Healer's Kit Dependency: A character can't spend any Hit Dice after finishing a short rest until someone expends one use of a healer's kit to bandage and treat the character's wounds.
That seems an okay and easy to integrate rule. Hrgach has a healer's kit already. I always have most of my characters carry one.
Lingering Injuries:
When it takes a critical hit.
When it drops to 0 hit points but isn't killed outright.
When it fails a death saving throw by 5 or more.
Here's the table:
Roll 1d20
1 Lose an Eye - disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight and on ranged attack rolls. Need Regenerate to restore the eye. If you lose the other, you are blind.
2 Lose and Arm or Hand - can't hold anything with two hands, can only hold 1 object at a time. Needs Regenerate to restore.
3 Lose a Foot or Leg - Speed is halved, and must use a cane or crutch or get a peg leg. Fall prone after Dashing. Disadvantage on Dex checks to balance. Needs Regenerate.
4 Limp - Speed reduced by 5 feet. Need to make a DC 10 Dex save after Dashing or fall prone. Magical healing removes the limp.
5-7 Internal Injury - Whenever you attempt an action in combat, must make a DC 15 Constitution save or lose your action and can't use reactions until start of next turn. Need magical healing or 10 days doing nothing but resting.
8-10 Broken Ribs - Same as Internal Injury, but DC 10.
11-13 Horrible Scar - disfigured to an extent that can't be easily concealed. Disadvantage on Persuasion checks and advantage on Intimidation. Need magical healing 6th level or higher (Heal or Regenerate).
14-16 Festering Wound - Hit point max is reduced by 1 every 24 hours with the wound. If it reaches 0, you die. Magical healing or DC15 Medicine check once every 24 hours for 10 days to heal.
17-20 Minor Scar - no adverse effect. Need 6th level or higher magic to heal (Heal or Regenerate)
I admit I've wanted to try this variant. However, we are a first level party without magical healing. We are going to go down a lot, especially me, I imagine, as the front liner. A bad roll or two on that table makes a character effectively unplayable, and a lot of that healing magic is way out of reach for first level. So I'm wary, but willing. We may end up making new characters every couple combats, which makes it hard to maintain a story line.
Vitality seems...interesting. I guess I'm willing to try it, but yeah, does seem like a complicated amount of paperwork.