Any expeerience with Injury Cards in play?

[darkbard]

In Dungeon 204, a nifty little article with accompanying printable cards in power format called "Less Death, More Danger!" was published. In short, the article introduced a mechanic wherein characters who face certain substantial losses in combat (I haven't revisited the article recently, but including things like failing three death saves, dropping to 0 hp, receiving a critical hit, etc.) acquire an "Injury card" that provides certain drawbacks (and, potentially, bonuses) until the character recovers from the wound (recovery tracking along the disease track system if I recall correctly).

I know this flies in the face of 4E's highly abstracted health system, but I think it could introduce an element of ... I don'twanttocallitsimulationism ... something of interest without bogging down the flow of the game with nonheroic and fiddly game elements.

In any event, did anyone ever try these in play, and, if so, what was your takeaway? (My thought, without ever having used them, is that, like Dark Sun's optional weapon breakage and desert survival rules, this subsystem could lend a bit of danger and grit to that campaign setting, at the very least.)

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I think its a great idea. I've implemented this idea into my own game, where you can accept these wounds (a type of affliction, which all use the disease track) in return for some other advantage (like taking a little less damage, or avoiding a condition/effect of an attack).

 

[commandercrud]

We used those in 4e and I made my own equivalent of them for 5e. I and most of my players love the addition.

 

[darkbard]

We used those in 4e and I made my own equivalent of them for 5e. I and most of my players love the addition.

When playing 4E, did you use them as written, or did you make adjustments? Any specific experiences you can relate that demonstrate how they added to your game play, narratively, mechanically, or, preferably, both?

 

[commandercrud]

Used the cards in 4e as written. One of our favorite memories of that campaign is of the sucking chest wound one player had. It managed to stick with him for several sessions, and the character developed some good RP really going with their injury even after the mechanical effect was cured.

Players tend to freak out when you first say you're going to introduce them, but they're never as big of a deal as the initial fears. Worst case, you stop using them and come up with some easy way to cure any players that are having a hard time with it.

A good simple way to adjust the harshness of the cards is to just print out more copies of whichever you want to dilute the deck with.

 

[Garthanos]

I think its a great idea. I've implemented this idea into my own game, where you can accept these wounds (a type of affliction, which all use the disease track) in return for some other advantage (like taking a little less damage, or avoiding a condition/effect of an attack).

I do now remember a big discussion on the WOTC forums about voluntary heroic accepting of an affliction for some immediate benefit...

Although I also recall the concept of the wound that never heals and tends to reopen on you as part of your character which is sort of a mythic idea alah Lancelot.

 

[darkbard]

Used the cards in 4e as written. One of our favorite memories of that campaign is of the sucking chest wound one player had. It managed to stick with him for several sessions, and the character developed some good RP really going with their injury even after the mechanical effect was cured.

Nice!

Players tend to freak out when you first say you're going to introduce them, but they're never as big of a deal as the initial fears. Worst case, you stop using them and come up with some easy way to cure any players that are having a hard time with it.

A good simple way to adjust the harshness of the cards is to just print out more copies of whichever you want to dilute the deck with.

Actually, I was thinking of escalating the cards somewhat: maybe something like roll the save once bloodied, acquiring a minor wound if failing the save; and rolling the save at reaching 0 hp: saving means acquiring a minor wound and failing means acquiring a major wound.

This would be to dramatize the harsh and brutal nature of life in a Dark Sun campaign....

 

[darkbard]

I do now remember a big discussion on the WOTC forums about voluntary heroic accepting of an affliction for some immediate benefit...

There is a variant rule called "Profit from Setbacks" that I would also implement: it does provide a counterbalancing mechanical benefit to the mechanical drawback of the wound. To me, that's interesting: it opens up additional choices for characters to make.

 

[commandercrud]

I could see making them harsher for a Dark Sun game. That would be totally appropriate.

I've also toyed with the idea of allowing players to voluntarily take a card to negate a crit.

 

[Garthanos]

There is a variant rule called "Profit from Setbacks" that I would also implement: it does provide a counterbalancing mechanical benefit to the mechanical drawback of the wound. To me, that's interesting: it opens up additional choices for characters to make.

The effect of the wounds we discussed included a concept I really liked on the first high roll of the every round of fighting (don't push yourself so much lad) or low row (oops that was a clumsy move) you make a save or fall prone or suffer similar recurrence (blood gets in your eye momentary blind, side cinches up and you are slowed etc) till the wound is recovered or if you save maybe you cannot respond to opportunity actions the next round.

The giving choices to the player/not exactly character LOL, i think the concept just rocked.