Psionic Dog
2010-06-20, 04:40 PM
"How'd I loose my leg? Well it was back in the great war when the west hill orcs, 7 ft tall ugly pigs armed with axes as big as you, invaded during the winter and I was drafted into... blah blah blah-blah, blah...
...So your very own Grandpa slew the Dire Boar with one desperate lunge with my spear and saved the commanders life. It was too late for my leg, but I was quite the hero. Yes I was. You youngsters have it easy."
"Oh. Granny said you were being a fool, fell off a horse, and got run over by your own cheese cart."
Creatures loose limbs, that's why some creatures have regenerations and the restoration spells exist. Of course, usually this happens to Other People, not the Heros.
However, sometimes the champaign is gritty and a little more personal. Sometimes the DM wants to crank up the pressure and danger without actually putting the PC's in acute repetitive danger of TPKs. This rule variant is for those campaigns.
Limbs and Limb Damage
Most creatures are considered to have 6 'limbs' to loose.
For most humanoid this is: Head, Torso, Left Arm, Right Arm, Left Leg, Right Leg.
Each 'limb' has 3-4 damage levels.
Appendages have three damage levels: Full functional / maimed / destroyed.
The head and torso have 4 damage levels: Fully functional / maimed / severely maimed / destroyed. This compensates for the fact that a severed head is usually automatically fatal.
Damage stacks. So if a (Full Functional) arm is damaged it becomes (Maimed).
If the (Maimed) arm is further damaged it is reduced to (Destroyed).
Limb damage comes in two types: Permanent and Temporary. Temporary damage represents broken bones, sprains, dislocations, and other troubles that go beyond mere hp loss. Permanent damage usual reflects destroyed tissue or severed extremities.
Conditions of Limb Loss
Characters take limb damage in any situation where they suffer massive damage or are KOed by a heavy hit.
Limb damage occurs when:
A) Massive Damage. The character takes more than 1/2 their normal max HP in damage from a single hit
-or-
B) Are KO'd by a heavy hit. A creature dropped to negative HP by a hit that dealt at least 1/4 their normal max HP damage.
The above stack, so if a creature is dropped into the negatives by a strike that dealt more than 1/2 their normal hp they would roll twice for limb loss. Limb damage occurs even if the victim was killed by the blow, explaining why Raise Dead specifies that limb loss/damage is not repaired in the raising process.
For a standard creature with six 'limbs' roll a d6 to determine what was hit, and make a DC (12 + 1/3 damage taken) fort save.
If successful the wound is temporary, on a failure the damage is permanent.
For attacks with nonlethal damage a save instead indicates no limb damage and a failure indicates temporary damage.
Called Shot: (optional limb loss rule)
By taking a -4 on the attack roll a specific limb may be targeted. If the attack hits and deals at least 1/4 the targets normal max HP or KO's the target then the targeted limb takes limb damage. If the victim is KO'ed by a called shot that deals more than 1/2 the target's normal max HP in damage then the targeted limb takes limb damage twice.
A hit that deals called shot limb damage does not also deal standard limb damage.
Mechanical Penalties of Limb Loss
Leg damage
(1) maimed leg: This creature walks with a limp.
-5ft base speed, -2 penalty on all leg based skills. (Climb, jump, move silently, etc)
(2+) maimed legs: This creature lurches with a pronounced limp.
-10 ft base speed, -4 on all leg skills.
Using one arm/hand to hold a crutch, cane, or other support reduces this to half.
(1) destroyed leg: This creature has either a missing or unresponsive leg.
The creature may stand and hobble at half speed if using one arm/hand to hold a crutch or other support, but otherwise falls prone. -6 all leg skills, -2 Str,Dex.
(1) destroyed (1+) maimed leg: This creature is in bad shape.
This creature may stand and hobble at (1/2 speed) -5ft if using one arm/hand to hold a crutch or other support, but otherwise falls prone. -8 all leg skills, -2 Str,Dex.
(2+) destroyed legs.This creature is completely crippled and is always mechanically prone unless carried. The creature may still crawl if they have at least one free arm. -10 all leg skills, -4 Str/Dex.
Arm/Hand: Damage
(1) Maimed: The creature's arm is broken, missing finger(s), or badly sprained.
-2 on all attack rolls using this hand and on skill checks require the use of the hand. (use rope, climb, etc)
(2+) Maimed arms/hands. All of the creature's arms are maimed.
-2 on all attack rolls and skill checks that require the use of a hand, double two or more hands would have been required.
(1) Destroyed: The creature's arm is missing or unresponsive from the elbow down.
This arm can not be used to hold anything or perform any skill. -10 on skill checks that ordinarily require the use of the destroyed hand.
(1) Destroyed (1+) Maimed.
Destroyed hand/arm can not be used. -2 on all attack rolls/skill checks that require the use of another hand/arm. -15 on all skill checks that would ordinarily require the destroyed hand.
(2+) destroyed: The creature is missing several arms.
Destroyed hands/arms can not be used. Assume any remaining arms on a multi-armed creature are maimed. If all of a creatures arms have been destroyed then any skill that would usually require a hand is made with a -30 penalty and any skill that ordinarily requires two hands is impossible.
Head Wounds
Maimed: Flip a coin. Heads, the creature is now half-blind. Tails, the creature is now half deaf.
Severally Maimed: If the creature was formally half-blind it is now fully blind an half deaf. If it was formally half deaf it is now complelty deaf and half blind. -2Int/Wis/Cha.
Decapitated. This is usually fatal even if 'temprorary'
Half Blind: This creature has lost an eye.
-4 on spot/search. All foes have +10% concealment (max 50%).
Half deaf: This creature has lost an ear.
-4 on listen, -2 on initiative, +5% spell failure when casting spell with a verbal component.
Torso damage
Maimed: A lost kidney, cracked ribs, a festering wound... that had to hurt.
-2 Con.
Severally Maimed: This creature has half their chest caved in. Adventures who survive this usually decide it's time to retire.
Sickened, -2 Con.
Destroyed: A broken back is just the start of your problems.
Flip a coin. If head's the creatures right side is now paralyzed. Tails and the left side is now paralyzed. All limbs on the paralyzed side act as if destroyed even if they are still attached and in decent health.
Sickened with -4 Con. Any outside affect that would ordinarily cause the sickened condition instead creates the nauseated condition.
Ability penalties for limb loss overlap rather than stack.
Recovering from Limb Loss
Temporary Damage
Natural Healing:
Temporary damage will naturally heal in 2d12 days. Providing long term care to the victim cuts the recovery time in half.
Magical Healing:
A Restoration, Heal, Limited Wish or better can allow temporary limb damage to instantly recovery.
A (temporary-maimed) limb can be fully healed, but a (temporary-destroyed) or (temporary-severely maimed) limb only heals to (Permanent-Maimed) status. Some injures are just too great to ever fully recover without great magic.
Permanent Damage
First Aid:
Permanent limb loss can also be prevented by providing the afflicted individual rapid healing. If the damaged individual receives at least 5 points of magical healing within 10 minutes of the loss at DC 15 + (2 per point of save failure) heal check by the caster makes the lose only temporary. Only one such check per lost limb is allowed.
Mundane Healing
Permanent damage will never heal naturally or by mundane means.
Magical Healing
Permanent limb damage may only be recovered by a Regeneration, Greater Restoration, Wish, Miracle, or equivalent spells or powers.
Prosthetics
Peg Leg: This primitive leg replacements allows a creature with a lost leg to move as if they were using a crutch. Peg Legs don't function if all of a creatures legs have been destroyed. Market Cost: 50gp.
Hook
This primitive hand replacement cuts the skill penalty for checks requiring the use of the destroyed hand in half. Further, the hook can be used in combat as a light simple weapon that deals 1d4 piercing damage for a medium creature. Since the hook is attached it also has gives a +5 bonus against attempts to disarm the wearer of the hook. Market cost: 50 gp.
Wheel Chair This contraption provides mobility to creatures with double leg loss. A creature in a wheel chair may push themselves on level ground at 1/2 speed as long as one arm is used to push. This increases to 2/3 speed if moving down hill and slows to 1/3 speed if moving up hill.
A creature in a wheel chair may alternately be pushed by another. The pusher is considered to by carrying 1/4 the pushed characters weight on a smooth surface or 1/2 the pushed characters weight on a rough surface.
Cost: 200 gp.
Clockwork Leg/arm This advanced limb replacement is the best mundane technology can provide. A clockwork leg replacement functions as a (Permanent-Maimed) leg or arm. Market Cost: 1,000 gp.
Heros Never Die (Optional Limb Loss rule)
If the hero is reduced to -10 damage (IE: killed) they may instead opt to make a DC (15 + damage that exceed the -10 threshold) Fort or Reflex save.
If successful the creature becomes unconscious, but stable, at -9 with a permanent limb damage injury. On a failure the creature dies as normal.
Only one such second chance per encounter is allowed, and a DC 10 heal check is required to notice that such a character who made the save still clings to life. This variant also applies to key reoccurring NPC's that the DM wasn't quite done with.
Combat Examples
Farmer Bob (L1 commoner with 4 hp) gets kicked by a mule. (6 damage). This inflict two sets of limb damage: 1st for taking greater than 1/2 health and 2nd for being dropped into the negatives by a blow that dealt more than 1/4 damage.
He rolls 'head' and 'left leg' on damage locations and makes a DC 14 fort save for each, earning a success on the leg and a failure for the head. Bob got kicked in face and sprained his ankle falling backwards. The ancle will heal but Bob seems to have permanently lost one of his eyes.
Alex Slasher is trying out his extreme disarming technique, and makes a targeted attack against the attacking orc warriors right arm. He hits and deals 4 damage. The orc only had 6 hp, so this is enough for one level of limb damage to the arm. The orc makes the DC 13 save and suffers only a few broken fingers. Alex's technique appears to need more work.
Rockhard the Barbarian is now L10 with 100 hp when he is struck by 6 flaming arrows each dealing 15 damage each. He's a tough man who manages to shrug off every hit without suffering any limb damage since none dealt more than the 50 damage threshold. Latter in the battle gets nocked out by a 7th arrow.
Steve the Hero is a L12 fighter also with 100 hp when he gets battered down to 40 hp before being pushed of the edge of a cliff. 150 ft later he goes splat for 60 falling damage, which should drop any two bit random monster to a flat -20. Of course, in this Campaign Heros Never Die, so he's entitled to a DC 25 (15 + amount below -10) save to take a permanent wound rather than death. He also has to make two DC 32 fort saves against for taking greater over 1/2 his max hp in damage and being knocked out by a blow that dealt over 1/4 his max hp in damage.
Steve is pretty hurt but will probably live to mount a heroic rescue against his captured party.
Meta Game Analysis
This system does four things:
1) Adds Grit.
PC's no longer have to die to face significant threats to their characters, and those who once yawned at getting slain may worry more about loosing an arm.
2) Adds RP opportunities.
The DM now have a uniform yard stick for telling players that they cut the orc in two, and when characters suddenly are bandaging up sprained ankles or the bloody stub of a lost hand they have fresh details to discus IC.
3) Gives greater importance for the Heal skill.
When was the last you saw someone take more than 2 ranks in heal?
4) If the Heroes-Never-Die is used death becomes less common.
This makes it easier for the villains to capture your PC's if the plot calls for it and allows you to throw tougher challenges at them with fewer player deaths. As a bonus, when since death is now rarer dying becomes more significant to the players.
...So your very own Grandpa slew the Dire Boar with one desperate lunge with my spear and saved the commanders life. It was too late for my leg, but I was quite the hero. Yes I was. You youngsters have it easy."
"Oh. Granny said you were being a fool, fell off a horse, and got run over by your own cheese cart."
Creatures loose limbs, that's why some creatures have regenerations and the restoration spells exist. Of course, usually this happens to Other People, not the Heros.
However, sometimes the champaign is gritty and a little more personal. Sometimes the DM wants to crank up the pressure and danger without actually putting the PC's in acute repetitive danger of TPKs. This rule variant is for those campaigns.
Limbs and Limb Damage
Most creatures are considered to have 6 'limbs' to loose.
For most humanoid this is: Head, Torso, Left Arm, Right Arm, Left Leg, Right Leg.
Each 'limb' has 3-4 damage levels.
Appendages have three damage levels: Full functional / maimed / destroyed.
The head and torso have 4 damage levels: Fully functional / maimed / severely maimed / destroyed. This compensates for the fact that a severed head is usually automatically fatal.
Damage stacks. So if a (Full Functional) arm is damaged it becomes (Maimed).
If the (Maimed) arm is further damaged it is reduced to (Destroyed).
Limb damage comes in two types: Permanent and Temporary. Temporary damage represents broken bones, sprains, dislocations, and other troubles that go beyond mere hp loss. Permanent damage usual reflects destroyed tissue or severed extremities.
Conditions of Limb Loss
Characters take limb damage in any situation where they suffer massive damage or are KOed by a heavy hit.
Limb damage occurs when:
A) Massive Damage. The character takes more than 1/2 their normal max HP in damage from a single hit
-or-
B) Are KO'd by a heavy hit. A creature dropped to negative HP by a hit that dealt at least 1/4 their normal max HP damage.
The above stack, so if a creature is dropped into the negatives by a strike that dealt more than 1/2 their normal hp they would roll twice for limb loss. Limb damage occurs even if the victim was killed by the blow, explaining why Raise Dead specifies that limb loss/damage is not repaired in the raising process.
For a standard creature with six 'limbs' roll a d6 to determine what was hit, and make a DC (12 + 1/3 damage taken) fort save.
If successful the wound is temporary, on a failure the damage is permanent.
For attacks with nonlethal damage a save instead indicates no limb damage and a failure indicates temporary damage.
Called Shot: (optional limb loss rule)
By taking a -4 on the attack roll a specific limb may be targeted. If the attack hits and deals at least 1/4 the targets normal max HP or KO's the target then the targeted limb takes limb damage. If the victim is KO'ed by a called shot that deals more than 1/2 the target's normal max HP in damage then the targeted limb takes limb damage twice.
A hit that deals called shot limb damage does not also deal standard limb damage.
Mechanical Penalties of Limb Loss
Leg damage
(1) maimed leg: This creature walks with a limp.
-5ft base speed, -2 penalty on all leg based skills. (Climb, jump, move silently, etc)
(2+) maimed legs: This creature lurches with a pronounced limp.
-10 ft base speed, -4 on all leg skills.
Using one arm/hand to hold a crutch, cane, or other support reduces this to half.
(1) destroyed leg: This creature has either a missing or unresponsive leg.
The creature may stand and hobble at half speed if using one arm/hand to hold a crutch or other support, but otherwise falls prone. -6 all leg skills, -2 Str,Dex.
(1) destroyed (1+) maimed leg: This creature is in bad shape.
This creature may stand and hobble at (1/2 speed) -5ft if using one arm/hand to hold a crutch or other support, but otherwise falls prone. -8 all leg skills, -2 Str,Dex.
(2+) destroyed legs.This creature is completely crippled and is always mechanically prone unless carried. The creature may still crawl if they have at least one free arm. -10 all leg skills, -4 Str/Dex.
Arm/Hand: Damage
(1) Maimed: The creature's arm is broken, missing finger(s), or badly sprained.
-2 on all attack rolls using this hand and on skill checks require the use of the hand. (use rope, climb, etc)
(2+) Maimed arms/hands. All of the creature's arms are maimed.
-2 on all attack rolls and skill checks that require the use of a hand, double two or more hands would have been required.
(1) Destroyed: The creature's arm is missing or unresponsive from the elbow down.
This arm can not be used to hold anything or perform any skill. -10 on skill checks that ordinarily require the use of the destroyed hand.
(1) Destroyed (1+) Maimed.
Destroyed hand/arm can not be used. -2 on all attack rolls/skill checks that require the use of another hand/arm. -15 on all skill checks that would ordinarily require the destroyed hand.
(2+) destroyed: The creature is missing several arms.
Destroyed hands/arms can not be used. Assume any remaining arms on a multi-armed creature are maimed. If all of a creatures arms have been destroyed then any skill that would usually require a hand is made with a -30 penalty and any skill that ordinarily requires two hands is impossible.
Head Wounds
Maimed: Flip a coin. Heads, the creature is now half-blind. Tails, the creature is now half deaf.
Severally Maimed: If the creature was formally half-blind it is now fully blind an half deaf. If it was formally half deaf it is now complelty deaf and half blind. -2Int/Wis/Cha.
Decapitated. This is usually fatal even if 'temprorary'
Half Blind: This creature has lost an eye.
-4 on spot/search. All foes have +10% concealment (max 50%).
Half deaf: This creature has lost an ear.
-4 on listen, -2 on initiative, +5% spell failure when casting spell with a verbal component.
Torso damage
Maimed: A lost kidney, cracked ribs, a festering wound... that had to hurt.
-2 Con.
Severally Maimed: This creature has half their chest caved in. Adventures who survive this usually decide it's time to retire.
Sickened, -2 Con.
Destroyed: A broken back is just the start of your problems.
Flip a coin. If head's the creatures right side is now paralyzed. Tails and the left side is now paralyzed. All limbs on the paralyzed side act as if destroyed even if they are still attached and in decent health.
Sickened with -4 Con. Any outside affect that would ordinarily cause the sickened condition instead creates the nauseated condition.
Ability penalties for limb loss overlap rather than stack.
Recovering from Limb Loss
Temporary Damage
Natural Healing:
Temporary damage will naturally heal in 2d12 days. Providing long term care to the victim cuts the recovery time in half.
Magical Healing:
A Restoration, Heal, Limited Wish or better can allow temporary limb damage to instantly recovery.
A (temporary-maimed) limb can be fully healed, but a (temporary-destroyed) or (temporary-severely maimed) limb only heals to (Permanent-Maimed) status. Some injures are just too great to ever fully recover without great magic.
Permanent Damage
First Aid:
Permanent limb loss can also be prevented by providing the afflicted individual rapid healing. If the damaged individual receives at least 5 points of magical healing within 10 minutes of the loss at DC 15 + (2 per point of save failure) heal check by the caster makes the lose only temporary. Only one such check per lost limb is allowed.
Mundane Healing
Permanent damage will never heal naturally or by mundane means.
Magical Healing
Permanent limb damage may only be recovered by a Regeneration, Greater Restoration, Wish, Miracle, or equivalent spells or powers.
Prosthetics
Peg Leg: This primitive leg replacements allows a creature with a lost leg to move as if they were using a crutch. Peg Legs don't function if all of a creatures legs have been destroyed. Market Cost: 50gp.
Hook
This primitive hand replacement cuts the skill penalty for checks requiring the use of the destroyed hand in half. Further, the hook can be used in combat as a light simple weapon that deals 1d4 piercing damage for a medium creature. Since the hook is attached it also has gives a +5 bonus against attempts to disarm the wearer of the hook. Market cost: 50 gp.
Wheel Chair This contraption provides mobility to creatures with double leg loss. A creature in a wheel chair may push themselves on level ground at 1/2 speed as long as one arm is used to push. This increases to 2/3 speed if moving down hill and slows to 1/3 speed if moving up hill.
A creature in a wheel chair may alternately be pushed by another. The pusher is considered to by carrying 1/4 the pushed characters weight on a smooth surface or 1/2 the pushed characters weight on a rough surface.
Cost: 200 gp.
Clockwork Leg/arm This advanced limb replacement is the best mundane technology can provide. A clockwork leg replacement functions as a (Permanent-Maimed) leg or arm. Market Cost: 1,000 gp.
Heros Never Die (Optional Limb Loss rule)
If the hero is reduced to -10 damage (IE: killed) they may instead opt to make a DC (15 + damage that exceed the -10 threshold) Fort or Reflex save.
If successful the creature becomes unconscious, but stable, at -9 with a permanent limb damage injury. On a failure the creature dies as normal.
Only one such second chance per encounter is allowed, and a DC 10 heal check is required to notice that such a character who made the save still clings to life. This variant also applies to key reoccurring NPC's that the DM wasn't quite done with.
Combat Examples
Farmer Bob (L1 commoner with 4 hp) gets kicked by a mule. (6 damage). This inflict two sets of limb damage: 1st for taking greater than 1/2 health and 2nd for being dropped into the negatives by a blow that dealt more than 1/4 damage.
He rolls 'head' and 'left leg' on damage locations and makes a DC 14 fort save for each, earning a success on the leg and a failure for the head. Bob got kicked in face and sprained his ankle falling backwards. The ancle will heal but Bob seems to have permanently lost one of his eyes.
Alex Slasher is trying out his extreme disarming technique, and makes a targeted attack against the attacking orc warriors right arm. He hits and deals 4 damage. The orc only had 6 hp, so this is enough for one level of limb damage to the arm. The orc makes the DC 13 save and suffers only a few broken fingers. Alex's technique appears to need more work.
Rockhard the Barbarian is now L10 with 100 hp when he is struck by 6 flaming arrows each dealing 15 damage each. He's a tough man who manages to shrug off every hit without suffering any limb damage since none dealt more than the 50 damage threshold. Latter in the battle gets nocked out by a 7th arrow.
Steve the Hero is a L12 fighter also with 100 hp when he gets battered down to 40 hp before being pushed of the edge of a cliff. 150 ft later he goes splat for 60 falling damage, which should drop any two bit random monster to a flat -20. Of course, in this Campaign Heros Never Die, so he's entitled to a DC 25 (15 + amount below -10) save to take a permanent wound rather than death. He also has to make two DC 32 fort saves against for taking greater over 1/2 his max hp in damage and being knocked out by a blow that dealt over 1/4 his max hp in damage.
Steve is pretty hurt but will probably live to mount a heroic rescue against his captured party.
Meta Game Analysis
This system does four things:
1) Adds Grit.
PC's no longer have to die to face significant threats to their characters, and those who once yawned at getting slain may worry more about loosing an arm.
2) Adds RP opportunities.
The DM now have a uniform yard stick for telling players that they cut the orc in two, and when characters suddenly are bandaging up sprained ankles or the bloody stub of a lost hand they have fresh details to discus IC.
3) Gives greater importance for the Heal skill.
When was the last you saw someone take more than 2 ranks in heal?
4) If the Heroes-Never-Die is used death becomes less common.
This makes it easier for the villains to capture your PC's if the plot calls for it and allows you to throw tougher challenges at them with fewer player deaths. As a bonus, when since death is now rarer dying becomes more significant to the players.