How do you handle major trauma broken bones etc, to NPC's in your adventures?
In my running of HotDQ I have NPCLeosin Erlanthar suffering major trauma broken bones etc he's stable at 0 hp. the adventures administer healing potions giving him most of his hp back... My interpretation is that the NPC Leosin Erlanthar now has his hitpoints back so isn't going to immediately die (fall under o hp) because he was hit by a random bird poop... but he is still suffering from broken bones and the other trauma's which will take time to heal... Now I wouldn't do this to a PC in my game but felt it was important to the atmosphere of my game that people can be injured and take time to heal... Which made me wonder how you handle this kind of thing in your adventures?
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“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I don’t typically do what you’re doing, since to my mind magical healing fixes everything. But if I were to, mechanically, maybe give him a couple levels of exhaustion, and use the rules for slow healing.
In my games, magical healing from spells or potions would fix broken bones. If they just used a healers kit or whatever, I guess I'd put the guy on a litter and have him dragged back to town where he can be bedridden at home or go to a temple for healing or something.
But most of my NPCs are binary. They are alive until they take damage and then they are dead. I'd only get more complicated than that with important NPCs who incidentally are likely to receive magical healing due to their importance.
How do you handle major trauma broken bones etc, to NPC's in your adventures?
In my running of HotDQ I have NPCLeosin Erlanthar suffering major trauma broken bones etc he's stable at 0 hp. the adventures administer healing potions giving him most of his hp back... My interpretation is that the NPC Leosin Erlanthar now has his hitpoints back so isn't going to immediately die (fall under o hp) because he was hit by a random bird poop... but he is still suffering from broken bones and the other trauma's which will take time to heal... Now I wouldn't do this to a PC in my game but felt it was important to the atmosphere of my game that people can be injured and take time to heal... Which made me wonder how you handle this kind of thing in your adventures?
If it’s plot-relevant, I’d do the same thing you do: basic magical healing doesn’t heal major injuries like broken bones, just regular cuts and bruises. However, I’d allow Lesser Restoration to mend a broken bone: it seems in line with the spell’s other uses. If the players have an expert healer, after all, who’s willing to burn a spell on an NPC, I’d be cool with that.
How do you handle major trauma broken bones etc, to NPC's in your adventures?
In my running of HotDQ I have NPCLeosin Erlanthar suffering major trauma broken bones etc he's stable at 0 hp. the adventures administer healing potions giving him most of his hp back... My interpretation is that the NPC Leosin Erlanthar now has his hitpoints back so isn't going to immediately die (fall under o hp) because he was hit by a random bird poop... but he is still suffering from broken bones and the other trauma's which will take time to heal... Now I wouldn't do this to a PC in my game but felt it was important to the atmosphere of my game that people can be injured and take time to heal... Which made me wonder how you handle this kind of thing in your adventures?
A healing potion is generally understood to be a magical item, so it provides magical healing. When you receive healing and or drink a healing potion your wounds are either magically restored or your natural healing is speed up such that months of healing happen in a few seconds.
Either way, you really don't want to use the more "realistic" aspects of injuries. The game is not really built to support that kind of thing.
What I mean is, you will sort of open a Pandoras Box. If taking X amount of damage resulted in this NPC suffering debilitating injuries that magic or potions cant heal, then why does it not happen to the players? better yet, why doesn't it happen to the enemies?
Suddenly we don't have to fight so hard, if we just do X amount of damage to the BBEG and break his legs, there is nothing he can do to reverse it.
If you want your world to feel logically consistent, a rule needs to apply universally, if it applies to NPCs then it must also apply for players and monsters.
Thank you very much for your replies input, your tip to use exhaustion Xalthu is particularly useful, it's a mechanic I still haven't gotten my head round or use nearly enough.
Just to clarify StusanoNPC Leosin Erlanthar injuries were not from a combat the adventures were present at, I don't employ some "that critical hit brakes your sword arm" I'm quite aware that such mechanics add rather little after first reading and just tend to drag combat out into monotony. I my interpretation and games PC's are exceptional in every sense and the world around them is to my eyes more relatable, I guess I just wanted things a little Darker
thanks again for all your replies wishing you all the best
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“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I've used it but in a limited sense and only if the situation or narrative (Torture for information results in breaking some bones.) makes it work.
I had a player get jumped by a bunch of goons in an ally and I had back-to-back crits against him. I said that one of the goons' hits snaped the player's leg at the knee cap and the goons felt that was enough of a 'message' to give the player not to continue the investigation into the lost girl so they left him alone. The player was really good about it bought into the narrative even so to when the leg was healed he played the character with a slight limp.
Again, I've done this at very limited times but this is my 'Easy' Homebrew Break em rules.
Broken Arms, disadvantage on attack rolls.
Broken Fingers, disadvantage on attack rolls for weapons that require a grip (bows, swords, etc)
Broken Leg, Only 1/3 of movement rounded down; disadvantage on attack rolls.
Broken Toes, meh, move along with a little skip to their step or 2/3 of movement.
Broken Skull, dude is not going anywhere without a priest.
With all this said, if there is a cleric around this is all moot since I feel magic spells would heal all this. What about a portion? Honestly, I've not had that situation but I'd say a basic healing potion would not fix broken bones maybe the stronger ones, I don't know I'd have to put more thought into it.
I usually just have it affect the NPC psychologically. For example, a Character loses an arm for one reason or another. Sure, they can just magic a new one but what does that do to the person. Does this change how they view magic? View the PC that healed them? View the world as a whole? Are they an adventurer? Are they going to become one so they can learn these skills? Assuming any of those things end up being relevant, I think it is very interesting to have that sort of thing happen rather than 'Arm broke. Now arm not broke. End.'
yes in HotDQ NPC Leosin Erlanthar is a victim of torture something I really didn't want to treat lightly, I had the Monk of Ilmater roll a wisdom save to keep his composure on seeing him, I changed quite a bit of HotDQ they found him in the Hatchery cave complex meat locker area along with dozens of prisoners and I certainly changed that Leosin Erlanthar was annoyed at the adventures for saving him!?! So the situation was quite unusual in that sense and I felt it added to the atmosphere and gravity to have Leosin Erlanthar still struggling, also it rather lends itself as to why the adventures escort him to Elturel which is a knock on change to HotDQ due to the change I made earlier...
Thank you again for you replies really interesting to hear your thoughts and how you handle things in your adventures
wishing you all the best
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
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How do you handle major trauma broken bones etc, to NPC's in your adventures?
In my running of HotDQ I have NPC Leosin Erlanthar suffering major trauma broken bones etc he's stable at 0 hp. the adventures administer healing potions giving him most of his hp back...
My interpretation is that the NPC Leosin Erlanthar now has his hitpoints back so isn't going to immediately die (fall under o hp) because he was hit by a random bird poop... but he is still suffering from broken bones and the other trauma's which will take time to heal...
Now I wouldn't do this to a PC in my game but felt it was important to the atmosphere of my game that people can be injured and take time to heal...
Which made me wonder how you handle this kind of thing in your adventures?
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I don’t typically do what you’re doing, since to my mind magical healing fixes everything. But if I were to, mechanically, maybe give him a couple levels of exhaustion, and use the rules for slow healing.
In my games, magical healing from spells or potions would fix broken bones. If they just used a healers kit or whatever, I guess I'd put the guy on a litter and have him dragged back to town where he can be bedridden at home or go to a temple for healing or something.
But most of my NPCs are binary. They are alive until they take damage and then they are dead. I'd only get more complicated than that with important NPCs who incidentally are likely to receive magical healing due to their importance.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
If it’s plot-relevant, I’d do the same thing you do: basic magical healing doesn’t heal major injuries like broken bones, just regular cuts and bruises. However, I’d allow Lesser Restoration to mend a broken bone: it seems in line with the spell’s other uses. If the players have an expert healer, after all, who’s willing to burn a spell on an NPC, I’d be cool with that.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
A healing potion is generally understood to be a magical item, so it provides magical healing. When you receive healing and or drink a healing potion your wounds are either magically restored or your natural healing is speed up such that months of healing happen in a few seconds.
Either way, you really don't want to use the more "realistic" aspects of injuries. The game is not really built to support that kind of thing.
What I mean is, you will sort of open a Pandoras Box. If taking X amount of damage resulted in this NPC suffering debilitating injuries that magic or potions cant heal, then why does it not happen to the players? better yet, why doesn't it happen to the enemies?
Suddenly we don't have to fight so hard, if we just do X amount of damage to the BBEG and break his legs, there is nothing he can do to reverse it.
If you want your world to feel logically consistent, a rule needs to apply universally, if it applies to NPCs then it must also apply for players and monsters.
Thank you very much for your replies input, your tip to use exhaustion Xalthu is particularly useful, it's a mechanic I still haven't gotten my head round or use nearly enough.
Just to clarify Stusano NPC Leosin Erlanthar injuries were not from a combat the adventures were present at, I don't employ some "that critical hit brakes your sword arm" I'm quite aware that such mechanics add rather little after first reading and just tend to drag combat out into monotony.
I my interpretation and games PC's are exceptional in every sense and the world around them is to my eyes more relatable, I guess I just wanted things a little Darker
thanks again for all your replies wishing you all the best
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
I've used it but in a limited sense and only if the situation or narrative (Torture for information results in breaking some bones.) makes it work.
I had a player get jumped by a bunch of goons in an ally and I had back-to-back crits against him. I said that one of the goons' hits snaped the player's leg at the knee cap and the goons felt that was enough of a 'message' to give the player not to continue the investigation into the lost girl so they left him alone. The player was really good about it bought into the narrative even so to when the leg was healed he played the character with a slight limp.
Again, I've done this at very limited times but this is my 'Easy' Homebrew Break em rules.
Broken Arms, disadvantage on attack rolls.
Broken Fingers, disadvantage on attack rolls for weapons that require a grip (bows, swords, etc)
Broken Leg, Only 1/3 of movement rounded down; disadvantage on attack rolls.
Broken Toes, meh, move along with a little skip to their step or 2/3 of movement.
Broken Skull, dude is not going anywhere without a priest.
With all this said, if there is a cleric around this is all moot since I feel magic spells would heal all this. What about a portion? Honestly, I've not had that situation but I'd say a basic healing potion would not fix broken bones maybe the stronger ones, I don't know I'd have to put more thought into it.
I usually just have it affect the NPC psychologically. For example, a Character loses an arm for one reason or another. Sure, they can just magic a new one but what does that do to the person. Does this change how they view magic? View the PC that healed them? View the world as a whole? Are they an adventurer? Are they going to become one so they can learn these skills? Assuming any of those things end up being relevant, I think it is very interesting to have that sort of thing happen rather than 'Arm broke. Now arm not broke. End.'
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yes in HotDQ NPC Leosin Erlanthar is a victim of torture something I really didn't want to treat lightly, I had the Monk of Ilmater roll a wisdom save to keep his composure on seeing him, I changed quite a bit of HotDQ they found him in the Hatchery cave complex meat locker area along with dozens of prisoners and I certainly changed that Leosin Erlanthar was annoyed at the adventures for saving him!?!
So the situation was quite unusual in that sense and I felt it added to the atmosphere and gravity to have Leosin Erlanthar still struggling, also it rather lends itself as to why the adventures escort him to Elturel which is a knock on change to HotDQ due to the change I made earlier...
Thank you again for you replies really interesting to hear your thoughts and how you handle things in your adventures
wishing you all the best
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again