Activation roll based on damage

[BNakagawa]

If you're using hit locations, then you can typically get armor that covers only specific hit locations (e.g. a helmet)

 

If you aren't, then how would you go about purchasing armor (e.g. a helmet) that gave protection only if you got hit in a vital spot (the damage roll was high)

 

And, what limitation would you give for such an item?

 

One definition of high might be the equivalent of the Head and Vitals Hit locations or 3-5 and 13. Assuming no called shots or altered targetting (high shot) then you're looking at slightly over 14% (31/216) Converting to generic damage you're looking at roughly 6 on a stunX roll or an average of 5 for a normal attack (depends on the # of dice, actually). The frequency is less than a 8- roll, but the utility is greater. (-1 1/2?)

 

Another definition might be the 9-12 + 14 (all the x1 Body locations) 119/216 roughly 55%. An 11- is 62.5% and worth -1 limitation. Converting to generic damage and you're looking at any average or better roll. The limitation might fall in at -3/4 or so. Again, it's slightly less frequent, but more useful.

 

Don't know why you'd need it, but you could also buy armor that covered only the x1/2 Body locations or 66/216 or about 30%. Slightly more frequent than 8-, not very useful to be buying armor that only works when they wimp out on damage...

[eepjr24]

Lim?

 

I have done something a bit similar before. The SFX was that it was fairly easy to take this character down, but he always got lucky and didn't die. I bought it as something like this:

 

10pd 10ed armor, Only versus attacks that would take him below 0 body (-1), Only to keep body at 0 (-1/4), Does not provide Stun protection (-1/4).

 

Basically, if he had 10 body and he took a shot that after his regular defenses would do 12 body, the armor kicks in and limits it to 10 body. The SFX was the organism that parasitically existed in his body went into overdrive to prevent the hosts death. There were other lims like costs end only when used (-0), extra end cost (bought at half value I think?), and I think it had something like 3 charges. Overall a pretty neat power, although if I remember right it seldom came into play.

 

- Ernie

[lemming]

I had an annoying villian that had a defense that would only allow a maximum of 10 stun through. (Some sort of intertial field.) I totally forget what the limitation I put on that armor now.

[Hugh Neilson]

I had a power armor character with damage reduction that varied with the STUN multiple rolled on the killing attack. IIRC, it was 25% on a 4 multiple and 50% on a 5 multiple.

[Tom McCarthy]

I'd probably buy an activation roll based on how frequently the head is hit on a typical hit location chart, or ask the GM to let me make a location roll for the purpose of that armor only.

 

If you really want it only against the high end damage rolls, I'd base the limitation on how frequent that level of damage is rolled on the campaign's typical attacks. 5/5 Armor, "only vs. attacks over 10 BODY and 35 STUN" is going to be common in a 10 DC campaign and not in an 8 DC campaign.

[prestidigitator]

Originally posted by Tom McCarthy ]I'd probably buy an activation roll based on how frequently the head is hit on a typical hit location chart, or ask the GM to let me make a location roll for the purpose of that armor only.

That's what I'd do. Calculate the probability based on the Hit Location Chart, use a decently close Activation Roll, and make the Special Effects a helmet/codpiece/whatever. As a GM, I would have the defense kick in if it is a Killing Attack which rolls a 6 (x5) for the Stun Multiple--maybe a 5=x4 too, if vitals are protected--or if a Hit Location is rolled or targeted. I might allow the activation roll for non-targeted Normal Attacks (don't make it dependent on the amount of Stun rolled; maybe the amount of Body though--if they roll half again as many Body as average....?), as I would do for all attacks in a Superhero game (where Hit Locations usually aren't used at all).

[Dust Raven]

Originally posted by prestidigitator

... I would have the defense kick in if it is a Killing Attack which rolls a 6 (x5) for the Stun Multiple--maybe a 5=x4 too, if vitals are protected--or if a Hit Location is rolled or targeted.

 

At the KA rolls a 5-6 (a x4 or x5 STUN Multiplier), it would be a -1 1/2 LImitation (looses 2/3 of it's effectiveness). For normal damage, if the BODY total was 1.5x the number of dice rolled it would kick in. The SFX would just be he got hit where the armor protected and caused less damage.

[Hugh Neilson]

Originally posted by Dust Raven

At the KA rolls a 5-6 (a x4 or x5 STUN Multiplier), it would be a -1 1/2 LImitation (looses 2/3 of it's effectiveness). For normal damage, if the BODY total was 1.5x the number of dice rolled it would kick in. The SFX would just be he got hit where the armor protected and caused less damage.

 

I think you're a little generous there. The fact it will act 1/3 of the time doesn't necesarily remove 2/3 of its effectiveness, in my opinion. The extra defense may not be relevant on, say, a 1 or 2 multiple because ordinary defenses cover all the STUN anyway, so having the extra not activate really doesn't rob them of any usefulness.

 

As an example, assume HelmetMan is in combat with a bunch of mooks with big guns (2d6 RKA!). HelmetMan has 20/20 PD and ED, 10 resistant, plus the helmet (only on a 4 or 5 multiple). The only time the helmet is useless is on a 3 STUN multiple, unless the BGOD roll was 11 or 12. Anything less, and they can't get enough STUN to get through his regular defenses.

 

On the other hand, if these defenses are only vs killing attacks, that further restructs their utility. Let's assume, however, that we establish some benchmark for ordinary attacks as well.

 

Regardless, I don't think "only against highest 1/3 of likely damage rolls" is as disadvantageous as "random activation 1/3 of the time".

[BNakagawa]

Yeah, but what if you're building a generic soldier, and the only resistant defenses he has is his helmet?

[Dust Raven]

Obviously, if the character had adequate defenses in the first place, such a Limitation may be worth as little as -1/4...-1/2 at most. If it's on a grunt agent type (one that normally goes up against opponents with high damage attacks), it would be worth more. I was thinking of the later.