Damage for losing a pinky?

[Kae'Yoss]

Also, it IS a bleeding wound, and he takes 1 damage per round until he stablizes (10% chance by the straight rules) or recieves first aid.

And getting the chest slashed open by a dire tiger's claws isn't? And such wounds don't bleed, either.

A percentage of the HP total doesn't seem right, too: HP are meant to describe the ability to ignore pain and injuries. So, if you have more HP, you can ignore things better.

So give him a fixed amount of damage, two or three points (lest a commoner would die when you cut his finger off). Maybe even 1 Dex damage: at first, he will flinch whenever he uses the hand, a painful reminder that his finger is cut off. After one day, he will be assustomed to it (and the damage will be healed).


Out of curiosity: Why does that character want to cut off his own finger???

 

[Buttercup]

I would make it cost 1 or 2 hp, and also a -1 to any actions that involve the use of that hand for a week or two. Cuttimg off a finger has to hurt something horrible, and the pain would make you clumsy for a while, not to mention just not having a finger where there used to be one.

 

[1337 h4xor]

the pinky isn't that much of a finger, it's weak and undexterous compared to the other digits on our hands. If you lost a pinky toe you would never notice.

 

[Clear Dragon]

-2 to diplomacy and most charisma checks at high tea.

 

[Tom Cashel]

On another note CN is no longer crazy by default...

CN was never crazy by default IMC. Just totally unpredictable. Not all CNs are crazy, but many crazies are CN...

Out of curiosity: Why does that character want to cut off his own finger???

He's crazy.



No, seriously...I've been thinking about reincarnation. Even a single pinky would be enough to bring you back, so why not leave a pinky with the druid if you have to go make some noble self-sacrifice that will deprive party members of a body to raise?

Not really crazy, but a pretty CN way to think.

Thanks for the input, folks...it is much appreciated.

 

[Celebrim]

"HP are meant to describe the ability to ignore pain and injuries. So, if you have more HP, you can ignore things better."

Probably less than 10% of a high level characters h.p. represent the ability to ignore pain and injuries (unless they've taken alot of Toughness). The remainder represent the ability to AVOID pain and injuries.

Thus for any given attack doing X damage, the higher level the character the less actual damage was actually done. A Dire Tiger slashes a peasant for 14 h.p. This represents near total disembowlment. The same 14 h.p. to a 20th level fighter represents a deep cut.

In the case of amputation of a pinky, the ammount of damage done is ABSOLUTE and defined. Therefore it is reasonable to suggest that it represents some percentage of your h.p. total, as 1 h.p. of damage to a high level fighter represents a minor scratch - not loss of a digit.

Likewise, I treat it as a bleeding wound because amputation is by necessity a critical wound having (in my mind) some additional effect beyond mere h.p. loss. While we might not normally want to keep track of called shots and disfiguring wounds or other 'critical effects' and use the simplier system of simply multiplying damage , we have been forced to by the game situation.

 

[Greybar]

the pinky isn't that much of a finger, it's weak and undexterous compared to the other digits on our hands. If you lost a pinky toe you would never notice.

Never had a broken pinky, have you... [grin]

I disagree. If you have a sword at home... (yes, with this crowd I do think that's a reasonable assumption)... or failing that, a baseball bat or heavy dowel even.

Now hold the stick/sword with one hand, and hold your pinky out straight. Make sure there is nothing breakable near you, or any people you care about. Swing the stick/sword as fast as you can down into the side frame of a doorway (or some other hard object that will make the stick vibrate in your hand). The sideways swing is a good test, since it's a bit harder to control than a downward swing.

Now retreive the sword-like object from where it bounced to, straighten the lamp you knocked over, and consider again the value of your pinky.

You have four fingers that hold your grip on. The pinky doesn't exert as much force as the index and pointer fingers, but it does wonders to stabilize your hand.

I'd say -1 or -2 to hit is reasonable. Alternatively, consider making the chance of a fumble considerably higher.

And somatic components... ick.

John

 

[Orco42]

I'd also give him a 10% spell casting failure to any spell with a Somatic component.

 

[Voldrath]

I'd also give him a 10% spell casting failure to any spell with a Somatic component.

I believe you only need one hand for somantic components.
I'd only apply a penalty if he's using that hand.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

No, seriously...I've been thinking about reincarnation. Even a single pinky would be enough to bring you back, so why not leave a pinky with the druid if you have to go make some noble self-sacrifice that will deprive party members of a body to raise?

And a tuft of hair won't be enough?