D&D 5E Can characters give themselves Horrible Scar?

[Hriston]

Assuming that you are the DM and that you are using the Lingering Injuries option, would you allow a player to have their character give him/herself a Horrible Scar so they could get advantage on intimidation checks? Let's say this is being done with a cleric present to keep the character stable during the procedure.

 

[BigVanVader]

Yeah sure. Become the Joker, go hog wild with it.

EDIT: I gotta say, though, it seems like it would be more fun to have it happen during the course of a battle. More of a story that way. If it's self inflicted, it doesn't feel like it has the same impact.

But, that's just my very subjective opinion.

 

[Voort]

If they are a Half-Orc, it's pretty much required to have scars from all manner of sources.

 

[Unwise]

I would of course let my players self-mutilate. They would of course get insanity points, have to make a discipline check and spells like suggestion and domination would no longer automatically prevent them self-harming, but sure, they could do it. They would get disadvantage on most social checks in polite society, oh, and not most likely not have the desired effect either. Though it may well do so if people think he is psychotic.

Then there is the cleric. They can explain to their god why they are enabling somebody to self-harm and why they think that is a good use of divine power. It could be an interesting explanation to give in the heat of battle when they next want a heal spell to work.

As for the rest of the party, they might find dinner invitations a little scarcer once it is known that they are hanging out with the guy that ripped open his own face with a jagged saw and put ash and fat in it to make it scar, just to look scary.

 

[Derren]

I would of course let my players self-mutilate. They would of course get insanity points, have to make a discipline check and spells like suggestion and domination would no longer automatically prevent them self-harming, but sure, they could do it. They would get disadvantage on most social checks in polite society, oh, and not most likely not have the desired effect either. Though it may well do so if people think he is psychotic.

Then there is the cleric. They can explain to their god why they are enabling somebody to self-harm and why they think that is a good use of divine power. It could be an interesting explanation to give in the heat of battle when they next want a heal spell to work.

As for the rest of the party, they might find dinner invitations a little scarcer once it is known that they are hanging out with the guy that ripped open his own face with a jagged saw and put ash and fat in it to make it scar, just to look scary.

And how would "polite society" find out that the scars are self inflicted (unless they are made to look as a tatoo)?
And don't forget that ritual scarring was practiced in many tribal areas, even just a century ago? Are they all insane?

 

[Paraxis]

If a player wanted his character to have horrible scars why would they need to be self inflicted, just add how you got them to your characters backstory.

My daddy did this, I got this saving my sisters honor, this is what you get when your family can't pay it's debts to the Duke of Knives, an owlbear attacked my village when I was just a toddler, whatever fits.

 

[Unwise]

The question being asked is would you allow a character to"give him/herself a Horrible Scar so they could get advantage on intimidation checks?". I (and my players) tend to meet rather terrible gameism with rather dark humored realism.

Assuming the DM was happy with that mechanically, what sort of PC would do that? What sort of person would painfully mutilate themselves to look scarier? There are certainly people that would do it, I would just want to see some consistent RP about it. The person must have some very interesting personality traits.

If the question was "can a character start with horrible scarring for background/RP reasons? can a tribesman of an appropriate culture scar themselves to stand out more? can I brand myself as an act of penitence?" that is quiet different at my table.

Life is not fair to people with horrible scars. The fact is, if a scar is anywhere close to giving you advantage on intimidation checks, most people are going to avoid you. I can't see local socialites inviting them over to tea as easily, fantasy people are not overly PC in my games and nobles are generally not the most caring lot. The person could have got it defending an orphanage, for all the average person on the street cares, it makes no difference.

I got rather sick of some players casually saying things like "I chew off my own thumb to get out of the handcuffs, the cleric can just put it back on later" or "gee I need a disguise, just burn my face off, the cleric can heal it back later". Fortunately, most of my group loathed that sort of thing as much as I did, our current group only do self-harm in epic and important moments.

I have played a disproportional amount of characters with ritual scaring and brands personally and they can be really fun.

 

[Authweight]

The question being asked is would you allow a character to"give him/herself a Horrible Scar so they could get advantage on intimidation checks?". I (and my players) tend to meet rather terrible gameism with rather dark humored realism.

Assuming the DM was happy with that mechanically, what sort of PC would do that? What sort of person would painfully mutilate themselves to look scarier? There are certainly people that would do it, I would just want to see some consistent RP about it. The person must have some very interesting personality traits.

If the question was "can a character start with horrible scarring for background/RP reasons? can a tribesman of an appropriate culture scar themselves to stand out more? can I brand myself as an act of penitence?" that is quiet different at my table.

Life is not fair to people with horrible scars. The fact is, if a scar is anywhere close to giving you advantage on intimidation checks, most people are going to avoid you. I can't see local socialites inviting them over to tea as easily, fantasy people are not overly PC in my games and nobles are generally not the most caring lot. The person could have got it defending an orphanage, for all the average person on the street cares, it makes no difference.

I got rather sick of some players casually saying things like "I chew off my own thumb to get out of the handcuffs, the cleric can just put it back on later" or "gee I need a disguise, just burn my face off, the cleric can heal it back later". Fortunately, most of my group loathed that sort of thing as much as I did, our current group only do self-harm in epic and important moments.

I have played a disproportional amount of characters with ritual scaring and brands personally and they can be really fun.

Hmm. If you're playing where clerical healing really can make scars heal and reattach fingers, isn't this kind of a logical thing that people really would do in the fantasy world? I see it as something that the average joe might not do, but the bold adventuring type may very well be willing to take these sorts of plunges. I don't typically play that clerical healing is perfect (I prefer the flavor that clerical healing is about the strength to push on, not necessarily physical wound healing), but if that's your established universe, it seems like these actions are reasonable enough.

I think that these decisions should be given consequences, yes, but they shouldn't be punitive. They should be a way to make the story more interesting and more fun, not a way to express your displeasure with a way of playing.

Also, now I'm imagining a very posh noble hosting the PCs at a dinner party and jumping every time the scarred bastard turns and asks him to pass the potatoes.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Personally I don't think the injury should exist. Intimidation is more than just being ugly, and advantage should come from something meaningful, not from showing your ineptitude at combat and your lack of access to healing magic.

 

[Ravenheart87]

Personally I don't think the injury should exist. Intimidation is more than just being ugly, and advantage should come from something meaningful, not from showing your ineptitude at combat and your lack of access to healing magic.

The Hound disagrees.