Goodbye Damage Dice

Damage dice are totally unnecessary, yet the majority of gaming system has them (or at least some random damage component).

The reason they are illogical is because when you have damage dice in a system you are taking a random component in your effectiveness twice. This places damage dice in the similarly bad philosophical position of taking an ability score modifier or skill bonus twice in the same mechanic. It's illogical, and is unnecessary duplication.

Also it fails to model reality, which is essentially what games try to do. I'm sure many players are familiar with the feeling of scoring a really great hit, exceeding the AC by many points and rolling a 1 for damage. Alternatively when you try and explain combat to non players, and how you roll to hit and then roll damage, sometimes they just balk and say "Ummmm but that doesn't make sense?".  This is because of the dissonance between rolling to hit and then even if you hit really well, or only just hitting, your damage component being unmodified by the whether the hit was good or not.

A better way of modelling weapon damage is to apply them a set amount of damage.

For example:

A shortsword (commonly d6 in d20) we could say has a Damage Score of 3.

A longsword (commonly d8) we could say has a damage score of 4.

D10 = 5
D12 = 6
2d6 = 7
2d8 = 9
2d10 = 10
2d12 = 12

...and so forth.

When you hit a target (by equaling or exceeding their AC) you deal this amount of damage plus 1 point of additional damage for each point you exceeded the targets AC by.

In d20 this would make your damage:

Strength Bonus + Weapon Damage Score + (Attack Roll - Targets AC)

The additional benefit of this system is that whilst big weapons hit much harder on low hits, on a really good hit, small weapons are just as deadly, and this models the capacity a dagger or short sword has to really maim somebody if it gets in a vital spot or through armour.

It also increases the benefit of heavier armour, as it makes you not only harder to hit, but more likely to take less damage (which is kinda cool in d20 because heavy armour is pretty bad considering the penalties).

This would require a bit of hacking to make it work for spells, but you could potentially leave their damage as is, as this does not work for area of effect attacks (or any attack that doesn't roll to hit though you could base the damage off how close to the epicenter of the attack the target is, which is what I'm doing). You could also mess wit the mechanics for Called Shots and the like by giving them extra damage for better hits. I would suggest critical hits double the weapons damage score and the Strength Bonus of the wielder, but not the extra damage points, but this is all up to you.

I am sure their are games out their that have set damage for weapons like this. I'm just young and I haven't read them.

My groups are currently using this set damage with my homebrew system, as well as having hacked it into Rogue Trader. In both it is working super well and has been well received.

Because who doesn't want a Damage 22, Pen 12 inferno pistol?

Updated - Mass Combat

Mass combat is conducted almost exactly the same as normal combat with the following exceptions;

Each square or hex represents 10 metres, by 10 metres, enough to fit 100 men into.

A character is replaced by units. Units have a strength of 1-100 men (as only 100 people can realistically squash into a 10m x 10m space, this is a bit abstract but whatever) but a summarised by the average statistics of the creatures in the unit, and have skills, talents and traits as if they were a character. Whilst individual members of a unit may in fact have different stats or skills to each other (and this may come into play in normal skirmish combat, or roleplay) for mass combat we essentially ‘average’ the abilities of a unit of men into composite statistics.

Each unit may have a designated leader, who should be treated as a Character or NPC. If they don’t have different out of mass combat stats already, then they have the exact same profile as the rest of the unit, except they have Command as a skill.

Units have Facings, a unit may only shoot or charge or move into the hexes/squares that are 45 degrees in front of them.

Move distances are converted into 10s of metres rather than metres.

Each unit has a single action in a turn. With which they may;

• Move their move distance
• Move half move distance rounding up (or change facing by 45 degrees) and then shoot or make a half  action reload.
• Charge, moving their move distance and making an attack at +2.
• Attack
• Change facing by more than 45 degrees and then move half their move distance rounding up. (or vice versa)
• Brace for Charge gaining +2 against a charging enemy.
• Form shield wall/phalanx (if they have shields, to double their shield damage resistance) and may only move at half speed.
• Take cover, receiving a -2 penalty to hit them with ranged attacks. A unit may then shoot, but not attack. When a unit breaks cover in a subsequent turn they may change their facing for free, they unit essentially breaks ranks and goes to ground.
• Double time, receiving +2 to their movement, but doubling melee casualties if they are engaged.
• A unit may elect to Flee (see the morale section)

Units do not have reactions (such as Dodge or Parry in DH/FF style).

Damage is replaced by Casualties.

When units attack they roll to hit opposed by the enemy units same check. For each degree they beat the enemy by they count as dealing an extra causality. For each degree they are beaten by the enemy they count as doing one less casualty. When a unit makes an attack action it automatically deals its weapon damage with all normal modifiers in casualties. Both units then roll damage.

Unit strength modifies the attack rolls. For every 10’s of creatures in a unit the unit gets +1. So a unit of 100 gets +10. A unit of 90-100 gets +9 etc.

Casualties are reduced by Armour Resistance but instead of armour resistance applying to single points of the body, simple add total armour Resistance of all body parts for the creatures in the unit. This is for an armour as damage reduction system, if using AC, us non dex based AC/unadjusted AC from Weird Fantasy Role Playing if you prefer that term.

Critical hits do not provide extra damage, but rather provoke a Command check for the opposed unit, and  if that unit fails they begin to flee.

Weapon profiles are the same, though instead of reach, reach weapons gain +2 damage against cavalry, and roll as many attacks as their Reach (x) number and roll damage twice.

Units may try to make special attacks, all of which do casualties as per weapon damage.

• Break the line. Instead of extra casualties, every degree of success forces the enemy unit to make Command check at negative the amount of degrees of success.
• Skirmish, instead of making an attack you roll opposed Dexterity attacks s and the skirmishing unit can move up to half its move distance, rounding up, the same for the pursuing unit. The enemy unit must make a Command check to refrain from pursuing if they do not want to make the opposed Dexterity check. For every degree of success the Skirmishing unit does a single casualty, and for each degree of failure they take a single casualty, this allows them to break from combat. If the skirmishing unit or pursuing unit have ranged weapons they deal their ranged weapons damage in casualties.

A unit’s strength is measured by the amount of fighters in the unit. A unit may never do more casualties than fighting creatures in its unit.

• Swift attack doubles the maximum casualties a unit could do instead of make two attacks.
• Lightning Attack triples the maximum amount of casualties. (Both of these are multiple attack talents, if using standard D20 attack progression, more than one attack doubles or triples the maximum number of casualties, etc)

Each unit has Morale. Morale is check in certain circumstances. Morale is a Command check by the leader of a unit.

• Each turn a unit that is reduced to below 50% strength takes casualties it makes a Command check. For each 10% it is lower than 50% it suffers an additional -1 to the check.
• If this check fails then the unit flees.
• Fleeing counts as a Double Time move, and the unit makes its way to the nearest Cover/Terrain or back to friendly units not engaged in combat. When it reaches cover or friendly lines it may attempt a command check to rally. If a unit breaks from combat in this way the enemy engaging them unit must make a command check or pursue the enemy unit. If they pursue they must have equal to or greater move distance than the fleeing unit (not including the fleeing units double time). They make a dexterity check against the Fleeing unit. If they beat the fleeing unit then they catch the fleeing unit, dealing twice weapon damage in casualties, and both move double time from their original positions. If they fail the dexterity check then they move half their movement, rounding up.
• If a unit begins to flee within sight (next to, or in front of) an friendly unit, the friendly unit must make a command check (with penalties for not being at full strength) or also begin to flee. These units receive a +1 bonus on their command check for every friendly unit within sight that is above half strength.

Ranged attacks and other miscellany; 

Ranged attacks still reload normally. A half action reload can be accomplished with an attack action but incurs a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Full action reload is a full action as normal.

If the overall army general can be seen or heard by any unit that has to attempt a Command check then they may use his command instead of their leaders.

Mages convert their damage based on the total dice they roll. If a mage is rolling 4d6 for damage, he instead rolls d4 against a unit. Etc. The same for single attacks, except generally these ignore armour.

Maiming and Laming PCs

As I am trying to run a grim dark campaign world I like the idea of my PCs being properly beaten and hacked apart in combat.

I use this system in conjunction with a modified HP system for 3.5. Essentially the HP of all mortal creatures (at GMs discretion) and characters is changed to their Con score with additional fixed numbers per hit die they would normally receive. Sorcerers and Wizards receive not d4 + con bonus HP per level, but rather 1 hit point. Rogues with d6 hit die per level receive +1 HP on odd levels, and +2 HP on even levels. Classes with D8 hit die per level receive +2 HP per level, D10 equates to +2/+3 and D12 to +3. Thus characters have a lot less health, but peasants and NPCs have more, so a peasant can indeed survive several dagger stabs, just not as many as a trained warrior. In my system Armour also provides damage reduction as well as an AC bonus.

ANYWAY.
The injury system. This takes inspiration from DH and M&M.

When a mortal creature (PC, NPC or animal) takes damage they must make a Fortitude save to avoid Injury. The DC is 5+ the damage they receive (after Armour DR in this case).

If they pass it is assumed that they grit their teeth and keep on fighting, or manage to place themselves so that whilst they take damage, they have avoided the most serious part of the damage. A fail indicates the degree to which they are injured via the following table.

Degree of Failure	What Happens	Effects
1-5 STAGGERED	Blood in eyes, dazed, still reeling from attack	The creature may only make a half action in their next turn and any checks they make in that turn are a -4, including attempts to attack. They are also counted as flat footed.
6-10 INJURY	Cracked Ribs, Major Laceration, Concussion, Mangled fingers	They are staggered, in addition the creature beings to bleed and has a 10% chance per round until treated of losing 1 hp. They in addition suffer a -2 penalty on an appropriate score or ability checks (refer to where they are hit). This penalty lasts for 3d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -1.
11-15 SERIOUS INJURY	Broken bones, cracked skulls, severing of tendons, loss of hand or foot	They are staggered, in addition they bleedat 1 hp per round. They suffer a -4 penalty on the appropriate score or ability check. This penalty lasts for 6d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -2.
15+ CRITICAL INJURY	Loss of limb, instant unconsciousness, evisceration	The creature immediately falls prone. They bleed at 1 hp per round. A fortitude save of DC20 and full action is required to stand back up and keep fighting. They suffer -6 to the relevant ability score checks which lasts for 6d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -4 for those 6d6 days, however even after this time is over the penalty will not go away entirely, it remains permanent at -2. This result is also likely to result in permanent loss of limb.

I then use the WFRP D100 hit allocation system to figure out where the character is hit and therefore apply a relevant negative, both shown below.

1-15 HEAD - penalty on all checks

16-30 RIGHT ARM – penalty on strength or attack rolls

31-45 LEFT ARM – penalty on strength or attack rolls

46-70 BODY – penalty on con score

71-85 RIGHT LEG – penalty on dex or move speed

96-100 LEFT LEG – penalty on dex or move speed

While the system above is fine, to generate more specific injuries I use an expanded breakdown. This is so that I don't fall back to GM fiat as to whether a player loses a limb or hand, but rather both my players and I know the possible outcomes of a given circumstance.

I use the D100 allocation roll to determine where the attack hits, and then provide DCs of reflex saves to avoid losing that bit of a body based on how bad the injury is. I use reflex saves as I figure that they are the most appropriate save, modelling a character avoiding the worst result, but still being heinously injured just not completely limbless. Note that in this breakdown when i use a certain injury type, I also mean that greater injury results also entail that possibility (eg: a Serious Injury incurs the same result as a Injury if there are specific effects).

HEAD (1-15) Injuries result in penalties to all checks. A serious injury result on any head check results in unconsciousness if a DC15 reflex save is failed. A critical injury result hit requires a DC20 reflex save to avoid decapitation and instant death, and even if passed the character is considered to be immediately unconscious. In addition see below.

1-2 EYES - A Serious Injury failed reflex save of DC20 results in the loss of an eye (-4 to spot permanently with losing the second resulting in blindness).

3-4 EARS –An Injury and failing a reflex save of DC 15 and they lose an ear (-1 to listen permanently).

5-6 NOSE –A Serious Injury and failing a reflex save of DC 20 results in loss of nose (-4 Charisma permanently).

7-15 REST OF HEAD – No risk of additional maiming.

RIGHT ARM (16-30) Injuries result in a penalty to attack rolls and any relevant skill checks requiring the arms use, eg: Climb, Pick Lock. In addition see below.

16-20 HAND – If an Injury failure of a DC 15 reflex save results in loss of a finger, if a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing that hand.

20-25 FOREARM – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the forearm.

26-30 UPPER ARM/SHOULDER – In addition to the attack bonus penalty injuries on this part of the body cause a strength penalty of the same magnitude. If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire arm.

LEFT ARM (31-45) Injuries result in a penalty to attack rolls and any relevant skill checks requiring the arms use, eg: Climb, Pick Lock. In addition see below.

31-35 HAND – If an Injury failure of a DC 15 reflex save results in loss of a finger, if a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing that hand.

36-40 FOREARM – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the forearm.

41-35 UPPER ARM/SHOULDER – In addition to the attack bonus penalty injuries on this part of the body cause a strength penalty of the same magnitude. If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire arm.

BODY (45-70) – Penalties are to Constitution. In addition see below.

45-57 ABDOMEN – No additional maiming, just make sure to describe suitably gruesome evisceration, and maybe make the character hold in their entrails if they are Critically Injured and fall prone.

58-70 CHEST – In addition the Constitution penalty they take an Attack Bonus penalty as well.

RIGHT LEG (71-85) Penalties are to Dexterity and to Movement speed.

71-78 THIGH – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire leg.

79-83 LOWER LEG – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing everything below the knee.

84-85 FOOT – If a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the foot.

LEFT LEG (86-100) Penalties are to Dexterity and to Movement speed.

86-93 THIGH – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire leg.

94-99 LOWER LEG – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing everything below the knee.

99-100 FOOT – If a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the foot.

Unfortunately none of my PCs have lost a body part yet. Though our Dwarf Cleric did get eviscerated quite nicely by a fellow PC, who whilst frenzied got a critical hit on him with a greatsword. The party is now trying to journey to the Elves to beg them for regeneration so the Cleric can get the 2 Constitution, he lost from the evisceration, back. It was pretty funny when it happened, almost as funny as when said greatsword wielding frenzied warrior almost killed another PC because said PC was a werewolf, and no one, not even the werewolf PC knew about it yet. The greatsword fighter and the werewolf characters are also brothers in game.