Open Chest Wound -- What Would You Do? and Now; What I Did!

[Aluvial]

I have a character who has received an open chest wound... and survived.

I am going to assume that there are 4 ribs hewn through, and the lung is cut and collapsed.

The character is in what most would call critical condition. The party is 2nd level. Normally, this blow would have killed the character, but because of a story award I gave, the character has the right to cheat death this once.

What game effects should I put on this character? How long would it take for natural healing to overcome this difficulty? What magic is out there that would aid the character?

Would Raise Dead, cast upon the living, improve the character's situation?

Thanks,

Aluvial

 

[useridunavailable]

Regardless of the severity of the wound, any cure spell should work as long as the character is alive. Any added complexity is by your own design, provided this is D&D you're talking about, and the rules don't really provide for that which is outside the rules.

 

[s-dub]

Well the easiest way to cure him is to cast a few cure light wounds.

I don't think that there's anything in Raise Dead's description that would help an alive character, mainly because Raise Dead's target is "dead creature touched". There's also the issue of losing a level involved in being raised.

Mechanically, DND doesn't really have many rules for specific damage. There's a spell called Regenerate that fixes all sorts of mutilation (lost limbs, etc) should you desire to constantly mutilate your PC's

Conceivably, you could create your own line of regenerate spells, like least regeneration (regenerates fingers, toes, ears, etc), lesser regeneration (hands, feet, eyes), and regeneration (limbs, organs).

Hope this helps.

 

[Pyrex]

HP damage is the most reasonable method. If you want a slightly more 'lasting' penalty, go with a few points of Con damage representing serious injury followed by a couple points of Con drain representing "permanent" damage to his chest cavity.

(of course, "permanent" really means "until the party has access to Restoration, but that is as it should be)

 

[calebw]

if you want to go with something unique, give the character a big scar even when he is cured. you could also have it open up again, like if it is a barbarian every time they rage it can open up as a 'wounding 1' thing. i think taking away con because of it would be a little extreme though, so consider having a trait or ability lost (or gained?) form the wound. as for regaining the lost hit points, casting cure spells are you best bet by far.

 

[Aluvial]

Cure Lt. Wounds mends bones...

I would have thought that you might needed something higher level.

Anyhow, thanks for the responses.

Aluvial

 

[3d6]

My reading is that the character died, and you allowed him to live on with a major injury due to a house rule that allows you to cheat death once, is that right?

I think Constitution drain would be the best option. Perhaps 1d4 points or something similar.

 

[ceratitis]

ha ha
i thought this was a trap "open chest..."

 

[frankthedm]

Cheated death you say? Sounds like a critical wound then.

Require a Cure Critical Wounds spell.

 

[nittanytbone]

Damage that takes longer than HP damage to recover but is less serious than a missing limb is best represented by ability score damage.

I'd say a good solid chunk of CON damage with a fatigued or exhausted condition would be best.