The "Disable" element from UMA and disabling generally, 5ER

[eightiesboi]

Hi Steve,

 

I have a question about the disable element (obviously). I am constructing a custom martial maneuver for a heroic campaign. Disabling and Impairing rules are being used, as are Hit Locations. I am confused, however, as to the application of the disabling rules from 5ER 417 with the Disable element. Let me start with what I know:

 

1. The Disable element automatically targets a limb. (UMA 92)

2. The Disable element ignores all penalties and bonuses associated with the particular hit location targeted. (UMA 92)

3. A limb becomes disabled when the BODY damage done to an area is more than the character's total BODY. (5ER 417, ignoring the parenthetical about before or after location bonuses / penalties).

4. An attack that hits a limb cannot (normally) do more damage than 1/3 the total starting BODY. (5ER 413) Further, as presented in both examples on that page, one wishing to sever a limb need only do 1/3 of the total starting BODY in damage to that limb to do so.

 

My questions (assume that my opponent has 12 BODY when fully healed, and has no applicable defenses):

 

1. If any attack that hits my opponent in the leg does a total of 4 BODY (after modifiers), is the leg severed, as in the example in 5ER 413?

2. Assuming in the previous question that the BODY done before modifiers was 8 BODY, does this mean that regardless of the previous answer, the limb is not disabled (but may be impaired)? In other words, if the answer to question #1 is yes, the limb is not disabled, but it isn't attached to my opponent anymore? (This seems nonsensical, which is why I must be misreading something.)

3. If I have a martial maneuver with the disable element, does that effect my chances to disable the limb at all? Is disabling now automatic, or is the only bonus that I don't receive any OCV penalties for targeting a limb? (It would seem to me that there must be something I am missing, as the rules for disabling already specify that BODY damage can be taken into account before and after the BODYx modifier.)

4. If I have a martial strike with the disable element that does 1d6 KD, and if the disable element does not automatically disable the specified limb nor provide bonuses to disabling the limb, would I ever actually be able to disable my opponents limb, as I can't roll 12 BODY on 1d6 (although I am working on it!)? Obviously, the answer to this question depends on the previous one.

5. Since a limb can only take a maximum of 1/3 starting BODY damage, is it ever possible to accumulate enough damage to disable (or sever) a limb? For example, in phase three I do 3 BODY to my opponent's leg (less than of his starting 12 BODY). In phase six, I do 3 BODY to his same leg--does this mean that I really only did 1 BODY to his leg, severing it, or another 3 BODY? In phase nine, I do another 3 BODY to the same leg (assuming it is still there). Finally, in phase 12, I do another 3 BODY, same leg. Is my opponent now at 0 BODY, with all limbs intact and fully functional, 8 BODY, but missing a leg from back in phase 6 (and I've wasted my attacks in phases 9 and 12), or 8 BODY, but with a leg that's just been disabled in phase 12?

6. Assuming that the rules for disabling nerve strikes (UMA 157) are not being used, can you disable or impair a limb with an NND attack, or does the attack have to do BODY (assuming the NND does not)? Can a limb ever be impaired or disabled through taking STUN?

 

I know that's a lot of questions in a single post, but I'd rather bombard you all at once than make you feel like you're being nibbled to death by ducks.

 

Thanks!

 

Scott

[Steve Long]

Re: The "Disable" element from UMA and disabling generally, 5ER

 

This is a bit more detailed than I'd like to go into right now. I hate to put you off, but let me suggest this. In another month or so I'm going to start work on the HERO System Martial Arts book. This is one of many issues I plan to review, revisit, and revise as needed. Once I get that done, I'll come back and post the info.

 

EDIT: All righty, I finally reached this part of HSMA and have had a chance to look over the issues you raised. Rather than address your specific numbers, I’m going to answer this one generally so that the information’s broadly applicable to anyone who wants to use it. If I overlooked any of your questions, or created some more, please post a follow-up.

 

The main crux of the issue here seems to be the interaction between the Disable Element rules and the rules for breaking/severing limbs generally on 6E2 107. There’s some potential confusion here due to the sort of “organic” way the rules have grown over time.

 

HSMA’s text resolves this by explaining: “For purposes of determining whether a Disable-based attack Impairs/Disables a limb, a character can do as much damage to that limb as he wants or needs to Impair/Disable it (though that may take several damage rolls depending on the situation). He’s not limited to the typical “one-third of the target’s standard BODY” rule discussed on 6E2 107. Disable-based attacks generally also don’t use the “severing limbs” rule on that page; they don’t actually cut the limb, they simply contort, break, or otherwise harm it in ways that make it less useful for a time.”

 

Keep in mind also that the rules on 6E2 107 about limbs are listed as “optional.” In some cases, such as battles against really large opponents, or many-limbed non-humanoid ones, the GM may need to adjust the rules to fit the situation.

 

Re: your question #6, aside from the rules you cite (which are carried over into HSMA), there are no specific rules about Impairing/Disabling anything using NNDs. But the GM can certainly allow that if he feels it’s appropriate, fair, and contributes to the story. For example, if I were running a game I’d probably let a character with a Blast NND try to numb (Impair) someone’s limb to make him drop a weapon he was holding to save a hostage that he’s threatening, that sort of thing.