So I am thinking of a home brew rule to make combat just a little more interesting and deadly. The idea is that a character dropped to 0 hp will require more than just a cure wounds to be 100% fighting form.
What do you think? Any ideas for some other scars?
Battle Scar
When a PC is reduced to 0 hp and fails a death save they must roll on the following table. These effects stack with multiple failed death saves.
Battle Scar table
Roll 3d6
result Battle Scar 18 Lost Limb. The character looses a limb and gains one level of exhaustion. Roll 1d4 (1-left arm, 2-right arm, 3-left leg, 4-right leg) 16-17 Lost eye. The character suffers disadvantage on perception checks and ranged attacks. If this result is rolled a second time the character is blinded. 14-15 Head wound. Character becomes deafened by a blow to the head. This effect lasts until healed with appropriate magic. 9-13 Battle Scar. The Character gains a significant battle scar. 6-7 Internal organ damage. The character gains a level of exhaustion. This effect stacks with other battle scars. 4-5 Spinal injury. The character is paralyzed. This effect lasts until healed with appropriate magic. 3 Death. Character dies regardless of number of death saves. The body is so damaged that Resurrection or greater magic must be used to revive the character.
First of all, losing an eye should have exactly the same effect as having only one eye--no depth perception. See the cyclops for an example of how that works in D&D. There will probably be some short-term effects along the lines of what you said, though.
Now, what effect does a lost leg have? Halved non-flying speed seems about right to me.
You know, there should probably be a Con save to avoid these.
A lot of these should have more detail, really.
I might make it 4d6 or 3d8 and use the following table, or a similar one.
Do not open. The table isn't done yet; I'm posting it because I have to go to bed. I'll finish it sometime.
24 Lost arm. The character loses an arm and gains one level of exhaustion. A character with only one arm cannot dual-wield or use a weapon two-handed. A character with no arms cannot use weapons or do anything else that requires hands. The regenerate spell will restore lost limbs, but nothing less will. 23 Lost eye. The character loses an eye. A character with only one eye has the short range of all their ranged attacks reduced to 30 feet, unless it is already 30 feet or shorter. A character with no eyes is permanently blinded. The regenerate spell will restore lost eyes, but nothing less will. 22 Lost leg. The character loses a leg and gains one level of exhaustion. A character with only one leg has its walking and climbing speeds halved, rounded down, and cannot jump. A character with no legs cannot walk, has its climbing speed (if any) reduced to 5 feet, and has its swimming speed halved. The regenerate spell will restore lost limbs, but nothing less will. 21 19-20 16-18 Head wound. The character becomes deafened by a blow to the head. The lesser restoration spell can heal a wound of this significance, and it is automatically healed if the character is affected by greater restoration or any healing spell of 6th level or higher. 10-15 Scar. The character gains a disfiguring scar. If it is visible, the character has advantage on Intimidation checks and disadvantage on all other Charisma checks except Deception checks. The lesser restoration spell can heal a scar of this significance, and it is automatically healed if the character is affected by greater restoration or any healing spell of 6th level or higher. 7-9 Knee wound. One of the character's knees is badly damaged. Treat as lost leg, above, except that it can be healed by any healing spell of 5th level or higher and the character can make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of each week of uninterrupted rest, healing themselves on a success. 5-6 Internal organ damage. The character gains a level of exhaustion. 4 Spinal injury. The character is paralyzed. This cannot be healed by anything less than a greater restoration spell. 3 Severe trauma. The character must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a success, the character gains a number of levels of exhaustion equal to their number of death saving throw failures. On a failure, the character dies.
I wasn't aware of the 'lingering injury's' alternate rule in the DMG but it's very similar. Two major differences that I think are important to point out is that my Battle Scars happen less frequently and the results are determined on a bell curve (3d6) versus a flat line (1d20).
My aim here is to add just a tad more tension to a character going to 0 hp. As 5e is now it is not all that scary to get put down in combat. Battle scars changes that without being too obnoxious to players.
I cheated and looked at your table. Some good suggestions here.
Not so sure I care to add a Con save on top of all this. As it is a character would have to get dropped to 0 hp, fail a death save and get a bad roll on the table.
I am kind of iffy on the 4d6 but it does allow for a greater variety of effects which is not a bad idea at all. The problem is that the extremes start to become pretty rare. For example, using 3d6 getting a 3 or 18 is one chance in (6x6x6) 216 but using 4d6 getting a 4 or 24 becomes one chance in 1296! I wonder if 2d10 would be a better compromise?
With 'Rat pointing out lingering injuries in the DMG it may be a good idea to look into combining some of those into my rule here. I may post something in a day or two.
I am kind of iffy on the 4d6 but it does allow for a greater variety of effects which is not a bad idea at all. The problem is that the extremes start to become pretty rare. For example, using 3d6 getting a 3 or 18 is one chance in (6x6x6) 216 but using 4d6 getting a 4 or 24 becomes one chance in 1296! I wonder if 2d10 would be a better compromise?
How about 3d8?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
I am kind of iffy on the 4d6 but it does allow for a greater variety of effects which is not a bad idea at all. The problem is that the extremes start to become pretty rare. For example, using 3d6 getting a 3 or 18 is one chance in (6x6x6) 216 but using 4d6 getting a 4 or 24 becomes one chance in 1296! I wonder if 2d10 would be a better compromise?
How about 3d8?
Well, 3d8 generates a dilemma similar to 4d6. It makes some of the results so rare as to be almost non existent.
If I would change from 3d6 I think I would go with 2d10 or 2d12. Still maintains a bell curve (although a flatter one) but gives room for more options.
So I am thinking of a home brew rule to make combat just a little more interesting and deadly. The idea is that a character dropped to 0 hp will require more than just a cure wounds to be 100% fighting form.
What do you think? Any ideas for some other scars?
Battle Scar
When a PC is reduced to 0 hp and fails a death save they must roll on the following table. These effects stack with multiple failed death saves.
Battle Scar table
Roll 3d6
result Battle Scar
18 Lost Limb. The character looses a limb and gains one level of exhaustion. Roll 1d4 (1-left arm, 2-right arm, 3-left leg, 4-right leg)
16-17 Lost eye. The character suffers disadvantage on perception checks and ranged attacks. If this result is rolled a second time the character is blinded.
14-15 Head wound. Character becomes deafened by a blow to the head. This effect lasts until healed with appropriate magic.
9-13 Battle Scar. The Character gains a significant battle scar.
6-7 Internal organ damage. The character gains a level of exhaustion. This effect stacks with other battle scars.
4-5 Spinal injury. The character is paralyzed. This effect lasts until healed with appropriate magic.
3 Death. Character dies regardless of number of death saves. The body is so damaged that Resurrection or greater magic must be used to revive the character.
Current Characters I am playing: Dr Konstantin van Wulf | Taegen Willowrun | Mad Magnar
Check out my homebrew: Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Feats
First of all, losing an eye should have exactly the same effect as having only one eye--no depth perception. See the cyclops for an example of how that works in D&D. There will probably be some short-term effects along the lines of what you said, though.
Now, what effect does a lost leg have? Halved non-flying speed seems about right to me.
You know, there should probably be a Con save to avoid these.
A lot of these should have more detail, really.
I might make it 4d6 or 3d8 and use the following table, or a similar one.
Do not open. The table isn't done yet; I'm posting it because I have to go to bed. I'll finish it sometime.
24 Lost arm. The character loses an arm and gains one level of exhaustion. A character with only one arm cannot dual-wield or use a weapon two-handed. A character with no arms cannot use weapons or do anything else that requires hands. The regenerate spell will restore lost limbs, but nothing less will.
23 Lost eye. The character loses an eye. A character with only one eye has the short range of all their ranged attacks reduced to 30 feet, unless it is already 30 feet or shorter. A character with no eyes is permanently blinded. The regenerate spell will restore lost eyes, but nothing less will.
22 Lost leg. The character loses a leg and gains one level of exhaustion. A character with only one leg has its walking and climbing speeds halved, rounded down, and cannot jump. A character with no legs cannot walk, has its climbing speed (if any) reduced to 5 feet, and has its swimming speed halved. The regenerate spell will restore lost limbs, but nothing less will.
21
19-20
16-18 Head wound. The character becomes deafened by a blow to the head. The lesser restoration spell can heal a wound of this significance, and it is automatically healed if the character is affected by greater restoration or any healing spell of 6th level or higher.
10-15 Scar. The character gains a disfiguring scar. If it is visible, the character has advantage on Intimidation checks and disadvantage on all other Charisma checks except Deception checks. The lesser restoration spell can heal a scar of this significance, and it is automatically healed if the character is affected by greater restoration or any healing spell of 6th level or higher.
7-9 Knee wound. One of the character's knees is badly damaged. Treat as lost leg, above, except that it can be healed by any healing spell of 5th level or higher and the character can make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of each week of uninterrupted rest, healing themselves on a success.
5-6 Internal organ damage. The character gains a level of exhaustion.
4 Spinal injury. The character is paralyzed. This cannot be healed by anything less than a greater restoration spell.
3 Severe trauma. The character must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a success, the character gains a number of levels of exhaustion equal to their number of death saving throw failures. On a failure, the character dies.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Just to be clear, you're modifying what's already in the DMG, right?
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
I wasn't aware of the 'lingering injury's' alternate rule in the DMG but it's very similar. Two major differences that I think are important to point out is that my Battle Scars happen less frequently and the results are determined on a bell curve (3d6) versus a flat line (1d20).
My aim here is to add just a tad more tension to a character going to 0 hp. As 5e is now it is not all that scary to get put down in combat. Battle scars changes that without being too obnoxious to players.
Current Characters I am playing: Dr Konstantin van Wulf | Taegen Willowrun | Mad Magnar
Check out my homebrew: Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Feats
I cheated and looked at your table. Some good suggestions here.
Not so sure I care to add a Con save on top of all this. As it is a character would have to get dropped to 0 hp, fail a death save and get a bad roll on the table.
I am kind of iffy on the 4d6 but it does allow for a greater variety of effects which is not a bad idea at all. The problem is that the extremes start to become pretty rare. For example, using 3d6 getting a 3 or 18 is one chance in (6x6x6) 216 but using 4d6 getting a 4 or 24 becomes one chance in 1296! I wonder if 2d10 would be a better compromise?
With 'Rat pointing out lingering injuries in the DMG it may be a good idea to look into combining some of those into my rule here. I may post something in a day or two.
Current Characters I am playing: Dr Konstantin van Wulf | Taegen Willowrun | Mad Magnar
Check out my homebrew: Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Feats
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Current Characters I am playing: Dr Konstantin van Wulf | Taegen Willowrun | Mad Magnar
Check out my homebrew: Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Feats