Leatherhead
Possibly a Idiot.
While setting up for a Pirate themed game, it occurred to me that the only thing that was preventing me from using Injury tables was the lack of ways to handle losing a limb. There is the Regeneration spell, of course, but that's a level 7 spell, and waiting until level 13 to get your hand back is a bit absurd. Technically an NPC could cast it, but to heck with that. Level 7 spell slots are premium, and I don't want to dominate the game with a quest to get one PC's hand back while the others lose and arm and a leg for it.
So, here are some alternatives I came up with. Maybe some of you can also find this useful, despite my need for an editor.
Keep in note the following: the Lingering Injury Tables in the DMG(p272) have stats for both Horrible Scars and Minor Scars. For these rules, losing a limb counts as a Horrible scar.
The Following limbs are mostly acquired by making deals with powerful magic beings or mad mage NPCs out in the world. Don't expect to see them in any kind of reputable shop.
So, here are some alternatives I came up with. Maybe some of you can also find this useful, despite my need for an editor.
Keep in note the following: the Lingering Injury Tables in the DMG(p272) have stats for both Horrible Scars and Minor Scars. For these rules, losing a limb counts as a Horrible scar.
Generally, having a prosthesis changes your horrible scar into a minor one.
Hook Hand. You regain the ability to hold an object in that hand, however that hand counts as having lost a finger, and you cannot use a weapon in that hand unless it is a two-handed weapon. Can be used to make a melee weapon attack that uses either strength or dexterity to attack and deals 1d4+modifier piercing damage. (10g)
Peg Leg. You now count as having a Limp instead of a lost leg or foot.(5g)
Ear Horn. Removes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks for loosing your ear.(15g)
Dentures. Removes penalties for having your teeth knocked out.(25g)
Eyepatch. Does nothing for your sight. But changes the Major Scar for losing your eye into a Minor Scar.(1s)
Hook Hand. You regain the ability to hold an object in that hand, however that hand counts as having lost a finger, and you cannot use a weapon in that hand unless it is a two-handed weapon. Can be used to make a melee weapon attack that uses either strength or dexterity to attack and deals 1d4+modifier piercing damage. (10g)
Peg Leg. You now count as having a Limp instead of a lost leg or foot.(5g)
Ear Horn. Removes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks for loosing your ear.(15g)
Dentures. Removes penalties for having your teeth knocked out.(25g)
Eyepatch. Does nothing for your sight. But changes the Major Scar for losing your eye into a Minor Scar.(1s)
Articulated digits. Negates the penalties for having lost fingers or toes, but not for lost hands or feet. (50g)
Glass Eye. Does nothing for your sight, but it looks better than an eyepatch. Makes it so your lost eye no longer counts as a scar.(50g)
False Jaw. Restores your ability to speak.(75g)
Weapon arm. Basically a glorified hook that functions as a non-magical weapon. Often comes with multiple interchangeable appendages. Popular variants include hand-crossbows, swords, and maces. Counts as a weapon of the appropriate type, however you may not hold objects with this hand, and any attempts to disarm you of this arm fail unless you are incapacitated. (cost twice the normal weapon)
Glass Eye. Does nothing for your sight, but it looks better than an eyepatch. Makes it so your lost eye no longer counts as a scar.(50g)
False Jaw. Restores your ability to speak.(75g)
Weapon arm. Basically a glorified hook that functions as a non-magical weapon. Often comes with multiple interchangeable appendages. Popular variants include hand-crossbows, swords, and maces. Counts as a weapon of the appropriate type, however you may not hold objects with this hand, and any attempts to disarm you of this arm fail unless you are incapacitated. (cost twice the normal weapon)
All Magical Prosthesis must be attuned to a character.
Iron Jaw. Restores the ability of a lost jaw. Grants a bite attack, using strength to attack and dealing 1d6 +str modifier piercing damage. (Uncommon)
Doll Limb. A type of construct limb that is made out of hardened porcelain and cloth. Restores full functionality to the lost limb (including senses), and is also stylish enough to count as not having a scar. Can be used to replace any limb. (Uncommon)
Construct Limb. A limb that is made out of metal, hardened glass, and wood. Restores full functionality in the lost limb and grants advantage to ability checks made using it, scars are downgraded into minor. The character counts as being in metal armor as long as the limb is attached to them. An unarmed strike using this limb deals 1d4 damage instead of 1 damage.(Rare)
Silver Tongue. Restores speech, taste, and grants advantage on all Charisma checks related to talking. Counts as not having a scar. (Uncommon)
Spring Heels. Restores the functionality of feet. You gain the ability to make a standing jump. Your long jump is 20 feet and your high jump is 10 feet, with or without a running start. While falling, as a reaction you can land on your feet, giving you resistance to the fall damage. Additionally, you may cast Jump on yourself three times per day. (Uncommon)
Iron Jaw. Restores the ability of a lost jaw. Grants a bite attack, using strength to attack and dealing 1d6 +str modifier piercing damage. (Uncommon)
Doll Limb. A type of construct limb that is made out of hardened porcelain and cloth. Restores full functionality to the lost limb (including senses), and is also stylish enough to count as not having a scar. Can be used to replace any limb. (Uncommon)
Construct Limb. A limb that is made out of metal, hardened glass, and wood. Restores full functionality in the lost limb and grants advantage to ability checks made using it, scars are downgraded into minor. The character counts as being in metal armor as long as the limb is attached to them. An unarmed strike using this limb deals 1d4 damage instead of 1 damage.(Rare)
Silver Tongue. Restores speech, taste, and grants advantage on all Charisma checks related to talking. Counts as not having a scar. (Uncommon)
Spring Heels. Restores the functionality of feet. You gain the ability to make a standing jump. Your long jump is 20 feet and your high jump is 10 feet, with or without a running start. While falling, as a reaction you can land on your feet, giving you resistance to the fall damage. Additionally, you may cast Jump on yourself three times per day. (Uncommon)
The Following limbs are mostly acquired by making deals with powerful magic beings or mad mage NPCs out in the world. Don't expect to see them in any kind of reputable shop.
Unless otherwise noted, having a Monstrous Limb counts as having a hideous scar.
The Hand and Eye of Vecna. These are extremely powerful artifacts that are in the DMG. Good luck using them, maybe you can even find the head! (Artifact)
Hag's eye. Granted by a Hag Coven, this eye restores your sight, eliminates the scar, and grants darkvision out to 60'. However, the Hag Coven can now see what you see. (Rare)
Flensing Claws. First developed by Illithids, this body augmentation replaces the hand with a form of articulated digits that can extend into long metal claws. See Volo's Guide to Monsters~. (Rare)
Mimic's Pseudopod. A part of a mimic has been attached to your body. As an action, you can cause your limb to change shape. Common shapes include normal body parts (which hide the scar), a one handed weapon without complex parts, keys or simple tools, and elongating the limb to extend your natural reach by 5'. Additionally, when you make an unarmed strike with this limb, you can innate a grapple by excreting an adhesive as no action, and any attempts to escape grapples you initiate are made with disadvantage. (Rare)
Devil's Tongue. Typically granted as part of an Infernal deal, this tongue restores your speech, advantage on Charisma checks that require speech, and grants fluency in Infernal. Additionally, you gain the ability to cast Command 3 times per long rest, with Charisma being your casting stat. (uncommon)
The Hand and Eye of Vecna. These are extremely powerful artifacts that are in the DMG. Good luck using them, maybe you can even find the head! (Artifact)
Hag's eye. Granted by a Hag Coven, this eye restores your sight, eliminates the scar, and grants darkvision out to 60'. However, the Hag Coven can now see what you see. (Rare)
Flensing Claws. First developed by Illithids, this body augmentation replaces the hand with a form of articulated digits that can extend into long metal claws. See Volo's Guide to Monsters~. (Rare)
Mimic's Pseudopod. A part of a mimic has been attached to your body. As an action, you can cause your limb to change shape. Common shapes include normal body parts (which hide the scar), a one handed weapon without complex parts, keys or simple tools, and elongating the limb to extend your natural reach by 5'. Additionally, when you make an unarmed strike with this limb, you can innate a grapple by excreting an adhesive as no action, and any attempts to escape grapples you initiate are made with disadvantage. (Rare)
Devil's Tongue. Typically granted as part of an Infernal deal, this tongue restores your speech, advantage on Charisma checks that require speech, and grants fluency in Infernal. Additionally, you gain the ability to cast Command 3 times per long rest, with Charisma being your casting stat. (uncommon)
Shark Jaw. Restores functionality of the jaw, tongue, nose and teeth. Allows you to breathe underwater. You can smell highly diluted liquids while submerged, allowing you to detect a bleeding creature from a mile away. Additionally you can make a Bite attack using your strength modifier that deals 1d8+str mod piercing damage. (Rare)
Webbed Limbs. Restores functionality of lost arms and legs. Grants a swim speed equal to your walking speed. (uncommon)
Poison Quills. Does not restore limbs, but can be added to them. Allows you to make a Melee weapon attack using the quills. Uses either your str or dex. Deals 1d6 poison damage, and the target becomes poisoned for 1 minute unless it makes a constitution saving throw. The saving throws DC is based on your constitution, and the target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of it's turns. (Rare)
Tentacle. Restores functionality to arms or legs. Unarmed strikes with this limb deal 1d6 damage and have 10' of reach. Additionally, when you make an unarmed strike with this limb, you can attempt to grapple the target. (Rare)
Webbed Limbs. Restores functionality of lost arms and legs. Grants a swim speed equal to your walking speed. (uncommon)
Poison Quills. Does not restore limbs, but can be added to them. Allows you to make a Melee weapon attack using the quills. Uses either your str or dex. Deals 1d6 poison damage, and the target becomes poisoned for 1 minute unless it makes a constitution saving throw. The saving throws DC is based on your constitution, and the target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of it's turns. (Rare)
Tentacle. Restores functionality to arms or legs. Unarmed strikes with this limb deal 1d6 damage and have 10' of reach. Additionally, when you make an unarmed strike with this limb, you can attempt to grapple the target. (Rare)
Skeletal. Restores functionality to the lost limb. Using this limb to touch something counts as using an object to touch it, which can effectively ignore effects such as contact poison (uncommon)
Zombified. Restores functionality to the lost limb. You gain resistance to poison damage, have advantage on saving throws against poison, and any creature that attempts to use a bite attack against you must make a constitution saving throw or become poisoned for one minute. The DC for the saving throw is based off of your Constitution modifier, and may be repeated at the start of the poisoned creatures turn. (uncommon)
Ghostly. Restores functionality to the lost limb. You may use this limb to touch or attack creatures that are Etheral. As an action, with this limb, you may reach into or past solid objects in order to manipulate another object that is beyond or inside of the first. You may also take a small unattended object past such barriers. If you end your turn with your limb inside of an object this way, you take 1d10 force damage, and your limb is shunted out back to you. Unarmed strikes with this limb deal 1d4 necrotic damage (rare)
Zombified. Restores functionality to the lost limb. You gain resistance to poison damage, have advantage on saving throws against poison, and any creature that attempts to use a bite attack against you must make a constitution saving throw or become poisoned for one minute. The DC for the saving throw is based off of your Constitution modifier, and may be repeated at the start of the poisoned creatures turn. (uncommon)
Ghostly. Restores functionality to the lost limb. You may use this limb to touch or attack creatures that are Etheral. As an action, with this limb, you may reach into or past solid objects in order to manipulate another object that is beyond or inside of the first. You may also take a small unattended object past such barriers. If you end your turn with your limb inside of an object this way, you take 1d10 force damage, and your limb is shunted out back to you. Unarmed strikes with this limb deal 1d4 necrotic damage (rare)
Sea Legs (water). Restores the functionality of lost legs. Grant a swim speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally you may cast Water Walk targeting only yourself once per long rest. (rare)
Feet of the Zephyr (air). Restores the functionality of the feet. Increases walking movement speed by 10'. Additionally you may cast levitate on yourself once per short rest. (rare)
Burning Grip (fire). Restores the functionality of the hand. Any unarmed strike made using this limb causes 1d4 fire damage. As a bonus action, the hand be commanded to shed light as a torch or be extinguished. Additionally, you may cast Firebolt at will using the casting stat of your choice. (rare)
Stone Arm (earth). Restores the functionality of the arm. Any unarmed strike made using this limb deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and at your option, does not trigger effects that occur when you strike a target with a melee attack. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus to your armor class as if you were using a shield, even if you hold an item with this arm. (This does not stack with using a shield) (rare)
Feet of the Zephyr (air). Restores the functionality of the feet. Increases walking movement speed by 10'. Additionally you may cast levitate on yourself once per short rest. (rare)
Burning Grip (fire). Restores the functionality of the hand. Any unarmed strike made using this limb causes 1d4 fire damage. As a bonus action, the hand be commanded to shed light as a torch or be extinguished. Additionally, you may cast Firebolt at will using the casting stat of your choice. (rare)
Stone Arm (earth). Restores the functionality of the arm. Any unarmed strike made using this limb deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and at your option, does not trigger effects that occur when you strike a target with a melee attack. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus to your armor class as if you were using a shield, even if you hold an item with this arm. (This does not stack with using a shield) (rare)
Graft
3rd level necromancy (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (the body part needed to be attached to the host.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell attaches a recently separated body part from living or freshly dead non-undead, non-construct creature, to a different living creature. If a dead creature is used this way, the donor creature cannot have been dead for more than 1 hour.
The limb counts as having a horrible scar, will always look like it belonged to the donor creature, and may grant different abilities, advantages, or disadvantages as determined by your DM. You can only attach limbs and body parts similar to the ones that a typical member of your race and species would have with this spell. A creature cannot have more body parts attached via this or similar spells than their constitution modifier
Advanced Graft
5th level necromancy (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (the body part needed to be attached to the host.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell attaches a recently separated body part from living or freshly dead non-undead, non-construct creature, to a different living creature. If a dead creature is used this way, the donor creature cannot have been dead for more than 1 hour. If the limb comes from a creature that is the same race as you, the limb changes its form to look as if it was naturally part of your body over the course of 24 hours, otherwise the limb will count as a horrible scar.
Limbs attached this way may grant different abilities advantages or disadvantages as determined by your DM. You can attach limbs and body parts that your race does not normally have with this spell. A host creature cannot have more limbs attached via this or similar spell than their constitution modifier.
Perfect Graft
7th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (the body part needed to be attached to the host.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell attaches a recently separated body part from living or freshly dead non-undead, non-construct creature, to a different living creature. If a dead creature is used this way, the donor creature cannot have been dead for more than 1 hour. The limb changes its form to look as if it was naturally part of your body over the course of 24 hours, negating the penalty for having a scar.
Limbs attached this way may grant different abilities advantages or disadvantages as determined by your DM. You can attach limbs and body parts that your race does not normally have with this spell. A host creature cannot have more limbs attached via this or similar spell than their constitution modifier.
Variant spell:
Find Familiar (speaking)
As per the Find Familiar spell with the following exceptions:
No Verbal Components
Lets you pick a tiny animal that can speak, such as a Parrot. This creature can be used to fulfill the verbal requirements of spells for you.
3rd level necromancy (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (the body part needed to be attached to the host.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell attaches a recently separated body part from living or freshly dead non-undead, non-construct creature, to a different living creature. If a dead creature is used this way, the donor creature cannot have been dead for more than 1 hour.
The limb counts as having a horrible scar, will always look like it belonged to the donor creature, and may grant different abilities, advantages, or disadvantages as determined by your DM. You can only attach limbs and body parts similar to the ones that a typical member of your race and species would have with this spell. A creature cannot have more body parts attached via this or similar spells than their constitution modifier
Advanced Graft
5th level necromancy (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (the body part needed to be attached to the host.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell attaches a recently separated body part from living or freshly dead non-undead, non-construct creature, to a different living creature. If a dead creature is used this way, the donor creature cannot have been dead for more than 1 hour. If the limb comes from a creature that is the same race as you, the limb changes its form to look as if it was naturally part of your body over the course of 24 hours, otherwise the limb will count as a horrible scar.
Limbs attached this way may grant different abilities advantages or disadvantages as determined by your DM. You can attach limbs and body parts that your race does not normally have with this spell. A host creature cannot have more limbs attached via this or similar spell than their constitution modifier.
Perfect Graft
7th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (the body part needed to be attached to the host.)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell attaches a recently separated body part from living or freshly dead non-undead, non-construct creature, to a different living creature. If a dead creature is used this way, the donor creature cannot have been dead for more than 1 hour. The limb changes its form to look as if it was naturally part of your body over the course of 24 hours, negating the penalty for having a scar.
Limbs attached this way may grant different abilities advantages or disadvantages as determined by your DM. You can attach limbs and body parts that your race does not normally have with this spell. A host creature cannot have more limbs attached via this or similar spell than their constitution modifier.
Variant spell:
Find Familiar (speaking)
As per the Find Familiar spell with the following exceptions:
No Verbal Components
Lets you pick a tiny animal that can speak, such as a Parrot. This creature can be used to fulfill the verbal requirements of spells for you.
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