Lose a Limb

[Ghostwind]

You could try adapting/converting 'Torn Asunder: Critical Hits' (a 3e supplement from Bastion Press) to 4e. I'm not sure how easy that would be (not a 4e player) but I imagine it wouldn't be too hard, really.

Great book, anyhow, and it might give you some ideas, if nothing else. It covers detailed critical hits, called shots, and a number of other related things.

Indeed. Converting to 4e wouldn't really be that much of a stretch for Torn Asunder.

Incidentally, you can find the print version on sale here: Studio 2 Publishing, Inc.

while the pdf is here: EN World PDF Store - DragonWing Games - Torn Asunder: Critical Hits

 

[op1983]

Thanks all for the replies.

I reckon Shroomie's solution will best solve what I am trying to accomplish. Maiming or dismemberment by way of traps. The traps cause a custom disease.

When creating custom traps can I set the requirements for the cure? In other words if it's a trap designed to break a character's arm the cure for it is that it has to be in a splint for a certain amount of time.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Thanks all for the replies.

I reckon Shroomie's solution will best solve what I am trying to accomplish. Maiming or dismemberment by way of traps. The traps cause a custom disease.

When creating custom traps can I set the requirements for the cure? In other words if it's a trap designed to break a character's arm the cure for it is that it has to be in a splint for a certain amount of time.

There are no examples how one might word this, but it would certainly be possible. You could also just make it a "flavor text" of the Heal checks done by others. The conditions imposed by the disease would probably describe the effects of having a nonfunctional arm.

 

[op1983]

Well there is one that I can think of from memory that requires an extended rest to cure. The werewolf bite from one of the modules. I can't remember the name of the disease tho.

 

[jdrakeh]

I'm having trouble locating in the DnD 4th books where to find limb loss or other very serious injuries. As well as the recovery of such grievous wounds.

As somebody else mentioned, such rules are notably missing from all edtions of D&D (as part of the core rule books, anyhow).

D&D simply isn't focused on simulating things like realistic injury, wound infection, etc. Specifcially, the lack of such rules was what spawned things like Rolemaster (originally designed to supplement other games) and 'critical hit' tables like those found in the old Armory supplements.

If you lack supplements such as those mentioned above, you'll have to make up your own rules for such things (like the people who wrote such supplements did) A good place to start might be by looking at things like Arms Law/Claw Law for Rolemaster, or by checking out rules for realistic injuries in such systems as Harn Master.

 

[op1983]

I'll have a peek at those. But, honestly, I will probably go with the suggestion of having it be a disease track condition. It will accomplish what I want without adding extra rules into the game. At current the only house we my group uses is if the dice rolls off the table it's an automatic one.

 

[mac1504]

I ran a 3e Midnight campaign awhile back and I had one of the PCs suffer a lost arm after essentially dying in a battle with a umber hulk. I knew that the individual player would handle the loss maturely and see at as a role-playing element.

He did exactly that, and was ironically known for his accuracy in battle after that lost (I believe I imposed a penalty to his base attack). The players in that game still recall that character with great affection.

Sometime later in the game, I bestowed that character a magical wooden hand that grafted on to his limb and had various magical properties (in Midnight terms it was a covenant item). I thought it was proper after how well the player had taken that loss and used it to show the growth and development of his character.

 

[Ariosto]

Yes, the disease track looks like the best fit in existing 4E rules for recovery from serious injury.

An aside: Going all the way back to the original game, it would take about a week for an average 1st-level character or normal man to go from 1 HP back to maximum. The rules stipulated two weeks for recovery after being Raised from the dead. As an admittedly unrealistic but simple rule, some campaigns imposed a week or two of recovery after maiming. Others might go for 1-6 weeks or 1-6 months depending on severity.

Some DMs considered that the AD&D "Cure Critical Wounds" spell could reattach a limb. There might be magical ways to regrow one as well, besides the obvious use of a Wish.

Besides traps, crippling wounds could also come (in the old game) from items such as the Holy Sword of Sharpness.

 

[MichaelSomething]

The Advanced Player's Guide has some rules about longer term injuries.