Boom! Headshot

[grysar]

So I was checking the DnD 4e preview post and was rather pleased to this bit of news in the stuff about undead:

Zombie Weakness
Any critical hit to the zombie reduces it to 0 hit points instantly.

Thank you! I've always found it bizarre in prior DnD editions zombies zombies are immune to both critical hits and sneak attack damage. After all, these guys are vulnerable to head shots or even un-killable without them. I already knew that they were dropping those rules for undead in general, which is good. But I've got to say I'm especially pleased that they went the extra step and made zombies extra vulnerable. This doesn't seem to apply to higher level zombies which is fine, they've got a different set of thematically appropriate properties.

Comments

[kagami.livejournal.com]

That doesn't really make much sense to me. Zombies are supposed to be durable. They just keep coming no matter how much you hack them apart.

Speaking of D&D undead, did they change that stupid rule where skeletons take half damage from edged weapons yet?

[ninjadebugger.livejournal.com]

Skeletons are no longer particularly strong or weak against physical attacks. They are strong against necrotic damage and weak against radiant damage.

[kagami.livejournal.com]

Makes sense.

[lilinthra.livejournal.com]

That doesn't really make much sense to me. Zombies are supposed to be durable. They just keep coming no matter how much you hack them apart.

I can envision what you suggest as implementing zombies with lots of HP (well, comparatively) in addition to the "crit kills" rule. They keep coming until you've either hacked off enough body parts or you get a lucky swing/shot through the brainpan.

[kagami.livejournal.com]

That makes sense, although then you can't have headless zombies running around. I always thought that was kinda cool.