[DMs] How Detailed Do You Get In Your Descriptions of Wounds and Gore?

[carpedavid]

I normally only describe something specific in relation to critical hits or killing blows that drop someone below -10 hp. Anything less occasionally gets a comment if I'm feeling inspired, but nothing that has an actual in-game effect. In any case, I don't get too graphic, as I've got a couple of players that are squeamish about excessive gore.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Oh, yeah. Depends on what's doing the damage, or the exact rolls, but I've done stuff like that a great deal.

Y'know, this takes me back to every time I had a new player in 1E/2E that was running a cleric, using their mace because of the "no bloodshed" ideal. Obviously, whom ever said maces are bloodless weapons has never seen a mace in action; The looks on some faces when I describe snapping ribs, vomiting blood, ruptured skulls, and dripping brains were priceless.

I had one player gripe about it until I showed him the last scene from Excalibur (where Lancelot shows up woopin' butt with a mace). That was the end of that debate.

 

[StalkingBlue]

I'll use bits of graphic detail to highlight dramatic events in combat, such as an important death - and sometimes to convey how badly damaged a foe or ally appears to be. That's it.
I want a fast, highly focussed pace for combat (as far as possible with spellcasters in the group, who always need more time to think), and I find overdescribing detracts from that.

I don't change DnD combat game mechanics - no called shots, no crippling of combatants by broken bones, severed limbs etc. Again I find it detracts from the fast-paced combat I want for DnD.

If someone goes below -40 hp I'd not allow raise dead, same thing if the enemy has taken the effort of further mutilating the body after the death.
At a mere -20hp or so I wouldn't have a problem allowing a raise dead though, if I'm DMing in a core rules setting where the spell is available.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Yup, sometimes.

I like to keep it fairly general most of the time and really go to town now and again...

I generally find the best player responses come from the reaction of the NPC. For example: describing an orcish conscript, pathetically mewling in terror, as they stare at a horrifying wound the player just gave them... Yucky!

 

[Nightchilde-2]

Drama!

Depends on what is most dramatically appropriate at the moment. Fight with some goblins? Eh, gloss over it. "You hit." Major fight with a huge baddy? Mmm. Blood and guts galore!

 

[MarauderX]

peon troops get one-liner descriptions: "Taras tags the charging goblin in the throat with an arrow".
BBEGs get one-liners for each blow dealt and a gory description that spills into a final conclusion.

All in all, i like to add detail, gore or otherwise, to a setting to inspire mood. Gore works great for halloween, though must be used well...

 

[Malk]

Braveheart. The scene where wallace rides into the noblemans room and bashes his head in with the flail....great example of bloody mace'ness.