RyanM
2007-06-26, 01:00 AM
Obviously not suited to all campaigns, but if you want a more grittily realistic feel to your campaign, or just want to make it harder and more annoying, here are some rules for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Any time a character has a sufficiently traumatic experience, they must make a Will save (DC 15) or suffer from acute PTSD for 1D100 days. They must then make a second Will save (DC 10) against suffering from chronic PTSD for 1D100 years. What constitutes a sufficiently traumatic experience is up to the GM's discretion, but it could include things like: almost dying, dying and being resurrected, witnessing the death or near-death of a comrade, panicking in combat, being kidnapped, or being tortured.
A character suffering from acute PTSD must make a successful will save (DC 10) in order to sleep through the night, otherwise they are either unable to sleep, or plagued by nightmares, and are considered to have not slept. They also suffer flashbacks when subjected to a trigger that is similar to the circumstances which caused the PTSD, when under extreme stress, and randomly. When your character has a flashback is entirely up to the GM's discretion, but there is a maximum of one flashback per day. The other symptoms--hypervigilance, excessive startle response, irritability, etc.--are purely roleplaying.
When subjected to a trigger, stress, or just GM say-so, the character must make yet another will save (DC 10) or succumb to the flashback. A character who succeeds this save is able to function normally, and may not be affected by a flashback until the next day. A character who fails this roll undergoes a flashback for 1D20 rounds. Roll a D100 against the following table to determine the severity:
1-50 - minor emotional flashback, reliving the experience emotionally (in part or in full), though not visually, etc. -2 circumstance penalty to all rolls.
50-75 - major emotional flashback, with minor hallucinations. -8 circumstance penalty to all rolls.
76-90 - complete flashback, mentally reliving the experience. Character is unable to do anything, but does not act out the flashback.
91-100 - complete flashback. Character re-enacts the experience, though possibly not exactly as it occured. The character either becomes Confused or Panicked, depending on the nature of the experience which caused the PTSD (and the nature of the character). A Confused character will attempt to attack a non-existent enemy on a 1-10, and wander randomly on an 11-20; all other effects are per standard Confusion. All rolls attempted during the flashback are made at a -8 circumstance penalty.
A character suffering from chronic PTSD is generally able to act normally, is only prevented from sleeping if you roll a 1 on a D20, and suffers from flashbacks much less often (once per month maximum, still DC 10) and only from much stronger triggers, such as being in a situation that is very similar to the one which triggered the PTSD.
PTSD in NPCs, if used right, can also add a lot to a game. For instance, you rescue a damsel in distress, but the first night of the journey back to her home, she has a flashback and runs off screaming into the woods.
Any time a character has a sufficiently traumatic experience, they must make a Will save (DC 15) or suffer from acute PTSD for 1D100 days. They must then make a second Will save (DC 10) against suffering from chronic PTSD for 1D100 years. What constitutes a sufficiently traumatic experience is up to the GM's discretion, but it could include things like: almost dying, dying and being resurrected, witnessing the death or near-death of a comrade, panicking in combat, being kidnapped, or being tortured.
A character suffering from acute PTSD must make a successful will save (DC 10) in order to sleep through the night, otherwise they are either unable to sleep, or plagued by nightmares, and are considered to have not slept. They also suffer flashbacks when subjected to a trigger that is similar to the circumstances which caused the PTSD, when under extreme stress, and randomly. When your character has a flashback is entirely up to the GM's discretion, but there is a maximum of one flashback per day. The other symptoms--hypervigilance, excessive startle response, irritability, etc.--are purely roleplaying.
When subjected to a trigger, stress, or just GM say-so, the character must make yet another will save (DC 10) or succumb to the flashback. A character who succeeds this save is able to function normally, and may not be affected by a flashback until the next day. A character who fails this roll undergoes a flashback for 1D20 rounds. Roll a D100 against the following table to determine the severity:
1-50 - minor emotional flashback, reliving the experience emotionally (in part or in full), though not visually, etc. -2 circumstance penalty to all rolls.
50-75 - major emotional flashback, with minor hallucinations. -8 circumstance penalty to all rolls.
76-90 - complete flashback, mentally reliving the experience. Character is unable to do anything, but does not act out the flashback.
91-100 - complete flashback. Character re-enacts the experience, though possibly not exactly as it occured. The character either becomes Confused or Panicked, depending on the nature of the experience which caused the PTSD (and the nature of the character). A Confused character will attempt to attack a non-existent enemy on a 1-10, and wander randomly on an 11-20; all other effects are per standard Confusion. All rolls attempted during the flashback are made at a -8 circumstance penalty.
A character suffering from chronic PTSD is generally able to act normally, is only prevented from sleeping if you roll a 1 on a D20, and suffers from flashbacks much less often (once per month maximum, still DC 10) and only from much stronger triggers, such as being in a situation that is very similar to the one which triggered the PTSD.
PTSD in NPCs, if used right, can also add a lot to a game. For instance, you rescue a damsel in distress, but the first night of the journey back to her home, she has a flashback and runs off screaming into the woods.