These were two sets of optional rules that I was really looking forward to in Ultimate Combat. In fact, they were two of the primary reasons for wanting to buy the book.
Unlike in SW Saga, however, critical hits still have to burn through vitality instead of going straight to wounds (though you also subtract a wound point per the crit multiplier on each hit so there is some auto-wound damage).
While I liked that it provided a better segmentation of hit points than the default abstract, made for longer adventuring days, and lessened the dependence on healing magic, I found that lengthened combats pretty significantly. For some, that might be a feature, but ultimately, I felt that it was adding complexity for little return. In fairness, I was trying these rules with my kids when they were still relatively new to the game so their opinions and mine might differ if we try them again.
On paper, I like the system well enough. In play, I felt that it improved some things and complicated others.
Armor as DR, which I felt worked very well in OGL games like Conan and Iron Heroes, needed more than the two pages of rules that it got, IMO. While it works, it almost works too well. Also, having to convert monsters to get the proper Defense and DR scores ultimately proved to be more trouble than the system was worth. Now, I tried this prior to becoming a Hero Lab user, so if I was letting HL do all of the calculating for me, I probably wouldn't mind that fact. However, having played games where I felt Armor as DR was implemented in a superior fashion I still think I'd be reluctant to use this option even with Hero Lab.
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I've used Vitality/Wounds in a Skull & Shackles game to wonderful effect.
The trick is to only stat up boss and elite enemies with Vigor Wounds, the rest can stay on hp so that combats aren't lengthened. It also means that PCs can still get those dramatic critical hits off where the player can yell out the big number and high-fives all around.
The other thing I did was add in some additional houserules:
Catching Your Breath You can spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted rest to regain your vigor once per day.
Healing Magic: When using healing magic the spell heals Vigor and Wounds at the same time, with the dice roll determining vigor healing and the number of dice determining wounds healed. Eg: A 1st level cleric casts CLW, this heals 1d8+1 vigor and 1 wound at the same time.
8 Hour Rest: Characters who take a full-night's rest recover all their vigor and their Constitution modifier in wounds. This can be increased by a further 1 point with a successful DC 20 Heal check.
Both of these were to take some pressure off the primary healer, so they could use more than just Cure magic during a day of adventuring.
Wounds: You use your Constitution score to determine your wounds. When you hit 0 or less you remain conscious but any standard or move action you take requires a Fort Save (DC 10 plus Wounds beyond 0) to stay conscious. (This just made the book-keeping a little easier)
I highly recommend the Vigor/Wounds system.
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I've used Vitality/Wounds in a Skull & Shackles game to wonderful effect.
The trick is to only stat up boss and elite enemies with Vigor Wounds, the rest can stay on hp so that combats aren't lengthened. It also means that PCs can still get those dramatic critical hits off where the player can yell out the big number and high-fives all around.
The other thing I did was add in some additional houserules:
Catching Your Breath You can spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted rest to regain your vigor once per day.
Healing Magic: When using healing magic the spell heals Vigor and Wounds at the same time, with the dice roll determining vigor healing and the number of dice determining wounds healed. Eg: A 1st level cleric casts CLW, this heals 1d8+1 vigor and 1 wound at the same time.
8 Hour Rest: Characters who take a full-night's rest recover all their vigor and their Constitution modifier in wounds. This can be increased by a further 1 point with a successful DC 20 Heal check.
Both of these were to take some pressure off the primary healer, so they could use more than just Cure magic during a day of adventuring.
Wounds: You use your Constitution score to determine your wounds. When you hit 0 or less you remain conscious but any standard or move action you take requires a Fort Save (DC 10 plus Wounds beyond 0) to stay conscious. (This just made the book-keeping a little easier)
I highly recommend the Vigor/Wounds system.
Ow man, these houserules rocks! This gives me hope for the vigor/wounds system, thank you for taking the time to write this!
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The Injury / Strain thread that's in these boards does wonders.