Some thoughts on permanent injuries

[Morrus]

I'm considering the following adjustment to the rules on permanent injuries, and I'd appreciate some thoughts.

• Permanent injuries are an optional rule
• As before they are quite rare - 6 on 1d6 after having reached zero HEALTH
• Attributes can be reduced as currently, but CHARISMA cannot
• Ironically, every injury which reduces an attribute increases your CHARISMA by 1, because you're more interesting with an eyepatch or limp

It's designed to make experience a slightly more fun element, especially if players play on their war wounds.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I've found that having very low-frequency injuries creates a sort of tension. Everyone knows this rule is there and is significant, but is sort of waiting for it to come into play. I prefer to make them a more regular occurrence (and create a range that starts at relatively nonsevere ones to prevent the game from being too bogged down).

 

[LucasC]

I like the concept, I'm not sure if I like the implementation. At our last session 2 characters went unconscious. Both of them resulted in permanent injuries. Frequency actually seemed too high to me.

Granted, they both rolled poorly but that's going to happen when it's a 1 in 6 chance.

I cannot speak for others, but the folks I tend to play RPGs with are accustomed to falling unconscious a lot, maybe we need to change our playstyle for N.E.W.

I kind of like the idea of making it optional but think I'd rather see something a little more rare and not optional.

 

[Morrus]

I like the concept, I'm not sure if I like the implementation. At our last session 2 characters went unconscious. Both of them resulted in permanent injuries. Frequency actually seemed too high to me.

Granted, they both rolled poorly but that's going to happen when it's a 1 in 6 chance.

I cannot speak for others, but the folks I tend to play RPGs with are accustomed to falling unconscious a lot, maybe we need to change our playstyle for N.E.W.

I kind of like the idea of making it optional but think I'd rather see something a little more rare and not optional.

The probability can be tweaked pretty easily. Perhaps a 12 on 2d6, for example. Or even an 18 on 3d6 if you want it to be *really* rare.

 

[LucasC]

The probability can be tweaked pretty easily. Perhaps a 12 on 2d6, for example. Or even an 18 on 3d6 if you want it to be *really* rare.

That's exactly the type of change I think would be good.

The CHA restriction is an interesting idea but I can envision someone falling unconscious, maybe from a grenade, and then they wake up they lose a point to a stat and come up CHA. The logic behind CHA loss goes something like this... the wound physically scars them, contributing to loss but it also sours their personality a bit, makes them a little more cynical, a little bitter and angry, etc.

 

[Morrus]

The CHA restriction is an interesting idea but I can envision someone falling unconscious, maybe from a grenade, and then they wake up they lose a point to a stat and come up CHA. The logic behind CHA loss goes something like this... the wound physically scars them, contributing to loss but it also sours their personality a bit, makes them a little more cynical, a little bitter and angry, etc.

Oh, sure. You don't need to explain it. There was a CHA reduction in there before (in the document you have, in fact). I'm just considering making permanent injuries a bit less of a penalty and more a change. I like to see it as character development rather than nerfing folks.

 

[MarkB]

Oh, sure. You don't need to explain it. There was a CHA reduction in there before (in the document you have, in fact). I'm just considering making permanent injuries a bit less of a penalty and more a change. I like to see it as character development rather than nerfing folks.

If that's the case, then this implementation feels a little bit one-directional - great for the 'face' character, but not so good for anyone else.

Rather than putting one stat off-limits, how about randomising it - if you lose a point to a physical stat, then a random mental stat is increased, and vice versa.

Alternatively, formalise the exchanges a bit more, but relate which stats are penalised and boosted to the type of attack or event which caused the injury.

 

[trespassers]

If that's the case, then this implementation feels a little bit one-directional - great for the 'face' character, but not so good for anyone else.

Rather than putting one stat off-limits, how about randomising it - if you lose a point to a physical stat, then a random mental stat is increased, and vice versa.

Alternatively, formalise the exchanges a bit more, but relate which stats are penalised and boosted to the type of attack or event which caused the injury.

I like the idea of it boosting a mental stat, but I like the idea of choosing which mental stat, too! You got shot in the back while running away, maybe you want more of a WILL. Or maybe you missed the guy hiding in the shadows, your INT has been sharpened. Won't get caught like that again... Or you could always get a new scar. Scars are cool... +CHA!

Still reading through the document, but I got caught up in the idea and wanted to comment. I'm liking how inspirational this can be for character growth (vs just leveling up, if that makes sense).

 

[Peter Holland]

I like the idea of increasing a mental stat- a random one would be better or else you end up with characters doing the 'face' situation above. They could even be linked, e.g.:

• STR loss= WIL gain: your rehabilitation took the drive to overcome
• AGI loss= INT gain: you had to learn to get around your lack of manual dexterity
• END loss= CHA gain: you have a cool scar
• INT loss= WIL gain: you had to rehabilitate from your loss of brain function
• WIL loss= CHA gain: though you found it harder to do anything, you did learn how to manipulate others to do so.

That said- I think the permanent Injury should either be the result of damage beyond bringing you to 0 wounds (e.g. for every -10 injuries you would be on you roll) OR as part of the death countdown. This would make them slightly less frequent and also perhaps more logical.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I like your take on it. I'd handle the infliction a bit differently though. Rather than a 1/6 chance at 0 hp, I'd rather say that if a PC would be dead according to a combat result, the player can instead choose that the PC survives, but with a permanent injury as you describe. Roll for random attribute damaged. The PC is incapacitated for a long time, though. And the player gets to choose a physical appearance change as a result of the injury.

This offers the player an interesting choice. He can continue with his current PC, which he probably likes, at a slightly reduced capability, or he can come in with a new PC, which in most groups will be at par with the other PCs.