Blood loss

[Jam_Slatewhich]

So, one of my players has found a fondness in cutting off limbs, and i wanna know how quick it would be for someone to bleed out if someone has 1, 2, or even 3 limbs missing. If there is already rules for this, please point me in the direction.

[PhantomSoul]

Don't be silly, no one bleeds out. 'tis always but a flesh wound!

https://thingsthatmadeanimpression.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/picture-blackknight_montypythongrail.jpg

Jokes aside, you might not want to make strict rules unless you'll have control over when limbs actually get removed; you could easily make that the only tactic worth doing at the expense of other characters' or tactics' relative effectiveness (even spells!). You could also have "smaller" effects -- rather than blood loss leading directly sudden death, treat it like a status condition where the monster might have its speed reduced for massive leg wounds, or disadvantage on Athletics and similar activities for severe arm wounds. Alternatively, treat it like a recurring wound and have the monster lose X amount of HP at the end of their turn, representing the extra stamina it takes to keep fighting when wounded. (Obviously, it depends on what fluff you use for HP.)

But in all cases, make sure you're administering the effects, not the players, or that the effects are automatic but relatively rare when automatic (e.g. double-crit when you have advantage).

[kraitmarais]

If you do implement this, I'd also suggest allowing the victim to make a Con save every round to negate or lessen whatever effect you choose to apply. It'd be a fun surprise for the players to have a "maimed" opponent suddenly be able to grit their teeth and power through the wound for one last attempt at vengeance.

[Tanarii]

The general rule for enemies would be the PC does it by reducing them to 0 hps, at which point they bleed out and die immediately. Unless you decide otherwise as a DM.

I usually reserve descriptions of grisly deaths like that for crit-kills, when I'm DMing. During the 3e era I had a player of a Tempus Cleric that did it against both boss-types in the Sunless Citadel. Lopped off their heads with a battle-axe. Player did a whoopie twice in one adventure.

[JackPhoenix]

Considering that when you get to the point you may cut someone's limbs in D&D's combat system, the victim is at 0 hp anyway... make whatever ruling you want.

You can't cut off limbs in normal combat... and if the player protests against that, remind him that enemies would be doing that to his character too, if it was possible and effective combat tactic.

[Ninja_Prawn]

The abstract nature of health & damage in D&D means that this sort of thing doesn't really work. I generally wouldn't allow limbs to be severed, unless I was using some kind of lingering injury rule - such as you roll on the lingering injury table (which features limb loss as one of the possibilities) every time you drop to 0 HP. That would mean you'd already be 'bleeding out' (i.e. death saves) when something like that happened. If you were doing it as a method of execution, I'd say you have to reduce the target to 0 HP before the limb comes off. It may not be realistic, but you do sometimes have to sacrifice the realism to stay within the framework of the rules. They're there for a reason.

[Mellack]

Like the others have said, limb loss should only happen if they are at 0 hp. I doubt someone with a limb just severed is much of a credible threat anymore. So go with death saves as how long it takes to bleed out, or just make it up.

[Dr. Cliché]

So, one of my players has found a fondness in cutting off limbs, and i wanna know how quick it would be for someone to bleed out if someone has 1, 2, or even 3 limbs missing. If there is already rules for this, please point me in the direction.

There aren't any rules for this. However, I'd be happy to suggest some:

- At the beginning of its turn, a creature loses 5hp for each limb its missing. This hp loss is not deducted from temporary hp. Regeneration, magical healing, or a creature binding the wound* prevents further hp loss.

- If a creature is reduced to 0hp, instead of rolling death saves, it automatically fails 1 death save at the beginning of its turn for each missing limb. Regeneration, magical healing, or a creature binding the wound* prevents further death saves.

*If a creature has lost multiple limbs, they must be bound individually.

[Lombra]

I'd allow dismemberment only on fatal blows or critical hits, with a limb severed, the limped target must make a dc 15(?) con save or suffer a level of exhaustion at the end of its turn. The target makes one roll for each missing limb at the end of each of his turns, suffering a level of exhaustion for every failed save.

[PhantomSoul]

- If a creature is reduced to 0hp, instead of rolling death saves, it automatically fails 1 death save at the beginning of its turn for each missing limb. Regeneration, magical healing, or a creature binding the wound* prevents further death saves.


Oh, I like that -- mainly because it reinforces to the players that it could happen to them. (I'd probably adjust the DC rather than make it an instant failure, though, in part so that they could still roll a 20... and potentially go right back down because of the wound.)