Torn Asunder: Critical Hits

By Steven Creech & Kevin Ruesch

Credits Error: The interior artists for Torn Asunder are: Brannon Hall, Frank Krug, Richard Gray and Phillip James.

Combat under the d20 System is efficient yet abstract. While the concept of hit points works well when envisioning a tense fight of sweat, parrying, near misses, and fatigue, it falls on its knees the minute your character takes a solid and brutal blow to the head.

How exactly are you supposed to adjudicate a broken arm, a gouged eye, a lacerated liver, or a crushed spine? Torn Asunder provides a complete and comprehensive system for critical hits in any d20 game. The system is elegant and easy to use, it does not do away with hit points, or even alter the combat rules, it simply provides an optional way to deal with critical hits besides piling on additional damage. Critical hits are real hits - disabling function, mangling body parts, and leaving real wounds behind.

Torn Asunder pulls no punches; it provides a realistic and effective injury system for d20, covering all creatures, anatomies, and body types. Included as well are rules for natural healing, scarification, and herbal treatments. Torn Asunder also provides a wide variety of resources allowing characters to take advantage of the new system, from quick and precise prestige classes to devastating weapons to powerful and essential magical devices.

Don't just beat your opponents into submission, tear them limb from limb.

What the Reviewers Say...

"Torn Asunder is easily one of the best non-Wizards of the Coast supplements I own, and within my top ten even with WotC factored in. It restores a sense of imminent danger to d20 combat and provides a more cinematic, dramatic flair to the game." -- Kenneth Newquist, Nuketown

"Torn Asunder represents the first product of its kind that I have seen for d20. Not only are the rules innovative, but they are also simple and do not require a clumsy dismantling of mechanics such as Hit Points like other "Grim and Gritty" d20 adaptations do. This book is a must for groups that are looking for a more "realistic" and potentially devastating combat system." -- Bradford Ferguson, Silven Crossroads

The book uses standard two column layout and makes good use of white space. Text is well laid out and not crunched up. The art is another strong point of the book with some artist apparently having a love affair with the demonic Kyton, illustrating both the magic item Cloak of the Kyton with it's animated chains and a full page illustration of a Kyton in combat against a master of the two handed sword. The book makes good use of numerous OGC from several publishers, integrating it almost seamlessly into the whole so that you're never jarred from the reading by different writing styles. Total Score: 4 (out of 5)." -- Joe G. Kushner, ENWorld

"It offers a quick, easy, system to add detail to injuries in combat, but without going to extremes that would make it unplayable or unwieldy. A-" -- Jeremy Reaban, RPG.Net

"Torn Asunder: Critical Hits definitely adds a dangerous edge to combat – which, in my opinion, has always been missing. Real risk of permanent, debilitating injury now threatens characters and may cause them to re-think the act of charging into battle. As a deterrent or incentive, Torn Asunder does a great job of expanding rules that have long been subject to the GM’s whim and/or house rules. 9.0 (out of 10)." -- Kithmaker, Mortality.net

"If you want rules for critical hits then there's every reason to go out and buy Torn Asunder. Score: 4 (out of 5)." -- Gamewyrd, ENWorld

"Torn Asunder: Critical Hits is a great tool for both players and DMs, filling the void of critical hits left in the core rules and giving guidelines to make that cinematic, symbolic coup-de-grace easier to manage on both sides of the DM screen. The healing section adds a goodly amount of depth to player recovery and the serious consequence of facing swords and other weapons. 4.9 (out of 5)." -- Bruce Boughner, d20 Magazine Rack.

"Torn Asunder gives a great bit of detail over the niceties of combat and called shots, critical effects and scarring, but that is far from all that the book offers in things to bring to the table. 7 out of 10." -- Alex DeMorris, RPG.net