Pyramid Review
Torn Asunder (for d20 System)
Published by Bastion Press
Written by Steven Creech & Kevin Ruesch
96-page b&w softcover; $22.95
Basic d20 System combat is designed to be fast and furious but abstract. Hit points are whittled away until a combatant drops with all-or-nothing effects once 0 hp is reached. Heroes and monsters can always fight until the last gasp or run away wounded without hindrance under this system. Flashiness is left to the numbers and the DM's descriptions. Maiming is just not part of the base combat system.
Almost since its origin, there have been optional add-ons for doing more than simple hit point damage in combat. Best of Dragon had an article for adding critical hits and fumbles to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Rolemaster took critical hit charts to a peak of complexity that at base could still be applied to Dungeons & Dragons. Grittier, more specific and crippling criticals make combat more risky and can change the feeling of combat. Players both enjoy lopping the limbs off of opponents and fear the increased risk to their characters.
Bastion Press' Torn Asunder presents an optional add-on critical hit system for d20 System games. At base the system works on top of the existing abstract d20 System critical hit system of threatening hit roll with confirming secondary roll for extra hp damage. For a specific critical, the threatening hit must beat the target's AC by five, 10, or 15. If a normal critical is confirmed, then depending upon the amount . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: October 17, 2003
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