Handling Permanent Injuries

[GMMichael]

This brings up the argument about HP and how they are represented. . .

If you're playing D&D or a D&D knock-off.

That's why I'm looking for systems that do this. If giving the player a way out of the drawback is important, what system does that best? If establishing it as a baseline part of your grim and gritty game is important, what system is best at that?

Here's how Modos RPG handles it:

• Each character has one or more Flaws (like a lost hand).
• Flaws don't affect other attributes, but they do work with Goals to earn the PC rewards.
• Players can ignore their Flaws, although GMs might invoke them once in a while (like in Fate or Numenera).
• The Bad Ending from OP is moot, because Flaws don't make characters unplayable, just more interesting.
• The PC can keep and use the Flaw (to gain rewards), or work with the GM to remove the Flaw (by getting a cybernetic hand) which could involve yet more adventure.

You don't want to know how I'd handle the player's psychology. It would be something like this:

 

[aramis erak]

This, like many topics of this nature, seems like the kind of thing that should be addressed before the first session. It's not like most games have actual mechanics for dismemberment, so it's something the GM should have in mind as a possibility before they even get started, and that shouldn't be a possibility that they should keep to themselves.

In my experience (somewhat extensive) somewhere around 1/4 of RPGs have rules for some form of lasting injury; most of those it's an optional rule.

I never ask about it as a GM; I do warn about it in systems where it exists. By lasting, I mean something that isn't just "some down time and it's over"...
Some I've run where it's core: L5R 5E, Warhammer FRP (1, 2, 3, and while I've not run it, 4), RuneQuest 3e, Elf Quest, Worlds Beyond, FFG Star Wars, Alien (YZE), Vaesen (YZE) Twilight 2000 (1e, 2e, 2.2e, 4e), Dark Conspiracy (1e), Spirit of the Century (Fate system), Dresden Files (1st ed), Hârnmaster, Rhand (LEG), Aliens Adventure Game (LEG), GURPS, Rolemaster, Spacemaster (1E and 2E),
A few I've not run that do have lasting wounds as part of core mechancs: Fate Core, FFG's End of the World line, Genesys (Same mechanics as FFG Star Wars),

Hmmm.... most of those do so via critical hit rules. GURPS, BRP (RQ, EQ and WB) by excess damage to hit location. Fate (SotC,Fate Core, Dresden Files) and EotW do so by trading in harm for a lasting injury, freeing up damage space. Fate, that can eventually be bought off.
The crit table types (L5R5e, WFRP all, T2K4, all the FFG games, HM, both LEG games) include results removing limbs.

That list above represents about 5% of the games I've run over the last 40 years in terms of systems/editions; it represents closer to 40% of my game time...
A few I'm not able to check at the moment:
BTRC's CORPS & EABA ( I recall the broken bones category)
Palladium's games (all have a provision for it; I don't recall if it's optional or core - when taking HP damage instead of SDC, roll for lasting injury on a table.)

that's about 30 editions of arouond 400 editions/games I've played or run over the last 40 years. So about 8%. Many more have an optional rule for it in core; more still added it in a subsequent publication.

 

[steenan]

I like how Fate handles this kind of things: as a player opt-in.

There are consequences of various severity that take various amount of time to recover, from a couple of scenes to a whole story arc. There's also an optional rule for "critical consequences" that are permanent changes to a character, replacing one of their aspects. Taking a consequence is always a choice of the player: do they want their character to get hurt but stay in the conflict or do they prefer getting defeated.

 

[Helpful NPC Thom]

When permanent injuries are on the table, there are two basic ways things can go.

• Good Ending: He cuts off my hand? Like Skywalker at the end of Empire? Badass!
• Bad Ending: Thanks for making my guy unplayable. Jerk.

That leads me to two associated questions.

1. As a matter of player psychology, how do you help afflicted PCs arrive at Good Ending instead of Bad Ending?
2. What's the best system you've seen for handling permanent injuries?

(Comic for illustrative purposes.)

1. Stop playing D&D.

1a. Stop trying to incorporate permanent injuries into a game that uses hit points.​

1b. If you insist on playing D&D (or another tradgame), set player expectations about combat, death, and injuries upfront.​

1c. Understand probabilities: permanent injuries are virtually guaranteed for player characters in a longstanding game. Plan accordingly.​

1d. Never force a combat; provide non-combat avenues for conflict resolution.​

​

2. Play a game that makes handling permanent injuries better.

2a. A more narrative system, like Fate, can turn a permanent injury into an Aspect, which enhances the character.​

2b. A system where a permanent injury isn't crippling is another option. A cyberpunk or science fiction game has prosthetics available.​

2c. A system that provides a detailed subsystem for handling non-combat conflict resolution works hand-in-hand with 1c.​

3. Game with players who are good sports about permanent injuries.

 

[John Dallman]

In the old-fashioned D&D I play, permanent injuries usually get fixed fairly soon. There are specialised healing clerics, and some specialist healer character classes, and they're reasonably charitable.

In GURPS, which I play more of, crippling and dismembering injuries are fairly well-defined and these things can usually be fixed. The basic magic system has fairly short prerequisite chains to Restoration and Regeneration, and their energy cost is manageable. Resurrection is much harder, but GURPS characters usually fall over well before they're in danger of dying. The other magic systems mostly have ways of dealing with permanent injuries. There are exceptions: my Laundryverse campaign had theoretical healing magic, it was just likely to be worse than accepting permanent injuries, so nobody studied it.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

In a game like D&D with a lot of combat and no built in permanent injury rules, anything that permanently penalises a characters combat performance, is the beginning of a death spiral. Unless you allow fairly accessible mitigation of the injury.
Death spirals are no fun and I do not blame the players for objecting.

 

[Hand of Evil]

First off it is best to let the players know before hand that there is a chance of dismemberment in the game so they can have an good medical plan. Then you as the GM should have a few plot hooks to dangle in front of the players.

Example would be a shady hooded NPC that whisper to the character in a dark tavern of hearing of a forest spirit that regrows limbs for quest. The character says yes, gets a replacement of wood and vines and has some special abilities and the next adventure starts. Others; demon packs, rewards from the gods, mechanical replacements or even Frankenstein parts.

Just work with the players so, they are cool being known as the man with drow eyes. S

 

[J.Quondam]

First off it is best to let the players know before hand that there is a chance of dismemberment in the game so they can have an good medical plan. Then you as the GM should have a few plot hooks to dangle in front of the players.

"We are off to fight the dragon, for we've heard a rumor that its vast hoard contains that rarest of treasures: a platinum health insurance plan!"
.

 

[Hand of Evil]

"We are off to fight the dragon, for we've heard a rumor that its vast hoard contains that rarest of treasures: a platinum health insurance plan!"
.

S Well, sort of. In my games it comes down to piety and good standing, the characters visiting shines, giving to the church (I mean why should a non believer be granted the same healing as a believer) or adventure guild dues (contract to provide services) and such.

 

[Scars Unseen]

S Well, sort of. In my games it comes down to piety and good standing, the characters visiting shines, giving to the church (I mean why should a non believer be granted the same healing as a believer) or adventure guild dues (contract to provide services) and such.

You could save 15% on your insurance by switching to Godco.