describing HP

[Akhkharu]

I started to keep track of the parties hit points last game and need some help on how to describe how badly hurt they are. Unfortunately I am mentally exhausted and cannot think of my own, best I came up with was poopy, which had me laughing hysterically in class. (slept only 5 hours in last 3 days)
If anyone can give some suggestions on some descriptive words, based on percentage of hit points left, I would be much grateful.
Thanks everyone,
Akh

 

[Sodalis]

% description
100 perfectlyhealthy, well rested and energized
90 a little tired/ bruised and small cuts
80 wounds are bleeding, but minor gashes and
70 open wounds, calloused and sore.
60 dripping blood, fatigue is setting in and breathing heavily
50 large gashes- dripping blood in various areas. Eyes is closing up, bruised and battered
40 tired and fatigued. legs are dragging and arms dont respond well
30 you feel like crap- hand and feet are cramping up- wounds are gushing blood
20 you lost an arm....
10 you lost a leg
0 you lost a head...

the last three are just because i cant think of anythign else...

and i have received just abotut the same amount of sleep- Damn finals week...

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

Sleep? What is this sleep thing you speak of...? LOL. You could always boot up Doom, get the snot kicked out of you and watch the guy's face get all bloody--LOL. Ya know... I think i'm gonna go play Doom!

 

[Tom Cashel]

From Roget's thesaurus:

injured, impaired, damaged, harmed, hurt, scathed, spoiled, marred, dilapidated, mangled, mutilated, disfigured, blemished, defaced.

feeble, infirm, invalid, debile, sickly, poorly, unhealthy, unsound, strengthless, defenseless, anemic, asthenic, atonic, cachetic, adynamic, bloodless, short-winded, faltering, drooping, unsteady, shaken, palsied, laid low, weak as a child/baby/kitten, flimsy, frail, fragile, vulnerable, assailable, indefensible, woozy, on one's last legs.

From White Wolf:

Bruised
Injured
Hurt
Mauled
Crippled

*But if you're going to assign certain names to a certain amount of hit points, and always use the same names, your players will eventually figure out what the system is...in that case you might as well just use numbers.

If I were you I'd type up a huge list of words from the thesaurus and use whatever seems appropriate at the time...if you're going to keep them guessing, then keep them guessing!

 

[Pielorinho]

You might be better off using verbs than adjectives. "The knife cuts deep into your abdomen as you raise your shield a fraction of a second too late. Blood begins to pour from the wound, and you feel faint."

"The claw arcs around at your neck. You dodge the worst of it, but it still rakes across your cheek, opening a large gash. You're reeling from the blow, and you're afraid you lack the presence of mind to dodge another blow."

"As you ssee the bead of flame shooting toward you, you cover your eyes with your forearm and hold your breath. The explosion expands around you, but you've avoided the worst of it, and your skin is only slightly scorched. No problem."

Daniel

 

[LostSoul]

You could do what I do. Nothing hits you until those last few hit points go. Everything else is a near miss, a bruise, a pulled muscle, whatever.

 

[adndgamer]

You could do what I do. Nothing hits you until those last few hit points go. Everything else is a near miss, a bruise, a pulled muscle, whatever.

Ah nice twist, using HP like luck.

You avoid most of the blows, but then your luck runs out, and the orc crushes your skull in with a mace...

Hm. I like it.

 

[Victim]

Or you get tired, until you're too slow to make that last parry. Or each exchange of blows leaves the duelist in a weaker and weaker position, until his sword is out of position and the enemy drives home the blade.

 

[Deadguy]

I often refer to the minor aches, sprains and cuts of the fight as being the intermediate steps, until the last couple of blows, when the weapon starts to strike true. So it runs something like (24 hp character):

"You try to step nimbly to the side, but then slip on the loose cobbles, leaving your knee aching (-4 hps). The next blow lands firmly on your hip, but the metal of your belt sheath absorbs some of the blow, leaving a livid bruise (-8 hps)... You try and recover, but you are off balance and the next blow rings a resounding 'crash' off your helm, and you feel your spine compress (-7 hps). Reeling, you push away, but to slowly, and your arm is sliced cleanly into above the elbow (-6 hps). Bleeding, your vision darkens and you slip over into blackness..."

Of course, that was a pretty damn unlucky fight!