TigerT20
2020-04-09, 07:28 AM
Now, I'll give you three guesses as to exactly why this is on my mind.
But to get to the point, diseases in 5e seem to be about as common as druids in full plate. The three in the DMG consist of one that might come up, one that could come up unless you handwave food and water, and another that doesn't even make sense. I know laughter is infectious but not that much...
So I came up with a few and wondered what other people could come up with:
Corpse Rot
People who spend lots of time around the dead and dying can catch this strange disease that breeds in death. Thought to feed off negative energy, it can be the true terror of many battlefields - especially when fighting creatures such as zombies.
A creature that comes into direct contact with a creature on 0 hit points, whether it is unconscious, dead, or dying, must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become infected with the disease. Each time they repeat the saving throw increases the DC by 1 until they complete a long rest.
An infected creature must make a DC 15 Consitution saving throw each time it takes a long rest. On a failure, their hit point maximum drops by 1d4 + the number of days they have had the disease. If this takes them down to 0 hit points, they die instantly.
An infected creature can be given advantage on the save by another creature making a DC 15 Medicine check or expending one use of a healer's kit.
Flystrike
A creature that has a vicious wound that goes untreated can end up with flystrike.
If a creature suffers a critical hit, they must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the wound must be treated by expending one use of a healer's kit or the spell heal within 1d6 hours.
If the creature fails to find such healing, flies will come and lay eggs in the wound. In 1d4 days the eggs will hatch, and begin to burrow into the skin. At the start of each of the infected's turns, they take 1d6 piercing damage. If the creature ends its turn on 0 hit points, the maggots burrow into its heart and kill it instantly.
Applying fire to the wound before the eggs hatch deals 1 fire damage to the infected and kills the maggots.
And of course:
Coronavirus
A flu that is extremely difficult to cure, spreads like lightning and can kill off those who have been weakened.
An infected creature suffers a fever, a dry cough and a range of other symptoms. Each time the infected finishes a long rest, they must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. On a successful save, the infected loses one level of exhaustion. If this would bring their exhaustion levels below 1, they are cured of the disease. A creature suffering from another disease has disadvantage on this saving throw.
A creature that is within 5 feet of an infected creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw for each hour they spend within 5 feet of the infected. On a failure, they become infected.
This disease cannot be cured by any means other than a greater restoration spell.
But to get to the point, diseases in 5e seem to be about as common as druids in full plate. The three in the DMG consist of one that might come up, one that could come up unless you handwave food and water, and another that doesn't even make sense. I know laughter is infectious but not that much...
So I came up with a few and wondered what other people could come up with:
Corpse Rot
People who spend lots of time around the dead and dying can catch this strange disease that breeds in death. Thought to feed off negative energy, it can be the true terror of many battlefields - especially when fighting creatures such as zombies.
A creature that comes into direct contact with a creature on 0 hit points, whether it is unconscious, dead, or dying, must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become infected with the disease. Each time they repeat the saving throw increases the DC by 1 until they complete a long rest.
An infected creature must make a DC 15 Consitution saving throw each time it takes a long rest. On a failure, their hit point maximum drops by 1d4 + the number of days they have had the disease. If this takes them down to 0 hit points, they die instantly.
An infected creature can be given advantage on the save by another creature making a DC 15 Medicine check or expending one use of a healer's kit.
Flystrike
A creature that has a vicious wound that goes untreated can end up with flystrike.
If a creature suffers a critical hit, they must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the wound must be treated by expending one use of a healer's kit or the spell heal within 1d6 hours.
If the creature fails to find such healing, flies will come and lay eggs in the wound. In 1d4 days the eggs will hatch, and begin to burrow into the skin. At the start of each of the infected's turns, they take 1d6 piercing damage. If the creature ends its turn on 0 hit points, the maggots burrow into its heart and kill it instantly.
Applying fire to the wound before the eggs hatch deals 1 fire damage to the infected and kills the maggots.
And of course:
Coronavirus
A flu that is extremely difficult to cure, spreads like lightning and can kill off those who have been weakened.
An infected creature suffers a fever, a dry cough and a range of other symptoms. Each time the infected finishes a long rest, they must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. On a successful save, the infected loses one level of exhaustion. If this would bring their exhaustion levels below 1, they are cured of the disease. A creature suffering from another disease has disadvantage on this saving throw.
A creature that is within 5 feet of an infected creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw for each hour they spend within 5 feet of the infected. On a failure, they become infected.
This disease cannot be cured by any means other than a greater restoration spell.