Stun Lock

Stun Lock, also referred to as "stun" or being "stunned," is a combat mechanic designed to model a combatant being unbalanced, and thus unable to act, by a strong attack from an enemy. A "strong attack" is characterized as any single strike that causes at least 25% of the combatant's current hit points (h.p.) in damage. This rule is applicable to both player characters, their allies and enemies, including nearly every humanoids and monsters that might be encountered.

While in a "stunned" state, the combatant is compelled to forego their own attack round, affording the enemy another chance to strike. Should the enemy's attack fail to connect or lack the force to stun the defender, the defender can subsequently execute a regular attack. It's entirely feasible for a combatant to experience multiple instances of being stunned, until being killed, without having the chance to retaliate defensively.

Example of Stunning

In a combat between Carly, with 14 h.p., and Patrick, who has 16 h.p., Patrick has the initiative. On Patrick's attack, he hits Carly for 3 damage. While this would stun Carly if she had 12 or fewer h.p., she's not stunned and can counterattack. Carly hits Patrick for 4 damage, which is 25% or more of his 16 h.p., stunning Patrick. Carly attacks again but misses.

Now, Patrick has 12 h.p., and Carly has 11 h.p. Patrick hits Carly again for 3 damage, enough to stun her this time. Patrick strikes once more, causing 2 damage against Carly's 8, causing another stun. Patrick is able to make a third consecutive attack. If he misses this time, Carly could strike back, possibly stunning Patrick and allowing her to continue attacking until he's defeated. And so it goes.

When a combatant is stunned, they are presumed to be reacting to the enemy's strong attack, stumbling backward, off-balance, perhaps even falling to one knee while trying to parry and regain their chance to counter-attack. At no time is the "stunned" character insensible, but remains a significant immediate threat if the next attack fails to stun.

Multiple Hits

If a character's hit multiple times in a single round, it's crucial to consider the order of these hits and recognize that each is evaluated against the defender's current (h.p.) individually. The total damage isn't added together and then compared to the character's h.p.! The example below explains how the order of hits can drastically change the result:

For example, Lisbeth has 29 h.p. and is hit three times in a row. The first hit inflicts 7 damage, which would stun her if she had 28 h.p. or less. However, since she's at 29 h.p., she remains unstunned. She's reduced to 22 h.p. The second hit deals 5 damage — still not enough to stun her, and Lisbeth shakes this one off too, now at 17 h.p. The third hit causes 4 damage, which still comes short. Thus, even though Lisbeth has taken three hits, and received a total of 16 damage, none of these blows were potent enough to unbalance her when it mattered, at the moment they landed.

If, however, the first hit had caused 5 damage, lowering her to 24 h.p., and the second blow had caused 7 damage, Lisbeth would have been stunned. The DM must therefore be careful in determining which attack are made first BEFORE they hit and cause damage, as a whole battle might hinge on this one result.

Falling Back

When a combatant is stunned, they are pushed back by one [[Combat Hex|combat hex][], as evidence that the blow hurt. However, if the attacker's mass is greater than three times that of the defender, this backward movement is increased to two hexes. For example, if a 560 lb. lion stuns a 120 lb. defender with its paw or bite, the defender is forced back two hexes from the animal.

Conversely, if the attacker's mass is less than one-third that of the defender, as in the reverse scenario from the above example, a 120 lb. attacker couldn't force back a 560 lb. lion, even if they manage to stun it.

Once an attacker stuns and pushes back an opponent, they're no longer considered engaged in "melee," unless another defender continues to engage them. If free to do so, the attacker can advance toward the stunned defender, re-engaging them in melee — and potentially strike at them again in the same round.

For example, consider a lion that's able to make three attacks. It could potentially strike a defender with its claw, causing the defender to become stunned and fall back. The lion might then advance and use its other claw to attack, possibly stunning the defender once more, causing him or her to retreat again. Subsequently, the lion can advance for a third time and attack with its fangs, potentially missing, hitting, stunning or even killing the defender this time. This illustrates how creatures with multiple attacks can pose a significant threat when faced alone.

Note also that when an attacker is no longer engaged in melee, they also have the option to flee the combat. This provides an advantage because they can complete the rest of their turn, then take their entire next turn while the defender remains stunned. This makes waiting to stun an opponent an effective strategy when wanting to disengage from a fight, when the attacker has the upper hand.

Further Considerations

Forced Movement and Obstructions. Combatants cannot be forced into an enemy-occupied hex or past obstructions like walls. In such situations, the defender has the option to move back and to the right or left (defender's choice) or not move at all if there's no available space. A stunned defender cannot move more than 90 degrees from the direction of the attack. Any barrier that stands at a height of 4 feet or higher is considered a "wall," effectively prevents the defender from being forced back (and potentially trapping him or her there, also).

Life-threatening Situations and Dexterity Checks. Defenders might be forced back into hazardous situations like a river, down a flight of stairs, towards radiant heat, into an acidic pool or off a cliff. In any situation where moving back would cause damage, the defender is granted a dexterity check. If there is a railing, fence, or merlon along the edge, the defender receives a +2 bonus to the check. If the check succeeds, the defender manages to hold their ground and is not forced back, although they may still be in the next round.

Defenders Pushed into Friendly-occupied Hexes. Defenders can be pushed into an ally's hex. If an attack is then made before the allies can reposition themselves, the attack to hit receives a +2 bonus due to the "fouled" nature of the defenders. Attacks targeting the hex randomly affect anyone within that space (a die is rolled to determine which).

Multiple Defenders in One Hex. Describes situations where more than two combatants are trained to fight in close quarters, denying enemies the +2 bonus given above. If either defender is stunned, only that defender is forced out of the hex. If either defender needs to make a dexterity check to maintain their position, then BOTH combatants in the hex make the check, one acting in support of the other. Either might provide the necessary resolve needed to ensure both defender's hold their ground. Note that the total weight of both defenders is NOT combined when it comes to rules related to stunning and forcing opponents back to due to mass.

# Attacks	H.p. to Stun all Attacks
1	25% (quarter)
2	33% (third)
3	50% (half)
4	67% (two thirds)
5	75% (three quarters)
6	80% (four fifths)
7	84% (five sixths)
8	86% (six sevenths)

Stunning Creatures with Multiple Attacks

Creatures possessing multiple attacks are generally more challenging to stun because they have a higher chance of landing hits even if once they've receive a strong attack. The left-hand table illustrates the percentage of hit point (h.p.) damage that must be inflicted upon the opponent to eliminate all their potential attacks. However, SOME attacks can be removed with hits that causing a lower percentage of the defender's current h.p.

For example, taking the lion mentioned previously, the lion possesses a total of three attacks: two claws and its fangs. If the lion has a total of 36 h.p., then the damage required to prevent the lion from utilizing any of these attacks in its round would need to be 18 h.p. This amounts to 50% of the lion's total h.p. This is also the amount of damage that must be done to force the lion back when it's fully stunned.

However, if 9 damage is inflicted — which is a quarter of the lion's total h.p. — then the lion would be prevented from using its most dangerous attack, which is its fangs, during its next attack. In like situations, creatures always lose their "primary" attack first, followed by their second most potent attack and so on. Thus, if 12 damage is inflicted, the lion loses its fang attack and one of its claws as well. While this effect doesn't entirely prevent the lion from participating in the combat, it does make the lion more controllable and less threatening.

Higher-level individuals who also possess multiple attacks, or in cases where a combatant is fighting with two weapons, the same rule applies.

If a combatant or creature sustains wounds in which the loss is greater than 25% of their total h.p., then that creature or defender begins to "bleed out." In this state, they're unable to take any actions in each subsequent round as the stun renders them helpless. To save their life and stop the bleeding, another ally must promptly come to their aid, either through healing magic or binding wounds.

Any hit caused against a person with less than zero h.p. is considered a stun.

See also,
Attacking in Combat
Attack of Opportunity
Overbearing