Sectional Defenses

[torchwolf]

Well, not exactly a house rule.

A quick-reference chart for additional detail when using Sectional Defenses; while primarily useful for Fantasy Hero and Heroic campaigns, some other campaigns campaigns also use Hit Locations and Wounding, and so detailing the Limitation might be useful.

The “expanded” Limitation values for 7- or less are optional (intended for additional granularity), and are listed in parenthesis to make this clear. These are just extrapolated values.

 

Roll		x/216		%		Limitation 	Lim. (expanded)
18-		216		100.00		0
17-		215		99.54		0
16-		212		98.15		0
15-		206		95.37		-¼
14-		196		90.74		-½
13-		181		83.80		-½
12-		160		74.07		-¾
11-		135		62.50		-1
10-		108		50.00		-1 ¼
9-		81		37.50		-1 ½
8-		56		25.93		-2
7-		35		16.20		-2		(-2 ¼)
6-		20		9.26		-2		(-2 ½)
5-		10		4.63		-2		(-2 ¾)
4-		4		1.85		-2		(-3)
3-		1		0.46		-2		(-3 ¼)

These are the statistical odds of rolling a specific number or less on 3d6; note that the sectional defenses Limitation on 6E2 212 differ slightly from the RAR Limitation on 6E1 389 in values.

RAR Limitation values: 15- (-0); 14- (-¼); 8- (-1 ¾); 7- (-2).

 

 

Roll		Location	x/216		%		Limitation 	Lim. (expanded)
3		Head		1		0.46		-2		(-3 ¼)
4		Head		3		1.39		-2		(-3)
5		Head		6		2.78		-2		(-3)
6		Hands		10		4.63		-2		(-2 ¾)
7		Arms		15		6.94		-2		(-2 ¾)
8		Arms		21		9.72		-2		(-2 ½)
9		Shoulders	25		11.57		-2		(-2 ½)
10		Chest		27		12.50		-2		(-2 ½)
11		Chest		27		12.50		-2		(-2 ½)
12		Stomach		25		11.57		-2		(-2 ½)
13		Vitals		21		9.72		-2		(-2 ½)
14		Thighs		15		6.94		-2		(-2 ¾)
15		Legs		10		4.63		-2		(-2 ¾)
16		Legs		6		2.78		-2		(-3)
17		Feet		3		1.39		-2		(-3)
18		Feet		1		0.46		-2		(-3 ¼)

Using this table, you can add up the “x/216” specific areas covered, and use the nearest number on the above table to find the Limitation value.

 

Remember that this only gives an accurate value if you add up the total; if you apply the Limitation separately for each piece of sectional armor you will get incorrect results; if you have different protection values, use the lowest protection value (DEF) covering all the protected locations, and then buy some extra protection value only for the areas it applies to; this will get you a more appropriate Limitation value for the entirety of your armor.

 

 

Incidentally, the % chance also correspond to the percentage Mass and Cost of a full suit of armor in tables for sectional armor as listed on 6E2 212 and in Fantasy Hero 5th Edition.

When calculating this, you can do it by location since it doesn't affect the Limitation value.

 

NOTE: Some Locations, such as the head, will add up to slightly more than actual values due to rounding errors; in such cases, see the table below for more exact values.

 

 

Roll		Location	x/216		%		Limitation 	Lim. (expanded)
3-5		Head		10		4.63		-2		(-2 ¾)
6		Hands		10		4.63		-2		(-2 ¾)
7-8		Arms		36		16.67		-2		(-2 ¼)
9		Shoulders	25		11.57		-2		(-2 ½)
10-11		Chest		54		25.00		-2
12		Stomach		25		11.57		-2		(-2 ½)
13		Vitals		21		9.72		-2		(-2 ½)
14		Thighs		15		6.94		-2		(-2 ¾)
15-16		Legs		16		7.41		-2		(-2 ½)
17-18		Feet		4		1.85		-2		(-3)

This is just a variant of the above chart, divided into sections per body part instead of 3d6 Roll for ease of reference if you have standard-sized armor (covering entire limbs, etc.).

 

 

Hope anyone finds this useful.

[dmjalund]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

Has anyone got rules for Hit locations for beings of significantly (or even campaign specific) Body designs?

[Alibear]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

The 5e Hero System Bestiary has such a beast.

[Ice9]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

While these seem consistent with the existing values, they both seem incorrect in terms of the actual probabilities. A chart based on the actual chances (as in, a 50% chance of working is a -1 limitation), would look something like this:

 18-        216        100.00       -0
17-        215        99.54        -0
16-        212        98.15        -0
15-        206        95.37        -0
14-        196        90.74        -1/4
13-        181        83.80        -1/4
12-        160        74.07        -1/2
11-        135        62.50        -1/2
10-        108        50.00        -1
9-         81         37.50        -2
8-         56         25.93        -3
7-         35         16.20        -5
6-         20         9.26         -9
5-         10         4.63         -20
4-         4          1.85         -50
3-         1          0.46         -200

Now yes, the last few limitation values are massive. But that's basically appropriate - armor that only applies 1/216 of the time should be basically free, if it even exists to begin with. Of course, this is ignoring the "oven mitt" factor. Hand-only armor should probably be capped at a lesser limitation value, because it always retains some utility in grabbing dangerous objects; even more so if the character in question uses HTH attacks much. Feet armor has some utility value too, but not as much, it's often superceded by the various movement abilities.

[torchwolf]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

While these seem consistent with the existing values' date=' they both seem incorrect in terms of the actual probabilities.[/quote']

Yes, I did it this way for the convenience of anyone wanting to use the Limitation as-is, with a few options for variation.

 

A chart based on the actual chances (as in, a 50% chance of working is a -1 limitation), would look something like this:

 18-        216        100.00       -0
17-        215        99.54        -0
16-        212        98.15        -0
15-        206        95.37        -0
14-        196        90.74        -1/4
13-        181        83.80        -1/4
12-        160        74.07        -1/2
11-        135        62.50        -1/2
10-        108        50.00        -1
9-         81         37.50        -2
8-         56         25.93        -3
7-         35         16.20        -5
6-         20         9.26         -9
5-         10         4.63         -20
4-         4          1.85         -50
3-         1          0.46         -200

Now yes, the last few limitation values are massive. But that's basically appropriate - armor that only applies 1/216 of the time should be basically free, if it even exists to begin with. Of course, this is ignoring the "oven mitt" factor. Hand-only armor should probably be capped at a lesser limitation value, because it always retains some utility in grabbing dangerous objects; even more so if the character in question uses HTH attacks much. Feet armor has some utility value too, but not as much, it's often superceded by the various movement abilities.

Yes, that represents the statistical probabilities in Limitations values.

However, I generally go by the Limited Power guidelines on overall effectiveness:

-1/4 lose about a fourth

-1/2 lose about a third

-1 lose about half

-1 1/2 lose about two-thirds

-2 lose almost all

 

Way back during early 4th Ed FH, I made a chart for this that used -1 at the 10- level, increasing or decreasing by 1/4 for each step up or down (-1/4 to - 2 3/4), but eventually changed the -1 to the 11- level just to give better limitations at the lower levels (down to -3). If I'd redo that chart today, I think I'd double the values at the 6- and lower levels though.

[dmjalund]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

remember the probabilities change when you use high shots/low shots or even target a hit location

[torchwolf]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

remember the probabilities change when you use high shots/low shots or even target a hit location

Yes, that's a problem at the lower end of the Limitations scale (equivalent of 5- or lower), since you often aim high or head if you really want to take someone out and don't mind the resulting gore.

[Ice9]

Re: Sectional Defenses

 

Actually that's an interesting point regarding partial defenses - it makes quite a large difference whether your foes know about it.

 

For instance, let's take somebody with armor on the top half of their body only:

If it's an invisible force field (and the foes don't know about it), then it's probably useful more than half the time - the character can look around corners or stand behind low walls to maximize shots on their upper body.

If it's plate mail, then it's probably useful less than half the time - the character's foes will intentionally target the lower body whenever they can.

 

Also, I wonder if the vulnerability of the body part should be considered. Stomach and Shoulders have the same chance to be hit, but a stomach hit will be more deadly.

At that point, we're diverging pretty significantly from the existing rules though.