Hollow-point, it should be incredibly devastating to someone, if I shot them in the chest (unlike a regular slug, which is boring regular devastating). But game-wise there's no effect, it doesn't go above p++.

I've considered just considering a p++ Hollow-point just an 'explosive' round, and applying the damage to the vitals because of how badly that would mess with your insides. But the 'smart guy' in our group disagrees, saying that this means the weapon in question would be disproportionate to high SM beings (like giants). I've fluctuated between 'So we'll tone it down' and 'So what, if it's that big the HP'll work and out if not, mount it on a wall.'.

What I'm looking for is ideas on how I can house-rule bullets that expand over GURPS' written-down notions of expansion. One idea I had was to take the damage 'three' times; count the damage before doubling as knock-back or whatever and roll with that, but honestly that method seems like I'm just putting words together.

Anyone have any idea, or would this just lead to p+++, p++++ to infinity?

[Ragitsu]

One thing that somewhat ticks me off is how the piercing types of damage all interact with location multipliers in the same way. That is to say, 3 points of Small Piercing is just as deadly as 3 points of Large Piercing when hitting the Vitals.

[Maz]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous

Anyone have any idea, or would this just lead to p+++, p++++ to infinity?

Well the problem is that if you allow HP on a 18.5mm slug to be Pi+++ then shouldn't a 20mm also be Pi+++, and then how about a 40mm?

There has to be a limit somewhere. The range from pi- to pi++ are all centred around common smallarms calibres and made to make sense against humans.


I think the reasoning is that once you reach a certain calibre size the size of the whole in your body really doesn't matter that much.


As for making it hit vitals, it could work. For SM+ creatures you could simply reduce the pi by a level equal to it's SM. So a pi++ shot against a SM+1 creature only count as a pi+ (actually that makes a lot of sense to me).

[Langy]

There has to be a limit somewhere.

Not really. You could just have something like Pi(2) or Pi(1.5) for Pi+ and Pi++ respectively, then Pi(3) or Pi(5) for a 20mm shell and a 30mm shell, respectively. Basically, put down the actual wound modifier rather than a number of +s. There's no reason there would need to be a limit in that case.

[lwcamp]

Originally Posted by Ubiquitous

What I'm looking for is ideas on how I can house-rule bullets that expand over GURPS' written-down notions of expansion. One idea I had was to take the damage 'three' times; count the damage before doubling as knock-back or whatever and roll with that, but honestly that method seems like I'm just putting words together.

Here's an old house rule that's never been properly play tested. Feel free to use it, or modify it as your inspiration sees fit:
http://panoptesv.com/RPGs/HouseRules/ImpPierce.html

Luke

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

One thing that somewhat ticks me off is how the piercing types of damage all interact with location multipliers in the same way. That is to say, 3 points of Small Piercing is just as deadly as 3 points of Large Piercing when hitting the Vitals.

This is realistic, shot placement matters a lot more with a 9mm pistol than it does with a 12.7mm HMG. Nobody bothers with failure drill training for M2 MGs.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

This is realistic, shot placement matters a lot more with a 9mm pistol than it does with a 12.7mm HMG. Nobody bothers with failure drill training for M2 MGs.

So, even if someone DID (GURPS is Generic, not Assumption), it still doesn't make a difference?

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

So, even if someone DID (GURPS is Generic, not Assumption), it still doesn't make a difference?

If you shoot someone anywhere in the torso with a .50, you are going to cause significant damage to tissues and massive bleeding, it's basically a free vitals hit.

[Anthony]

Given the way GURPS scaled hit points in 4th edition, they should probably have gotten rid of pi-, pi+, and pi++, just used pi for all attacks, and then been more generous about handing out the armor divisors.

[Þorkell]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Given the way GURPS scaled hit points in 4th edition, they should probably have gotten rid of pi-, pi+, and pi++, just used pi for all attacks, and then been more generous about handing out the armor divisors.

pi-, pi+, and pi++ are all 4e.